Summer is here and I thought I would come up with an essential list of clothes for your toddler boy. You don't have to spend a lot on summer clothes. Most of the time your little boy will be running around in tees and shorts. Now that my baby has grown up, I love to shop Mom-to-Mom Sales for stocking up on clothes. I am also grateful to family and friends who have gifted us with beautiful outfits. Essentials or Basic Clothing Body Suits/Onesies – 5 Nos. I love these while my toddler … [Read More...]
Dressing your Toddler for Winter
When we moved up North after our baby turned a year old, I was dreading the cold and snowy Northern Winters. I loved living in the South and had been used to the mild winters. I really didn’t realize how many more layers we needed to keep warm during snowy days until last winter. In general, most people recommend that parents put one more layer on a child than they themselves need to stay warm.
I would take my son outside to play until the weather hit the -10°C mark. If the temperature fell beyond -10°C, we weren’t all that comfortable playing outside but I would run errands with my toddler bundled up in the stroller like going to the Library or to the Mall.

Toddler Winter Clothes
Here is how I dressed my toddler boy for cold, wintery days from age 1 – 3.
Home/Indoors
- Long-Sleeved Cotton Bodysuits (Onesies or Creepers) as the base layer, followed by Thermal Tees or Light Sweaters.
- Fleece Pants
- Socks with grip
Nighttime
- Fleece footed pyjamas (PJs) with zipper. The base layer would always be a half or full-sleeved bodysuit (onesie).
- Light blanket but my toddler would always kick it off.
Outdoors
Layers are your best friend. I have dressed up my son in 3-4 layers depending on the temperature outside. We often didn’t venture outdoors when the temperature was around the -20°C to -30°C mark even if we were going by car unless it was absolutely necessary. I was afraid of my toddler getting a frost bite if he happened to remove his mittens or shoes which he often did.
Cold Days (5°C to -5°C)
- Long-Sleeved Bodysuits (onesies) as the base layer.
- Thin Pullovers (jumper), Hoodies or Sweaters as the second layer.
- Fleece Jacket as the outer layer. Convenient for Car Rides as you can use these in car seats.
- Footed tights or long johns. I bought a black colored one from Dollar Store and we used it often as the base layer to keep legs warm. It also provided great coverage between pants and socks so that skin on the leg was not accidentally exposed.
- Fleece Pants or Fleece Lined Jeans
- Socks with grip
- Winter Boots
- Fleece Mittens
- Sherpa lined Balaclava Fleece Hat. This meant that the neck was covered as well.
- Thick Blanket for Stroller and Car
- Weather Shield for Stroller
When we headed indoors like the Library or Mall, I would remove the fleece jacket so that my little one could move around freely. If it became too warm indoors like crowded Shopping Malls, I would remove the pullover as well.
Severe Cold Weather (-5°C to -10°C)
- Long-Sleeved Bodysuits (onesies) layered with Thermal Tees form the base layer.
- Fleece Pullovers (Jumper), Hoodies or Sweaters would be the mid layer. I would use heavy fleece or knit fabric here.
- Heavy Winter Coat or Snowsuit as outer layer. The disadvantage is that you need to remove it before buckling up your toddler in the car seat. You can use a Fleece Jacket while in the car along with a warm blanket.
- Thin cotton & polyester mix pants as base layer. Better if you can find thermal pants for toddler boys. I had no such luck and simply used footed tights or lighter pajama pants instead of thermal pants.
- Thick Fleece Pants or Fleece Lined Jeans
- Thick Socks with grip
- Winter Boots
- Fleece Mittens. Double up if needed.
- Sherpa lined Balaclava Fleece Hat. This meant that the neck was covered as well.
- Thick Blanket for Stroller and Car
- Weather Shield for Stroller
Once indoors, I would remove the snowsuit or winter jacket for mobility.
Extreme Cold Weather (-10°C to -20°C)
- All of the above and we would wrap our toddler in a blanket while heading to and from the car.
- Also, we would double up on the mittens and socks.
Snow Play (0°C to – 10°C)
I preferred separate winter coats and snow pants for ease of dressing and Diaper Changes. Since snow pants are heavy and lined, I only used a single base layer for the bottom.
- Long-Sleeved Bodysuits (Onesies) for the base layer.
- Thermal Tees or Thin Pullovers (Jumper/Sweaters) for the mid layer depending on how cold it is outside.
- Fleece pant
- Winter Snow Suit (I bought separate snow pant/bib and jacket).
