Chapter 1: Cold and Your Body

Chapter Introduction

Hi. I am the Penguin.

I teach about cold. Cold is part of the world. Some days it is cold outside. Some places are cold most of the year. Some water is cold to swim in. Some drinks are cold to drink. Cold is everywhere, even where you live, even if you have never seen snow.

Your body has built-in ways to handle cold. The Penguin will tell you what those are. Your body is good at handling cold — with help from the right clothes and the right grown-ups around you. The Penguin never lets a kid forget that part.

This is the first time you and I are talking about cold together. I am calm. I am cheerful. I have lived in cold places forever. I am not in a hurry. We will take our time, the way penguins take their time on a slow walk across the ice.

In this chapter, you will learn three big ideas.

The first big idea is what cold is and what your body does when it gets cold. Goosebumps. Shivering. Your fingers feeling colder than your tummy. All of those are your body talking to you.

The second big idea is that cold can be fun and feel good — when you are ready for it. Snow play, swimming in a cool pool, a cold drink on a hot day, a walk on a crisp morning. These can be wonderful. The trick is dressing right, being with trusted grown-ups, and listening to your body.

The third big idea is the most important one. Cold can be too much. If you get too cold, your body sends serious signals. The Bear, the Turtle, the Cat, the Lion, and I all agree on what to do: tell a trusted grown-up right away, get warm, and stay safe. Around cold water especially, kids are always with trusted grown-ups. Always.

The Penguin is in no rush. Are you ready? Let's go.

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Lesson 1.1: Your Body and Cold

Learning Objectives

By the end of this lesson, you will be able to:

• Tell what cold feels like in your body
• Name three things your body does when it gets cold
• Notice that different parts of your body get cold at different speeds
• Understand that people have lived in cold places for a very long time
• Know that every kid handles cold a little differently, and that is okay

Key Terms

The Penguin Watches

The Penguin has been watching humans in cold weather for a long, long time. I will tell you what I have seen.

Bodies are made for many kinds of weather. Hot, cold, in between. Your body has been put together in a way that lets you handle changes in temperature — as long as you have the right help. Long ago, before houses and coats and grocery stores, your ancestors lived in places with cold winters. They wore animal skins. They built fires. They built shelters. They moved when the weather got too hard. They figured it out — together [1, 2].

You inherited the same body those ancestors had. Your body still has built-in tools for handling cold. Most of you have never thought about them. Today, you will.

But hear this first. Your body has tools for cold, and your body needs help in cold. Bodies cannot handle cold on their own. They need clothes. They need warm shelter. They need trusted grown-ups around. The Penguin says this at the very beginning so we never forget it.

What Cold Feels Like

Picture this. You are inside. You feel comfortable. Your shirt feels normal. Your skin feels normal.

Now picture the front door opening on a winter day. A burst of cold air rushes in. Your skin notices right away. Maybe your nose tingles a little. Maybe the hairs on your arms stand up. Maybe you feel a small shiver run through you.

Your body just sent you signals. Cold air touched your skin. Your skin sent a message to your brain. Your brain sent messages back to your body to do things — make goosebumps, send warmth to the middle, get the muscles ready to shiver if needed.

That is what your body does when it meets cold. It does not panic. It just gets to work [3].

Three Things Your Body Does in Cold

Here are three things your body does when it gets cold. The Penguin wants you to know each one.

1. Goosebumps. Tiny bumps come up on your skin. Each bump is a tiny muscle pulling on a hair to make it stand up. Long ago, people had more body hair, and standing-up hair could trap a thin layer of warm air around the body — like fluffing up a blanket. Today most humans do not have enough hair for this to do much, but the goosebumps still happen. The Penguin thinks they are kind of funny — your skin is trying to fluff up hair you barely have.

2. Shivering. Your muscles start to shake fast — sometimes all over, sometimes just in one part. Shivering is not a bad thing. Shivering is your body's way of making warmth. When muscles work, they make heat. Shivering is muscles working on purpose, even when you do not tell them to. Your body is taking care of itself. You cannot stop a shiver by trying to. You can stop it by getting warm.

3. Sending warmth to the middle. This one is harder to feel, but it is important. When your body gets cold, it pulls warmth away from your fingers, toes, ears, and nose, and sends it to your tummy and chest — where your most important parts are (heart, lungs, brain). That is why your fingers and toes get cold first, while your tummy stays warmer. Your body is choosing to protect the most important things. The Penguin thinks that is smart.

When you warm up again, the warmth comes back to your fingers and toes. Sometimes it takes a few minutes. Sometimes your fingers tingle as they warm up. That is normal.

Different Kids Feel Cold Differently

Here is something the Penguin wants you to notice.

Kids feel cold differently from each other. Some kids feel cold easily and shiver fast. Some kids do not feel cold until it is really, really cold. Some kids' hands get cold quickly. Some kids' feet get cold quickly. Some kids have parts of their body that get cold no matter what they wear.

All of this is normal. Bodies are different.

If you have a body that gets cold faster than other kids' bodies, that is okay. You may need more layers. You may need to come inside sooner. You may need to take a warm break more often. None of that means anything is wrong with you. The Penguin trusts your trusted grown-ups to help you find what works.

Some kids have a body that has a hard time with cold for a special reason — maybe asthma that gets worse in cold air, maybe a condition that makes hands and feet turn pale and cold quickly, maybe something else. If that is your body, you work with your doctor and your trusted grown-ups about what is right for you. You are not the only kid like that. The Penguin sees every body.

The Penguin never compares one kid to another. The Penguin does not say "you should be tougher" or "you should not be so cold." The Penguin says: notice your own body and tell your trusted grown-ups what you are feeling. That is the skill that matters.

Many Climates, Many Cold

Kids live in many different places. The Penguin wants you to know — the cold you experience depends on where you live.

