The secret to keeping a toddler and baby warm on the farm all day? Cab rotation plus quality gear. We’ve had the best luck purchasing something that can handle multiple per week washes, crawling over gravel, and regular outside kid use.
BONUS TIP: I always check the Poshmark & Mercari apps plus eBay to see if anything I’m looking for is gently used or out of season and for sale at a lower price.
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BABY
Before the kids were mobile, under 3-4 months, I used this Baby Fleece Snowsuit as an outside layer. We were usually in the Ranger with baby in the car seat so with a couple blankets tucked on top and the heat, the temperature control was perfect! I was gifted this, so I didn’t choose white as a color, BUT it still looks white! It washes like literal magic.
Plus does it get any more adorable than this hat?! The pom did fall off, but nothing a couple stitches couldn’t fix. Most infant hats come really large, but this worked great from the beginning.
Once the kids were sitting up and more active we graduated to this snowsuit.
Fleece is great when they aren’t crawling around on the ground, so when we hit the mobile stage I really appreciated how this material shed particles. It is water resistant, not water proof which was the large con. Ultimately, I went with it because it was flexible enough that they could still move.
The gray color hides dirt & dust like a DREAM! Kade made two seasons of crawling/walking in his before it wore through needing patches.
It washes up wonderfully, the inside is great against their skin, and I love how the hands + feet fold over plus the hood so all we need is one piece instead of four. I don’t worry about mittens while they are little and keeping their feet inside kept all the cold air/snow out.
When it’s been especially brutal outside, we use a blanket like this over Karsyn’s face. It seems to take the edge off the cold air and she doesn’t struggle as much while we are getting between places. These blankets are slightly smaller than the fancy brand name versions which works great at the farm for keeping up off the ground. I also rolled one on each side of the kids when they were in the Ranger car seat to keep the bouncing around minimal.
TODDLER
I wanted a one piece to keep getting dressed smooth, durable fabric, and a pattern that we could handle looking at for most of the winter.
It’s so easy to spot this colorful combo across the yard! It was not my intention to have such high visibility colors, but now I’m going to continue to look for these. If I look up and need to find Kade quickly, the colors really help.
This fabric is AMAZING! It reminds me of black coated coveralls. Overall, the quality is superb and I have no doubt we can use this for multiple kids even after wearing it daily, on the farm, for two years with the first kid.
BONUS: The back of the legs velcro up, so the first year I had them tucked up and they didn’t drag on the ground. Now this year, I’ve let them down for enough length. GENIUS!
DOUBLE BONUS: They list these snowsuit color options separately in boy and girl sections. The color Kade is wearing is last year’s “girl” color. Lesson learned: check the girl section too!
TRIPLE BONUS: We are going on season four with our first snowsuit.
On days where we have more cab time than outside time, Kade has been living in this puffer I found on Poshmark. It’s the second size I’ve ordered because it’s so classy, cleans well, and he really likes it.
This sweatshirt is a new favorite! The 1/4 zip is perfect for putting on and taking off.
For boots, we are currently in these and they are easy enough that Kade can slide into them himself, WINNING! I have literally never heard Kade say his feet are cold yet, these work great.
When I ordered boots, I actually started with these, but they were too big. I kept them as a backup pair and I think they will work great for spring/fall when it isn’t as brutally frigid.
My kids don’t actually love gloves so they don’t wear them that often. When I can get Kade to wear gloves, he likes this pair. So simple!
BONUS: They all match each other and we don’t have to worry about keeping track of pairs.
What Kade really should wear so he can actually play in the snow? These gloves, but what do I know?
The fleece jacket Kade is wearing here was $8 at Sam’s Club in 2020! Such a great reminder to always be on the look out, but disclaimer: The inside is a plush sherpa and it is now forever marred by wood chips. I cannot get the chips out of the sleeves… Lesson learned. Fleece is great until it’s not…
We’ve had long days working cattle in an unheated/uninsulated barn and the kids have done well with these combinations. The tough part is, if it’s warm enough to be outside that long, it’s too warm for the cab during chores. Which is why we roll with a couple options!
If you’re interested in what I’m wearing find my favorites for farm/ranch winter workwear here!
