A jacket and dress from Mini Rodini? Shoes from Viking? Or a second-hand outerwear bargain from Kappahl and their popular Newbie brand? Dressing the kids for a day at preschool isn’t always the easiest thing to do, and it’s not made any easier by the fact that the kids may refuse certain clothes. But with days often filled with water play, snack time and the occasional fall on your knees, function and quality are just as important as putting on clothes with a happy face. Here, preschool educator Siw Andersson gives good tips and advice for clothing choices.
– Remember that clothes should not be too fancy, but more everyday. Branded clothes for children that you care about are almost best used on other occasions than at preschool,” she says.
Which children’s clothes work best for preschool?
– Firstly, children’s clothes need to be durable but also spacious enough to allow children to move properly when running, climbing or jumping. Some children are more sensitive to the way clothes fit. It is therefore important that they don’t become itchy or scratchy and interfere with play. Jeans, for example, can be more difficult to move around in and are not as comfortable as some softer pants. It goes without saying that children should be dressed according to the weather, preferably in layers, so that it is easier to remove clothes if it gets too hot. The material of the children’s clothes can also be worth reviewing – having wool, cotton and silk that breathes is often the most comfortable, says Siw Andersson.
Should you consider different things in terms of clothing depending on your age?
– For example, when it comes to outerwear, it is much easier for younger children to put on a full jumpsuit than to put on both a jacket and overtrousers. Younger children may also be more likely to need clothes that stay on – for example, a hat that can be tied or trousers that won’t fall down. Otherwise, soft clothes without hard elastic or too many buttons are also preferable.
Are there any features that are important?
– When children are out in the snow and sleet, they often wear galoshes over overalls. It is important that the trousers are really roomy so that it does not become uncomfortable and or that they have difficulty bending. If you have the option of wearing a jacket with a zipper instead of buttons, it is usually more practical because the buttons easily go up if you have a lot of clothes underneath. When it comes to children’s shoes, it is always much easier to either have sneakers with Velcro or shoes with a zipper, instead of having to tie the shoes every time the children go in or out. Then, of course, there is a point that they practice tying their shoes eventually.
How to avoid losing clothes at preschool?
– To keep track of mittens that are easily lost, I think it’s good to attach the mittens to the sleeves, then you don’t have to look everywhere for them. Since there are also a lot of clothes circulating in the preschool, it is important that they are labeled so you can see what belongs to whom. To help children keep things tidy themselves, it is also helpful if the clothes have loops so that the children can learn to hang up the clothes themselves, instead of everything ending up on the floor.
How to make children’s clothes last longer?
Here is the simple answer to clothes care! Although children’s clothes get dirty quickly, airing some garments or brushing off sandy pants may be enough. Washing all the time is hard on clothes. Some garments are easy to reinforce and improve yourself, for example, coveralls, where you can put elastic at the bottom if it is missing. If you buy second-hand children’s clothes, you can often find good brands that are still in good condition because someone has taken good care of them. Finding children’s clothes second hand is great because children grow so quickly,” says Siw Andersson.
Children may need to wear these clothes to nursery school:
- Change of clothes
- Extra underwear and socks
- Possibly indoor shoes or slippers
- Good rain gear
- Extra pair of mittens or galoshes
- Socks for cold weather
- All-weather or lined boots that keep the cold out, but are also water resistant.
- Cap or beanie depending on the weather
- Scarf or hood that also goes down over the neck
- Rubber boots
- Good children’s overalls or thermal pants and jacket in durable material
- Backpack for carrying small items to and from preschool
