Preparing Your Child for Winter

Lately I have been receiving many messages from friends asking about winter gear for their children. I am honored that they trust my opinion. I thought I would share the items that are must haves for my daughter in the winter.

Base layer: A good base layer is important for the colder days. Wearing a good base layer under your children clothes helps them stay warm. My daughter loves the ones that are fleece lined. Make sure they do not have cotton in them as cotton retains sweat.

Winter Jacket: I know this is an obvious one, but with the amount of time we spend outside I do not skimp on a winter jacket. Every year around Veterans Day we hit up the local Columbia Outlets for their sale and to get our winter jackets. Columbia Jackets have never disappointment us. Many of them are water resistant. They provide a lot of warmth, are not too bulky and the zipper works well and has not broken on us yet.

Snow Pants: Just like the jacket we also get our snow pants at Columbia Outlet and have had success over the years with them. We have tried other brands, but the zipper always break or holes are worn in the knees. My daughter prefers the bib kind so snow does not get in them.

Socks: Darn Tough Socks have been the only ones that keep my daughters feet warm and dry during the cold winter days. They are also tough and last as long as your child does not grow out of them will last I know they are pricy, but if you get a hole in them, Darn Tough will replace them for free.

Boots: We have tried a variety of winter boots, but have found that Boggs are the only ones that are easy to get on, keep her feet dry and warm and keep up with her busy outdoor schedule. She has never worn through the boots, only worn the pattern of of them.

Hats and Mittens: We do not really have a favorite hat and mittens. My daughter likes a variety of hats. We have found that water resistant mittens are the best and her hands do not always stay warm in gloves. I recommend your child try out a variety of them to find what works best for them. Consignment shops or online facebook pages can be a great place to get them without spending a lot of money.

Some form of microspikes/crampons/stabilicers: The last couple winters have been very icy making it difficult for little legs to hike or just be outside. We have found that some form of extra traction on the bottom of the boots. This year we will be looking for better ones. Once I find a good pair for her I will share them. If you have any ones you love, please let me know. I will say that I have had members in my hiking group use Yak Tacs and they have not been good for the ice around Southern NH New Hampshire.

Snow Markers: These are more for fun. My daughter has spent hours using these in the snow. Once you run out of the dye you can just use water and food coloring and keep the containers.

If you are looking for some additional ideas you can check our my Blog Post on the my Top Outdoor Gifts for Kids.
If you are looking for some Winter Activity suggestions check out my Winter Fun page on my website.

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