• Some kids live in places where it snows for many months. The cold is part of every winter day. Coats and boots are normal.
• Some kids live in places with mild winters. The cold comes and goes. Some days are chilly, some days are not.
• Some kids live in places where it almost never gets cold outside. Their cold mostly comes from cool water, cool drinks, or air conditioning inside.
• Some kids move between climates. Maybe they live in a warm place and visit a cold place sometimes.

All of these are fine. The Penguin teaches what bodies do in cold no matter how much cold you usually feel.

If you have never played in snow, that is fine. If you have never not played in snow, that is fine. If you have never been in cold water, that is fine. Where you live shapes how you meet cold. The Penguin meets you wherever you are.

A Cold Memory

Here is a small thing the Penguin wants you to try.

Think about a time you felt cold. Maybe coming inside from playing in snow. Maybe getting out of a swimming pool. Maybe walking from a warm car into a cold building. Maybe a cold drink on a hot day. Maybe a cool room while you were trying to sleep.

Now think about what your body did.

• Did you shiver?
• Did you get goosebumps?
• Did your hands or feet feel cold first?
• Did you want to curl up small?
• Did you grab a blanket or a jacket?

Whatever your body did, it was doing its job. The Penguin is glad your body knows how to take care of you.

Lesson Check

1. What is one thing your body does when you get cold?
2. Where does your body send warmth when it gets cold, and why?
3. Do all kids feel cold the same way? What does the Penguin say about that?
4. Why does the Penguin say humans need help to handle cold?
5. Think of one time you felt cold. What did your body do?

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Lesson 1.2: Cold Can Feel Good — With the Right Help

Learning Objectives

By the end of this lesson, you will be able to:

• Name three ways cold can feel good
• Name four things that help kids stay safe and happy in cold
• Notice what your trusted grown-ups do to help you in cold weather
• Understand that being ready for cold means having the right clothes and the right people
• Tell why kids never go into cold water alone

Key Terms

A Quick Penguin Story

The Penguin loves the cold. The Penguin lives in cold. Penguins are made for it.

You are not a penguin. Your body is not built quite like mine. But your body can still find joy in cold — when you are ready for it. The Penguin will show you what ready looks like.

Cold is not bad. Cold is not scary. Cold is part of the world. Some of the best moments of a kid's life happen in the cold — sledding down a hill, throwing snowballs, jumping into a pool on a hot summer day, walking through fresh snow that nobody else has touched yet, sitting around a fire with a hot drink while the air outside is sharp and clean.

The Penguin wants you to enjoy cold safely. That is what this lesson is for.

Three Ways Cold Can Feel Good

The Penguin loves cold. Here are three reasons.

1. A crisp morning feels alive. Have you ever stepped outside on a cool morning and felt your whole body wake up? The fresh air. The cold on your cheeks. Your breath making a small cloud. There is something about cool air that makes everything feel sharper, brighter, more alive. Many people love that feeling [4]. The Penguin is one of them.

2. Cool water can be a treat. On a hot summer day, jumping into a cool pool or lake is one of the best feelings there is. The cold water against your warm skin. The way your body feels light. The splash. A cool bath after a long, hot, busy day. Cool water — when you are ready and warm enough — is wonderful.

3. Snow play is one of the best things in the world. If you have ever played in snow, you know. Sledding. Snowballs. Making a snow person. Lying on your back to make a snow angel. Catching snowflakes on your tongue. The Penguin agrees with every kid who loves these things.

There are more reasons cold can feel good. A cool drink when you are thirsty. A cool wash on a hot face. A breeze through a window. Cold has its own kind of joy, and the Penguin wants you to find the parts of cold that feel good to you.

If cold has never felt good to you yet, that is okay too. Some kids do not love it. Some kids prefer to stay warm. The Penguin is not going to make you love what you do not love. The Penguin just wants you to be safe and happy with whatever kind of weather is around you.

Four Things That Help Kids in Cold

The Penguin is not going to tell you exactly what to wear or exactly what to do. Your family knows your weather. Your trusted grown-ups know what works for your body in your climate.

What the Penguin can share is four things that help most kids handle cold. These are sensible cold-weather practices, not rules-you-must-follow. You and your trusted grown-ups can figure out what fits your family.

1. Dressing in layers. Layers means wearing one piece of clothing on top of another. A shirt, then a sweater, then a coat. Layers trap warm air between them, which keeps you warmer than one thick piece would. In real cold, layers also let you take off one piece if you get too warm — like during a snow game where you start to shiver-stop and feel toasty. Most cold-weather pros agree: layers are how humans dress for cold [5, 6].

For really cold places, kids often wear:

• A base layer (warm shirt and pants close to the skin)
• A middle layer (sweater or hoodie)
• An outer layer (coat that blocks wind and snow)
• A hat (you lose a lot of warmth through your head if it is uncovered)
• Mittens or gloves
• Warm socks and boots that keep your feet dry

What you specifically need depends on your weather and your body. Your grown-ups know.

2. Staying with trusted grown-ups in cold places. This one is important. When you are outside in cold weather — especially around water, in deep snow, or in places where it would be hard to get help fast — kids are with grown-ups. The grown-ups watch the time. The grown-ups watch the weather. The grown-ups bring extra layers and water and the things kids forget to bring.

Cold can sneak up on a kid. You can be having fun and not realize how cold you are getting. A grown-up nearby is your best safety check.

3. Taking warm breaks. The Penguin loves this idea: cold play, then warm break, then more cold play. Run around outside until your cheeks are pink. Come inside. Warm up. Drink something. Eat a snack if you are hungry. Maybe sit for a few minutes. Then go back out if you want to. Or stay in if you are done.

Your body does better with breaks than with long, long, long cold without coming in. Even big-cold-place kids take warm breaks. The Penguin definitely takes warm breaks. (Well — penguins do not really do warm breaks. But you should.)

