Smart Outdoor Gear to Keep Your Kids Warm This Winter
Keep your little ones warm while embracing cold-weather adventures
Image Caption: Photo Credit: Halfpoint/Getty
Believe it or not, winter is just around the corner, bringing colder temperatures and plenty of snow along with it. But the change in seasons also brings new opportunities for outdoor activities, like snowshoeing, skiing, and sledding, giving us plenty of reasons to avoid staying indoors until spring.
The key to embracing the winter, and all that it has to offer, is being able to stay warm and dry, even when the snow starts to fly and the mercury takes a plunge. This is especially true for children, who are often more susceptible to cold conditions and less likely to want to spend extended time outdoors.
Thankfully, there are plenty of great products designed to keep kids comfortable and cozy while outside during the coldest months of the year. If you’re looking to keep your kids safe, warm, and happy in the cold and snow, here are a few items that just might help.
Photo Credit: ActionHeat
ActionHeat Heated Puffer Jacket for Kids
Imagine your kids pulling on a coat that is not only waterproof but a warm layer of insulation to protect them from the elements too. Now imagine that this same coat also features battery-operated heating elements that can provide on-demand warmth for the coldest conditions. That’s exactly what you get with a heated puffer jacket from ActionHeat.
Thanks to improved heating panels and efficient lithium-ion batteries, heated outdoor apparel has grown in popularity over the past few years. Unfortunately, most manufacturers of heated gear don’t offer a jacket for kids. That’s not the case with ActionHeat, which has designed a coat specifically for kids.
With three heating levels and up to 4.5 hours of battery life, this jacket will keep your child cozy even on the coldest of days. The heating elements are integrated into the chest, shoulders, and back of the coat to warm the body’s core most efficiently. The result is an extremely warm coat that isn’t especially bulky or heavy–keeping even the most winter-adverse kids happy outdoors.
Buy the ActionHeat Heated Puffer Jacket here
Photo Credit: Aroma Season
Aroma Season Heated Gloves for Kids
Heated jackets aren’t the only outdoor apparel to get a boost in performance from technology. The Aroma Season Heated Gloves—which are actually mittens—utilize heating elements and small battery packs to keep your child’s hands warm during the winter too.
With three temperature settings and up to 11 hours of battery life on a single charge, kids can use these gloves to comfortably play outside all day long. The integrated heating elements wrap around the entire hand, providing surprising warmth even in very cold temperatures. The battery packs are stored in small pockets on the back of the mittens, keeping them well protected while outside and easily accessible for recharging.
Made from a durable, waterproof fabric and featuring extended cuffs that keep wind and snow from reaching the interior, these mittens would perform fairly well even without the warming functionality. But power on the heating elements and performance goes to an entirely new level.
Buy Aroma Season Heated Gloves here
Photo Credit: ActionHeat
ActionHeat Heated Beanie
With a heated jacket and gloves already on this list, it should come as no surprise that a hat would make the cut too. While the adage that “90% of your body heat escapes through your head” isn’t exactly true, it is still essential to keep your child’s noggin warm on those cold winter days. The ActionHeat Heated Beanie can do just that.
While this hat is designed to be worn by an adult, the stretchy materials and elastic headband found on the size-small version can accommodate a child quite nicely. The beanie’s heating elements rest directly over the ears, providing warmth exactly where needed most. Best of all, the lightweight battery pack can power those warming panels for up to 5 hours, more than enough time for a few runs down the ski hill.
Made from soft fleece fabrics, the beanie is warm even when it isn’t powered on. The hat’s interior is lined with a breathable, moisture-wicking material that feels good against the skin. The hat is even machine washable, so you can keep it clean without having to worry about damaging any of the electronic parts.
Buy the ActionHeat Heated Beanie here
Photo Credit: Keen
Keen Lumi II Waterproof Boots
Choosing the proper footwear for your kids to use outdoors is always an important consideration, especially in the winter. Nothing brings a more abrupt halt to any outdoor activity than someone getting cold feet. It doesn’t matter how much fun they are having; if your child’s toes start to get frosty, they’ll be ready to head back inside as soon as possible.
To help prevent those cold feet, add a pair of Keen Lumi II Waterproof Boots to your child’s wardrobe. Rated for temperatures as low as -40ºF, these boots are remarkably lightweight for the warmth they provide. They’re also effortless to get on and off, with thick velcro straps locking them firmly into place. Rubber outsoles offer good traction on snow and ice too, providing a nice sense of confidence to go along with the toasty feet.
Other thoughtful design features include a drawstring collar to prevent snow and rain from reaching the interior and anti-odor fabrics that keep it smelling fresh. Fully waterproof and washable, the boots also offer good flexibility and range of motion, essential for maintaining stability and balance on snow-covered terrain.
Buy the Keen Lumi II Waterproof Boots here
Photo Credit: Smartwool
Smartwool Merino 250 Base Layers for Kids
One of the smartest ways to keep your kids warm during the winter is to create a proper layering system. That starts with high-quality base layer tops and bottoms that are not only warm and comfortable but offer thermal-regulating properties too.
Smartwool’s Merino 250 line of base layers for kids is made from merino wool, a natural fiber that performs exceptionally well in cold weather. As you would expect, merino is very warm, but it also wicks moisture away from the body, is highly breathable, and dries quickly too. Better still, merino has antimicrobial properties that keep it from attracting odors, even when worn for several days in a row.
