All this winter weather we've been seeing lately adds up to tons of outdoor fun for kids. But as our Sabina Kuriakose reports, safety still comes first.

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All this winter weather we've been seeing lately adds up to tons of outdoor fun for kids. But as our Sabina Kuriakose reports, safety still comes first.

GLOVERSVILLE, N.Y. -- School's out, and snow's in, but before your child hits the hills, make sure their snow day doesn't snowball into something dangerous.

"It should be very high on a parent's priority list for their children's winter activities," said Dr. Todd Duthaler, Chief of Emergency Medicine at Nathan Littauer Hospital.

He has seen kids come into his ER with all kinds of medical maladies, but one of the things he worries most about this time of year is frostbite.

"When you have a cold injury, it can lead to permanent injury to nerves and blood vessels for the rest of your life. You'll be more susceptible to cold injuries, and you could have numbness and tingling for the rest of your life," said Dr. Duthaler.

Dr. Duthaler said parents have to pay attention. It only takes a few hours in the cold for the first symptoms to show.

"Early on in the course of frostbite, you're going to feel numbness in your fingers, they're going to feel cold. The skin may redden and harden and slowly turn white from there as it progresses to a deeper frostbite injury," he said.

If you recognize the signs, for example on your child's hands, the best thing is to fill a bowl with warm tap water and soak their fingers for about 15 minutes. And, of course, call your doctor just to be sure.

"Frostbite can be sneaky and just gradually develop, and children may be reluctant to tell their parents their starting to really feel cold," said Dr. Duthaler.

All the more reason for parents to stay alert while still having fun.