How to Dress Your Baby for the Snow

The Key to Having Fun Outdoors Is Dressing for the Weather, Especially for Babies

One of the biggest hurdles for families trying to get outdoors in the winter is how to dress for the weather. This is especially difficult for babies and toddlers who can’t really tell you whether they’re hot or cold. In this post I’m going to share information and tips on how to dress your baby for the snow from the tips of their toes up to their nose.

Layers, Layers, Layers

The first tip for dressing your baby for the snow is to dress them in layers. One thick layer may not be enough to keep them warm and sweat means moisture, moisture makes you cold. If you only have one layer you can’t take it off or they’ll be cold.

The same is true for dressing adults. A few strategic layers and you’ll be warm, moisture will wick away, and you’ll be able to move around – all of which are essential for outdoor fun in the winter weather.

Start off on the Right Foot

The first layer for babies is socks. Any sock is better than no sock. If you are looking to purchase gear to get your baby bear outside this winter, make the investment in wool socks. I’ve ordered the Bombas Wool Socks for Toddlers.

Footie Pajamas and onesies can give us a false sense of warmth. You think because their feet are covered, they’re warm. I’ve made this mistake with Baby Bear and after just 20 minutes of play in the snow, his little feet felt so cold to the touch. Start off on the right foot – Socks first.

Q for Quinn have some cute tall socks which are great for warmth and for comfort while wearing boots. SmartWool sells awesome kids wool socks. Moosejaw and REI carry the SmartWool options for littles. I mentioned Bombas above.

Baby Base Layer:

If its a really cold day out, I opt for a onesie as a base layer. These are snug to their little bodies, not bulky, and provide one more layer for warmth.

Next, we go with fleece onesies (the kind with the feet). Fleece is very warm and it makes a great layer for playing in the snow. If it’s not super cold out, you can skip the cotton onesie and go right to the fleece footie pajamas.

I’ve found great ones at both Target and Costco, but you can get these just about anywhere. Remember that fleece is warmer than cotton but a thick cotton pair can do in a pinch (especially if you put the basic onesie underneath).

If you want to make an investment in baby base layers, Woolino, Wee Woolies and Ella’s Wool have wonderful options.

If you can’t find footie PJs that fit your baby bear like me, invest in a better sock like the links I provided above. I’ll provide more tips for toddlers in a bit.

Outwear for Baby Bear:

We loved our Patagonia baby snowsuit while it fit our Baby Bear. It’s lined, super warm, has a hood, and he just felt so snug in it. The feet were also closed so you didn’t have to worry about messing with baby boots. You can read the review of the snowsuit here.

If your little one is so little that you’ll be carrying them the whole time, a fleece baby bunting works well. They’ll share your body heat and be strapped into another layer that will help to block the wind.

If they’re a little big for the fleece baby bunting, they will likely want to get down in the snow and explore a bit. This means a waterproof or resistant layer is better. Consider getting a snowsuit so they can play in the snow without getting wet.

For Toddlers:

For toddlers, squeezing fleece socks and footie pajamas into boots can be a challenge. Doing so and having them feel comfortable enough to walk around is even harder. So if you have a toddler, start with the wool socks and a warm and snug first layer.

For base layers: Ella’s Wool is a great option. Mountain Warehouse makes merino wool base layer sets. Chasing Windmills has really cute prints.

On really cold days you can put a mid layer over these base layer options for extra warmth.

Accessories:

Aside from their feet, keeping your child’s face and head warm is an essential part of dressing for the weather. Whether or not losing most of our body heat through our head is a myth or not, a cold head, face, or neck does result in feeling genuinely cold. This is true for your child as well.

Hats or Hoods:

Cover your child’s head with a snug fitting hat or hood. If these are loose, at best they grow annoying but at their worst they can cover your child’s face and limit vision. It can be hard to get kids to keep hats on but they do tend to pull them off outside less than they do when you’re getting dressed inside. If they revolt against the hat indoors, tuck it in your pocket and you can offer it again when they’re cold.

My recommendation for hats is anything they’ll keep on. I like to knit and make hats with a washable acrylic yarn because hats tend to end up on the ground, the floor of cars, etc. (If your hats have pompoms check to see if you can detach them before washing. If you can’t take it off, hand wash the hat).

We go with hats because my child’s head always seems to be bigger than the hood attached to most garments. And also, because he can swing his head around and have the best visibility. He loves to be able to look around (which is why we love our Poco Child Carrier from Osprey).

Scarves and Neck-ups:

Babies have sensitive skin and extended time outdoors can dry it out. On top of that, if they’re teething they may get eczema. We fight a constant battle against eczema on my son’s cheeks. So I recommend that you find a way to cover their face when outside.

Now, that being said, most health experts say do not cover a child’s face under two years of age.

We closely monitor Baby Bear with any face covering, and make sure that he has plenty of room to breath. Many parents opt for scarves because that’s what they have on hand, and you can tie them in the back, adjusting the fit as needed. I personally like to take a smaller infinity scarf that I’ve knit and wrap it around twice. Not having loose ends means that it can’t snag or get too tight. He can still pull on it though so I’m looking at making more of a cowl or neck-up for him.

Mittens

Cold hands aren’t fun. The truth is that most kids hate mittens. Baby Bear fights them every time we go outside but then once we’re out and he starts playing in the snow, they’re OK. I grabbed a pair from of Head mittens from Costco which are too big but they work really well. While they’re hands are small you can put their full fist into the “hand” of the mitten (ignoring the thumb). As their hands grow, you can start using the thumb, which Baby Bear now demands because he needs to play with his snow shovel.