4. Drinking water and eating real food. This part the Bear taught me. Your body uses extra energy to stay warm in cold weather [4]. That means eating real food — meals that have protein, fruits, vegetables, and good fats (the Bear told you about all of those in Food and Your Body) — matters even more when it is cold. And drinking water still matters, even in cold weather, even when you do not feel as thirsty. The Bear and I agree on this.

Warm drinks can be a special joy in cold weather. A mug of warm broth, warm milk, or warm cocoa with a grown-up after a snow play day is one of the best things a kid can have.

Coaches Working Together

Did you notice how the four things above borrow from the other coaches? The Penguin works closely with the Bear, the Turtle, the Cat, and the Lion. We all teach different things, but we all agree about a lot.

• The Bear (Food) said real food and water help your body do its work. The Penguin says: that is even more true in cold weather, when your body uses extra energy to stay warm.
• The Turtle (Brain) said your brain works better when your body is taken care of. The Penguin says: cold makes a body need more care, and a well-taken-care-of body is a well-thinking body.
• The Cat (Sleep) said your body does best with rest. The Penguin says: cold play and warm breaks are a kind of rest cycle. Your body needs the warm time as much as it needs the cold time.
• The Lion (Move) said your body is built to move. The Penguin says: moving warms you up in the cold. A still, wet, cold body is the most dangerous combination. A moving, dry, dressed body is much safer.

The Penguin loves working with the other coaches. We are a team. So are you, your family, your friends, your teachers, and the trusted grown-ups in your life.

A Special Note About Cold Water

The Penguin has to say one important thing in this lesson before we go on.

Cold water is special. Kids do not go in cold water alone. Ever.

Swimming pools, lakes, rivers, ponds, oceans, creeks, even a big bathtub — if the water is cold, kids stay with trusted grown-ups. Why? Cold water cools the body fast. It can make a kid tired quickly. It can be hard to swim well in cold water even if you swim well in warm water. Even strong swimmers who jump into cold water sometimes have trouble. The Penguin has watched it happen, and we will say more in Lesson 3.

This is not the Penguin being mean about cold water. The Penguin loves cold water. The Penguin lives in it. But for kids, cold water is a thing you do with grown-ups around. Always.

Notice What Your Grown-Ups Do

Here is a small thing the Penguin wants you to try.

Think about what the trusted grown-ups in your life do to help you in cold weather. Do they:

• Pick out your clothes when it is cold?
• Check the weather before you go out?
• Make sure you have a hat and mittens?
• Watch you when you play in snow?
• Bring you a warm drink after you come in from cold?
• Tell you to come in when it has been long enough?
• Pack extra layers in the car for trips?

Notice them. They are doing a lot. Most kids do not realize how much trusted grown-ups handle for them in cold weather. Take a small moment to notice. Maybe say thank you. Grown-ups love being noticed for taking care of you.

Lesson Check

1. Name two ways cold can feel good.
2. What does dressing in layers mean?
3. Why does the Penguin say kids do not go in cold water alone?
4. Why does eating real food and drinking water matter even in cold weather?
5. Name one thing a trusted grown-up does to help you in cold.

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Lesson 1.3: When Cold Is Too Much

Learning Objectives

By the end of this lesson, you will be able to:

• Name four signals that mean cold is becoming dangerous
• Tell the difference between regular cold (uncomfortable) and dangerous cold (urgent)
• Know what to do if you or another kid gets too cold
• Name three trusted grown-ups you can talk to about cold worries
• Know what to do in a cold emergency

Key Terms

The Penguin Is Honest

The Penguin is going to be honest with you. Cold is mostly fine. Most cold days, most cold play, most cold water in a pool — fine. Kids handle it. Grown-ups help. Bodies do their work. You come inside, warm up, and that is that.

But sometimes, cold is too much. The Penguin wants you to know the signs. Not to scare you. To help you.

The most important thing in this whole chapter is this: when your body sends a serious cold signal, you tell a trusted grown-up right away. Right then. Not later. Not after the game. Right then. Your grown-up will help.

This works the same way Coach Move's Lion taught you about hurt tired in moving. Most tired is fine. But hurt tired means stop. Most cold is fine. But certain signals mean stop, get warm, and tell a grown-up.

Let me show you what those signals are.

Signals That Cold Is Becoming Dangerous

Here are signs that cold is becoming too much for a body. If you ever feel any of these — in yourself OR in a friend or sibling — tell a trusted grown-up right away.

1. Shivering hard and not being able to stop. A small shiver is fine. Shivering says your body is making warmth. But if your shivering becomes hard, fast, and shaky — and you cannot stop it by hugging yourself or coming inside — that is a serious sign. Your body is working very hard to stay warm. It needs help [7, 8].

2. Hands, feet, or face feeling numb. Numb means you cannot feel that part of your body. Your fingers might not feel the cup you are holding. Your toes might not feel the floor. Your nose or ears might feel like they are not there. Numb skin in cold is a sign that the cold has gone too deep. Tell a grown-up.

3. Skin turning very pale, white, gray, or hard. Normal cold skin might look a little pink or red. But if a finger, toe, nose, or ear turns very pale, white, gray, or feels hard like wax, that is a sign of frostbite — when skin gets so cold it gets hurt. Tell a grown-up right away. They will help warm the part safely and may take you to a doctor [9].

4. Feeling very sleepy or tired in the cold. This is a serious one. Cold can make a body feel sleepy when really it is in trouble. If you ever feel like you want to lie down in the cold and rest, even though you have not run around hard — do not lie down. Tell a grown-up right away. This is your body saying it needs help. The Penguin is firm about this one.

5. Talking funny or feeling confused. If your words come out slurred (like the words of someone very sleepy), or you cannot remember where you are, or things feel mixed up in your head while you are cold, that is a serious sign. A grown-up needs to know.

These are the five biggest cold signals. The Penguin wants every kid to know them. Most kids will go their whole lives without seeing them. But if you ever do see them — in yourself or in another kid — you know what to do: tell a trusted grown-up right away.

