Winter season is already upon us, and it is time to pay more attention to winter essentials as regards your kid’s clothing. In getting winter essential for your kids you should understand that not only jackets and sweaters are necessary, but socks and stockings hold importance too. Aside from basics like footed pajamas and socks, below are some of the best winter essentials for your kids.
- Booties and Mitts
- A Fitted Stroller Blanket
- A Two-in-One Baby Balaclava
- Hand-knit Leg and Arm Warmers
- Hooded Fleece Jacket
- Sherpa-Lined Sweater
- Neck Gaiter
- Snow Pants
- Hats & Ear Muffs
We’ll be looking at these and more in better detail, and also be helping you with techniques for dressing your kids for the different winter activities they’ll be participating in, throughout this article.
A Sleep Sack
Wearable blankets are the best when it comes to keeping your baby warm and snuggled after they transition out of a swaddle. In the wintertime when the temperature dips, you should look for a sleep sack that can keep your baby comfortable without overheating.
Booties and Mitts
Trying to squeeze your little one’s hands into gloves or mittens is a nearly impossible task. But keeping your baby’s extremities warm is crucial to regulating their overall body temperature.
A Fitted Stroller Blanket
7 A.M. Enfant is hands-down one of the best brands in the industry for super warm, super stylish fitted stroller blankets, pods, baby carrier covers, and car seat covers. Their blankets are so much like a warm parka, you don’t even have to invest in a snowsuit!
A Two-in-One Baby Balaclava
To keep your baby’s head, ears, and neck warm without fuss in any type of cold weather, get a baby balaclava.
Hand-knit Leg and Arm Warmers
Layering is a great way to keep your baby warm without adding bulk. While it’s great to layer footed pajamas, tights, pants, and socks, it makes for long and difficult diaper changes. To skip the hard part but reap the benefits of layering, try leg and arm warmers. They’re so much easier than layering clothing because they don’t need to be as size-specific, and can be easily pulled on and off depending on where you and baby end up.
Hooded Fleece Jacket
This jacket closes together with Velcro, and has a warm hood to block wind chill.
Sherpa-Lined Sweater
If there’s one thing you shouldn’t do in the winter, it is to stay inside all day long. You and your baby will both benefit from some cool fresh air and a little exercise. If your baby is dressed appropriately and protected from harsh winds or rain, they will love to be snuggled against you as you walk. And when in doubt, remember that babies love body heat. You could even zip your coat over your baby’s feet and body for added warmth without having to purchase a carrier cover.
Helmet
Helmets are a must-have safety item for skiing, snowboarding, or sledding. A good winter sports helmet will help keep your head and ears warm, and provide a clip to secure your goggles. You can rent or buy helmets.
Goggles
A good pair of ski goggles will keep the wind, cold and sun out of your eyes. They offer more coverage, are safer and more durable than sunglasses.
Neck Gaiter
This versatile and cheap accessory can be worn around your neck, over your face, or on your head. On cold or windy days, it can cover everything between your goggles and collar and protect your face from the chill. It’s better than a scarf because it’s less bulky and has no loose ends.
Stocking
Sea Green Candy Stocking provides great comfort to your kids because of the comfortable fabric it’s made of and it can be worn on any occasion. Electric Blue Candy Stocking is another type of stocking you can get for your kids and it will surely compliment their overall dress. The warm material of this will not prickle the skin and your child can wear it with any dress.
Jacket
A winter coat is an obvious necessity for winter sports. In the past, we have gotten by with winter coats that are not made for sports, but have found them to be bulky, heavy, too delicate or lacking important features – like water resistance or inside zipper pockets – for a day on the slopes.
Base Layers
A good base layer will be lightweight and wick away moisture from your skin to keep you comfortable. It may be hard to imagine that you can work up a sweat in sub-freezing temperatures, but skiing, snowboarding and sledding will do that. Luckily, base layers don’t have to be expensive.
Snow Pants
It’s hard to play long in the snow without snow pants or bibs (overalls). A good pair of snow pants can last for years and still look new. For growing kids, buy snow pants in a gender-neutral color so you can hand them down from one child to another.
Gloves or Mittens
Cold, wet fingers are a no-go in the snow. Waterproof gloves or mittens for every member of the family are a must.
Socks
I love long wool socks that will insulate your feet and keep them warm, whether wet or dry. Get as many socks as possible because socks go missing quite easily, especially when your baby likes to throw them from the pram when you’re not looking. Socks are really cozy and warm. Some of the different types of socks you can get include;
Black Cute Button Socks featuring white frill at the top with cute buttons below it. These pairs of socks will look elegant when worn with any piece of clothing. These are knee-length socks that have a designer crochet lace.
The Cute Wave Socks will look adorable on your little daughter. These are highly warm and made up of high-quality fabrics. Your baby will love this cute and cozy socks for sure. The fox design in these socks gives it a beautiful look.
The super cute Mint Button Socks contains a stylish crochet lace design with a beautiful frill at the top. The buttons add a new style to this pair of socks. These are knee-length socks that are highly comfortable when worn. They will provide warmth and ease to your baby.
Boots
Butler Boots are the perfect kids’ boot! They are intended to be worn over their regular shoe but can also be worn over socks. They are waterproof and work great in rain, snow, and mud. They are easy to get on and off and stay put thanks to a hook and loop closure.
Singlets
Singlets are like hugs – warm, comforting, and nurturing. For babies, I prefer onesie singlets so they don’t ride up and expose the lower back.
