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If you’re looking at a cold, snowy winter, it’s time to start thinking about bundling up those kiddos. To help you find the perfect mix of warmth, dryness, value, and longevity, we’ve rounded up the best winter coats for kids. Whatever you’re looking for, there’s something here that’ll work for you—and more importantly, your little ones. Berber Fleece Jacket Reviews
Since winter coats can get expensive, it’s a good idea to choose something your kid will still fit into for at least another year, if possible. The good thing about a winter coat is that your kid will likely be wearing a few layers under it anyway, so even if it’s a little big at first, it won’t be falling off them.
Charles Fratto, style director for ILOE Studios, recommends choosing a coat that can be easily washed, which makes a ton of sense. ‘Keeping things clean’ tends to be somewhere near the very bottom of most kids’ priority lists, so a coat that’s dry clean only isn’t going to be ideal, in most cases.
“You’ll want to consider where you live and what type of weather and activities your kids will be in,” advises lifestyle and interior design expert Chantelle Hartman Malarkey, stressing that it’s important to decide if you need to protect them just from cold, or from rain and snow, too. “If this is a winter coat they’ll be wearing daily, you may want to splurge and make sure it's durable to last all season, but if this is for a short term vacation, it may not be as important to invest in the best of the best,” she adds.
If you don’t live in a place with brutal winters, you don’t need to get too hardcore with your coats. For keeping out a mild chill, this puffer from The Children’s Place is more than adequate, and its elasticated sleeves and high collar will help keep out any sudden gusts of cold wind. “From a good brand with an even better price tag, this is an easy choice to make,” says Fratto.
An inexpensive coat that will handily do the job in milder winters.
For a more serious winter coat, Helly Hansen’s Vision puffer is the sensible way to go. Recommended by Malarkey, it features a detachable hood, Primaloft insulation, lined hand pockets, and insulated baffles, for extra heat retention. It also comes in seven stylish colors, so your kid can feel good about choosing the one that speaks most to them.
A warm, stylish coat for kids who want to look cool, but stay toasty.
Designed to withstand both the chill and tumbles of a ski slope, Town Hall’s Mountain Town jacket is durable and, above all, warm. “This is a fully equipped winter staple that’s insulated for warmth and roomy enough to add extra layers for those extra cold days,” says Fratto. It’s also bright and colorful enough to ensure you won’t lose sight of them, which is always a bonus.
A durable, warm, colorful coat for whizzing down slopes or just hurling snowballs in the park.
Recommended by Fratto, this is a warm, comfortable, and versatile jacket that works as well for hikes as it does days out and about in the city. Featuring multiple pockets, zipper pullers (to make zipping up with gloves on easier), an adjustable drawcord hem, and even an interior name label to help keep track of it at school, it’ll get the job done and then some.
A functional, roomy puffer, ideal for wearing over multiple winter layers.
If your kid hates being weighed down by a heavy winter coat, there are some more lightweight options available, like this one from Columbia. Waterproof, fleece-lined, and featuring reflective details for added safety, it’s a serious winter jacket in a lightweight package. “This jacket is a lightweight option that doesn’t compromise on performance for those blustery day adventures,” says Fratto.
A lightweight but highly functional winter jacket for kids who like to keep moving.
For a more high-end hooded option, take a look at Triple F.A.T. Goose’s offerings, especially their Norden bomber. Water-resistant, windproof, and super warm, it features a zip-off hood with a removable coyote fur trim, which itself contains a shape-adjusting wire, so you can get it looking exactly how you like. The jacket itself is filled with a mix of goose down and feathers, so you can be sure they’ll stay warm all winter long.
A high-end winter jacket with enough features (and style) to justify the price.
It’s always kinda surprising to find a winter coat isn’t fully waterproof, since that would seem like at least half the point of the thing. That’s not the case here, thankfully, as Jack Wolfskin’s Actamic 3 in 1 jacket has a fully waterproof outer shell, which can be worn by itself, or with the insulated inner jacket zipped in. As the name implies, you get three coats for the price of one, making it one of the biggest bargains on our list despite the higher price tag.
A warm, waterproof, and highly versatile jacket that can be worn three different ways.
Fratto’s pick for an Amazon buy is this water-resistant, heavyweight puffer, which features an internal snow skirt, storm cuffs with thumb holes, and zippered hand warmer pockets. It comes in a wide variety of colors and patterns, from basic navy blue to shiny silver or cheetah print, so you should be able to find something your kid can get excited about.
An inexpensive, convenient winter jacket in a variety of colors and patterns.
Getting your toddler into a winter coat can be a battle, so tempt them with one of these bright, colorful North Face options. Fully waterproof, insulated, and featuring a hood, multiple pockets, and a glove keeper system so they don’t lose their mittens, it’s lightweight and roomy enough for them to not feel constricted, while still more than capable of keeping them warm and dry.
A warm, waterproof, and colorful coat for keeping toddlers happy outdoors.
The last thing you want is a chilly baby, so invest wisely when buying them a winter coat. “The North Face Baby North Down Hooded Jacket is insulated, so it will do the job to keep the baby warm and cozy,” says Malarkey. “The fleece lining will make it comfortable, and I also love that it has a hood to keep your baby’s head warm, which is so important for extreme cold!”
An ideal winter jacket for newborns, but also suitable up to two years old.
We made our selection through a combination of personal experience, thorough research (particularly when it came to checking out customer reviews), and consulting with our expert sources, to ensure all of our picks offered value for money.
“There are many different opinions on what size to buy for a child, and there is no one right answer,” muses Fratto. “But if you look at each buying situation, you may have a better understanding of which size will work best. The biggest question to ask yourself is if this coat is for one season only, or if you want the coat to stretch its wear for a couple seasons. If it's a one season coat, get it true to size to the child. If it's the latter, go one size up–this season will be a little oversized, but still very much wearable. Next season should be true to size. If you can make it to a third season of wear then it will be just a little too small but again, it should still be comfortably wearable.”
“Two should be plenty, or even one, depending on the style,” says Fratto. “One should be for playing and general wear from day to day, another should be for those occasions that call for a little more dressed up attire. But then again, depending on the style of the coat you might find one that will work in both scenarios.”
Whether you’re buying a smartwatch for kids or clothing, oddly enough, the same advice rings true: You need to take into account your child’s age and the use they’ll get out of it. “Among different factors, the expected cost of a child's winter coat really depends on the age of the child that you’re buying for,” says Fratto. “The younger the child, the smaller the size and the amount of fabric needed, so the lower the cost. With that being said, expect to pay anywhere from $25 to around $150.”
Again, this really depends: If you bought a size up last year, then hopefully not, but you can never entirely predict your kids’ growth spurts, so it’s a good idea to check how it fits at the start of each season.
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