Warm Trousers for Kids: Thermal Leggings, Thermal Trousers or Fleece?
Which winter trousers are right doesn't depend on the temperature alone. What matters is where your child spends the day, how much they move and what they like to wear.
8 minute read
In short
For an ordinary winter day in kindergarten and school, a soft pair of trousers with a brushed inside is enough for many children. When it rains or there is mud or snow, waterproof or snow trousers go over the top. Children who get cold quickly often need something warmer – for example fleece trousers.
The long answer is a little more complicated. For children who keep moving between warm rooms and the outdoors, soft trousers with a brushed inside are often a practical solution. If waterproof or snow trousers are pulled on over the top regularly, close-fitting thermal leggings add very little bulk. For long, dry winter days outside, or for children who get cold quickly, it can be warmer.
When my children were small, I first thought that winter clothing was mostly about being dressed warmly enough. In everyday life it quickly turned out that every extra layer can get in the way when getting dressed. A jumper pinches under a snug jacket, too much fabric bunches up under the waterproof trousers, and indoors the thickest trousers quickly become too warm.
Some children need thermal trousers or lined trousers to feel comfortable in winter. Others get hot in them indoors very quickly. The warmest trousers are therefore not automatically the most practical. They have to suit your child and your daily routine.
Four questions that help you choose
That is why there is no fixed temperature limit. Five degrees can feel completely different in wind and wet weather than on a dry, sunny day. A child who runs and climbs also usually needs something different from one who sits quietly outside for a longer time.
Thermal Leggings, Thermal Trousers, Fleece or Corduroy?
All four styles are warm, comfortable and reinforced at the knees. The most important difference is how warm and how roomy they are – and whether your child often wears waterproof or snow trousers over them.
Thermal Leggings
Easy to wear under other winter clothing
- Close-fitting cutIdeal under waterproof or snow trousers
- Soft brushed insideKeeps warm without adding bulk
- Adjustable comfort waistbandSits softly on the tummy
- Reinforced kneesFor playing and kneeling on the floor
Thermal Trousers
A warm everyday pair for kindergarten and school
- Relaxed cutRoom for sitting, squatting and climbing
- Soft brushed insidePleasantly warm indoors and outdoors
- Comfort waistband & pocketsSimply slip them on and go
- Reinforced kneesFor the playground, the yard and the floor
Fleece Trousers
Especially soft and warm for cold days
- Cotton fleeceThe warmest Babbily trousers
- Roomy cutSoft, comfortable and easy to move in
- Waistband & long cuffsAdjustable and grows with your child
- Reinforced kneesRobust for long playtimes outdoors
Lined Corduroy Trousers
Two soft layers of fabric in one pair of trousers
- Soft stretch corduroyComfortable and flexible
- Cotton jersey insideAn extra soft layer of warmth
- Relaxed pull-on cutNo fiddly fastenings
- Reinforced kneesFor kindergarten, school and the playground
Which winter trousers suit which activity?
Lots of time indoors
Thermal leggings or thermal trousers are easy to wear in warm rooms and for shorter play times outdoors. The leggings sit closer to the body, while the trousers are more relaxed and have pockets.
Playground in dry weather
Thermal leggings and thermal trousers stay flexible when running, climbing and kneeling. For children who get cold quickly, fleece trousers are warmer.
Under waterproof trousers
A close-fitting, soft layer adds less bulk. Thermal leggings are particularly practical for this. Other trousers work too, as long as the outer trousers leave enough room.
Forest kindergarten
Fleece is a good choice for dry, cold days. Under waterproof or snow clothing, thermal leggings are the slimmer solution. Several suitable layers are easier to adjust.
As few layers as possible
Thermal trousers or lined corduroy trousers can be more comfortable when tights, trousers and waterproof trousers together are simply too much.
Sensitive when getting dressed
A soft waistband, the right width and not too much spare fabric are then just as important as warmth. Your child's preferred fit has a say too.
What goes under waterproof trousers?
Under unlined waterproof trousers, a soft layer works well: one that keeps warm, moves with your child and doesn't form thick folds. That could be leggings, thermal leggings or slimmer joggers.
