Layering for cold weather is crucial for outdoor play but can get quite expensive, especially when buying for multiple (quickly growing) kids or you want to have more than one set on hand. Sometimes, I think there is a belief that you must purchase name brand, top of the line clothes in order to dress your kids for cold weather, but that is just not true.
While clothing made specifically for base and mid layers work great and may have some nice features, I’d so much rather everyone felt able to easily get outside and dress kids for cold weather regardless of budget. So, here are some of my best tips if you’re looking to dress your child properly at a more affordable price.
Pajamas for Layers
Purchasing clothing specifically labeled as base or mid layers for kids can be expensive, like really expensive. However, if you look at the material it is made out of you’ll notice it is nothing more than the same material commonly used in winter pajamas for kids. Yup, that’s right, items you might find already in your child’s closet or at most any clothing or general store like Target.
Below are the pajamas we like to use for layering.
Base Layers
We like Modern Kids and PJ Essentials pajamas which are made of 95% and polyester 5% spandex. They are extremely soft, unlike wool which can be itchy and bother some kids. They are also form fitting (exactly what you want for a base layer), lightweight, and great at wicking moisture. But perhaps my favorite thing about them is how quickly they dry. This is super important if your kids get sweaty while playing in them. Nothing kills outdoor play faster than cold, damp clothing!
Mid Layers
We always use a fleece “mid layer” over the base layers mentioned above. Our favorite mid layers are Carter’s fleece pajamas. If you have young children, their fleece footed pjs work great too! As a material, fleece is excellent at retaining heat and dries quickly if it gets wet making it perfect for outdoor play.
Fleece pajamas are generally very easy to come by as there are many different brands that make them and they all can work, however, a few helpful things to look for are:
- Shirts with full fleece sleeves. Some have cotton cuffs which is not ideal as the bottom of the sleeve is usually what would get wet first if playing in snow.
- Fleece pants with a jogger fit if you can find them. This style stays in place well when pulling on snow pants and you can put tall socks over them comfortably. Loose fit pants, which are the more common style, definitely work too, you will just most likely have to pull them down into the boot after your child is dressed.
Purchase Second Hand
Another great way to get layering clothing on a budget is to shop second hand. Since these clothing items are typically seasonal and kids grow so fast, most of these items are still in great condition when being sold.
Facebook Marketplace can be a good place to search for specific items. Otherwise, heading over to a thrift shop like Goodwill or a resale store like Once Upon a Child are great options as well. I recently scored some brand new fleece pajama pants for my son at Goodwill for $2.99 and found really nice Columbia fleece zip ups, which we also love for a mid layer, for just $7 at Once Upon a Child. If you’re willing to do a little hunting, shopping at these places can really pay off!
Bottom Line to Dress Your Kids in Cold Weather
What’s most important when choosing layers for your child is what the article of clothing is made of. Layers should be wool or a synthetic material like polyester due to their warmth and ability to dry quickly (polyester) or continue to keep you warm while wet (wool).
The layering ideas I have mentioned above are also not always the best option in certain scenarios. It really depends what type of outing you are going on. More extreme trips (due to weather conditions, length of time, and/or remoteness) may require different clothing choices.
The budget friendly option of using pajamas however has yet to fail us on our regular day trips or while playing out in the backyard, even in below zero temps. My kids rarely ever complain of being cold or damp while wearing the polyester base and fleece mid layers (of course topped off with a snow suit, boots, hat, and mittens).
Do you have any budget friendly, layering options for how to dress kids in cold weather? If so, I'd love to hear them in the comments below!
