I'd love to hear about other parents experiences with outdoor clothing, pants in particular, what kind of thing is robust but cool enough for summer, how long do different types last? etc.
Basically please throw all your knowledge at me
So my son is starting in the wald kindergarten this August, and although we have a list of what type of clothing he will need, I have no experience with different brands or stores or of what to avoid or what is an important thing to make sure the clothing has... i'm just a little overwhelmed!
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While it's still warm, I wouldn't send him in shorts. Brambles, nettles and sharp sticks are a bit scratchy.
We didn't use a Wald Kindergarten but the Forest days at school were usually quite frequent and I just dressed him in whatever rough stuff I could find in places like H&M / C&A, etc. They're going to get mucky and everything just washes anyway.
For outer wear, we found rain gear from Rukka or Didriksons were fine.
Probably spent the most on footwear to be fair. Wellies didn't really cut it so rugged boots were the way to go.
EDIT, if yours is anything like mine was, go for stuff with minimal amounts of pockets. Fewer places to find "keepsakes" like snails, rocks and other forest detritus before you toss everything in the washer.
For winter, Reima waterproof dungarees are tough and waterproof.
(So are their tops)
If your child gets wet, they will be cold so a waterproof overlayer is crucial.
This is a great opportunity you’re giving your son, to get outdoors every day! Super.
This, yes. And torn. Best to just accept that and let him go to school again with those same torn clothes, as long as they cover him.
Once it gets colder, then of course the whole hat, scarf, gloves thing. The gloves can be attached to the jacket, like this: https://www.elasticbytheyard.com/see…a-kids-jacket/
Look for a Kinderkleiderbörse near you. Some open all year round, in other places they have on in spring and one in autumn. By some used jeans and other trousers there. They will get dirty quickly and might rip. Invest in a new Regenhose and Regenjacke.
My grandchildren are in one. Waterproof trousers, waterproof jackets. The kindergarten should be able to advise you.
You'll need a hose as well, so you can clean them before you let them back into your home.
I have heard from others that the rain gear from Aldi actually holds up well and doesn't cost an arm and a leg.
My best advice is to ask the childcarers - they can probably even show you exactly what works best for the kids (also, which clothes the kids can manage independently)…
Eg. when working in childcare, in the winter (has to be ‘really’ cold) - I prefer these - as there are no shoulder straps to fall down…
Landi has outdoor clothing with real good value for money.
For rain clothes, indeed Rukka. They have a store in the outlet in Landquart that sometimes has great deals.
Hope your son has a fantastic time, ours really loved the forest school!
Ask the school these questions. To be happy the kids will need the right stuff which works for the kids and staff. e.g. for the rain trousers, do they prefer ones with the braces or ones without?
Personally I would recommend raintrousers with a strap that runs under the shoe, like the Rukka one linked above- this prevents them from riding up and the braces stop them from riding down. For the rain gear, you need a coat and trousers with a heavy, plastic coating (normal hiking raingear is not enough) like the Rukka ones, but Migros also do something similar (not all year) and so do Aldi sometimes and we found these all fine. Expect them to get torn. I think we a used tent or inflatable boat repair kit depending on the material. Get more than one pair, so that you can wash one and still send the kid out in the morning! You would be surprised how muddy the inside can get...
For a fleece as mid-layer, any brand- you can get cheap ones at Migros, Decathlon, Manor or SportXX. Some have a thumb hole which is good.
I wouldn't save on the shoes- get good gore-tex hiking ones. The best brand is the one which fits your son's feet best. We've had good service at Oschner Sport where the assistant really knew which brand had which shape, but this may depend on the store.
Assuming the weather is not totally atrocious then raingear, good shoes and a fleece are probably all you need at the start, then you can discuss the rest with other parents and teachers later and maybe pick up something from an older kid.
For warm jackets, a lot of people used the mail order company Jako-O (I think the Robust Winterjacke, but I cannot get their website to work at the moment). If there is a thumb hole in the material at the end of the sleeve, this helps. So does a hood that can be zipped off. The rainjacket should be big enough to fit over the top of the winter jacket (winter jackets are normally not designed to survive an entire day in pouring rain).
For the trousers Jako-O, SportXX and Engelbert Strauss did ones with reinforced knees, I think the SportXX ones were thinner than the others but still OK. But Decathlon also had some which are pretty thick all over (I think they might call them hunting trousers).
Cheap thin gloves and hats are available at Migros, C&A, H&M... For when it's colder, ski gloves are surprisingly good at Aldi- they used to do water resistant ski mittens which had a fleece insert with separate hole for each individual finger. Do not believe that any glove is waterproof, have enough to give your son a second pair for when the first gets soaked through when they put their hands into a puddle and also to have more for the next day...
Both of ours went to a waldkrippe and even though it was a few years ago, here is what I recommend:
1) outdoor pants from Sportxx - they have light and heavy version and are good quality price ratio. EngelbergStrauss also does lifestyle clothes now which are also super resistant.
2) Rain/Snow jackets also from Sportxx
3) Rain trousers/Ski trousers from Reina - nothing beats them in term of resistance, they are washable and breathable and amazing.
4) For Spring/Summer - Lowa Goretex high shoes
5) For winter: Kamil Goretex snow boots
6) bucket hat so that also next is covered
7) Lons sleeve light sport like shirt (protects arms from scratches etc (Sportxx good here too)
8) Fleece jacket - Sportxx
9) Gloves in winter - Reima or any other Goretex brand, 2 pairs as can get soggy throughout the day
10) Base layers - I really like the Tchibo ones for kids
Hope this helps - let me know if questions.
That sounds like an exciting adventure for your son! For outdoor play, look for pants with reinforced knees, breathable yet durable fabrics like softshell, and adjustable waists for growth. Brands like Reima, Polarn O. Pyret, and Engel are great, and Momyom also offers sturdy, comfortable clothing designed for active kids in all seasons. Many parents swear by second-hand outdoor gear too, as quality brands tend to last!