Packing Your Child for Cold Weather

Depending who you ask, packing is the worst part of travel. The tedium of airport security lines, actual travel and hotel check-ins probably come close, but if an item is forgotten during the packing phase, the rest of the trip can easily be thrown out of whack.

When you are a parent, you are not only tasked with making sure you are equipped for your upcoming travel, but also each of your dependents. In warm weather, this can be simple. Grab a pair of shorts and a t-shirt for each day for each kid and you’re off. When the weather is threatening to turn or travel happens in the dead of winter, there are a few extra considerations to make when packing for your kids.

About a week before you travel, start taking a look at weather forecasts in your destination. While things can change, a week is usually close enough to the time of travel to get an idea. If precipitation is in the forecast, you will likely see it at this point.

Wearing layers is the easiest way to stay warm in cold weather. This is true for kids as well. Make sure your child has at least one set of layers for each day, taking into account how long you plan to be outside each day and what the weather will be like. If the travel is holiday-based for visiting family members and celebrating, they can likely get away with a heavy coat and potentially a sweatshirt of some kind. Visits to family members where snow is a possibility is an entirely different question, however. If there is a chance there is snow and kids will want to play, make sure you pack snow-playing gear, including waterproof pants, hats, scarves and gloves. Hand warmers are also an excellent addition to keep your kids’ hands warm during extended snow sessions.

There is a good chance when traveling in the winter you will need a little extra space and weight. Especially if you are flying via plane, make sure to take into account how much room the additional layers and accessories will take.

Packing all of the necessary gear is one challenge, but fighting with your kids to get dressed in layers can be another challenge altogether. At the end of the day, the fighting and packing-induced headaches will be worth it if your kids are comfortable during the trip.