Winter walks are quite a challenge, but even in the cold you should not avoid being outdoors.
Winter outings toughen up the body of a toddler, thus supporting its immunity. How to dress the child for a walk when the temperature outside drops below zero?
Special attention should be paid to the infant’s outfit, because a several-month-old baby lies almost motionless in a baby carriage, often taking a nap. The child during a walk must wear a warm winter suit. It is crucial to choose clothes that are designed for cold and windy days. There are also autumn overalls available in stores, which are much thinner than winter overalls.
The outfit should not be too tight. Firstly, this causes discomfort for the baby and secondly, the air which accumulates between the baby and the clothes is an additional layer of insulation against the cold. Under the overalls you should put two layers of clothes on the baby – bodysuit, kaftan and shorts or tracksuit. You do not have to put shoes on the baby, but its feet must be well covered. You can put such a dressed baby in a sleeping bag, which is placed inside the baby carriage.
An older child can be dressed a little lighter, but still his outfit must be warm and provide a good protective barrier against the cold. In the case of toddlers waterproof overalls work best. A one-piece will be a good choice, although the child may not want to put it on – it restricts movement more than a two-piece suit.
Dress your preschooler in onions, but he or she should wear one more layer than you. However, if you dress your child in extremely warm clothes made of thick materials, you can dispense with the extra cover. Examples are woolen tights or fleece blouses, which are very warm in themselves. You can not overdo it, because the child under the influence of movement can overheat. A few years old must wear appropriate shoes for the snow – preferably snow boots reaching to the middle of the calf. Boots should fit snugly on the leg to prevent snow from getting inside.
No matter how old your child is, it is compulsory to wear a hat and a scarf in cold weather. There are different views on whether your child should wear a hat or not, but while the topic remains open in case of positive temperatures, it is essential to provide your child with a cover in case of frost. It should cover his ears well and cover the whole head.
Just wearing earmuffs is not a good idea as they only protect the ears but do not prevent the head from losing heat. A frosty hat should be made of thicker material, especially for babies who do not yet have a lot of hair on their head, which also in some way protects against heat loss
The child must also wear a scarf, although it may be in a slightly different form than the traditional one. If you are afraid that you will wrap the scarf around your child’s neck too tightly, choose a chimney sweater or a scarf with a Velcro fastener. The child will be warm, and you won’t have to worry about whether it breathes well
Older children like to lose them, younger ones like to take them off. One thing is for sure – during the winter you will probably have to work hard to make sure your child always has gloves on. Nevertheless, it is a necessity, as your baby’s hands are particularly vulnerable to frostbite, which is very dangerous. For an infant, you can choose gloves made of warm but not necessarily waterproof materials. For older children, however, waterproof material is essential: gloves will quickly become wet when playing in the snow and will not provide adequate protection. There are gloves available in stores with a string to prevent them being lost. Remember, however, not to put such gloves on a baby, so that he does not wrap them around his neck
Main photo: S&B Vonlanthen/unsplash.com
