Do You Let Your Kids Play in the Rain?

I grew up with adults telling me I can’t play in the rain because I’ll get sick. And I have always accepted that statement as fact.

But having an active little boy had me thinking; should I keep him cooped up in the house whenever it’s raining or should I let him run wild outside?

Between me and my husband, I’m the one who’s more chill about these things. (He does all the worrying for the both of us!) So when we started discussing about letting Luke play in the rain, I was surprised to hear him enthusiastically say that we should definitely let Luke do it!

Should You or Shouldn’t You?

So is it really bad to play in the rain? Can it really make you sick?

FACT: Rain technically doesn’t make anyone sick; viruses and bacteria are what does. What rain does though is lower a person’s body temperature which makes them more susceptible to catching viruses.

In short, playing in the rain can lower your immune system temporarily but it is not the direct cause of getting sick. So what we should actually be focusing on is building up our immune systems so that we won’t easily get affected. This is the simplified explanation. You can read about it more in detail here and here.

(Disclaimer: I’m not here to play doctor. But I thought it might be worth sharing if experts say this is so!)

Why We Let Ours Play in the Rain

I want my sons to enjoy the outdoors and to have many memorable moments; rain or shine! Playing in the rain is one of those quintessential childhood experiences, and I don’t want to deprive them of that. Who doesn’t like splashing in puddles and feeling raindrops on their cheeks?

It does help too that I’ve been reading a lot about the Charlotte Mason philosophy lately (as I’ve mentioned previously.) Charlotte Mason advocates learning through nature and letting kids explore. From being an indoors type of city girl, it really changed me and inspired me to incorporate more outdoor and nature time in our lives.

Ready to Play? Here are Tips to Keep Them Safe:

So if you’re ready to try letting your kids play in the rain, here are some tips to make sure you keep them in tip-top shape!

1. Dress them for the weather

There’s a German proverb that goes “There’s no such thing as bad weather, only bad clothes.” Whenever we let Luke play outside in the rain, we make sure he wears his raincoat and boots! Getting them drenched will only make them uncomfortable, lower body temperature fast and will shorten fun time.

2. Boost their immune systems up

As we mentioned earlier, a good immune system is still your best bet in keeping your kids healthy. So make sure you do your best to boost theirs! Some essentials to remember:

• Get good sleep and eat well: Don’t let them stay up all night and don’t let them NOT eat their veggies! Also, cut down on sweets. Did you know that eating or drinking too much sugar curbs immune system cells that attack bacteria? (Source)
• Have regular outdoor time: Exposing them to a little more dirt is actually beneficial and of course, spending time under the sun is always a great prescription for kids who are cooped up in their screens all day. (Get more Vitamin D in their bodies!)
• Take supplements: Aside from eating a well-balanced diet, we make sure that Luke takes his multi-vitamins and vitamin C daily. When he turned 3, we started giving him IgCo Skim Milk with Natural Colostrum (half a sachet.) Colostrum is the first milk a cow produces after it gives birth (or during the late stages of pregnancy) and it’s packed with loads of immune boosters. I’m a believer of taking colostrum because I’ve experienced its benefits myself! I used to catch the flu easily but not anymore since I started taking bovine colostrum. So I’m passing this on to my family. You might wanna try that too if you haven’t yet! (It’s available at Mercury drug and other leading drugstores nationwide.)

3. Give them a warm bath after

As soon as you’re done playing, dry them up and give them a warm bath immediately after. The goal is not to make them cold for too long so their bodies can adjust back easily. I used to think this was just an old wives’ practice but there’s actually truth behind it.

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Do you let your kids play in the rain? Would love to hear your stories! Share them in the comments below!

Related articles: Create a Healthier Home Environment for Your Kids and Bring the Kids Outdoors