After Pickup

Tips and tricks for home and family.

A guide from After Pickup

Can we go outside?

How many usable outdoor hours after school your city gets in a school year.

Updated

In , school lets out at , and our kids are happy outside between °F and °F.

 

UsableLost to rainToo hot or coldDark

How many hours can kids play outside after school?

In Redmond, WA, with school out at 3:00 PM and a comfort range of 50 to 85 F, kids get about 412 usable outdoor hours from September to June, around 1 h 54 min a school day. Los Angeles, CA tops the list at about 665 hours.

We take the daylight left after school and keep only the share that falls on a typical dry, comfortable day. Change the thresholds above to match your kids. For daylight alone see daylight after school; for the whole afternoon see how much free time kids have. Our backyard sandbox gets most of those hours.

How the cities compare, September to June

Total usable outdoor hours after school across the school year, counting every weekday from September through June.

    Sources and method

    For each city and month we work out three things, then multiply them.

    daylight = max(0, average sunset for the month - school end), in hours dry = 1 - (days with 0.01 in or more of precipitation / days in month) comfort = 1 inside [low, high] for the normal daily high, fading in a straight line to 0 at 15°F beyond either edge usable = daylight x dry x comfort (hours per school day) year = sum over Sep to Jun of usable x weekdays in that month

    A few honest limits. These are 30-year averages, not a forecast. A dry day is a day with less than 0.01 inch of precipitation over the whole day, so an afternoon shower on an otherwise sunny day still counts against it. The temperature is the normal daily high, which usually comes in mid afternoon, close to when school lets out. We use each month's average sunset rather than every single day, and we count every weekday from September 2026 through June 2027 with no holidays or breaks removed. Usable hours are a way to compare places and months, not a promise about any one afternoon.

    Weather station for each city
    CityNOAA stationDistance
    Redmond, WASeattle Sand Pt Wsfo (USW00094290)10 km
    New York, NYNew York Cntrl Pk Twr (USW00094728)8 km
    Los Angeles, CALos Angeles Dwtn Usc Campus (USW00093134)1 km
    Chicago, ILChicago Midway Ap (USW00014819)14 km
    Houston, TXHouston Hobby Ap (USW00012918)16 km
    Phoenix, AZPhoenix Sky Harbor Intl Ap (USW00023183)7 km
    Philadelphia, PAPhiladelphia Intl Ap (USW00013739)11 km
    San Antonio, TXSan Antonio Stinson Ap (USW00012970)10 km
    San Diego, CASan Diego Lindbergh Fld (USW00023188)3 km
    Dallas, TXDallas Love Fld (USW00013960)10 km
    Jacksonville, FLJacksonville Nas (USW00093837)11 km
    Austin, TXAustin-Camp Mabry (USW00013958)6 km
    Fort Worth, TXFt Worth Meacham Fld (USW00013961)8 km
    San Jose, CASan Jose (USW00023293)4 km
    Columbus, OHColumbus Port Columbus Intl Ap (USW00014821)11 km
    Charlotte, NCCharlotte Douglas Ap (USW00013881)10 km
    Indianapolis, INIndianapolis (USW00093819)12 km
    San Francisco, CASan Francisco Dwtn (USW00023272)1 km
    Seattle, WASeattle Boeing Fld (USW00024234)9 km
    Denver, CODenver-Stapleton (USW00023062)11 km
    Oklahoma City, OKOklahoma City Will Rogers Ap (USW00013967)12 km
    Nashville, TNNashville Intl Ap (USW00013897)10 km
    Washington, DCWashington Reagan Ap (USW00013743)7 km
    El Paso, TXEl Paso Intl Ap (USW00023044)12 km
    Las Vegas, NVLas Vegas Air Terminal (USW00053123)7 km
    Boston, MABoston Logan Intl Ap (USW00014739)4 km
    Detroit, MIDetroit City Ap (USW00014822)9 km
    Portland, ORPortland Intl Ap (USW00024229)10 km
    Louisville, KYLouisville Intl Ap (USW00093821)8 km
    Memphis, TNMemphis Intl Ap (USW00013893)12 km
    Baltimore, MDMd Sci Ctr Baltimore (USW00093784)1 km
    Milwaukee, WIMilwaukee Mitchell Ap (USW00014839)9 km
    Albuquerque, NMAlbuquerque Intl Ap (USW00023050)6 km
    Tucson, AZTucson Intl Ap (USW00023160)10 km
    Fresno, CAFresno Yosemite Intl Ap (USW00093193)8 km
    Sacramento, CASacramento 5 Ese (USW00023271)7 km
    Mesa, AZPhoenix Sky Harbor Intl Ap (USW00023183)16 km
    Atlanta, GAAtlanta Fulton Co Ap (USW00003888)13 km
    Kansas City, MOKansas City Downtown Ap (USW00013988)3 km
    Colorado Springs, COColorado Springs Muni Ap (USW00093037)12 km
    Omaha, NEOmaha Eppley Airfield (USW00014942)7 km
    Raleigh, NCRaleigh Durham Intl Ap (USW00013722)18 km
    Miami, FLMiami Beach (USW00092811)8 km
    Virginia Beach, VAOceana Nas (USW00013769)6 km
    Long Beach, CALong Beach Daugherty Fld (USW00023129)6 km
    Oakland, CAOakland Metro Intl Ap (USW00023230)10 km
    Minneapolis, MNMinneapolis/St Paul Ap (USW00014922)11 km
    Bakersfield, CABakersfield Ap (USW00023155)8 km
    Tulsa, OKTulsa Intl Ap (USW00013968)11 km
    Tampa, FLTampa Intl Ap (USW00012842)8 km
    Arlington, TXArlington Muni Ap (USW00053907)8 km

    FAQ

    Which US city has the most outdoor time after school?

    Los Angeles, CA leads our 51 cities with about 665 usable hours from September to June for a 3:00 PM bell, closely followed by Long Beach and San Jose.

    What temperature is too cold for recess?

    There is no single rule. Many schools keep kids inside below about 20 F with wind chill or above about 90 F heat index. Our default comfort range is 50 to 85 F for daily highs, and you can change it.

    Does rain really cut outdoor time that much?

    In wet climates, yes. In Redmond it rains on more than half of the days from November to January, so dark and wet together leave well under an hour a day.

    Is this a forecast?

    No. It uses 30-year NOAA climate normals, so it describes a typical year, not this week.

    Cite: After Pickup, "Can we go outside?" updated Oct 27, 2026.

    Last updated .

    A little Saturday note from our house to yours

    Pour a coffee and catch up on the small setups that help our kids get started on their own and keep the table ready for dinner. Short, friendly, once a week, and you can unsubscribe any time.