When to Tell a Grown-Up Right Away

The Penguin has the same kind of list the Bear, the Turtle, the Cat, and the Lion all have. If any of these are happening while you or someone you know is cold, stop and tell a trusted grown-up right away.

• You are shivering hard and cannot stop
• A part of your body feels numb or you cannot feel your fingers, toes, nose, or ears
• Skin on a finger, toe, ear, or nose looks very pale, white, gray, or hard
• You feel very sleepy in the cold
• Your words come out funny or you feel confused
• You fell into cold water
• You got wet in cold weather and cannot get dry quickly
• A friend or sibling is showing any of these signs
• Something just feels wrong

You do not need to be sure. You do not need to figure it out yourself. If something feels wrong, tell a grown-up. That is your part. The grown-up handles the rest.

The grown-up will help you get warm. They will check your hands, feet, ears, and nose. They will help you change into dry clothes if you got wet. They may bring warm drinks. They may take you to your doctor. If something looks very serious, grown-ups can call 911. That is the phone number grown-ups call for an emergency in the United States. You do not have to call 911 yourself — unless a grown-up has taught you to and there is no grown-up around. You tell a grown-up. The grown-up makes the call.

The Lion told you about 911 in the Move chapter. It works the same way for cold. Same phone number. Same kind of help. Same rule: kids tell grown-ups, and grown-ups handle big calls.

Cold Water Is Different

The Penguin promised more about cold water. Here it is.

Cold water is more dangerous than cold air. Always. The same temperature in water cools your body much faster than it would in air. A pool, a lake, a river, an ocean — water that does not feel that cold to a hand can still be cold enough to be dangerous if a whole body goes in [10, 11].

That is why around any cold water, kids stay with trusted grown-ups. Around pools, with grown-ups watching. Around lakes and rivers, with grown-ups close. Around oceans, with grown-ups close. Even in a bath, when the bathwater is cool, a grown-up should know.

If you ever fall into cold water — by accident, by surprise, anywhere — the most important things are:

1. Try not to panic. Cold water is shocking at first. Try to take a slow breath.
2. Get out as fast as you safely can.
3. Tell a grown-up right away.
4. Get warm and dry. Change clothes. Warm up inside.
5. Even if you feel okay, the grown-up may want to check on you for a while. That is normal. Cold water can affect a body even after a kid is back on land.

If a friend falls into cold water, yell for a grown-up right away. Do not jump in to help unless a grown-up tells you to. A drowning child can pull another child under. Grown-ups are trained to help in water in ways kids are not. Your job is to yell, point, and stay safe yourself.

The Penguin is firm about this because the Penguin has seen cold water hurt kids. The Penguin loves cold water. The Penguin also loves you. The rule is: kids and cold water = trusted grown-ups always around.

Some Kids Love Cold; Some Kids Hate It

The Penguin wants to say one more thing before we move on.

Some kids LOVE cold. They love snow. They love cool weather. They love jumping into cold pools. They love hot cocoa after sledding. They feel alive in the cold.

Some kids HATE cold. They do not like getting bundled up. They do not like cold water. They do not like winter. They feel happier when it is warm.

Both are okay. Both are normal. The Penguin does not pick favorites. You are allowed to love cold. You are allowed to dislike cold. You are allowed to feel different about it on different days.

What the Penguin asks is this: even on cold days you dislike, you are safe. You are dressed warmly. You are with trusted grown-ups in cold places. You know the signals when cold is too much. You listen to your body.

You do not have to love cold to be safe in cold. You just need to know what to do.

Feelings About Cold

The Turtle taught you that all feelings are okay. The Lion agreed. The Penguin agrees too. Feelings about cold are normal — and you do not handle big feelings about cold alone.

Some feelings about cold you might have:

• Excited to play in snow
• Sad because you cannot go outside in the weather
• Frustrated because you have to wear so many clothes
• Scared because you got really cold once and now you worry
• Embarrassed because your body gets cold faster than other kids' bodies
• Jealous because you do not have warm clothes like other kids have
• Annoyed when grown-ups tell you to come inside
• Worried because cold weather is harder for someone in your family

All of these are normal feelings. If a feeling about cold gets big or sticks around, tell a trusted grown-up. The same trusted grown-ups who help with food, brain, sleep, and movement feelings can help with cold feelings too.

You can start small:

• "I do not like wearing all these layers."
• "I am scared of cold water."
• "My fingers always hurt in the cold."
• "I do not have a warm enough coat."
• "I am worried about grandma in the cold."
• "I got really cold and now I do not want to play outside."

Any of those is a good start. The grown-up will listen and help.

When a Feeling Feels Really Scary or Unsafe

The Penguin is going to be careful and clear here, because this part matters most.

Sometimes a feeling can get really big. Maybe a feeling about cold makes you really scared. Maybe a feeling about your body makes you want to hurt yourself. Maybe a feeling makes you not want to be here.

If a feeling like that ever comes up — at any time, in cold weather or warm — tell a trusted grown-up right away. Not later. Right then. The grown-up will not be mad. The grown-up will be glad you told them.

There are special phone numbers grown-ups can use when feelings get really scary or unsafe. The Penguin wants you to know these exist, so that if a feeling like this ever happens, you can tell a grown-up, and the grown-up can use one of these helpers. You do not have to remember the numbers. The grown-ups in your life can use them.

For a cold emergency — when someone is hurt, very cold, or needs help right away:

• A grown-up can call 911. In the United States, 911 is the phone number for emergencies. Real people answer fast and send help. Kids your age do not call 911 on their own (unless a grown-up has taught you to and there is no grown-up around) — you tell a grown-up, and the grown-up makes the call.

Helpers grown-ups can call when feelings feel really scary or unsafe:

• The 988 Suicide and Crisis Lifeline: a grown-up can call or text 988, day or night. Real people answer. They help right away.
• Crisis Text Line: a grown-up can text the word HOME to 741741, day or night. Real people answer by text.

