Cold Weather Favorites for Babies-Toddlers & A Few Mom Hacks

Wintering is an actual mom sport and there should be someone standing next to our salt crusted mini-vans handing out awards for getting our kids out the door! 

I literally have to give my kids a pep talk everytime we go outside, saying things like, "I know you're going to cry and tell me how cold it is, but we can't change the weather. Please swallow your feelings, emotionally shut down, and resist kicking me while I stuff you and your puffy coat into your carseat."  

Starting in December we began to be late getting to school and when I looked for the root of the issue, I realized it we spent 10 minutes every morning just looking for gloves! I tried to convince the children to keep their mittens in their backpacks/coat pockets, even have a dedicated "glove basket" by the back door, and we bought (and lost) those cute little clips that go on your coat.

Poor Emmy and Mack would argue like this every morning:

"Mack, you're in preschool! They won't even take you outside today because you're so little and it's so cold!" 

"But Emmy, yesterday you got to wear the matching gloves and today it's my turn!" 

"Mack, I really want to play with my friends at recess. Yesterday I had to stand up against the wall and watch all the kids play in the snow because Mom didn't even know she's supposed to pack me my snowpants and snowboots!"

"Well, if you let me wear the matching pair today I'll give you a whole dollar from my allowance, that's a hundred pennies!"

Here are a few things that really help us get out the door a bit easier during these troublesome times...

1. Multi-pack of gloves

I bought these after Mack's offer to pay his sister for matching gloves. Somehow we only have 3 left out of the 18 we started with, but when I clean out the minivan in Spring 2019 I will probably find a clump of Veggie Straws stuck to the missing ones! My mom told me that our next door neighbor growing up did this with socks-- she bought all of her kids the same white socks. I have started doing this with some from Old Navy, they are low-cut and all four of my kids now wear the same socks. They are toddler 2-3 years so they are a little big on the baby, perfect for the toddler, and just a little small for the big kids-- but nobody is complaining!

2. Lightweight coats

I have read the articles and felt the fear of putting my kids in coats that are too "puffy," not to mention mine hate being squeezed into their carseats with all that padding! Emmy and Mack have these great ones from the Gap, I bought them big last year with Gap Cash and they are on year two of wearing them. 

For the little boys, who don't really play outside because mom is lame and keeps them quarantined, a fleece coat like these is easiest. I love these because they layer easily over their sweaters and sweatshirts and it doesn't feel too tight in their carseats! It gets REALLY cold in Iowa but this option seems warm enough when layered with hats, gloves, and warm clothes (aka usually in Archie's case: fleece pajamas) 

Archie has gotten two years out of this Patagonia fleece, extra 15% off your first order from Backcountry.com

Charlie's little sweater jacket

3. Bear suit

Putting an infant in a coat, socks, shoes, hat, and gloves is the actual worst. Especially because this little man pulls everything off AS I am putting it on. Enter... the bear suit.

This fleece suit was less than $20 from Carters! I like it better than others I've seen because it is flexible enough for him to wear around the house and it has foot covers attached!

Bonus Feature: the static from the fleece picks up crumbs off my floor. He is like a little crawling Roomba!

4. Slip on boots

Okay so here is my thinking in buying these boots for my kids. They are more expensive, but they dual as rain and snow boots in one. They are cute and easy to clean. They don't flood like other brands I've tried. They also stay looking nice enough that I don't feel weird about sending them to church or functions in these shoes. My kids love them because they aren't clunky, are easy to put on, and they can run and play in them almost as easily as sneakers. By buying them a size big, we have gotten three years out of each pair-- per kid! The first year we wear thicker socks or boot inserts, next two years normal or no socks. You also will get some money back when you're done, I see older, worn pairs on ebay for $20. 

These boots even fit over Archer's footie pajamas! This really is his outfit 90% of the time

What are your cold weather favorites for your kids? Any other tips on getting out the door easier in the mornings? 

One project I'm working on is buying a chalkboard to hang in the kitchen with our morning routine written on it, with pictures for Mack so he can read it too. I'm so tired of yelling, "Emmy, go get your glasses! Mack find socks! Did you guys eat breakfast? Anybody have weird poop they want to tell me about? Have you brushed your teeth this week?" Here is an example I found on Pinterest, except mine would have other specific things like, "Wipe out gross goo from lunchbox" and "Find Mommy's Coffee Thermos!" 

Link to this printable