CLOTHING & GEAR LIST – Fall/Winter

Arriving dressed and ready for the conditions is the first step to a successful day at forest school. At Wild School, we develop children’s ability to manage themselves outdoors, and that begins at home with good clothing and gear options. This does NOT have to mean expensive gear, but rather thoughtful choices and ongoing care of gear. 

Use this list as a starting point for gear choices but also plan to grow with your child in learning how to dress for the conditions and help them manage their bodies before they get wet or cold. Noticing and managing their bodies in the outdoors is an early step for children to develop self-efficacy.

In our pursuit of accessibility, Wild School has a growing gear library with certain items for families to borrow for a season or as needed- please ask if there are items you need or would like to donate. An updated list of gear will be made available each year.

Please look over this list carefully; with our collective experience managing young children in all conditions, we have a carefully considered list of quality gear we trust. Please reach out with any questions so your child- and our group- has the best day possible!  

A few important points right at the top:

Drying! Having a reliable system for drying boots, gloves, and gear every night is essential; damp clothes are cold clothes and aren’t safe in cold winter conditions. There are many great systems out there for purchase, but your system doesn’t have to be fancy; our house has successfully relied on a shoe rack positioned over a warm air register where boots, liners, and gloves receive the normal furnace air overnight. 

Cleaning! For insulated and waterproof/breathable items, a detergent without brighteners, softeners etc is important to keep the gear working properly; those additives can clog the pores in fabric or weigh down insulation which hinders its performance. Always do an extra rinse cycle to get all the detergent out and dry on low heat (typically better than air drying for many items, but read labels carefully)

CLOTHING: 

  • 1-2 sets; long underwear  Warm, long base layers, top & bottom (wool is strongly recommended, cotton is not allowed) there are many good brands, wool/synthetic blends are notably more durable than 100% wool. These are worn nearly every day so having two pair to rotate through is a good idea. 

  • 1-2 sets; mid layer Fleece top and bottom. Many good brands, synthetic is great and inexpensive. LL bean has good kid sizes, but generic and thrift store finds are good too. 

  • 1 balaclava (lightweight) - is a very helpful layer to keep in all the heat generated by the core. Wool is great for temperature regulation (polarn o pyret, reima, etc)

  • 1 Warm hat Poms are cute but get in the way of outer layer hoods which are vital- try to find warm hats w/o pom)

  • 1 pair warm/waterproof mittens These are very important gear. A few guidelines; mittens not gloves, roomy space for fingers and thumb, not overly bulky insulation, long cuffs that can go over sleeves are great, simple closures (zippers are meh, velcro is better, webbing w/ ladder lock is best). We have a few specific recommendations based on our experience: Reima- Ote is our favorite, Polarn O. Pyret- Waterproof Long Cuff Insulated Mittens, Polarn O. Pyret - Insulated Pile Fleece Lined Cuff Mittens, Stonz - Kids’ Snow Mitts 

  • 1 Rainsuit a one-piece waterproof/breathable rain suit is an amazing, essential piece of gear for all year round. Some folks prefer rain bibs and a jacket, which is acceptable, but we find these to be easier. Oaki is a popular brand that proves to be very durable, but other brands work well, too. 

  • 1 Snowsuit A one-piece snowsuit is recommended for this age, both for warmth and ease of use. Snow pants and jacket work very well, too. There are many good brands, and we’ve seen them all perform well. For a well-thought out product that is warm, durabile and gives room to grow, Reima makes excellent winter snow suits. Patagonia works well, as does LL Bean.

  • 2-3 pairs Warm socks Medium to thick pairs of wool or synthetic socks. Liner socks or doubling usually leads to bunched-up socks and colder feet and are not recommended. Tall ski-style socks help them stay up and not bunch under the foot. No cotton.

  • 1 pair snow boots Along with gloves, these are the most important gear for kids to stay safe and have fun all day. Quality and features matter. Look for a removable liner (warmer and much easier to dry each night), fewer laces to get frozen with snow or caught on branches is better, and a breathable upper to release built up moisture (we prefer the breathable upper to the neoprene-insulated rain or work style boot as they seem to keep feet warmer and are much easier to dry out each night. Those styles are great for shoulder seasons but not sufficient in winter) Baffin is our favorite brand, but there are a few others that fit the bill. Baffin Mustang, Young Eiger, Pinetree, and Young Snogoose are all excellent. Kamik makes a number of good kids boots, but again, please avoid the full rubber outer boots for winter. 

BACKPACK with: 

  • Insulated Water bottle (full). Insulated keeps water from freezing on the coldest days. 

  • Lunch

  • Stuffed animal (to only come out at rest/nap time)

Provided: Morning snack, sunscreen (zinc oxide based), additional water, bathroom facilities

Please do not bring: toys, pocket knives