Winter Clothes for Kids

Can you feel it?  There's a nip in the air and it's time to bundle up the little ones and even the teens in some warm gear.  Hats,  scarves,  gloves,  jackets  and so much more is needed to keep your kids warm and prevent the chill.  Read on for more advice on cold weather clothing for kids. 

Tips

• Dress kids in layers  so they can stay warm and dry.
• Have your kids wear bright colors  to be easily seen when weather gets bad.
• Be sure your child wears a hat, scarf, and gloves, and keeps his/her ears covered.
• Pay attention to weather reports and avoid outdoor activities during severe wind chills and extremely low temperatures. Infants  and toddlers  should not go outside when the wind chill dips to 10 degrees or below.
• Know the symptoms of hypothermia and frost bite.
• Make sure children know to never touch metal during cold temperatures, and also never eat snow.
• For Outdoor Sports:
• Heated ski boots  are the warmest, but most expensive option for keeping those little toes toasty.
• Select socks that wick sweat away from skin.
• Wearing winter protection made of lambswool  around the toes and fingers tends to keep the heat in.
• Mittens  work better than gloves.
• Tuck handwarmer packs  inside mittens and socks.

Wintertime Accessories

Hats  Cotton  is the least warm option, but easy to wash. Fleece  is light and warm. Wool  is the warmest option but may be uncomfortable or itchy for kids to wear.	Scarves  A handknit scarf  is a lovely gift, but make sure it's not so long that the child trips on it. Neckwarmers  are a good idea for outdoor sports. They pull on over the child's head and stay put!	Boots  Get durable boots that are waterproof and will stand up to the cold. Make sure to bring thick socks when trying on boots. Never buy shoes more than one size too big.	Gloves  Gloves can be wool,  fleece,  or gortex --skip the cotton because they'll just get soggy. Mittens  are a nice alternative to gloves, but it's harder to pick things up when wearing them. A glove clip  may be a good idea.

Outerwear

Fleece  A good layering piece. Can be worn alone over a sweater or combined with a gortex shell. Most fleece is washable.	Coats  Types of coats include: insulated jackets,  pullovers,  peacoats,  dress coats.  Make sure your child tries the coat on while wearing a sweater to ensure a good fit.	Down Parkas  Probably the warmest option for children's outerwear.  Keep in mind that these do get very warm and are best used on extremely cold days.	Snowsuits  Great option for toddlers (four and under), but they can be more cumbersome than a separate jacket worn with ski pants.  Look for a water resistant fabric on the outside and insulation on the inside. Make sure you can easily get your child in and out of the snowsuit.

Clothing

Turtlenecks  Excellent layering piece. Widley available from well known brands in all types of colors and patterns.	Snow Pants  Much better than sledding in jeans--cotton gets cold and soggy. Bib style snow pants  will keep snow from getting inside.	Sweaters  Wide variety of fabrics: wool,  cotton,  synthetic and cashmere  to name a few. Styles can range from turtleneck  to v-neck  to cardigans.  Best to buy these with a bit of room for a turtleneck underneath.	Thermal Underwear  Union jack style long underwear is cute--but much more difficult to get on and off during bathroom breaks. An especially important layering piece when going sledding  or playing the snow.

Related Guides

• Winter Style Guide
• Infant Clothing
• Gloves
• Scarves
• Snow Blowers

External Links

• MSNBC.com: Advice for keeping kids healthy and active even in nasty weather.