Getting your kid ready for Swedish winter
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November 2nd, 2005
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No, we don’t dress like the picture on left in winter. They are from the ice museum in Stockholm. But dressing for winter is important over here since the season is long. So far we’ve had an unbelievable fall. Just this past weekend it was 13 Centigrade (55 F) which is unheard of at the end of October. There have been a few cold mornings with below zero temperatures (obviously not Fahrenheit) but days have been surprisingly pleasant. This will change any day. Stockholm weather is actually not too bad. It gets very dark but not that cold. Winters are kind of like NYC, except nicer. Temperatures usually range between -5 and +5 Centigrade and even though we get a decent amount of snow, much of it melts away. Occasionally temperatures drop down to -15, last year we had many of these cold days. With bad luck there will be more rain and slush which sucks. Last winter was brilliant. We got LOTS of snow and it stayed on the ground. And there were few rainy days. For a child, last winter in Stockholm was a dream. Winter can be a great time for the kids. But you have to dress them right or it will turn into a nightmare. The Swedish spend lots of time playing outside, not matter what the weather is. If you want your kid to have fun this winter and not get sick too many times you need good clothing. Here are a few basics:
– Jacket, pants and/or overall. The material should be waterproof and breathable. And of course warm. Last winter Daniel was very small so quality of outfits was not uf much importance (see photo on very bottom). Things are differnt now. We go for the best of the best which is outfits from the Finish company Reima (see photo of Daniel above). They make the best winter outfits for kids. Period. Their attention to detail and functionality is amazing. For our son we have a couple of overalls which basically can take any kind of weather and abuse. Yesterday we added a pair or Reima pants and a jacket as well (in nicer colors than on the photos). We dress him in normal indoor clothing for home/kindergarten and the overall slips on easily on top. Since the material is breathable and flexible he can play without sweating much and when he comes back inside the overall slips off and we are ready for indoor play. Reima is not cheap but it’s worth every penny. Here in Sweden many parents sell their kids used clothing when it no longer fits. So in case you don’t want to buy new stuff there is plenty of used clothing in excellent shape available. This would then be the best place to look. On the photo below you can see what happens when non-Goretex clothing comes in contact with water…… Soaked! This would never have been allowed under Hot Wife’s watch…….
– Shoes. Preferably some kind of Goretex shoes. Reima got these as well but you can basically choose and kind of brand. Goretex is key since you can wear the shoes in very different climates without sweating. The brand Ecco is popular over here but any Goretex shoe will do fine. Make sure the shoe flexible, not too slippery, and can be closed properly to avoid all that snow and wind to come in contact with the skin.
– Gloves. An important accessory when the toddler gets older and is becoming more active. Preferably waterproof and breathable. The gloves should have a nice fit and make sure there is no gap between jacket/overall and the gloves. We’ve got some Reima gloves but they are too large and stiff when your child is young. A special strategy is also required to put these gloves on. Gloves go on before the overall. It’s impossible to get the gloves on afterward. Took us a while to figure that one out….. The gloves also need to be attached to the overall in some way. Either they come with a long string attached or you can buy some separate clips to hold them to the overall. Kids have a tendency to always take off their gloves so without this you will be buying many pairs this winter.
– Hat. We use both knitted hats and fleece/Thinsulate. Main thing is that they cover the ears and provide protection against the wind. I prefer the Thinsulate kind from the top photo of Daniel. Outside with no hat in the winter is a sure way to get sick so the hat is used from now on until late spring.
– Scarf. Some outfits leave a small gap beneath the throat and around the neck. But a fleece/wool scarf will take care of the problem. We prefer a special kind made by Reima. It’s a Thinsulate/fleece scarf that you close with Velcro. It covers the throat and neck from wind and is very comfortable.
