Snow pants or bib? How many pairs?

[rgrin]

Okay, essentially new to snow and need some help! I have one pair of snow bibs for each child that I got on consignment for $5 each. They worked fabulously in the south for playing outside in the occasional snow showers and cold weather days. But now, in central Washington, I need to... supplement! One pair each just ain't gonna cut it. ;)

 

Younger DS goes to our church's preschool, and they sent a letter home stating that we should send our children to school in their snowpants. The school room can get kind of chilly, and they'll be able to use them on the playground as well. He's a skinny child, and I'm not sure I'm going to be able to find well-fitting pants, but would that be weird to have him walking around in a snow bib? Also, how many pairs would I need per child? Are snow pants/bibs the sort of thing that you hang to dry and wear again, or should I have enough that I can wash between each wear? I can't afford to waste money, but I don't want to keep my boys from playing in the snow for lack appropriate attire.

[GingerPoppy]

I'm in Canada. Lots of kids here have only one pair of snow pants per winter season. People might wash them once or twice during the winter if they are looking grungy, but other than that, just hang to dry. Hanging over a nice warm heat register is ideal so that they dry out thoroughly each time. If they're really wet, you might put them in the dryer on low for a while.

 

Snow pants or snow overalls are both fine for all purposes that I can think of. The benefit of the overalls is that when you're playing in the snow, it's less likely to get up your back and make you wet. The drawback is that it's harder to go to the bathroom--you have to take off your coat first.

 

People do send their kids to school in snow pants, but that's just so they're not cold on the way. I've never, ever heard of a classroom being so chilly they need them inside. Plus they would make annoying rustling noises that would be very noticeable in a classroom setting. I would ensure he has thick fleece pants to wear inside, and perhaps also an under layer, like long underwear. Layer up his top half, too, with undershirt, then t-shirt, then shirt or sweater to help keep him warm, especially because he's skinny.

 

Now as for mitts, you'll definitely need two pair, because then one can be worn while the other is drying out. They get wet fast because of the way kids play. Also send a spare pair of socks in his backpack, because feet have a knack for getting wet.

[rgrin]

I'm in Canada. Lots of kids here have only one pair of snow pants per winter season. People might wash them once or twice during the winter if they are looking grungy, but other than that, just hang to dry. Hanging over a nice warm heat register is ideal so that they dry out thoroughly each time. If they're really wet, you might put them in the dryer on low for a while.

 

Snow pants or snow overalls are both fine for all purposes that I can think of. The benefit of the overalls is that when you're playing in the snow, it's less likely to get up your back and make you wet. The drawback is that it's harder to go to the bathroom--you have to take off your coat first.

 

People do send their kids to school in snow pants, but that's just so they're not cold on the way. I've never, ever heard of a classroom being so chilly they need them inside. Plus they would make annoying rustling noises that would be very noticeable in a classroom setting. I would ensure he has thick fleece pants to wear inside, and perhaps also an under layer, like long underwear. Layer up his top half, too, with undershirt, then t-shirt, then shirt or sweater to help keep him warm, especially because he's skinny.

 

Now as for mitts, you'll definitely need two pair, because then one can be worn while the other is drying out. They get wet fast because of the way kids play. Also send a spare pair of socks in his backpack, because feet have a knack for getting wet.

 

Thanks so much for this! I hadn't even though about extra mitts. And extra socks are a stroke of genius.:D

[akmommy]

For playing in the snow mine always preferred bibs. Less likely to get snow up the back or down the pants. You should only need one pair.

 

As the previous poster said layers, he can always take a layer off if he gets to warm.

 

Also for playing outside be sure to get good quality boots. This is one thing i never compromise on. Kamiks and Sorel are the two brands I'm most familiar with.

[annlaura]

I agree with pp. One pair of snow pants/bibs is fine. We keep lots of mittens, hats, and scarves, and I have a mini drying rack over the heating vent near our coat hooks. Warm boots are essential, and I sometimes double socks. Thermal, silk, or wool long underwear is important.

[mom2scouts]

I prefer snow bibs. They stay up on my thin kids and they keep snow out of their pants. My kids have never had more than one pair of snow bibs. We just hang to dry and wear them again.

[Annabel Lee]

Up here in AK, we just hang them to dry between uses. We do have an extra pair per kid in case their snowpants (bib or pants) are wet and they want to go out again before they're dry. Also good for car safety, to leave a pair in the trunk just in case. The kids used to have extra liners for boots but they grew out of them. I, too, will only buy Sorel boots as my first pick and if those aren't available, then Kamiks.

 

I can't imagine having to wear snowpants indoors all day, like a PP said. Can the school fix their heating problem instead? Up here, if a building is a little on the chilly side, people use long underwear & Smartwool (or similar) socks. Look at landsend.com for examples of what annlaura is talking about - the silky ones. They're available cheaper elsewhere.

