Travel With Kids: Packing for Cold Weather
Packing for kids can be hard enough. All the gear we haul around adds to the tonage of our checked luggage, but when you start packing down jackets and long underwear you run into all sorts of new challenges in meeting the luggage restrictions. Here are a few suggestions to make the task easier:
1. Think Layers
As many times as you can look at Weather.com and other sites for temperature information, you can never be sure what the whether will be like, or how your child will react to it. The best option is to pack layers. Even if the temperatures are not supposed to go over 50F, I pack a t-shirt for each child as a base layer, and then a sweatshirt or long-sleeve athletic shirt and then a jacket. Bottoms are a bit trickier, but a pair of long underwear for super cold temps, can always be removed if the kids get too hot. If you are traveling to an in-between destination, a pair of convertible pants make a good investment. Zip off the legs when it gets to hot, and back on when the wind picks up or the sun starts to set. At :55 in the video below, get more tips on layering from Travel With Kids Alaska.
2. Stay Dry
The easiest way to get cold fast is to get wet. For your top layer, be sure to bring something waterproof…a rain jacket and rain pants if you are going to be in snow, lots of rain, or even traveling near water (remember kids like to splash around even when it’s cold). Also, be sure to pack an umbrella if you are going somewhere rainy. Also, think about packing wicking underwear, long underwear and t-shirts. The wicking technology pulls moisture away from the body, so the kids don’t feel it. Remember a cold kid=a cranky kid.
3. Head Off the Cold
Even though the myth that 45% of your body heat has recently been re-buffed, a fuzzy warm hat definitely warms you up when the temperatures drop. Any exposed area of your body is going to be subject to cold, so don’t forget the little items like hats, scarves, gloves, etc to keep the fingers, faces, ears and heads nice and toasty. Again, these layers will help keep kids warm, but are also removeable when the kids heat up from running around and playing.
4. The Foot of the Problem
Little toes can get really cold really fast, and from my experience, you never hear the end of it. Make sure you pack a good pair of ski socks and some warm, waterproof boots if you will be traveling to the snow. If you do not have proper boots, the snow will soak right through and you will end up with a kid whining to go back inside.
5. Turn Up the Heat
Modern day technology now offers us heat on the go. Most outdoor stores sell heat pouches you can insert in gloves and boots to warm little tootsies on a cold day. It’s like heaven when the temperatures drop to freezing to crack open your own personal heat packet and drop it in your glove. Keep a spare packet or two for when the kids’ packets wear off and you’ll be the hero of the day!
Remember all that bulk can add up and with luggage restrictions, can mean extra money spent on overage or additional baggage charges. Limiting your packing to just a few of the bulkier items – like jackets and sweaters – and more in the thin, layered items – like t-shirts and long-underwear – will help use space wisely. Light rain jackets also come in very compact pouches to help with space reduction. Tuck smaller items like socks, scarves and gloves inside of boots to save room. Some people even ship a box of boots to their destination to avoid packing them, but we’ve always been able to fit everything within the baggage limits…remember you can always do laundry along the way!
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