Dressing your toddler for cold weather

There’s no such thing as bad weather, only unsuitable clothing,” according to Lancastrian rambler Alfred Wainwright, and his words are a good guide to dressing children for a day out in the woods!

What we recommend when dressing your toddler is to make sure they have wriggle room for toes inside their boots, thick wool socks, lots of warm layers (wool or fleece not cotton or denim), mittens to put on when sitting around to warm fingers. Hats without bobbles so hoods can go over the head when it rains, a snood rather than a scarf, even better a balaclava. Merino or similar base layer leggings and long sleeve t-shirt under wool or fleece jumper.

Layers to consider when dressing can include; wool or similar warm tights or base layer leggings (not cotton), tracksuit trousers or similar, then waterproofs, thick socks or thin socks and wolly socks, long sleeve base layer tshirt (think wool or similar warm wicking fabric) and jumper, coat, hat, snood. Its always handy for you the parent to have a pocket full of quick drying mittens to shove onto chilly fingers.

Most sports shops like mountain warehouse or regatta sell kids base layer clothes, those are the essential items! If you can stretch to warmer wellies i.e neoprene lined thy make all the difference too. Baby Bogs can be bought second hand but other baby clothes shops like JoJo do sell good insulated winter boots, which again can all be found second hand.

To keep extra cosy at our sessions in the woods this winter we will make sure we hand out hot chocolate earlier in the sessions to help warm cold hands and bodies. As well as this we’ll be playing active games to help keep warm and enjoy the colder weather.

Look forward to seeing you around the campfire soon!