Helpers grown-ups can call about other big or hard worries:

• SAMHSA National Helpline: 1-800-662-4357, day or night. Real people answer.
• The National Alliance for Eating Disorders (if a worry is about your body or your eating): 866-662-1235, on weekdays.

These helpers are for grown-ups to use when you and they need them. Kids your age do not call helplines on their own. You tell a trusted grown-up first. The grown-up takes care of the rest.

The Bear, the Turtle, the Cat, the Lion, and I are all saying the same thing. We agree. You are part of a team. You are not alone.

Cold Is Part of the World

The Penguin will end this lesson with one quiet thought.

Cold is part of the world. Some kids love it. Some kids do not. Some places have lots of it. Some places have almost none. None of that is right or wrong. Cold just is.

Your body has tools for cold. Your trusted grown-ups have tools too — coats, hats, mittens, warm drinks, warm breaks, attention, love. Together you and your grown-ups handle whatever cold your day brings.

The Penguin is not asking you to love cold. The Penguin is not asking you to be tough about cold. The Penguin is not asking you to do anything special with cold. The Penguin is asking you to know your body, listen to it, and stay close to the grown-ups who care for you. That is the whole job.

The Penguin will see you again at higher grades. The Penguin will teach you more then. For now, this is enough.

The Penguin is in no rush. The Penguin is glad you came.

Lesson Check

1. Name three signals that cold is becoming dangerous.
2. What should you do if you start shivering hard and cannot stop?
3. Why does the Penguin say cold water is more dangerous than cold air?
4. Who are two trusted grown-ups you could talk to about cold worries?
5. If a friend falls into cold water, what should you do?

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End-of-Chapter Activity: A Cold-Day Map

The Penguin has one activity for you. It is gentle. It takes about half an hour of thinking and drawing, with a trusted grown-up's help. You can do this any day, in any climate.

What You Need

• A piece of paper or notebook
• Pencils, crayons, or markers
• A trusted grown-up to talk with at the end

What You Do

Step 1 — Pick a cold-day setting. Think about cold weather. If you live somewhere with cold winters, picture a typical winter day. If you live somewhere without much cold, picture either (a) a chilly morning in your climate, (b) a swimming pool day where you go in cool water, or (c) any place you have ever felt cold (a refrigerator section at the store, an air-conditioned movie theater, a visit to a cold place). Pick one.

Step 2 — Draw the scene. In the middle of your paper, draw a picture of yourself in that cold setting. You do not need to be a great artist. A stick figure is fine. Show what you are wearing — coat, hat, mittens, layers, whatever fits the setting.

Step 3 — Add the helpers. Around your picture, draw or write the things that help you in cold:

• A trusted grown-up nearby (label who it is)
• Things you wear (label each one)
• A warm break spot (where do you go to warm up?)
• A warm drink or food (what would you like?)
• Anything else that helps you stay safe and warm

Step 4 — Add the body signals. In a corner of the paper, write or draw the signals your body sends when it gets cold. List as many as you can remember from this chapter — goosebumps, shivering, fingers feeling cold, warmth going to the middle. Star (★) the ones that mean "tell a grown-up right away" (the dangerous ones).

Step 5 — Add one feeling. Write one short sentence about how you feel in cold. Examples: "I love cold weather and snow." "I do not like being cold." "Cold water is fun but I have to be careful." Any honest feeling is fine.

Step 6 — Share with a trusted grown-up. Show your map to a trusted grown-up. Ask them: "What do you do in cold to take care of yourself?" Listen to their answer. Grown-ups have learned their own ways too.

Step 7 — Keep the map. Save your cold-day map somewhere safe. The Penguin thinks it is a useful picture to keep — it shows what you know about cold, and what to do if cold gets too much.

What You Will Get From This

You will notice the things around you that help you with cold — the people, the clothes, the breaks, the warm food. You will remember the body signals that matter. And you will share something small with a grown-up who loves you.

That is a small habit. It is also a big skill. The Penguin thinks both are true.

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Vocabulary Review

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Chapter Review

These questions are not a test. They are a way to check what you remember. Take your time. Look back at the lessons if you need to. There are no tricks.

1. Name two things your body does when it gets cold.

2. Why does your body send warmth to your tummy and chest when you are cold?

3. Name three of the four things that help kids handle cold.

4. Why does the Penguin say kids do not go in cold water alone?

5. Name three signals that cold is becoming dangerous.

6. If you or a friend got really cold or fell into cold water, what is the first thing the Penguin says you should do?

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Instructor's Guide

This guide is for parents, caregivers, teachers, and other grown-ups using this chapter with a child in Grade 3 (ages 8-9).

What This Chapter Teaches

This is the first chapter the child will read about cold in the CryoCove Library. It is the foundation. The chapter teaches three big ideas at age-appropriate depth:

1. Your body and cold. Bodies have built-in tools for handling cold: shivering, goosebumps, sending warmth to the body's center to protect vital organs. Humans have lived in cold climates for thousands of years — but always with help from clothes, shelter, and other people. Every kid feels cold a little differently, and kids live in different climates; inclusion is central to the chapter. Kids with conditions that make cold harder (asthma, Raynaud's-like patterns, etc.) are named explicitly.

2. Cold can feel good — with the right help. Cold has its own joys (crisp mornings, snow play, cool water on a hot day). The chapter introduces four research-informed practices that help kids in cold: dressing in layers, staying with trusted grown-ups, taking warm breaks, and eating real food and drinking water. None of these are prescriptive cold-exposure protocols — they are everyday cold-weather practices.

3. When cold is too much. This is the safety-critical lesson, paralleling the prior G3 Lesson 3s in structure and adding the chapter's central protective message. The child learns five danger signals (hard uncontrollable shivering, numbness, very pale or hard skin, sleepiness in cold, slurred speech or confusion) and the rule: tell a trusted grown-up right away. The chapter is firm about cold-water safety (cold water cools the body faster than cold air; kids never enter cold water alone). The two-tier protective framing matches Move (Lion): everyday cold worry → trusted grown-up; emergency → 911 via a grown-up.

