Top 5 Snow Day Essentials to Keep Kids Comfy (and Outside!)

With the season's first snowfall behind us, there's no denying it - winter weather is officially here to stay! Going anywhere with kids takes twice as long - there's lots of bundling-up and layering- before heading out the door. And when it comes school-age kids with outdoor recesses, snow days take extra planning because you want your child to enjoy the outdoors WITHOUT becoming a popsicle! Here's a checklist of 5 snow-day essentials to make sure your kids have all the gear they need to stay warm and have fun:

The Proper Way To Dress Your Kids For Winter So They'll Stay Warm Longer

1) Winter Jacket & Snow Pants: I personally prefer 3-in-1 jackets (like this one from The Children's Place) which have a removable fleece layer to cover a wide range of temperatures. For snow pants, younger kids may find overalls easier to wear while grade-schoolers may prefer pants. Whichever you choose - try find a pair with reinforced knee patches, as they can survive a lot more wear and tear! Avoid styles with fussy buckles/fastenings as they may be tricky for your child to manage on their own.

Old Navy Jackets (Girls - $32, Boys - $45), The Children's Place Snow Overalls (Girls, Boys - $41.97)

2) Scarf/Neck warmer: We're a huge fan of neck warmers in my house - they easily slide over your head without any dangling ends to worry about. Bonus - they're easy to pull up over your nose for extra-warmth when it's super-chilly outside!

Gymboree Scarves (Girls & Boys - $9.48), L.L. Bean Fleece Neck Warmer - $14.95)

Give Old Man Winter A Beating With These Cute and Warm Accessories For Moms

3) Gloves & Mitten Clips: To keep hands toasty, look for gloves with waterproof material and insulated lining. I've previously purchased mittens for my kids - but this year they've requested gloves so that they can use all their fingers while playing. The mitten clips are a life-saver...my kids have had theirs for 3 years now, and (knock wood) they have not lost a single pair of gloves since they got them! I've found these online at Amazon, but we purchased ours in store at Sporting Life.

The Children's Place Cold Weather Gloves - $11.97, Amazon Glove & Mitten Clips - $15.99

4) Hats: I'm going to keep buying my kids animal themed hats as long as they keep wearing them - they are just so adorable! No matter what style I pick, I always try to find hats with extra long flaps to make sure my kids' ears are covered at all times.

The Children's Place Penguin Hat and Stripe Monster Hat - $8.97, Old Navy Aqua Hat - $10, Raindrops Reversible Knit Hat - $25

5) Snow boots: This is our second year using BOGS - and they are amazing. Not only are they easy to put on and take off, they cover a wide range of temperatures (up to -30 degrees F) and are SO easy to clean and dry. Since they're designed to be worn through different seasons, I no longer have to keep stocking up on different sizes of rain boots and snow boots - definitely worth the initial investment!