Winter gear that actually works in Calgary
An opinionated list from someone who has dressed a lot of small children to go outside in February. Mostly about mittens.
By Angela
Every November I have the same conversation with new families about snowsuits, so I am writing it down.
Mittens, not gloves
Under about five, gloves are a losing battle. Getting five small fingers into five small holes takes three minutes per hand and by the time you are done the child has lost interest in going outside. Mittens go on in seconds and the fingers keep each other warm.
Get the kind with a long cuff that goes over the coat sleeve, not under. Snow gets in otherwise, every time.
Two pairs. Always two pairs. One is wet.
Boots one size up
Room for a thick sock, and room for the foot to move a bit, which is what actually keeps toes warm. Boots that fit snugly are colder than boots with air in them.
Handles or pull loops at the top make a real difference for a three year old who wants to do it themselves.
Label everything
Six children, and by January every snowsuit is the same shade of grey slush. Name on the tag in permanent marker. Inside the boots, inside the mittens, inside the hat.
Neck warmers, not scarves
A scarf on a climbing structure is a genuine hazard. A fleece neck tube does the same job and cannot catch on anything.
What to leave home
Anything with a drawstring at the hood. Same reason.
Anything the child is precious about. It will get muddy, it will get paint on it, and the mud is the point.
The spare bag
A full change of clothes, seasonally appropriate, in the cubby. Check it every month or so because children grow and the spare shirt from September stops fitting somewhere around Christmas.
That is it. None of it needs to be expensive. Secondhand snow gear is usually barely used, because the previous child outgrew it in one season, same as yours will.