What This Chapter Does NOT Teach

This chapter is intentionally light on certain content that becomes appropriate at later grades — and rigorously avoids one content area entirely:

• NO COLD-EXPOSURE PROTOCOLS. No cold plunges, no ice baths, no "cold therapy," no temperature/duration recommendations, no "exposure" framing. The Penguin at G3 teaches everyday cold (winter, cool water, cool drinks, cool rooms) — never cold as a performance practice. Cold-exposure framing at K-12 begins at Grade 6 and remains strictly descriptive even then; it is absent from G3 entirely.
• No physiology vocabulary beyond simplest. Thermoregulation, thermogenesis, brown adipose tissue, vasoconstriction, cold-shock response — none of these are named at G3. Grade 6 introduces the basics; later grades go deeper.
• No body composition or weight discussion. Cold-and-weight-loss framing exists in adult wellness culture and reaches children via social media; the chapter explicitly refuses that framing. Cold is for what bodies do in cold — not for changing how bodies look.
• No temperature or wind-chill math. Grade 6 covers the Fahrenheit/Celsius and wind-chill arithmetic.
• No detailed medical content. The chapter names frostbite as a vocabulary word and gives kids the recognition signs at G3 depth, but treatment is routed entirely to trusted grown-ups and doctors. Hypothermia is described by its signs in plain G3 language rather than named technically — appropriate for the age.

If your child asks questions in these areas, the best answer is: "That is a great question. Let's figure it out together." Then you, the trusted grown-up, decide what to share.

How to Support the Child

A few things you can do that align with the chapter's framing:

• Model good cold-weather practices. Layers, hat-and-mittens, warm breaks, hot drinks after sledding. Children learn these by seeing them.
• Never compare your child's cold tolerance to others'. Some kids feel cold quickly; that is biology, not a character flaw. Toughening-up framing around cold can produce both shame and dangerous risk-taking. The Penguin never compares.
• Teach the five danger signals explicitly. If your family lives in a cold climate, this is an important conversation to have at least once per winter. If your family does not live in a cold climate, the cold-water version of these signals still applies anywhere with pools, lakes, oceans, or air conditioning.
• Be firm about cold water. Kids never enter cold water without a trusted grown-up in attendance. This is non-negotiable, regardless of swimming skill.
• Resist any social media or cultural pressure pointing your child toward cold-plunge or ice-bath practices. These are not appropriate for children. The wellness-adjacent cold-exposure culture has been heavily marketed to families and increasingly reaches children. At ages 8-9, cold-exposure protocols are not part of the curriculum, not part of the recommended practice, and not part of any healthy cold education.
• Be the one your child can come to about a cold worry. The chapter explicitly tells the child to talk to a trusted grown-up. Make sure they know you are that grown-up.

Watching for Warning Signs

Children ages 8-9 are not too young to develop concerning patterns around cold, including cold-and-body-image intersection issues. The chapter is preventive, not reactive. But if you notice any of the following, please contact your pediatrician or a qualified clinician:

• A child showing the five danger signals in cold (hard uncontrollable shivering, numbness, very pale or hard skin patches, sleepiness in cold, slurred or confused speech) — this is acute and warrants 911 / emergency care.
• A child seeking out cold exposure (cold showers, cold baths, going outside underdressed) in a way that seems compulsive or tied to body image.
• A child resisting eating in the presence of cold-related body-shape language ("cold burns calories" framing is real and harmful).
• A child with a condition (asthma, Raynaud's-pattern symptoms, etc.) showing cold-triggered symptoms that warrant a clinician visit.
• Any mention of not wanting to be here, wanting to hurt themselves, or feeling hopeless — these require immediate response.

Verified resources (May 2026):

• 988 Suicide and Crisis Lifeline: call or text 988, 24/7.
• 911: for any acute medical or safety emergency, including cold injuries that meet the danger-signal criteria.
• Crisis Text Line: text HOME to 741741, 24/7.
• SAMHSA National Helpline: 1-800-662-4357, 24/7.
• National Alliance for Eating Disorders: 866-662-1235, weekdays. Licensed therapists. Useful when cold practices appear alongside body-image concerns.
• Your pediatrician is the best starting place for any non-emergency cold-related concern.

Note: the NEDA helpline (1-800-931-2237) is not functional as of this writing. Use the National Alliance for Eating Disorders number above instead.

Pacing

If you are using this chapter in a classroom:

If you are using this chapter at home, two lessons per week is comfortable. Lesson 3 is dense; budget extra time. In families with younger children also in earshot, you may want to read Lesson 3 with the child rather than have them read it alone — both because the danger-signal content benefits from a conversation, and because younger siblings nearby may absorb pieces of it.

Lesson Check Answers

Lesson 1.1:

1. Any of: shivering, goosebumps, sending warmth to the body's center, hands and feet getting cold first. 2. To protect the body's most important parts (heart, lungs, brain). Fingers, toes, ears, and nose get cold first because warmth is pulled inward. 3. No. All kids feel cold differently, and that is normal. 4. Because humans do not have fur, feathers, or built-in cold protection like animals do. Bodies need clothes, shelter, and trusted grown-ups around. 5. The child's own answer. Any honest example is correct.

Lesson 1.2:

1. Any two of: a crisp morning feels alive, cool water can be a treat, snow play is wonderful, a cool drink on a hot day, a cool breeze. 2. Wearing one piece of clothing on top of another so air gets trapped between layers and keeps you warmer. 3. Because cold water cools the body fast and can make kids tired quickly even if they swim well. Cold water is one of the most dangerous places for a kid to be alone. 4. Because in cold weather your body uses extra energy to stay warm, so it needs more food. And water still matters even when you do not feel as thirsty. 5. Any real example from the child's life.

