Have you ever heard the saying “there’s no bad weather, only bad clothing?” My warm-blooded, Latin self used to think that was just something people said. Of course there is bad weather, it’s called WINTER IN NEW ENGLAND!! 🙃 15 years, two kids and a scruffy pup later, I now understand (and dare I say subscribe to?) the saying.. For us Rices the arrival of winter no longer means the end of outdoor play, just the addition of a layer (or three) before heading outside. Let me show you what I mean..

But first– a note on layering + shopping for kiddo winter clothes

Layering is the true MVP of the winter. There is no playing outside comfortably during the winter without solid, well thought out layers. They are KEY.

As you dive into this post, keep in mind that what I describe below is what the kids (and us adults) wear for outdoor play in the winter– meaning when we go to the park in the colder months or set out to do a FULLY outdoor activity. If we will be spending time both inside and outside (rare these days, given COVID) the considerations are different as both my kids run hot and can overheat VERY quickly. The easiest way for me to think about layers for inside/outdoor play is as building outfits on top of each other so we don’t look crazy as we take stuff off. This post talks a little more about this.

Also before we dive into winter dressing 101 please know this– gender is utterly irrelevant when shopping for winter clothes. Instead of looking at the girls vs. boys section, my advice is you search by SIZE and focus on purchasing good quality items regardless of what gender they are being marketed towards! OK now that we’ve cleared that up, let’s get into it..

First things first: base layers

What makes a good base layer?

Base layers are the start to any functional winter outfit. The key with base layers is to ensure they are made of fabric that will “wick” moisture away, meaning move sweat off your body as you heat up playing or just moving your body outdoors. Base layers should lay flat against your skin so they are able to work their wicking magic. For this same reason, they should fit snug so base laters are about the only thing I do not size up when purchasing for the kids.

My best advice when it comes to base layers is to stay away from cotton at all costs. Cotton base layers are cheap for a reason– they have very little moisture wicking capabilities. I find base layers made from a mix of synthetic materials (for more stretch and a better fit) and at least 40% merino wool to be the best when dealing with very cold temps. Merino wool is lightweight and not itchy. It has great moisture and temperature control. Merino wool is also naturally odor-resistant, which comes very handy given how stinky my kids are! ☺️ If the temps are not below zero or if you KNOW you’ll be moving a lot (ie- going tubing or skiing) 100% synthetic base layers can work well, if they are good quality.

If you want to read more about merino wool and how it works, this is good article to get you started.

Shop Kiddo Base Layers

Shop Adult Base Layers

Second layer: tees and sweats

One of the benefits of starting with a good quality base later is that you can skip this step, if it’s not crazy cold. When it’s needed, the kiddo’s second layer is usually comprised of thick comfy sweats or winter pants on the bottom and thicker, long sleeve tees (and maybe sweatshirt) on top. For school– remember school?– I skip the base layer, start with comfy sweats and leave a pair of ski pants/bib there so the teachers can layer them over everything else when going outside.

Third layer: bring on the fleece

Fleece clothing has been powering New England winters for a very long time. Fleece sweaters are thick, easy to wash and not terribly expensive making them every moms dream and what we use over base layers and sweats. We typically leave these right by the front door and layer them on as we’re leaving.

Shop kiddo fleece layers

Fourth layer: outerwear

A good, solid coat and ski pants make the final layer of our winter outdoor play outfits. I’ve been purchasing the same Patagonia coat since the babes were little and I cannot recommend it enough! I’ve bought sizes 12-18 months, 4T and 6t (XS) and they are all still in heavy rotation. Teddy layers the two smaller-sized coats on top of each other while Chick uses the 6T. Patagonia has a repair program that makes their coats a solid investment.

For ski pants, I typically buy L.L. Bean ones to leave at school (where they are only outside for 40 mins at a time) and more hardcore ones for actual winter play.

Shop Kiddo Outerwear

Accessories

My least favorite part of winter– keeping track of the little stuff!!! Never underestimate the power of winter accessories, though. Neck warmer, hat, gloves (clipped to coat if under 4!), thick socks and snow boots are ESSENTIAL to a good park run.

Shop our favorite kiddo winter accessories

And there you have it, friends– the basics of dressing littles for REAL cold temps. Anything I miss? Anything I should expand on? Drop me a note on Instagram or leave a comment below to let me know. Thanks for stopping by!