[Audrey]

Bibs.

 

It is next to impossible to shove a snowball down a bib once your parka's on. Snow pants are easy targets.

 

Ditto on everything else GingerPoppy said.

[Starr]

If the snowpants have been handed down too many times they might not be very water resistant. I kept extra bibs around if I had hand me downs or found some at a thrift store other wise one. You've been given good advice. Be sure you have good boots and outdoor clothes as well. No matter what we wore in the car ,on a long trip, in snow country we took the boots and snow clothes with us. It was great if we stopped to play along the way and good for keeping warm if one has car trouble. The right clothes makes winter so much more enjoyable!

[redsquirrel]

When they are littles, my kids always had at least two pairs of snowpants. One for wearing and one that was still wet from the last time they played outside. When they are tiny, they go in and out and sort of roll around in it.

 

Oh, and I usually have one cheap pair for a friend as well. I cannot count how often I have to say "Oh, it's ok, we have an extra pair"

 

And you can never have enough mittens and socks and hats. At least two of each per child and one in reserve for when they come home with half a set of mittens

[silliness7]

I'm in Canada. Lots of kids here have only one pair of snow pants per winter season. People might wash them once or twice during the winter if they are looking grungy, but other than that, just hang to dry. Hanging over a nice warm heat register is ideal so that they dry out thoroughly each time. If they're really wet, you might put them in the dryer on low for a while.

 

Snow pants or snow overalls are both fine for all purposes that I can think of. The benefit of the overalls is that when you're playing in the snow, it's less likely to get up your back and make you wet. The drawback is that it's harder to go to the bathroom--you have to take off your coat first.

 

People do send their kids to school in snow pants, but that's just so they're not cold on the way. I've never, ever heard of a classroom being so chilly they need them inside. Plus they would make annoying rustling noises that would be very noticeable in a classroom setting. I would ensure he has thick fleece pants to wear inside, and perhaps also an under layer, like long underwear. Layer up his top half, too, with undershirt, then t-shirt, then shirt or sweater to help keep him warm, especially because he's skinny.

 

Now as for mitts, you'll definitely need two pair, because then one can be worn while the other is drying out. They get wet fast because of the way kids play. Also send a spare pair of socks in his backpack, because feet have a knack for getting wet.

 

:iagree: It's a winter coat for the lower half. We have as many snow pants per kid as we have winter coats.

[J-rap]

Growing up in Minnesota, my kids only had one pair of snow pants per winter, and they usually lasted several years and several hand-me-downs. They usually preferred bibs during the younger years (and more sensible for that age, too), but moved on to pants when middle school aged.

As with others, we always had at least a couple pair of mittens each, and a couple hats as well. We'd wash the pants twice/winter perhaps. I'd bring a wooden rack into the kitchen during the winter and keep it by the heat vent. Usually snow pants, mittens and wool socks would hang there to dry during the night.

We didn't have the greatest boots, but always made sure to have wool socks, sometimes double!

Winter is FUN if you can stay warm!!

If it's cold in the classroom, long underwear really helps!

[rgrin]

Wow. You all are a wealth of information! I hadn't considered an extra set of winter gear for the car (just in case). And I'm glad to know that bibs are a hang dry and wear again type item. I was trying to figure out how to break it to DH that we needed to spend a few hundred dollars on winter clothes! :eek: Now it looks like I really just need to focus on the gloves, mittens, wool socks, and long underwear.

 

Okay... I've gone from worrying about 1 thing to 4 things. Maybe you haven't simplified my problem! ;)

[gardenmom5]

hang to dry - wash when dirty.

have sweats/fleece under them.

[2squared]

I was trying to figure out how to break it to DH that we needed to spend a few hundred dollars on winter clothes! :eek: Now it looks like I really just need to focus on the gloves, mittens, wool socks, and long underwear.

 

I wouldn't be surprised if you still spend a couple hundred dollars on winter wear. :tongue_smilie: Outfitting for winter is so expensive.

[GingerPoppy]

Wow. You all are a wealth of information! I hadn't considered an extra set of winter gear for the car (just in case). And I'm glad to know that bibs are a hang dry and wear again type item. I was trying to figure out how to break it to DH that we needed to spend a few hundred dollars on winter clothes! :eek: Now it looks like I really just need to focus on the gloves, mittens, wool socks, and long underwear.

 

Okay... I've gone from worrying about 1 thing to 4 things. Maybe you haven't simplified my problem! ;)

If you do decide to have spare stuff for the car, I'd just have a few basic items; I'd get them from a consignment store to keep the cost down. Back up stuff may or may not even get worn.