Lesson 1.3:

1. Any three of: hard uncontrollable shivering, numb hands or feet or face, very pale or white or gray or hard skin, sleepiness in the cold, slurred speech or confusion, fingers/toes/ears/nose looking very different from normal. 2. Tell a trusted grown-up right away. The grown-up will help you get warm. 3. Because cold water cools the body much faster than cold air at the same temperature; even strong swimmers can get into trouble in cold water; and the body can get tired quickly. 4. Any two real grown-ups in the child's life who care for them. 5. Yell for a grown-up right away. Do not jump in to help unless a grown-up tells you to.

Chapter Review Answers

1. Any two of: shivering, goosebumps, sending warmth to the body's center, hands/feet getting cold first. 2. To protect the most important parts (heart, lungs, brain). 3. Any three of: dressing in layers, staying with trusted grown-ups, taking warm breaks, eating real food and drinking water. 4. Because cold water cools the body fast and can be hard to swim well in; kids need grown-ups nearby for safety. 5. Any three of: hard uncontrollable shivering, numbness, very pale or hard skin, sleepiness in cold, slurred or confused speech. 6. Tell a trusted grown-up right away. The grown-up can help, call a doctor, or in an emergency call 911.

Discussion Prompts

Open-ended questions to ask the child after the chapter:

1. What is one way your body has shown you it is cold?
2. Do you love cold weather, dislike it, or feel different about it on different days? What do you like or not like about it?
3. What is one thing the trusted grown-ups in your life do to help you in cold?
4. If you were sledding with a friend and they started shivering really hard and could not stop, what would you do?
5. The Penguin says kids never go into cold water alone. Why does that rule matter?
6. What did you learn about cold that you would like to share with a friend?
7. Think of a place that has very different cold from where you live. What would be different about handling cold there?
8. What is one thing about your body in cold that you would like to ask a trusted grown-up about?

Common Child Questions

• "Why do my hands get cold so fast?" Because your body pulls warmth to the middle when it is cold, to protect your most important parts. Hands, feet, ears, and nose get less warmth first. That is normal. Mittens, gloves, and keeping hands in pockets help.
• "Why does my friend not get cold when I do?" Bodies are different. Some kids feel cold faster than others; some kids feel it slower. Neither is better. Both are normal. The Penguin never compares.
• "Is it okay to play in the snow?" Yes — with warm clothes, with a trusted grown-up around, and with warm breaks. Snow play is one of childhood's best things when you are dressed and watched.
• "Why can't I just take a cold shower if I want to?" The Penguin teaches everyday cold at your age — winter weather, cool water for swimming, cool drinks. Special cold practices that some grown-ups do are not for kids your age. Your trusted grown-ups decide what is right for your body. If you have a question about a specific cold thing you saw or heard about, ask a trusted grown-up.
• "What is frostbite?" When skin gets so cold it can get hurt. Signs: skin looks very pale, white, gray, or hard, and may feel numb. It usually happens to fingers, toes, ears, and nose first. Tell a grown-up right away. The grown-up will warm the part safely.
• "What if I fall into a cold pool?" Try not to panic, get out as fast as you safely can, tell a grown-up right away, and warm up. Even if you feel fine after, let a grown-up know.
• "Are some places too cold to live?" Some places are very, very cold for a lot of the year, but people live there — with the right shelter, clothes, and food. People have always lived in many kinds of places.
• "My family does not have a lot of warm clothes. What do I do?" Tell a trusted grown-up. Your school, your church, your community may have ways to help. There are many people whose job is to help families with what they need for cold weather. Asking for help is good.
• "I saw a video of someone jumping in icy water. Should I try it?" No. Cold-water practices that grown-ups do are not for kids your age. The Penguin at higher grades will teach more about cold as you get older. For now, kids only enter cold water with trusted grown-ups around, and special cold practices are for grown-ups to think about with doctors, not for kids to copy from videos.

Parent Communication Template

Dear families,

Your child is beginning the first chapter of the CryoCove Library Coach Cold curriculum — Cold and Your Body. This is a Grade 3 chapter at the very start of a long curriculum that will continue through high school and beyond.

What the chapter covers:

• What cold feels like and what bodies do in cold (shivering, goosebumps, sending warmth to the body's center)
• That every kid handles cold differently, and that kids live in many different climates — all normal
• Cold's everyday joys (crisp mornings, snow play, cool water on a hot day, warm drinks after cold play)
• Four research-informed things that help kids in cold (layers, trusted grown-ups around, warm breaks, real food and water)
• The five danger signals that mean cold is becoming too much, and what to do
• Cold-water safety, including the rule that kids never enter cold water without a trusted grown-up

Tone: The chapter is calm, cheerful, practical, and consistently safety-aware. The Penguin character is unhurried and never pressures kids about cold tolerance. The Penguin never compares one child to another. Cold is framed for what bodies do in cold — never for body shape, weight, or performance.

What this chapter does not teach: any cold-exposure protocols (no cold plunges, no ice baths, no temperature/duration recommendations), physiology vocabulary beyond the simplest, body composition or weight discussion, or temperature math. Specific cold practices that some grown-ups do are explicitly framed as not for children at this age.

End-of-chapter activity: Your child will create a "cold-day map" — a drawing of themselves in a cold setting with the things that help them, the body signals to watch for, and one feeling about cold. They will share the map with a trusted grown-up (you, if available). Please support this activity.

A note on Lesson 3: Lesson 3 covers what to do when cold becomes dangerous. It teaches the five danger signals, the cold-water safety rule, and uses 911 framing for emergencies at age-appropriate depth ("grown-ups call 911 — kids tell a grown-up first"), parallel to the Lion chapter's 911 introduction. It also mentions crisis resources (988 Suicide & Crisis Lifeline; Crisis Text Line — text HOME to 741741; SAMHSA; National Alliance for Eating Disorders) at the same "grown-ups can call these if you need help" framing used in the prior G3 chapters. If you would like to read Lesson 3 alongside your child, that is welcome — and may be especially valuable in families that live in cold climates.

