Outdoor education means going outside rain or shine.  There are so many learning opportunities to be had outdoors, like taking risks and challenging the limits of our clothes.  Here are some students having a ball jumping in our "swamp."  They are dressed warmly beneath their Muddy Buddy (waterproof wet suit), pant legs are securely pulled over their rubber boats, and some have their hoods pulled up over their heads.  The children are not discouraged from playing in the water, rather, we spend a lot of time talking about safety ("the log is slippery when it's wet"), establishing rules ("don't throw mud at anyone's face"), and dialoguing each senario ("how is the water getting in your boot?").  Some learn quickly that water gets into their suits in sneaky ways and then they are left feeling cold, wet, and uncomfortable.  Guiding the students to come to these conclusions themselves is more meaningful than me telling them what the problem is.  However, there are some days when you just gotta forget it all and  go for it, which is why it is super important to pack an extra set of clothing for your child to change into daily.