Have you ever heard of the saying “There’s no such thing as bad weather, just bad clothing”? This popular ideology is very much a part of the Swiss lifestyle, as regardless of the season or weather you will find families out and about enjoying an outdoor lifestyle.
However, if you are new to Switzerland, new to the winter season (this was me eight years ago), or new to adventuring outdoors with your little one, the idea of being outside in freezing temperatures can be a little daunting. So I am here to share with you how to dress your little ones for spending lots of time outdoors in winter, so they stay warm, dry and most importantly, happy.
For any outdoor winter adventure, there are three key points to consider when getting your kids ready –
- layering
- outer shell
- accessories
Layering
While dressing in layers is essential, this can be the most complicated part of the scenario! But there is a straightforward formula to make your life easier: baselayer + midlayer + shell = very happy kids.
But, when dressing your child in layers (and particularly babies), it can be tricky to know just how many. My rule of thumb is to dress them as you would yourself if you were sitting outside, plus an additional layer. This simple rule helps you to decide what thickness of layers will be needed.
Choose non-cotton material, such as wool, polyester, fleece or bamboo for your base layers, as once cotton gets wet, it takes a long time to dry. Avoiding cotton will not only mitigate multiple changes, but you will avoid a wet, cold and potentially unhappy child.
Some great base layers include fleece leggings, thick tights and even polyester PJs, as well as your standard thermal options. Check out Puddle Parenting for more fantastic layering hacks with items you are likely already to have at home.
Also, always take extra layers with you, so you can add or take off throughout the day, weather permitting.
Outer Shell
As most kids spend a lot of time on the ground, you want an outer shell that will keep the wet out. If their outer layer isn’t waterproof, they will get wet, cold and grumpy, very quickly. There are many products on the market, with varying price tags.
On the upper end of the scale are products from brands like Reima and Didriksons, and are worth the investment. They offer great waterproofing protection, are warm and are long-lasting (my son is the fourth child to wear his current Reima snowsuit). These brands, it is important to be aware that their sizing always runs large. However, the cheaper fleece-lined rain suits you get from Aldi (Impidimpi) and Lidl (Lilipu) are also a worthy contender. They may not last as long, but they provide the perfect protection for all kinds of winter weather. I always buy a set of these when they come out in Autumn, ready for the winter season, particularly for the kids to have at school with them.
When deciding on one or two-piece for the outer shell, I personally prefer the ease of a one-piece. Not only are they easy to get on and off, and more likely to do it independently, there is no chance of snow getting in under the jacket and down into pants, resulting in wet underlayers and finally somewhat simpler toileting and nappy changes. (Although younger kids will need support with this regardless of clothing choice). Once again, layers play a crucial role. If you layer correctly, you can also use rain jackets and pants as your outer waterproof layer when the temperatures drop.
Accessories
These are all the extra bits that go on top: hats, scarfs, socks and gloves/mittens.
Hats and scarfs (or shawls) are relatively straightforward (make sure ears are covered). Although for babies, try and make sure you keep their heads covered as they lose a lot of their heat through their heads.
When it comes to your feet, while woollen socks will keep their toes toasty, if you don’t own any, make sure you continue the layering process here too.
The most frustrating part of accessorising has to be Gloves. You either can’t get them with all the fingers in the right place or once they are on, they are just taken straight off … sigh. I’ve found zip-up mittens to be the best solution for longer outdoor adventures. These allow fingers to be in all the right places before zipping up and make its glove discarding easier when they get in the way. Added bonus is wrist straps, which help avoid the lost gloves. Wedze (from Decathlon) and Reima brands are great for this. For less wet adventures, I have found woollen or polyester mittens or gloves to be the best or even socks can be used as a backup.
Of course, having the right gear helps, but there is no need always to run out and purchase new items. Check local secondhand sales, online groups such as Pre-loved in Switzerland and Ricardo. But consider these winter hacks too:
- Rainboots and thick socks
- Rainpants and Jackets over layers for wet snow play
- Boots aren’t waterproof? Put plastic bags over kids socks before they put boots on
- Thick adult socks with the toes cut off make perfect little “leg sweaters”!⠀⠀
- Fleece PJs make a great mid-layer
Let us know if you have come across or use any other brilliant winter wear hacks? ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀
Disclaimer: This is not a sponsored post, all brands are my personal recommendation.
