“Put Your Coat On… You’ll Catch a Cold!”

“Don’t go outside, you’ll get sick!”
“Cover your ears or you’ll catch a cold!”
“It’s too cold to play outside!”

“Put Your Coat On… You’ll Catch a Cold!”

Why That’s Not Actually True (and Why Winter Play is So Healthy)

We’ve all heard it:

“Don’t go outside, you’ll get sick!”
“Cover your ears or you’ll catch a cold!”
“It’s too cold to play outside!”

But here’s the truth:
Cold weather doesn’t make your child sick. A stressed immune system does.

Let’s talk about why playing outside in the winter is actually one of the best things you can do for your kids.

Cold Weather Isn’t the Problem. Stress Is.

Kids don’t catch colds from being cold.
They get sick when their immune system is run down and that’s usually from:

• Too little sleep

• Not enough movement

• High stress

• Junk food overload

• Too much time indoors

Staying cooped up all winter long actually increases the chance of getting sick. Germs spread more easily indoors, and less fresh air means their nervous system and immune system don’t get the reset they need.

When kids run around outside, jump in snow piles, breathe in the crisp air, it actually helps them regulate.

That’s a fancy word for:
Their brain and body get back on the same team.

Fresh air and natural light:

• Help improve sleep

• Boost mood

• Support focus

• Strengthen immune function

• Calm big emotions

That’s why we say…
If your kid is melting down, put them in snow gear and send them outside.

Movement Builds Immune Strength

Outside play = full body movement.

That means:

• Better blood flow

• Brain-body communication improves

• The lymphatic system (your body’s waste system!) works better

• The immune system gets stronger

Movement is medicine, especially in the cold when we naturally want to curl up and do less.

Even in the winter, natural light helps set the sleep-wake cycle (circadian rhythm) and helps the body make vitamin D, a key part of immune health.

Short days mean we need every bit of sunlight we can get!

Even just 20–30 minutes outdoors is helpful.

You don’t need to avoid the outdoors just because you have a baby.
Bundle them up, wear them in a carrier, or put them in a stroller with a weather cover and go for a short walk. Fresh air is just as good for you as it is for them.

So… Should You Go Outside This Winter?

Yes.
Yes.
Yes.

As long as you’re dressed properly and the wind chill isn’t dangerously low, outdoor play is healthy, safe, and immune-boosting.

And if your child is always the one who seems to catch everything, it might be time to take a deeper look at how their nervous system is functioning. Chiropractic care at Vive can help regulate their system so they bounce back faster, sleep better, and stay more resilient all winter long.

Ready to help your child thrive through winter?

Book your Vive Method™ Discovery Visit, we’ll chat about your child’s history, do Insight Scans to check nervous system function, and put together a plan that helps your family stay healthy all season long.

Let’s play outside this winter, without fear.