- Mild & wetRegular leggings or light trousers plus waterproof trousers
- Cool & wetThermal leggings or thermal trousers plus waterproof trousers
- Cold & snowThermal leggings under lined snow trousers
- Dry & coldThermal trousers or fleece trousers – depending on how quickly your child gets cold
Important: The outer trousers provide protection from wet and wind. Babbily thermal trousers and fleece trousers are not waterproof outdoor trousers.
Warmth is only part of the decision
In kindergarten and at school, children play on the floor a lot. That is why holes often appear at the knee first – regardless of whether the trousers are thin or warm.
The knees of Babbily thermal leggings, thermal trousers and fleece trousers are reinforced with a flexible 4-way stretch fabric. The knee patch used reaches 100,000 rubs in the Martindale test. It stays flexible and sits on the outside, so it does not touch the skin.
One size lasts longer
Winter trousers are only worn for part of the year. That makes it all the more annoying when they are already too short after a growth spurt.
With Babbily winter trousers, the waist and leg length can be adjusted. The long cuffs are turned up at the start and gradually let down as your child grows. You set the inner buttonhole elastic once to fit. After that, the trousers work like normal pull-on trousers.
Depending on your child's build, one size can grow with them across three to four standard sizes. At the start the trousers fit more loosely, and later the fit becomes closer to the body.
How many warm pairs of trousers does a child need?
For a typical kindergarten routine, two to three warm pairs of trousers are usually practical: one being worn, one in the wash or drying, and one that can stay at kindergarten as a spare pair in case something gets wet or dirty.
Whether two are enough or three is more relaxed depends on how often you do laundry and how quickly a pair is needed again. In a forest kindergarten, or if your child spends a lot of time outside, extra spare clothes can make sense.
Washing
At 30 degrees and inside out. This is gentler on the cotton fabric and the knee patch.
Drying
Ideally air dry. High temperatures can shrink cotton and put strain on elastic materials.
Which winter trousers suit your daily life?
Not every child needs the same winter trousers. Answer five short questions and find out which style best suits your kindergarten or school routine.
Not the thickest, but the right winter trousers
Good winter trousers don't have to cope with every kind of weather on their own. They should suit the rooms, the journeys, the activities and above all your child.
Warm, soft and ready for winter
Discover thermal leggings, thermal trousers and fleece trousers that grow with your child, for kindergarten, school and the playground.
View warm trousers & leggingsFrequently asked questions about warm trousers for kids
Which trousers are suitable for kindergarten and school in winter?
For moving between warm rooms and the outdoors, soft trousers with a brushed inside are often a good choice. Thermal leggings fit close to the body and work well under other winter clothing. Thermal trousers are a little roomier and can be worn all day as everyday trousers. When it's wet, waterproof or snow trousers go over the top.
Does every child in kindergarten need thermal trousers?
No. What matters is the time spent outside, how much your child moves, the room temperature and personal sense of warmth. Some children manage for a long time with regular trousers and waterproof trousers, while others feel comfortable sooner in trousers with a brushed inside.
At what temperature does a child need lined trousers?
There is no reliable general temperature limit. Wind, wet weather, movement, how long your child is outside and the rest of their clothing all change how warm they feel. So instead of going only by the outside temperature, watch whether your child stays warm and dry after playing.
What should a child wear under waterproof trousers?
Under waterproof trousers, a soft pair that isn't too bulky works well, for example leggings or thermal leggings. On cooler days, thermal trousers can also be worn underneath if the waterproof trousers leave enough room to move.
What is the difference between thermal leggings, thermal trousers and fleece trousers?
Thermal leggings fit close to the body and are especially good under other winter clothing. Thermal trousers are made of sweatshirt fabric with a brushed inside, are a little roomier and have pockets. The organic cotton fleece trousers are the warmest and fluffiest of the three.
Can my child also wear fleece trousers indoors?
Yes, if they feel comfortable in them. In very warm rooms, or for children who warm up quickly, they can be too warm, though. For frequent changes between indoors and outdoors, thermal trousers are often the easier alternative.
Are Babbily winter trousers waterproof?
No. The knee patches are water-repellent, but the trousers as a whole are not waterproof. When it rains or there is mud, wet sand or snow, suitable waterproof or snow trousers go over the top.
How long do growing winter trousers fit?
The waist and leg length can be adjusted, so depending on your child's build, Babbily winter trousers can grow with them across three to four standard sizes. At the start they fit a little more loosely and become closer to the body as your child grows.