Weather days and gear
What to wear, season by season
Children are outside most of the morning in every season, so the right layers matter more than anything else on this list.
Fall
Layers that come off and go back on.
A waterproof jacket and rain pants
Rubber or waterproof boots
A warm hat for the morning
A spare set of clothes for the cubby
Winter
Warm from the skin out, and dry at the ends.
A wool or fleece base layer, with no cotton next to the skin
Insulated snow pants and a winter coat
Waterproof mittens and a warm hat
Insulated waterproof boots with room for thick socks
Spring and mud season
Wet, muddy and cool, often all in one morning.
Rain pants and a waterproof jacket
Tall rubber boots
A spare set of socks and pants
A light hat
Summer
Covered against sun and ticks, with water close.
Long, light pants and a long-sleeved shirt
A brimmed hat and sunscreen put on at home
Closed-toe shoes or boots
A full water bottle
Gear
Where the gear lives
The loaner shelf
A shelf of rain pants, mittens and boots in children's sizes is there to borrow while a family finds its own.
Label everything
Every coat, boot and mitten gets the child's initials. Twenty-four boots look a lot alike by the door.
A spare set stays
Each child has a cubby at the base with a dry set of clothes, socks and mittens that never go home.
On the trail
The boundaries children know
The flagged trees
Ribbons on the trees mark where the group plays. Children practice finding the edge on the first day.
The call back
One call means stop where you are, and a second means come in. Children practice it as a game until it is a habit.
The walking buddy
Every child has a buddy for the walk between spots, and a teacher at the front and at the back.
See the trail in your own boots
A tour shows the gear room, the loaner shelf and the first stop on the trail.