- Socks with grip
- Winter Boots
- Water proof mittens
- Sherpa lined Balaclava Fleece Hat
Special Occasions
- For special occasions like Christmas and Parties, I often went with dressy outfits like a full-sleeve, collared shirt layered with sweater vest. Flannel shirts are good for such occasions.
- I also had a few Corduroy and Fleece Coveralls which I used for Church but I didn’t prefer those as they were difficult to layer. I guess they work better on babies rather than toddlers.
Note
- Wool and fleece are recommended for winter. It is best to avoid cotton specially as base layer.
- Scarves aren’t recommended for little children; they pose a strangulation risk.
- Babies and little children should not be dressed in snowsuits when they are strapped into car seats. Instead use fleece or light-weight jackets and a blanket if necessary.
- Have multiple pairs of mittens and socks with you in case they get wet.
- You can read about dressing your toddler for Summer over here.
Stylish Outfits for Baby & Toddler Boys
Have you often wondered how you can turn your baby or toddler boy’s casual outfit into something dressy or stylish? You don’t have to spend a lot of money on dressy outfits if you use accessories .

Stylish Toddler Boy Accessories
My little one has way too many casual clothes like tees and jeans. If I want to dress him up a bit for a birthday party or church, I use a few accessories. Here are my favorite accessories for boys:
- Hats – Fedora, Bucket etc.
- Bow Ties
- Suspender Belts
- Open-front Vests like the above jeans vest
- Button-front Vests over collared shirts
- Caps – Newspaper boy, beanies, winter caps etc.
- Sunglasses
- Shoes
- Cardigans
This is what I do:
- If you have a full sleeved shirt or tee, use clip-on suspenders with good looking pants or jeans. You can also use it with shorts for babies.
- Front open Vests can be worn over any casual tee or shirt for a stylish look. If it’s winter, sweater vests can do the trick.
- I love cute bow ties. For babies, you can sew it onto body suits or tees. For toddlers, use removable bow ties with collared shirts and polos.
- Fedora hats can be used in summer for a classy look.
- Winter caps can look cute on babies specially ones with polar bear ears.
- Babies don’t need shoes but soft soled, crib shoes can complete any outfit.
- Light-weight cardigans looks cute on babies and can be used in spring and fall.
Clothes for your Newborn
I loved shopping when I was pregnant. I was so excited to buy cute little outfits for my little bean. It was my favorite pastime. Once I hit 24 weeks, I began making long lists for the baby, things I needed and things I loved to have for the newborn.

Buying Clothes for your Newborn
Here are a few tips for shopping for your baby specially if you are a first time mom:
- Make a list of the number of items you will need for your newborn. If you have a baby shower, it is wise to wait till it’s over so that you can return whatever you don’t need. It’s better to buy clothing in 0-3 months sizing rather than NB sizing. Once my baby hit the 9 month mark, I began using tees and shorts, shortalls with polos and other 2 piece outfits. Until then, I preferred one-piece clothing. This was my list for my little boy who was born during summer:
* Body Suits/Onesies – 6
* Side Snap Suits – 3
* Outfit for Church – 1
* Baptism Outfit – 1
* Socks – 4 to 6 pairs
* Cotton Sleepers/Pyjamas (zipper and not press buttons) – 6
* Romper – 2
* Cotton Coveralls (footless) – 2
* Matching Shirt & Pant Outfits – 2 (We rarely used these during the first 2 months)
* Cotton Blankets – 3 or 4
* Swaddling Blanket – 1
* Bibs and Burp Clothes – Atleast 6 - Stay away from Jeans and other heavier material for newborn babies. Cotton is your best friend during summer.
- I never used hats with my newborn. The hospital gave us 2 which we used for the first week.
- My mom also bought couple of sleeveless cotton tanks but we didn’t use it much. I preferred body suits to tanks.
- Shortalls keep falling off the shoulder but they definitely look cute on a newborn.
- Pants and shorts can be snug on a newborn’s waist. I waited for 3 months before trying those on my baby boy.
- Keep in mind that your newborn may not prefer being swaddled. It’s wise to buy just 1 swaddle initially. We used the Halo Swaddle until 8 months.
- I loved the Clearance section at Kohls. I would often find body suits for $1-$2 and other adorable outfits for less than $5. Whenever, I had a 30% Discount Coupon, I would visit Kohls and buy clothes in sizes ranging from 0-24 months. Also, their website has lot more stuff than you will find in the store. We bought the baby’s crib, bath tub and plenty of other useful stuff online from Kohls.com.
- I also bought clothing from Amazon.com for great prices. I found the Gerber and Disney clothing to be reasonable priced on Amazon.
