Dress for the Weather: Layers
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What you will learn
- 1Name the three clothing layers and what each one does
- 2Add or remove a layer to stay just right
- 3Choose fabrics that stay warm when they get damp
- 4Pack a hat, gloves, warm socks, and a rain jacket for a day outside
Mini Lesson
Outdoors, the weather can change fast. One big, thick coat is hard to manage. Many thin layers work better. You can add a layer when you feel cold and take one off when you feel warm. Layers keep you just right - not too hot, not too cold, and dry.
🌿 The Wild Way (three layers, just right)
- BASE LAYER: a thin layer next to your skin. It moves sweat away so your skin stays dry.
- MIDDLE LAYER: the warm layer, like fleece or wool. It holds in your body heat.
- OUTER SHELL: a jacket on the outside. It stops wind and rain from getting in.
- ADD OR REMOVE: feeling cold? Add a layer. Getting warm? Take one off BEFORE you get sweaty.
- PICK GOOD FABRIC: cotton soaks up water and stays wet and cold. Wool and fleece stay warmer when damp.
- TOP AND TOES: wear a hat, gloves, and warm socks. Pack a rain jacket, even on a sunny day.
Being wet and cold at the same time is dangerous. If your clothes get soaked, or you start to shiver and cannot stop, tell your grown-up at once. Your grown-up decides what to wear and when to head inside.
Words to know
layer
One piece of clothing worn over another.
e.g. I wore three layers on the cold hike.
base layer
The thin layer next to your skin that moves sweat away.
e.g. My base layer kept my skin dry.
middle layer
The warm layer, like fleece or wool, that holds in body heat.
e.g. I added my middle layer when the wind picked up.
outer shell
The jacket on the outside that stops wind and rain.
e.g. The rain ran off my outer shell.
fleece
A soft, fuzzy fabric that stays warm even when damp.
e.g. My fleece kept me warm in the drizzle.
damp
A little bit wet.
e.g. Cotton feels cold when it is damp.
🧠 Survivor’s Trick: stay dry to stay warm. When you start a steep walk, take a layer off BEFORE you get sweaty. When you stop for a rest, put it back on before you get cold.
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