 

Wool socks are great, but thick cotton is pretty good, too, not to mention cheaper. Long underwear can be had at places like Walmart pretty cheaply. Mittens--get fairly good ones right off the bat, because the cheapies don't keep you warm and they wear out fast with hard play.

 

Have fun!

[JumpedIntoTheDeepEndFirst]

I always go with bibs for the kids. Now that I have teens I'd let them pick what they preferred.

 

I've never owned extras and don't wash after every wearing.

 

I'd consider more pairs per kid if I had a child competing in winter athletics but that has never happened. If I had regular skiers I might have a set for skiing and a set for yard play. I might also go for an extra pair if they needed one for farm or yard chores.

 

Extra gloves and hats are always good. Something like earmuffs or headbands that cover ears can be good (even under hats) in extreme cold. Somehow one always gets lost.

[endurancerider]

The advice you've been given is great. I would like to add some thoughts about washing water-resistant snow clothes.

 

You'll want to get this

http://www.amazon.com/Nikwax-103-Hardshell-Twin-Pack/dp/B000PGOOIS/ref=sr_1_sc_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1321756011&sr=8-1-spell

to wash them in to restore and retain the water-resistance. Don't use regular detergent and especially don't use fabric softener, it removes the water-resistance. The spray-on of the same brand works great to reapply the water-resistance too.

[In The Great White North]

And I'm glad to know that bibs are a hang dry and wear again type item. I was trying to figure out how to break it to DH that we needed to spend a few hundred dollars on winter clothes! :eek:

 

What you'll need is $50 of the waterproofing stuff. I think the wash in and set in the dryer stuff works better than the spray on (of the same brand even.)

 

Reapply every time you wash the snowpants.

 

And definitely get bibs.

 

Waterproof the mittens too.

[rgrin]

The advice you've been given is great. I would like to add some thoughts about washing water-resistant snow clothes.

 

You'll want to get this

http://www.amazon.com/Nikwax-103-Hardshell-Twin-Pack/dp/B000PGOOIS/ref=sr_1_sc_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1321756011&sr=8-1-spell

to wash them in to restore and retain the water-resistance. Don't use regular detergent and especially don't use fabric softener, it removes the water-resistance. The spray-on of the same brand works great to reapply the water-resistance too.

 

What you'll need is $50 of the waterproofing stuff. I think the wash in and set in the dryer stuff works better than the spray on (of the same brand even.)

 

Reapply every time you wash the snowpants.

 

And definitely get bibs.

 

Waterproof the mittens too.

 

I never would have imagined they make waterproofing stuff! Amazing! But does this stuff get into your machine when you're done?

[In The Great White North]

But does this stuff get into your machine when you're done?

 

Not that I've noticed.

[AdventureMoms]

I've always lived in a cold-weather snowy climate. I've never had more than one pair of snowpants at a time. We hang our pants to dry when they get wet, and wash at the end of the season unless they get unusually dirty from somewhere (potty accidents, somehow finding a mud hole in winter incidents..) I've had both bibs and pants, I prefer bibs for myself and my kids

 

I can't imagine wearing snowpants all day. None of us wear snowpants unless it's very cold (under 20 at least) or we're literally playing in the snow and getting all wet. I can't imagine functioning in a school that was THAT kind of cold, and if the inside temps are over 40-50 degrees you'll be sweating in snowpants.

 

Long underwear is a good idea. For kids I prefer cheap (they outgrow it so fast!) and usually just get the ones from Walmart. They do the job and are usually under $8 for a full set. Target and JCPenney's have them too. We wear regular cotton socks most of the time and I get each kid 2 or 3 pair of warmer wool socks for outside play. They wear these over their regular socks and they don't get washed every time unless they get gross. I agree completely with LOTS OF MITTENS. At least 2 or 3 of the waterproof kind per child, plus a couple of the cheapie stretchy kind for when it's only a little cold or when you aren't getting wet. A few hats is good too.

 

Here's my winter lineup for my 3.5yo:

Fleece jacket (for the car and layering)

Winter jacket

Snowpants (bib)

3 pair long underwear

2 hats

2 pair waterproof mittens (also from walmart, they were pretty cheap and are very warm)

2 pair knit gloves

3 pair wool socks

 

My mom gifted her the snowpants and jacket, and she had a fleece that fit from last year. The rest cost about $50-75 total, and we don't have any decent thrift stores so it was all retail.

[mom4him]

My kids have just one pair of bibs each. Goodness we went today and bought them each a pair and they were $50 each! They are a sturdier fab. than most snow pants but still.....I don't see them having more than one pair. They go out and play, get wet, come in, hang them by our wood burner to dry and put them back on when ready to go again. We live in the edge of the Black Hills in SD where we get a fair amount of snow each winter.