And you thought your school showers were cold! Siberian children are made to strip to their underwear and throw buckets of icy water over themselves as part of the curriculum.
At state kindergartens in Krasnoyarsk, Siberia, they believe it keeps the children healthy, and stops infections. The children take the cold showers daily after a hot sauna as long as the temperature is no lower than -3C (25F).
'The little walruses warmed themselves in the sauna and went outside for a traditional cold water shower', said a a spokesperson for Krasnoyarsk education department. Most parents give their permission for the cold shower which she claims leads to fewer days off school in a typical year. The youngsters are also taught breathing exercises for the deep cold.
The spokesperson added: 'The children who do have the ice showers are also more sensible, balanced - and optimistic. They are better organised. But just imagine, you need to do it every morning, you require the willpower to do that. We don't force anyone.'
Another supporter of cold water training for children, teacher Lyubov Daniltsova, said: 'Facts are hard to argue with. Our doctor confirms that children in groups that practice dousing get through the flu season a lot more easily. Generally the statistics show there are 95 percent of healthy children in the 'wet' group, compared to 75 percent among the others.'
