Gearing Up for Snow Play

For those of us living in Southern California, the idea of taking a day trip to the snow seems simple enough, until you realize that it requires some preparation – and I’m not just talking about chains for your tires. If we’re heading to the snow, we’ve gotta do some gearing up for snow play, right?

Before taking our first family trip to the snow, I turned to a fellow blogger friend of mine, Kari of Activekidsclub.com, for some advice on what kind of clothing we’d need to stay warm and comfortable. Kari was a great help because she knows a thing or two about cold weather (for one thing, she lives in Canada). In fact, one of her favorite mantras is “no bad weather, only bad clothing.”

Kari was nice enough to answer some of my burning questions about snow wear for the little ones. My biggest concern?  If we’re not going to use this gear very often (like once or twice a year), how do we best spend our money? Here’s what she had to say:

What items do I need to ensure comfort and fun for my little ones in the snow? Where should I splurge and where can I afford to save?
I can see why it is such a challenge for those who live in sunny California to have the same winter gear that those of us living in northern climates would find necessary. In my mind, your best investment would be in a good quality wind and waterproof jacket and pants (a.k.a. shell garments). These items can actually be useful all year.

Then when you’re planning a trip to colder, snowier locations, all you need to do is add layers under you shell jacket and pants.

Inner layer: Invest in insulated underwear (Long Johns and thermal shirts). I am a merino wool fan, but polypropylene or silk will do. Whatever you can find in insulated underwear is better than nothing, but do avoid anything made out of cotton.

Between layers: Here you can go less expensive. Synthetic fleece pants, jackets and even grandma’s knitted sweater will work. Plan your layers based on the temperature of your destination. And avoid cotton clothes as much as you can.

Socks: Splurge on wool socks. You want little feet to stay dry!

Winter boots: I find this a little bit tricky since this usually is an important investment to keep little feet warm and dry in the winter. One may not get enough use in Los Angeles to justify the cost. On the other hand, it’s a real fun killer if you have cold, wet feet. Bogs has some great all-weather boots that you can use in very cold weather and they work equally well as rain boots.

Hats: You don’t have to spend a lot of money, but make sure hats cover the ears.

Mittens: Mittens keep hands warmer than gloves; make sure to choose those that are waterproof.

Snow toys: Spend your money on clothing and then just buy a simple plastic sled and bring your sand toys with you. The same fun you have on the beach you can have with snow – make a snowman and snow angels for starters.

Do you recommend buying kid’s outdoor gear online or in person?
It is always nice to go to a store in person when the employees have practical knowledge of what works for kids outside. But often I find the selection is limited for outdoor gear for kids from 0-6 years of age. So I like to check online for what to get before I go to the store.

When it comes to boots, I prefer to try on to get the perfect fit in a store. Knowledgeable sales staff can help get them just big enough to allow for some growth while still maintaining a good fit.

Here are a few online stores I like:

For Merino wool
REI
Puddlegear for rain gear
Mountain Baby
Mountain Equipment Coop

Kari Svenneby is the founder of the website Activekidsclub.com. Her website provides information and inspiration about connecting children and adults to nature and play. No matter the weather you can find joyful and fun outdoor activities to do in all four seasons. Join Kari at Activekidsclub.com, 
on Twitter or on Facebook.