- I had a price range (budget) and would often stick to it while shopping. Again, I didn’t want to splurge on baby clothes. I know many people are comfortable with hand-me-downs. This is what I approximately spent on each piece of clothing:
* Body Suits/Onesies – $1-$3
* Outfit for Church – $7-$10
* Cotton Sleepers/Pyjamas – $5-$7
* Romper – $3-$5
* Cotton Coveralls (footless) – $3-$5
* Matching Shirt & Pant Outfits – $2-$6
* Shorts – $3-$4
* Tees – $2-$3
* Pants – $4-$6 - Dressing for winter can be little more tricky with a newborn. Since my baby was born in summer, we didn’t buy winter clothes in the 0-6 month range. Also, keep in mind that you need to buy clothing one size bigger for winter. Here is what I used during winter with my baby boy:
* Zippered Fleece Sleepers/Pyjamas – 4
* Fleece Bunting – 1
* Fleece Pants – 3
* Thermal Tees – 3
* Full Sleeve Bodysuits – 3
* Fleece Pullover Hoodies without Zippers – 3
* Fleece Jacket – 1
* Thicker Blanket – 1
* Sweater Vest – 1 - I made the mistake of buying a few Fleece Jumpsuits/Coveralls with snaps for my baby boy. Somehow, they were a pain with all the press buttons and the crotch area would be ridiculously snug. Better to stick on with Fleece Sleepers with Zippers.
Most Useful Toddler Items
It’s hard to believe that I have a toddler instead of a baby. Where is my sweet little newborn? After writing about the things I loved with my newborn, I thought I should write about toddler essentials. These are some of the things which I found to be useful with my toddler. You can always family and friends to gift you some of these items during Christmas or even for your Baby Shower.

Most Useful Toddler Items
I am still learning so many things as a first-time Mom. I am pretty sure this list will change over the years but here are a few of my current favorites with my toddler.
- Bowls, Plates and Eating Utensils – You need these right around the 6 month mark when your baby starts solids. Since toddlers are messy eaters, it’s best to choose durable plastic or stainless steel plates, bowls, utensils and cups.
- Ikea Antilop High Chair – Easy to clean and lightweight. It isn’t pricey like the high-end cushioned high chairs.
- Shoes and Socks – Your toddler will need a good pair of walking shoes that are comfortable and many pairs of socks specially during the winter months. My little one began walking around 14 months and used shoes from 16 months.
- Summer Hat – My toddler loves going to the park and walking around the neighborhood. A hat is a must during the hot summer months. My toddler always gets compliments while wearing a hat.
- Footed Fleece Pyjamas – A must for the cold northern winters. Since my toddler dislikes blankets, fleece footed pyjamas are all that works during bedtime. We bought a few from Costco like the one in the above photoand loved it.
- Mittens, Fleece Jackets and Winter Caps
- Sippy Cups with Spout – We had great success with NUK Soft Silicone tip Learner Cup when we introduced cow’s milk. My baby had no problem with it. However, prior to that we tried the Munchkin Click Lock Learner Cup for water and juice but it was really difficult for my toddler.
- Miracle Cup – The Munchkin 360 Miracle Cup pictured above has been my toddler’s favorite cup so far. Started using it right around 18 months but I wish I had bought it earlier. Easy to clean which is a great plus for mommies.
- Umbrella Stroller – We stopped using the Chicco Cortina Stroller once our baby turned 15 months. All that we needed was a light-weight stroller for our numerous trips. We have the Babies R Us Lightweight Stroller with Canopy and mesh-front storage pocket. I love this stroller and it has lasted over a year. I use it for our daily walks to the Library, Park and Mall. We have also used it during flight journeys and love it.
- Weather Shield for Stroller – I have been using a basic weathershield from Walmart but it has helped us during rain and snow.
- Activity Table – My baby learned to cruise holding onto the activity table. Great for entertaining toddlers as they learn to stand and walk. It is not a must but if you can find one on clearance or yard sale, buy it. We bought the Fisher Price Laugh & Learn Muscial Table from Once Upon a Child for less than $10.
- Cabinet and Drawer Safety Locks – I like the Safety 1st SecureTech Cabinet Lock. My toddler still hasn’t figured to open the kitchen cabinets after installing these locks.
- Outlet Covers/Plug Protectors
- Safety Gates – We used Regalo Baby Gates for our kitchen and stairway. It was pressure mounted and worked great.
- Door Knob Lock Guards/Safety Cover
- Ride-On Toy – We had a Disney Ride-on Plane and it was fun for our toddler with the realistic propeller and lights.
- Books – Toddlers love reading books. Thankfully, the public library is just across the road and so we always borrow board books.
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