Soviet Children in Sleeping Bags on the Way to Their Dorm Room, 1930
This headline seems like it should be a joke. But it’s just a very true story of how in Soviet Russia, they believed that it was good for children’s health to have them take naps outside in the freezing cold. There are numerous photos of kids laying on cots out in the snow wearing these little sleeping bags to make sure they don’t get frostbite.
Russian studies proved that fresh air was good for children, so they made sure to let kids play outside as much as possible, as well as take their naps outdoors. It was also believed that the fresh air could prevent the spread of epidemics, so classrooms were aired out twice a day too, even in the winter months. In this photograph, you can see kids walking back to their classroom in their full-body sleeping bags.
