Wearing Hats At School!

Just wondering what you think about kids being made to wear hats if they want to go outside!

I'm all for it in summer but I think they need to review this policy for the winter months.

So many kids are vitamin D deficient and I just don't think that it's neccessary when they are in the playground for less than 1hr a day (recess and lunch combined).

Both the daycare centre and ELC that my kids went to prior to starting school were the same but I have heard of some schools that don't have the 'No hat, no play' policy over winter. I think that this makes more sense. I'm actually thinking of raising the issue with their school.

Just wondering what your kids school does and how you feel about it!

I would say encourage them to wear a hat whenever they go out side as even on overcast days there is a presence of uv rays but that is just my opinion a hat wont hurt them they can still get the vitamin d from their hands or arms being exposed smile

Tigerlily. wrote:
From the website http://www.sunsmart.com.au/vitamin_d/how_much_s...
May to August in Victoria

Thanks for that Tigerlily!

RTDJ wrote:
I would say encourage them to wear a hat whenever they go out side as even on overcast days there is a presence of uv rays but that is just my opinion a hat wont hurt them they can still get the vitamin d from their hands or arms being exposed smile

See this is my issue! Both the girls and boys have long sleeve shirts which are UPF 40 and the boys have to wear long pants and the girls have a pinafore (which has to be below the knee) and have to wear stockings aswell.
Therefore the only parts of their bodies that are exposed toi the sun are their hands and face. The sleeves on their jumpers are particularly long and tend to hang off the end of their hands. Mind you all the kids tend to pull them down over their hands anyway. I tried to tell DD1 to pull her sleeves up but was abruptly told that it was so "not cool" mum!

*mummsy* wrote:
I'm actually all for it all year long as I've found with kids if there is a bit of an exception then its just confusing and leaves room for excuses and forgetting things. This way its a hard and fast rule and becomes a habit, outside=hat! smile

This is what I was thinking that they will say.

Mel+2 wrote:
I agree with it. Our school does require hats durin term 1 & 4, if kids don't bring their hat they need to stay in the central courtyard under cover.

This is what I am hoping for! I would be more than happy with this!

For older kids it would be fine but I know my kinder child would be confused.
Plus her hat has to be worn to and from school as its part of the uniform. I don't mind, I'm just happy she remembers to put the hat on

Our school is not hat no play in terms 1 and 4. Terms 2 and 3 it's up to the kids if they want to wear a hat or not. I agree with this as the winter uniform is long sleeves and stockings or pants. They are out in the playground for just over an hour total all day so the Vit. D is good for them. I know when my kids come home in winter it is too cold to play outside so happy that they get Vit. D at school. I'm happy with this policy. It works for us.

I used to work at a KIndy and we had no hat no play all year round. That said during terms 2 and 3 we werent as vigiliant at policing this and kids were allowed to wear beanies instead of a sun hat.

Our school is only in the Summer terms but having said that I would be happy for it to be all year round. easier to police if consistent! If you are worried about vitamin D then you can ensure they have plenty of this when they are out of school

Mrs-mum? wrote:
I have to say that schools have a very good reason for making policies. My school has hats all year in unprotected areas. If you have no hat you play in the shade.

However if you look at the information below it not hard to get the correct amount...it should be enough to get after school and on the weekend.

When sun – specifically UVB radiation – shines on our skin, our bodies make vitamin D. We get about 80% of our vitamin D this way. The Cancer Council recommends the following:

In summer, fair-skinned people can get enough vitamin D from just a few minutes of sun on hands, arms and face every day.
In winter in Victoria and South Australia, 2-3 hours of sun a week will provide enough vitamin D.
In winter in Tasmania, more than 2-3 hours of sun a week might be needed (according to recent research).
In winter elsewhere in Australia, a few minutes a day will provide enough vitamin D.
Dark-skinned people will need more sun than fair-skinned people. To find out how much sun you need, speak with your doctor.

I'm not sure if the SA hills and tassie get 2-3 hours of sun a week in the depths of winter. lol

I hate no hat no play. Not because of uv or what ever.

I just hated when i was at school and mum forgot to pack my hat so i had to sit on the bench outside the office with the detention kids. Totally disproportionate! Your sitting a kid on a bench not allowing them to play for not having a hat and using the same punishment for kids who had actually done something wrong! Not fair.

I think only allowing them in undercover areas or the library would be better.

At dd1's school they have to wear their hats for term 1 and term 4. When term 2 started I sent her hat to school and she told me the teacher said she didn't have to wear it. With dd2 at daycare, she is still wearing her hat. When the weather gets colder she will wear a beanie outside instead.

I actually have a spare hat in DD1's bag so that if she or DS1 forget their hat, it's in her bag.

I try to take my kids hats off and put them straight in their bags either when I pick them up of when DF's dad drops them home. Mind you, there is still the odd day that they end up without their hat.

It's not too bad at their school as lots of kids still play in the undercover area but it sux if their main friends are playing out the back in the playground.

if there is an issue with parents forgetting hats, why can't the hats be kept at the school. A name on each hat, at the end of the outdoor time they are hung on the same hook and they don't go home.