Warning signs we ask families to notice: Beyond the acute cold-injury signs the chapter teaches, please watch for any child showing unusual interest in cold practices (cold showers, going outside underdressed) tied to body image, weight, or performance. This wellness-adjacent culture reaches families through social media and is not appropriate for children. The chapter does not introduce or normalize any cold-exposure practice.

If you have any questions, please reach out to your child's teacher or to us at the CryoCove team.

Warmly, The CryoCove Curriculum Team

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Illustration Briefs

Lesson 1.1 — A Child Bundled Up With a Grown-Up Placement: After "The Penguin Watches." Scene: A simple, warm scene showing a child walking outside on a cold morning, breath visible in the air, wearing a warm coat, hat, mittens, and boots. The child has a small smile and pink cheeks. Beside the child walks a trusted grown-up, also bundled warmly, holding a thermos of something hot. Behind them a cozy house with smoke coming out of the chimney. To one side, Coach Cold (the Penguin) stands looking pleased, with a small scarf around its neck — a small playful detail, but never silly. The scene shows that cold is okay AND that the child is well-dressed and not alone. Mood: warm, safe, cheerful, never bleak or scary. The "cold" is signaled by the breath in the air and the warm clothes, not by anything threatening. Show diverse skin tones. Aspect ratio: 16:9 web, 4:3 print.

Lesson 1.2 — Four Things That Help Placement: After "Four Things That Help Kids in Cold." Scene: A simple four-panel illustration showing the four practices. Panel 1: a child wearing layers — a sweater visible under an open coat, hat, mittens — labeled "Dress in layers." Panel 2: a child playing in snow with a trusted grown-up nearby watching warmly — labeled "Stay with trusted grown-ups." Panel 3: a child sitting inside near a window holding a mug of warm drink, with snow visible outside — labeled "Take warm breaks." Panel 4: a small plate of real food (a piece of bread, an apple, a piece of cheese) and a glass of water on a table — labeled "Eat real food, drink water." Coach Cold (the Penguin) stands warmly to one side of the four panels with one flipper raised in encouragement. Show diverse skin tones across the four kids. Mood: bright, practical, cheerful, never aspirational or product-marketing. Aspect ratio: 16:9 web, 4:3 print.

Lesson 1.3 — A Trusted Grown-Up Helps With Cold Placement: After "Signals That Cold Is Becoming Dangerous." Scene: A simple, calm scene that does NOT scare the reader. Show a child sitting on a snowy bench with a slightly worried face, hands tucked into their coat. A trusted grown-up is kneeling beside them, gently putting an extra blanket around the child's shoulders. The grown-up has a kind, attentive face. Beside them, a thermos and a warm hat. Other kids play in the background but at a distance. Coach Cold (the Penguin) sits nearby, watching with calm concern but not panic. Around the picture float small word-bubbles: "cold," "tired," "tell a grown-up." Mood: safe, warm, never panicked, never scary. The grown-up is the focus of the help. The illustration teaches that the right response to cold trouble is calm grown-up help — not fear. Show diverse skin tones. Aspect ratio: 16:9 web, 4:3 print.

Optional — Lesson 1.1: Kids in Different Climates Placement: After "Many Climates, Many Cold." Scene: A simple split-scene with four small panels showing children in different climates: top-left a child in snowsuit playing in deep snow; top-right a child in light jacket walking through fallen leaves in mild fall weather; bottom-left a child in shorts and t-shirt drinking a cold glass of water in a hot place; bottom-right a child in a pool happily wet on a sunny day. All children look comfortable and happy in their setting. Show different skin tones, body sizes, abilities. Coach Cold (the Penguin) is shown small in the middle of the four panels, with flippers spread as if connecting the four scenes. Mood: inclusive, varied, friendly. Children should feel as different as their climates — not interchangeable. Aspect ratio: 16:9 web, 4:3 print.

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Citations

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2. Frisancho, A. R. (1993). Human Adaptation and Accommodation. University of Michigan Press.

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4. Stocks, J. M., Taylor, N. A. S., Tipton, M. J., & Greenleaf, J. E. (2004). Human physiological responses to cold exposure. Aviation, Space, and Environmental Medicine, 75(5), 444-457.

5. Holmer, I. (2009). Evaluation of cold workplaces: an overview of standards for assessment of cold stress. Industrial Health, 47(3), 228-234.

6. American Academy of Pediatrics, Council on Sports Medicine and Fitness. (2011). Climatic heat stress and exercising children and adolescents. Pediatrics, 128(3), e741-e747. (Companion AAP guidance on environmental thermal stress in pediatric populations.)

7. Petrone, P., Asensio, J. A., & Marini, C. P. (2014). Management of accidental hypothermia and cold injury. Current Problems in Surgery, 51(10), 417-431.

8. Brown, D. J. A., Brugger, H., Boyd, J., & Paal, P. (2012). Accidental hypothermia. New England Journal of Medicine, 367(20), 1930-1938.

9. Handford, C., Buxton, P., Russell, K., Imray, C. E. A., McIntosh, S. E., Freer, L., Cochran, A., & Imray, C. H. E. (2014). Frostbite: a practical approach to hospital management. Extreme Physiology & Medicine, 3, 7.

10. Tipton, M. J., Collier, N., Massey, H., Corbett, J., & Harper, M. (2017). Cold water immersion: kill or cure? Experimental Physiology, 102(11), 1335-1355.

11. American Academy of Pediatrics, Council on Injury, Violence, and Poison Prevention; Committee on Sports Medicine and Fitness. (2010). Prevention of drowning. Pediatrics, 126(1), e253-e262.

12. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. (2024). Preventing hypothermia and frostbite. National Center for Environmental Health, CDC. cdc.gov.

13. American Academy of Pediatrics, Healthy Children. (2024). Winter safety tips from the American Academy of Pediatrics. healthychildren.org.