Long-sleeve Tees
Before you pack your daughter’s summer dresses away, why not layer them with a long-sleeve tee underneath? I promise you, it’s the most practical way for your little one to wear her pretty dresses and still stay warm.
Woolen Vest
Babies and kids are busy creatures, always moving and running hot. They’re often elbow-deep in dirt or sand or paint or glue so long-sleeve knits aren’t always practical. Knitted vests are my go-to for the cooler months as it keeps their core warm as toast and leaves their arms free to play.
Beanies & Bonnets
The cute factor is undeniable but these also make trips to the beach and the park possible when the air is really cool and when sensitive ears are prone to seasonal earaches.
Raincoats & Gumboots
There’s no such thing as bad weather, only bad clothing. Hence you should be adept at dressing for each season. A raincoat and gumboots are absolutely essential for kids in winter.
Kids’ Hoodies
Hoodies are great at keeping the cold away and are also very practical: they are a good fit for going to school and for other many fun outdoor activities, with a proper jacket on. Invest in a couple of 3-4 pieces, in different colors and you’ll be covered for the rest of the cold season. The best kids’ hoodies are those with zippers; your kid can take the hoodie off when he’s feeling too warm.
Gloves & Mittens
Gloves aren’t very popular among kids, but nevertheless, they can be pretty efficient in protecting the hands of your baby, toddler, or teenager. Look for the best gloves & mittens and it will pay off big time. Go for those gloves that can stay on and are also easy to wear. Try getting mittens on strings if your little one has a history of losing them and also consider getting waterproof kids gloves if you know that your boy likes to play in the snow with his buddies after school.
Hats & Ear Muffs
Protect your kid’s head in the cold season and encourage him or her to wear a hat or earmuffs all the time! Make sure to get a piece your little one’s going to love and your chances of him or her to actually wear it is going to skyrocket. And also ensure that the winter hat you choose for your kid is a good fit. The last thing you want is for it to slide and cover the eyes, making the wearer feel uncomfortable and awkward. The most common pieces you can find out there are knitted hats and earflaps, with or without a pom-pom on top. Earflaps are more efficient in protecting the whole head, including the ears.
Kids Scarves
Complete the perfect winter look with a cool scarf for kids. A great scarf is going to offer a lot of neck insulation and will prevent the cold air from making its way through the coat.
How to Dress Your Kids During Winter
Are you worrying about how exactly you should dress your kids in winter, worry no more, the answer is quite simple: in layers of clothes.
Layering clothes is a super-skill that every parent should master to perfection! With it your little one is going to stay warm when he’s outside.
Here are the two main layer principles:
If you’re going to just stroll through the park and enjoy the snow, or go watch a hockey game, be sure to wear a thick jacket or a puffer coat and make sure your little one is dressed in multiple layers of clothes. Lighter activities like standing in one place outside, are most prone to lose body warmth by not protecting the core.
When your kid is active, not protecting the hands, head or feet is the easiest way to lose body warmth. If your kid wants to get out more often to snow fight or even learn how to ski, try to get some qualitative accessories that can protect his extremities from the biting cold.
Here are some tips & tricks you can take away right away to start dressing your kid in layers like a pro:
The First (or Inner) Layer
Keep the warmth of the body and the moisture under control with the first layer of clothes. For this layer, use fitting and light clothes, such as tights, thermal shirts, and leg warmers.
Avoid cotton if your little one is doing an energetic activity because of its ability to retain water. Pick wool instead or other synthetic fibers.
The Second (or Mid-) Layer
This layer provides insulation and protects your little one from the cold. The purpose is to retain heat and keep it around the core. For this one, you can use sweaters, blazers, or fleece pieces.
The Third (or Outer) Layer
This layer is the most exposed to rain, snow, or wind. So pick a comfy coat, but beware of the fact that, often, bulky doesn’t mean better. Longer coats are the best, especially if the temperature goes under 32 degrees. Make sure your kid’s coat has buttons or a zipper so the ventilation can happen easily. This is important if he wants to remove clothes when he’s inside as well.
Additional Tips on Winter Essentials For Kids
Puffy winter coats and snowsuits (and even some car seat covers) can compromise the safety of your child’s car seat because the seatbelt isn’t able to tighten close enough to the child. To avoid this, warm clothes and a thick blanket are often to the best way to keep your baby warm if you plan to travel by car.
Wind blocking is key to keeping warm in really cold weather
Sleeping bags are the safest way to keep your baby warm in winter.
The important thing to note about long underwear is, it should NEVER be cotton. If cotton gets cold or wet, it will actually keep you cold and wet. You’ll want something that’s more effective in wicking moisture away from the skin and keeping you warm. I’m a fan of merino wool for long underwear, but any synthetic under layer will work well, too.
Make sure whatever you put on your child is insulated. Shells aren’t warm enough unless you add another layer or two underneath – and extra layers on children, while keeping them warm, restricts movement and makes it harder for them to run and be active.
Snow boots with a drawstring top should be a must, especially if you’re going to be in snow deeper than four inches. When they’re not in snow pants or a snow suit that covers the boots, the drawstring top keeps snow from coming in over the boot, protecting your child’s ankles and feet from the cold.
A warm, knit hat. Fleece-lined is even better, and a hat that covers little ears is the best. Keeping your child’s head warm can actually help prevent cold-weather illness, and generally keep your little person happy in the cold. It’s also important to protect their head and hair from incoming snowballs.
An extra large ice cream scoop. Pretty much the best snowball maker ever!