I have so many pictures of the boys in snow pants at this time of year, it’s silly. Today we went for a quick walk, which turned into a play in the garden, followed by a crawl up the street pretending to be animals, followed by a walk.  Everyone has a bit (or a lot!) of a cold right now, and I didn’t want to risk the boys getting cold, so even though there’s less than an inch of snow on the ground, I still persuaded them into their snow gear. And I’m glad I did! I Here are four reasons why snow pants rock winter, even if there’s not much snow on the ground

1. I don’t need to worry about them getting wet or cold

Sure, this seems obvious. That’s the main point of snow pants, right? And it is obvious if you are going out for a planned snowy activity like building a snowman. But we wear our snow pants even when we are just going for a walk, to the play park or playing in the garden when almost all of the snow has gone. If there’s a hint of white stuff on the ground, those snowpants are on. I don’t need to tell the kids off for rolling around on the ground (which they will do), and it protects their clothes making them last that little bit longer. I’ve seen them roll around in the slushy mud just as much as the snow when it’s been weeks since the fresh stuff has fallen from the sky but it’s still in the low 30s.

2. It keeps them warm

Wearing snowpants usually significantly extends our time outdoors in the winter, mostly because they stay warm, and if they’re warm, they’re probably not complaining. I make sure to put the elasticated inner part of the leg over their snow boots, which can be a pain, as they can’t put on their own snow pants and then run outside, but I’ve learned from experience that this step is worth it! Ideally if we’re heading out for any activity I put them in waterproof gloves, but even if I forget, their core body temperature stays up in snow pants and so  they can run around for longer. Which is a win win for all of us! I highly recommend the bib snow pants, both to keep their core warm, and to reduce the chance of snow getting up inside their jacket and anywhere near their skin. If possible, I also make sure that all layers (hoodies, sweaters etc) are inside the snow pants, so that there are no layers of clothes that can get wet between the jacket and the pants.

3. Mama wears them too!

Sure, it’s probably overkill when I wear them too! But if we are just hanging around our backyard or the local park and not going anywhere after, I like to put my snowpants on.  I’m not going to be running around as much as the boys, so they keep me warm.  That means I’m less likely to call a day to our outdoors activities when the boys aren’t ready yet.  Plus, I’m more likely to get involved in their fun; throw snowballs or get down on the ground and help them with something, if I know I’m not going to get wet and cold as a result. As the boys often tell me, it’s more fun when I get involved with their games. The more I engage fully with them while we’re outside, the more likely they are to be content when we come back indoors, which allows me to do some work or chores while they play quietly.

4. We keep old/cheap ones separate to our skiing kit

I understand that not everyone can afford this option. But I know my boys are going to get very messy and be climbing around on rocks and generally really testing the hardiness of those snow pants if we are doing backyard activities in them. So both boys have one set for skiing, and a separate cheap pair for at home. I also wear my older snowpants for these trips, not the nice new ones I just upgraded to for skiing.  There’s nothing worse than limiting a kid’s fun by constantly harping on at them to keep a piece of kit ‘good’ and to watch out for the mess. Because snow pants are only worn a few months a year, these rarely wear out. Smalls is in all of Red’s old kit at the moment, including the skiing and the ‘muck about’ snow pants. The ones he uses for play are a bit bashed up and torn at the cuffs, but not enough to let the snow in. If you know a younger sibling can inherit a play pair of snowpants, or you can grab an old pair from someone else when their kid has outgrown them, I highly recommend the second pair.They can also often be found in thrift stores, it’s definitely worth a look.

The key to getting outside in the right kit is having it ready to wear at any time and easily accessible.  Check out Organize Your Snow Gear – How to Make Getting Outside Easier in Winter. for some tips on keeping your snow gear organized so that you, the kids or even a sitter can easily find everything and get dressed for the outdoors in winter.

Tell me what problems you face trying to get the kids outdoors in the winter – I’d love to hear about them and help find a solution!