– Fun accessories. Last winter Daniel was too small to run around and play but we still wanted to bring him out in the snow. So we got one of these superb accessories called "pulka". Basically a piece of plastic with some extra support that can be pulled/pushed. It worked extremely well and Daniel loved the snow. We could pull him around in that one for hours. This winter we are moving up to more advanced toys. For our place up north we will of course get one of these eventually, but it’s still a little early for Daniel. But we will get a Stiga snow racer this winter. These fly down the slopes and are easy to pull when you go for longer walks. As long as the sidewalks are covered with a thin layer of snow it’s easier and more fun for Daniel to ride in the snow racer than cochecito or the carriage. As the kids get older activities get more sophisticated. Stockholm doesn’t get that much snow but in case you live further north the possibilities are endless. Ski’s, both cross country and downhill, skates, mini snowmobile, sleds, hockey gear, etc. But we are a few years away from that.
By living in this fairly cold climate you really do learn how important it is to have good quality clothing. Especially for kids. It makes it easier to dress/undress and keeps them from constantly getting sick. Living here at the North Pole combined with the time we spend it Mexico have the added benefit of getting our son used to both cold and warm climate. We are not really sure what he prefers yet but I’m sure he will let us know soon enough.
I found your site through a link on Child’s Play. Your site brought back some fond memories. I am of Mexican ancestry, American by birth and had a relationship with a Swede many, many years ago. I had the opportuntiy to visit Sweden, I liked it a lot. You have a beautiful family. I am Grandmother to Bri, JT and Thomas. I’ll visit your site more often. Grandmother
Great photo. Excellent post. Cool tips. Those Reina coats are very cool. I’m trying to figure out how to get one shipped to the U.S.
By the way, I expect to see some cool pics of little Daniel on his snow racer. That thing looks awesome!
that top picture looks like a scene right out of a james bond movie, right before the three devious high-fashion eskimos dip bond into the frozen pond filled with sharks and eels and polar bears.
I grew up in the hellish winters of Western Michigan, so I know all to well how to get outfitted like this for the winter.
Nov 22nd, 2005 at 10:52 am
[…] little kid that’s exactly what you want. I wrote previously about crucial stuff for a nice winter with your toddler and we have already […]
Dec 20th, 2005 at 4:42 pm
[…] a stupid thing as close because it’s too cold. Just make sure you’ve got proper winter clothing. Last winter we introduced a yo […]
Dec 20th, 2005 at 4:47 pm
[…] as close because it’s too cold. Just make sure you’ve got proper winter clothing. Last winter we introduced a young Daniel to a […]
Jan 8th, 2007 at 11:49 am
[…] Daniel And His Snowracer Canon Powershot SD500, ISO 50 Daniel loves snow. Too bad we don't have any. It's unbelievably warm in Sweden. Today we're looking at +8 (45 F) or so and green grass. The photo above is from exactly one year ago when we got lots of snow and kept in for many months. And we had a blast. The Snowracer and his plastic sled are favorites during the snow filled months in Sweden. Don't get too excited and mention the global warming epidemic which I think is bullshit. At least we won't know if it's true or not for another 10 000 years or so. People who know much more than I do estimate that the earth is 4.5 billion years old. And we are declaring global warming after a few years of milder temperatures? Please. Many countries, especially U.S., China, and Russia, are for sure poisoning the earth with all kinds of crap but we won't know until later how much effect that has on the climate. Temperatures on earth went up and down much more than today hundreds or thousands or years ago. And back then there were no industries . Regardless of the reasons for the warm weather, we miss the snow here in Sweden. We love that we have all four seasons although the winters are a bit dark. Especially without snow. Our son can be out for hours playing games in the snow. The games usually involve his father pulling him around the neighborhood, several times, up and down the many different slopes. I do it with pleasure, it's so satisfying seeing my son have fun in the snow. Wimps People from other countries like Latin America always point out how surprised they are over of how much time our kids spend outside. Our saying is "There is no such thing as bad weather, only bad clothing". We do dress our kids in warm clothing that doesn't get wet. They are outside regardless if it's raining, snowing, or -15 C (5 F). Just bring it on. Fresh air is great and the kids usually love it outside. Plus, putting the kids to sleep at night after a few hours in he snow is not too difficult…. Perhaps the mild winter means we will have snow in June? I seriously doubt it but we do want some snow. And soon. Please!?? […]
Jan 26th, 2007 at 2:11 pm
