WILD CHILD: Mittens Part 3 - Tips & Tricks to Keep Mittens On

Last week we shared some strategies to help toddlers get used to wearing mittens and the help make mitten wearing a less frustrating experiences for everyone involved. What do you do when nothing else works and it is too cold to let mittens come off? Today we want to share three strategies we have seen be successful in those ‘nothing else works’ situations.

Use a long sock

(click to visit bienenstock natural playground’s post on how to make your own mitten sock)

This is the go-to, never-fails mitten hack. Simply take a long sock, cut a hole for the fingers and one for the thumb and pull it OVER the mitten as far up as it will go. For added staying power put the winter jacket on afterwards making it impossible to pull that mitten off. This is also useful when shorter mittens allow a gap between the mitt and the coat cuff. (Check out this step by step guide to create this mitten sock combo)

Tuck in the mittens

Simply put the mittens on BEFORE putting on the winter jacket. This works best with longer style mittens as the cuff becomes trapped under the jacket.

Wear thin mittens under puffy mittens

Wearing an extra set of mittens under the thicker mittens means one additional layer that may not get pulled off as quickly.

If you still find yourself struggling with mitten wearing reach out on Social Media or attend one of our weekly Outdoor Playgroups and our facilitators will be happy to help you problem solve your unique situation.