The rains have arrived in Oregon and the sturdy little first graders aren’t letting it cramp their style one bit.
When I was getting ready to teach first grade I knew that managing all of the gear was going to be a bit of an issue. For years I’ve watched first graders in the hallways getting their raingear off and on. There are benches set up in every spare corner, drying racks in the classroom and countless pairs of rainpants that float about the school, finally landing in the lost and found (which is just outside the 8th grade classroom.)
What I didn’t anticipate, though, was the daily decision-making about what the children are to wear for recess. Each day when I tell the first graders to get ready to go outside, I hear a chorus of, “What are we wearing?!” I love that they ask me this each day, and though a few of them grumble when the reply is “Full raingear,” they quickly comply and make the most of every precious minute of their recess time.
I am so grateful that these kids are so well-prepared for the elements, and though they would much rather run around in shorts and t-shirts, it is clear to all of us that all of their waterproof gear means that they can be much more active on the playground.
I’m definitely partial to the all-in-one suits that several of my students have. Those Oakiwear suits slip on and zip up in seconds. My students are surprisingly quick at getting themselves suited up (thank you, kindergarten teachers), but it’s nice to have the benefit of a one-zip raingear solution.
Good, comfortable rainboots can sometimes prove tricky to find, as well. I’ve been a longtime fan of Bogs but several of my students have rainboots made by Croc. They seem lightweight and comfortable for running — just perfect.
The rainy season has just begun, and we’re still getting our fair share of beautiful fall days, so the daily raingear suit-up doesn’t feel too exhausting right now, but I’m sure come January we’ll be really grateful for how prepared we are for the elements.
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