Schools in the Northeast are canceling recess and closing early as air quality deteriorates.

New York City and several major cities across the state canceled all outdoor activities and field trips for students on Wednesday as Governor Kathy Hochul strongly urged districts “that have not yet done so to follow suit.”

In New Jersey, some districts came up with plans to fire students a few hours earlywhile after-school programs and outdoor sports competitions are canceled.

And in Philadelphia, teachers were asked to keep their classroom windows closed, while some schools messaged families that many hadn’t heard in months: “Encourage your students to put on a mask today.”

As smoke from Canadian wildfires continued to pollute parts of the northeastern United States Wednesday afternoon, raising concerns about air quality impacts on children, many school districts from Washington, DC Unpleasant Connecticutkept students in.

Health experts called on families to keep children indoors as well, especially those who already have asthma. Young people are particularly vulnerable when they inhale smoke from wildfires, and even lower levels of air pollution can harm them.

However, communication was not seamless everywhere.

In New York, for example, some families reported Wednesday morning that their schools were still planning field trips or outdoor lunches. But the chancellor, David C. Banks, reiterated that those plans were not allowed.

“We are in the middle of a serious situation,” said Mr. Banks. “We don’t want to put our children’s health at risk.”

City officials asked during school hours on Wednesday to “pay special attention to vulnerable students and staff.”

When smoking conditions remain bad for an extended period of time, doctors encourage the use of masks for children. Their time away from home should also be limited and adults should watch for breathing problems, fatigue or loss of appetite.

The deluge of cancellations disappointed some children who missed the long-awaited end-of-year activities.

Bee. P.S. 40, in Manhattan’s Gramercy Park neighborhood, a planned excursion to Ellis Island was called off, much to the dismay of some fourth-graders. The school’s principal told families in an email that teachers and staff would “keep an extra eye on students with asthma or other health problems”.

Some schools went even further. At Brooklyn Friends School, an independent school in downtown Brooklyn, a day trip to Prospect Park was canceled — and administrators chose to close the entire school.

Even if the smoke lingers, New York City administrators won’t face the same dilemma later in the week: public schools would already be closed on Thursday and Friday.