When it comes to winterproofing your kids, doing what your mom did just doesn't cut it anymore. See if you're up to speed on the facts:

1. When dressing your infant to go outside in the cold:
a) Put her in one layer more than you have on
b) Bundle her up in an insulated snowsuit
c) Dress her in the same number of layers as you're wearing

2. Your kids are most likely to develop frostbite if they've been playing outside on a:
a) cold, windy day
b) cold, rainy day
c) freezing day for more than 20 minutes

3. It's time for your child to stop playing in the snow and come inside when:
a) her nose starts running
b) her cheeks have turned crimson
c) she looks less coordinated than usual

4. Your child's just getting over being sick, but it's okay for him to play outside if he's got nothing more than:
a) a runny nose
b) a cough and a low-grade fever
c) an upset stomach but no fever

5. When your child comes inside wet and shivering, warm her up by:
a) Rubbing her skin vigorously
b) Stripping off her clothes and putting her in a warm bath
c) Giving her a cup of hot cocoa

6. Your family's going sledding on a cold, sunny day, so you dress your child in:
a) a hat and mittens
b) a hat, scarf, and mittens
c) a hat, sunglasses, and mittens

7. Before your child runs outside to play in the snow, give him:
a) hot cocoa
b) plenty of water
c) a turkey sandwich
d) A and C
e) B and C

8. True or false: During the winter months, your child has a greater chance of being injured outdoors than in.

When frequent contributor Stacey Colino's two sons, ages 3 and 9, play in the snow, even briefly, she always makes them wear heavy boots.

Get the answers!

1. Answer C If it would keep you comfortable, it will keep your baby comfortable, too. New-borns need extra protection, but after the first few days of life, infants regulate their body temperature quite well. (The exception: If your child was born prematurely, check with your doctor about taking her into the cold.) Overbundling can make your baby perspire, get heat rash, and fuss. And she won't need a snowsuit until she's ready to jump headfirst into a snowdrift
say, at age 2.

2. Answer A Wind's a chiller: The blowing air rapidly lowers the body's temperature. "If the windchill's in the teens, you can get down to frostbite conditions within ten to fifteen minutes," says Michael Carius, M.D., chairman of the emergency department at Norwalk Hospital in Connecticut. Plus, wind dries the skin, which compromises circulation. So when it's cold and windy and your kids really, really want to go outside, make sure necks, heads, ears, noses, and hands are well covered. Otherwise, break out the Candy Land.

3. Answer C Ruddy cheeks (and even runny noses) are fine, but when kids get too cold they can become fatigued and lose coordination, says Robert Fink, M.D., a pediatrics professor at Eastern Virginia Medical School in Norfolk. Bring her inside and warm her up, but if she doesn't seem better, call the doctor: While it's rare, loss of coordination can signal a risky drop in core body temperature  -- hypothermia.

4. Answer A It's fine for a kid who's been sick to go outside to play as long as he feels up to it, says Dr. Fink, "but if he has a fever, he should stay inside, rest, and drink plenty of fluids." And if your child's stomach is upset, it's not practical to bundle him up, only to find he has to go to the bathroom. Plus, he may still be dehydrated, and playing in the cold can make it worse.

5. Answer B Get her out of those wet clothes pronto  -- and into a nice, warm bath. That'll raise her body temperature and cause her blood vessels to dilate, drawing blood to her cold extremities. Rubbing chilled skin is irritating, and hot cocoa's only mildly warming.

6. Answer C You know about hats, and mittens keep hands warmer than gloves do (more insulating air). But don't forget eyes. Snow reflects and magnifies ultraviolet light, which can hurt your child's eyes. And glare can make it plain old hard to see. Look for sunglasses with 100 percent of both UVA and UVB protection. Added bonus: He'll be protected from wayward icy snowballs.

7. Answer E Water's key: Dehydration is an issue in winter, not just summer. (When the air's cold and dry, we breathe more rapidly, losing water vapor with each breath.) And the high-protein, low-fat turkey sandwich provides sustained energy. So have your child eat light and drink water before heading outdoors. 8 Answer False In the winter months, more accidents in children occur indoors than outdoors because they spend so much time inside. "We see more accidental medication ingestions by kids in the wintertime than the summer," says Dr. Carius. Even if you've childproofed your home before, do it again. In particular, store all chemicals, cleaning materials, and medications under lock and key.

Winterproofing 101

Dress your child in layers. He can always peel one off if he warms up. In the meantime, those extra layers will keep cold and wet from penetrating. Insulated socks and boots, layers that "wick" moisture away from the skin, and waterproof mittens help, too.

Insist on hats. You know how kids' heads are large in proportion to their bodies? They can lose a lot of heat out of those big noggins.

Keep an eye on the clock. A few shorter sessions outside are better than one that lasts several hours.

Be there. Whether he's sledding or just building a snowman in the front yard, keep an eye on him (and no sledding near trees or the street). You'll do it for safety, but you'll also be able to see if he's getting too cold.

Slather on sunscreen. Sun reflects off snow and ice, so a wintertime sunburn is quite possible. Use SPF 15 or higher for exposed skin, especially the face.

Bring a wet child in quickly. If he continues to play outside in wet clothes, his body can get colder much more quickly.