Available in various colors and patterns, Smartwool’s line of children’s base layers is stylish and fun. Put them on under a mid-layer fleece and a warm jacket for complete protection against the elements.
Buy Smartwool Merino 250 Base Layers for Kids here
Photo Credit: Smartwool
Smartwool Wintersport Merino Wool Socks
The same properties that make merino wool so great for base layers apply to socks too. If you want your child’s feet to stay warm, you’ll need socks that are breathable, quick-drying, and capable of pulling moisture away from the skin. Those socks should be warm and comfortable too.
Smartwool’s Wintersport sock was made specifically with kids in mind. In addition to sporting whimsical colors and patterns, the socks are designed to fit snugly—yet comfortably—on smaller feet. Other nice touches include extra cushioning in strategically placed areas and a flat knit toe seam to avoid blistering and hotspots. The sock even extends up the calf for increased coverage and warmth.
Buy the Wintersport Merino Wool Socks here
Photo Credit: Rumpl
Rumpl Puffy Blankets
The puffer jacket has been a popular option for staying warm on winter adventures for decades. Layers of durable, water-resistant fabrics and down insulation make up the foundation of these coats, providing exceptional warmth while remaining extremely lightweight. Those same design elements have also been applied to a blanket, creating a cozy shield against the cold for use indoors and out.
The Rumpl Original Puffy Blanket takes the same materials used in creating a down jacket or a sleeping bag but uses them to create a quilt instead. The blanket is made from durable ripstop polyester fabrics that are soft and resist both stains and moisture. Inside, you’ll find a layer of synthetic insulation that mimics the properties of down insulation, providing plenty of warmth without adding a lot of bulk. The blanket even comes with a stuff sack that makes taking it with you extremely easy.
Available in multiple sizes—including one specifically meant for kids—the Original Puffy Blanket is perfect for whenever you need a bit of extra warmth. Whether you’re curling up on the couch by the fire, heading to a winter outdoor event, or doing some cold weather camping, you’ll be glad to have the Puffy Blanket at the ready.
Buy the Rumpl Original Puffy Blanket here
Photo Credit: Occompa
Occoopa Rechargeable Hand Warmer
Even with the proper winter gear, we can all use a little extra boost of warmth from time to time. That’s when the Occoopa Rechargeable Hand Warmer comes in handy, providing additional heat when you need it most.
Compact and lightweight, the hand warmer is small enough to fit into a purse or jacket pocket. The device offers three distinct heat settings when activated, with temperatures reaching as warm as 131ºF on the highest level. The built-in rechargeable battery gives the unit a run time of as much as 10 hours on a single charge too, meaning you can use this gadget all day long and still have some charge left over.
Incredibly easy to use, the hand warmer is activated by pressing a single button, which also cycles through the low, medium, and high-temperature settings. Made from lightweight but durable materials, the device can double as a power bank, recharging a cellphone in a pinch. This makes it a great companion for winter outdoor outings, keeping your child’s hands warm and your phone functioning in the cold.
Buy the Occoopa Rechargeable Hand Warmer here
Photo Credit: Gobi Heat
Gobi Heat Terrain Heated Camping Chair
Keeping your kids active on a winter outing is one of the best ways for them to stay warm. While hiking, skiing, or skating, they’ll generate plenty of body heat to help stave off the cold temperatures. But what happens when they’re outside but no longer moving around quite as much?
Whether you’re relaxing at the campsite, gathering around the fire pit in the backyard, or attending a cold-weather event, the Gobi Heat Terrain Heated Camping Chair can help keep you and your kids warm. Using a lithium-ion battery to power heating elements in the back and seat, this camping chair is a great option for outdoor excursions that don’t involve a lot of activity.
Capable of providing warmth for up to 9 hours on a single charge, the chair offers three temperature settings with the highest reaching a balmy 131ºF. Made from wind and water-resistant fabrics, and sporting plenty of comfortable padding, this is a camp chair your kids won’t mind spending a lot of time in, even when the thermometer drops well below freezing.
Buy the Gobi Heat Terrain Heated Camping Chair here
Photo Credit: Grabber
Grabber Hand, Toe, and Body Warmers
Grabber Hand, Toe, and Body Warmers are some of the simplest and most cost-effective ways to generate extra warmth while in the outdoors. Simply remove these small packets from their wrappers and exposure to the air will generate an exothermic reaction that creates a surprising amount of heat. The process can take 15-30 minutes to fully activate, but once it is complete you—and your child—will enjoy hours of warmth where its needed most.
Designed to fit into gloves or boots, these handy warming packets are completely safe to use. Generating heat through a simple chemical reaction, they use all-natural materials that are biodegradable and eco-friendly. That means when you’re done using them, you can toss them in the trash for easy disposal. And since they’re priced at about $1 per packet, they’re easy on the wallet too.
Buy Grabber Hand, Toe, and Body Warmers here
Any of the products on this list will provide extra warmth for the long winter months, making it much easier to enjoy the cold weather. You don’t need special gear to embrace the season however. By dressing in layers and avoiding extreme conditions, the winter can be a rewarding time to be outside. Why not explore all of the possibilities that it brings?
