Winter weather can be harsh and unrelenting, especially on the tender skin of your young children. Use this step-by-step guide to prepare your children's wardrobes so they will be ready to face the snow, sleet, wind, rain and cold air.
Instructions
1. Check your child's closet and any boxed/seasonal clothing for essential pieces of winter clothing. Be sure each child has a thick, heavy-duty winter coat; a lighter, rainproof coat or windbreaker; winter hats that cover the ears; gloves or mittens; scarves; tights or leggings (for the girls); long underwear (for the boys); waterproof/snow boots; thin long-sleeved shirts to use for layering; thick pants (jeans or corduroys are usually good); and sweaters, sweatshirts or thicker top-layer shirts.
2. Purchase any essential items that your child does not already have. If you are on a tight budget, do your shopping at thrifty spots: Search on Craigslist for the items you need, go to thrift stores, visit resale/consignment children's stores and network with other moms who might have children a year or two older than yours. They might have outgrown winter clothes that they can trade or simply want to get rid of. Do some asking around. Most people are happy to find a place for the outgrown children's clothing to go where it will be useful.
3. Purchase duplicates of easily lost items, such as gloves/mittens, hats and scarves. Kids are notorious for losing a mitten while out in the snow, and scarves and hats are often set aside and not remembered until everyone is getting dressed the next morning. Most of these items are not very expensive; don't feel you have to purchase the deluxe version. You just want to have the basics covered.
4. Check all the items for working zippers, holes in pockets, tears or holes, missing buttons or excess wear. Repair anything you can.
5. Group the clothing items in a way that makes sense for both you and your child. Hang your child's winter coat and lighter jacket on a hook by the door. Set up a bin or tray to hold wet snow boots. Find a child-accessible spot near the door and put all scarves, gloves/mittens and winter hats there, where they are easy to find and easy to replace when coming home at the end of the day. For very young children who still want to be independent, you might consider making a checklist (use pictures) of winter outerwear to hang up by the winter gear, so they can go through it as they get ready to go.
6. Teach your children layer their clothing as the weather gets colder. Most of the time, they will be going in and out, so their body temperature will vary. Teach them to put on long underwear or tights/leggings, then a pair of pants. Show them pick out a thin shirt and then a thicker shirt. That way, if they get hot once they are indoors, they can remove the thicker shirt and still be comfortable. Be sure that your child has enough of the essential items of clothing to get them through the school week, or else you will be doing laundry every day.
Tags: your child, gloves mittens, coat lighter, essential items, items that