[…] Posted on Friday 26 January 2007 This week I went from looking like a complete idiot to an amazing forward looking father in a couple of short hours. Like the rest of the world, we've had unbelievable warm weather hear in Sweden this winter. After a large snowstorm in November, which blew away in a day, we've had green grass and above zero (C) temperatures every day. But not any longer, we've got snow! Lots of snow! It's time for parents to dig out every child's favorite toy, the Snowracer, and head for the hills. Seeing children have fun in the snow is amazing. That special look in their eyes which tells of sheer joy is so uplifting and inspiring. One of my (many?) weaknesses as a father is indoor playing. I'm no nature fanatic that needs to constantly hug trees but I find it so much easier to have fun outdoors here in Sweden. I guess I'm not creative enough indoors. There seem to be endless possibilities as soon as I open the door and step outside. Me and my son are well known for being unpredictable on our outings. We might end up playing around the corner, go for a 30K bike ride, head to the train station for hours, go look at heavy machinery in action, or end up on a playground at the other part of town. We're always prepared for anything and usually have a blast. Saturday was a cold day and as I walked around the neighborhood with the kids I noticed that they were making artificial snow in the ski slope behind our house. We live only 3 miles from the center of the city but got a small ski slope with a few lifts a short walk away. Daniel has been missing snow so I suggested a few rides with the Snowracer in the evening. To say that he was excited would be understatement of the year. As we walked towards the ski slope parents looked at me with a strange look. Where was this crazy parent going with the Snowracer? There is not a snowflake anywhere, is he gonna ride on the grass? We reached the ski slope and my son was in heaven. There was artificial snow blowing everywhere despite only a few hours of operation. We rode for a couple of hours and then it started snowing. A lot. We decided to go for dinner before continuing our adventures. As we reached the restaurant 15 minutes later the street was covered by a couple of inches of snow. All kids looked jealously at us as we pulled up in front of the restaurant with my son on the Snowracer. I was no longer looking like an idiot, parents were now wondering how I managed to be out so quickly in the fresh snow. After some more riding after dinner I had to more or less force my son to go home after promising him to play in the snow the next day. Which proved to be damn hard work. Try running up and down a ski slope 26 times with a toddler and then get back to me. My son's first words the next day at 7 am was "SNOW!!!". There was a foot of wet snow on the ground just waiting for us. I quickly headed out with both Annika and Daniel while wife rested at home. I looked like quite a determined parent as I headed outside with the MBUD stroller in the snowstorm. There I was with Annika in the Baby Björn, pushing the stroller with one hand, and pulling Daniel on the Snowracer with the other hand. In a foot of snow. After half an hour my daughter was sleeping in the carriage and I was silently thanking God that the MBUD stroller is so great. Snow, sand, gravel, mud, it doesn't matter. It just keeps on going. Plus it's light, strong, and folds flat. I did meet another parent struggling to go outside with his single Bugaboo, the stroller which I refer to as a joke. He got about 10 feet and had to turn around. That stroller can't handle anything except flat surfaces. I smiled at him as I cruised along the street with my son on the Snowracer. We continued to explore the slopes in our neighborhood. Wherever we went there were kids building snow castles, rolling around the snow, and testing just how fast a Snowracer can go. We met new kids everywhere and of course we invited them to play with us. As wife turned up around lunch I had Annika in the Baby Björn and was pulling Daniel and two other strangers on our Snowracer. I got some weird looks from the boss as she saw me but before I knew it she was tearing up the slopes with Daniel. The Swedish way of raising kids is very laid back. Sometimes too laid back. One thing I do like is that we give our kids a chance to experience many things and are not afraid of nature. We give them plenty of space to explore and make their own mistakes. Because of the climate we really don't have a choice of only going outside when it's warm, sunny, and bright. Our beliefs are mostly " there is no such things as bad weather, just bad clothing". Which has the great benefit of not forming our children into spoiled little shits. Our kids wear good clothing to keep them warm and dry. I talked about this briefly last year and concluded that children wear mostly Goretex clothing from head to toe. It's not cheap but the value of avoiding kids with a constant cold is priceless. Plus the kids look cute as hell! Have A Nice Weekend Filled With Fun In The Snow! […]
Nov 18th, 2007 at 2:48 pm
ecco shoes…
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