Tips to Keep Kids Warm in Cold Weather from a Norwegian Mom
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| Bundled up – Norwegian style. Photo: Anne Kari Sorlie Julsrud |
Editor’s Note: This guest post was written by Anne Kari Sorlie Julsrud, a friend from
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| Wearing a base layer of polyester (left) and wool (right). Photo: Anne Kari Sorlie Julsrud |
When the snow comes in the late autumn, I’m so glad because it’s much easier to get the children to play outdoors. They love to build a snowman or snow castle, play in big piles of snow and slide in it. As a Norwegian mother of a 9 year old boy and 6 year old girl, I know the right clothes are essential for getting the children to play outdoors. If they get too warm and sweaty or too cold and wet, naturally they want to come back inside.
So what to wear? I put on the children a base layer of wool. Wool is a fantastic material with many good qualities and is very popular amongst Norwegians. Most importantly it keeps people warm. It also absorbs moisture so if the children break a sweat when they play, they won’t feel as wet versus if they had worn a cotton base layer. This is the most important reason to choose wool.
If you choose merino wool, it is soft, comfortable and doesn’t itch so it’s suitable for even small children (read more about wool HERE). If you don’t want to use wool, polyester is also a very good base layer as opposed to cotton which will quickly cool down the body since it doesn’t absorb moisture.
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| Make sure to wear a second layer of clothes over the base layer. Photo: Anne Kari Sorlie Julsrud |
If the weather is cold, which it is most of the winter here in Norway
Then there is the cover layer. It is important that this layer is weatherproof and breathable; it keeps warmth in and lets moisture out. Here in Norway
The qualities that are most important for the cover layer changes as the children grow up. When they
were toddlers it was more difficult for them to be active outdoors in the winter with all the clothes and snow. So back then, it was very important to have them wear a winter overall that was warm and water resistant since they sat more still in the snow. I found a brand of overalls that always kept the children dry and warm when they were younger. There was even a soft insulated seat in the overalls for the toddlers. In this way they wouldn’t become could as quickly when they sat in the snow.
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| The cover layer should be weatherproof and breathable. Photo: Anne Kari Sorlie Julsrud |
Now that the children are older and more active, durability and breathability become more important. My oldest one tends to get holes on his knees on all over his trousers, so after having to buy him three winter pants, I searched for extra durable pants this season.
Then there are shoes. I always put money in their outdoor winter shoes. Who wants to play outdoors with cold and wet feet? And in my experience, cold feet often led to a sore throat. What you need to look for are water resistant shoes that have a combination of breathability and insulation so that the foot does not feel sweaty. Since shoes are often a bit expensive, durability is also important. I look in parenting magazines when they test winter shoes and then buy a pair that performed well in the test. Now I have found a brand that both the kids and I are pleased with.
We have a Norwegian saying: there is no such thing as bad weather, only bad clothes (in Norwegian that rhymes). I don’t know if that is true, but don’t let the weather stop you!
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| Invest in good shoes. Photo: Anne Kari Sorlie Julsrud |
Living somewhere warm like I do, I can’t imagine having to keep my daughter that bundled up for months at a time. Props to you!