How to dress kids for the temperature

Kids are more often dressed too warmly than too lightly. Here's how to think about it, and our rule of thumb for different temperatures.

Feel the back of the neck

The surest way to tell whether a child is cold is to feel the back of the neck and the forehead. If they are cold, the child is cold. If the child is very warm on the chest, neck or back, they're wearing too much. Hands and feet are often a bit cooler than the rest of the body, but they shouldn't be ice cold.

Other signs of a cold child are shivering, turning pale, or standing still to keep warm.

Layer up

Several thin layers keep you warmer than one thick one, because it's the air between the layers that holds the heat. Start with a base layer, then a thin top and trousers, and on the outside an all-in-one for little ones or trousers and a jacket for bigger kids.

Wool keeps warmth and feels dry. Cotton gets damp and chills the body, so avoid cotton next to the skin when it is cold.

If your child is moving a lot you can skip the middle layer. If you'll sit still, say for a picnic, they need more on.

Our rule of thumb

This is a starting point, not a rule. Wind, damp and how much your child moves change everything, and the neck has the final say.

Wind makes it colder

A windy winter day can feel much colder than the thermometer says, and the windier it is, the greater the risk of frostbite. Watch the wind as much as the degrees.

Head, hands and feet

• A windproof hat. When it is really cold, add a thin hat underneath.
• Neck warmer, not a scarf. A scarf can get caught. Skip the hood on the all-in-one for the same reason.
• Mittens wide at the wrist. Windproof, lined with fleece or wool, and easy to put on.
• Roomy boots. Ideally with removable insoles that can be dried.
• Small children get cold hands and feet faster than adults because their circulation isn't fully developed. Watch extra closely with kids who can't tell you they're cold.

The youngest

Babies who aren't walking yet move less and need warmer clothes. In the pram: a footmuff and perhaps a blanket, socks with thicker socks on top, mittens if it's very cold, and a hat.

Babies under one should have something on their head all year round.

Frostbite

White patches on the face, cheeks, nose or ears are the first sign of frostbite. Warm cold hands and feet against skin, for example in your armpit, and offer something warm to drink, but not too hot for small children.

Don't wash your child's face or put cream on just before going out, since it removes the skin's natural protection. Creams can even cause frostbite. If cream is needed below freezing, use one that is completely water-free.