11 best toddler winter coats to keep your little ones warm and dry this winter, as chosen by mums

When it comes to winter, ensuring that your little one is warm and cosy is very important, and even more so when you are planning to spend time outside.

Investing in a good winter coat or waterproof jacket for your baby or toddler is a must when the weather is grey, cold and wet. As parents, we also ask ourselves, what kind of winter coat is the warmest? When is the best time to shop for a winter coat? Or do we need a separate waterproof coat?

Coats are especially great for toddlers who may have outgrown all their baby and toddler snowsuits, because it will make it easier for your child to move instead of struggling in a puffy all-in-one, plus coats are a lot easier to put on as well.

Best toddler winter coats at a glance:

• Best toddler winter rain coat: Hatley Baby Stripe Lined Raincoat - Amazon, £26.58
• Best kids all weather toddler winter coat: Black 3-in-1 kids coat - Polarn O. Pyret, £110
• Best toddler winter coat suit: Peter Storm Kids Snuggle Suit - Go Outdoors, £20

When purchasing a baby coat it's important to consider the material it is made of, as well as the size and fit, to ensure your little one is comfortable, warm and can move freely. Here at Mother&Baby, we know what it takes to find the best kids' coat, so we have put together a list of the very best to help you pick the one perfect for your little one.

How we chose our toddler winter coats

At Mother&Baby we spend a lot of time researching the best products and getting parents to test for our Mother&Baby awards.

The Mother&Baby Awards parent testers are provided with some guidelines while testing, so that they take into consideration four key areas: usability, design, quality and value for money. We ask them to score each of these out of 10, as well as give their overall impression of the product.

Find out more about how we test and what considerations we take into account in our testing process.

We also use our team of writers experiences with products that they have bought and used themselves, to create our recommended buying guides.

The best winter coats for babies 2024:

FAQs

Which kind of winter coat is the warmest?

We know winter fabrics like merino wool and a light fleece fabric can keep our little ones warm and are ideal for dressing your baby for winter, plus these fabrics are also breathable and soft. Typically most coats on the market will keep your child warm and depending on how cold it is, a couple of layers underneath the coat should also do the trick.

In addition to a coat-jumper-vest-combo, you can also purchase a foot muff for baby and hand muffs for yourself to add to your pushchair or pram. We personally love a hand muff on our pram as they save our hands from flaking and cracking during our winter walks with our babies. Winter coats and foot muffs are also a great way to protect your child's skin in winter.

Things to think about when buying a winter coat for your baby or toddler

Waterproof - If having a waterproof coat is important to you, make sure you check the specifications to ensure it's fully waterproof and not just showerproof or water resistant, because if you find yourself caught in the rain, you'll want your tot to stay warm and dry. You may also want to buy a kids raincoat for the wetter months.

Thickness and lining - With the weather being so unpredictable, you'll want to be ready for any eventuality. For those very frosty days, you'll want to make sure you have a coat with a thick and fleeced lining. For those days when it's a bit warmer, you might want a coat that's less puffy and not as thick.

Sustainability - There are many brands which now make coats from recycled materials and sustainable fabrics, without having to compromise on style. This is a huge bonus if this is something important to you.

Design - Anyone who has tried to get a coat on a reluctant toddler will understand the importance of the design. If your little one likes the design, you have a much better chance of getting them to wear it without a fight, so try and pick a design they're going to love. If you've still got a little one, a baby-wearing coat is a nice option to go for, as you can hold them close and keep both of you snug at the same time.

Are babies allowed to wear coats in car seats?

Car seat safety is a concern for us all, and we want to make sure we're doing the right thing. When it comes to babies and toddlers wearing winter coats in the car, the general advice is to remove the coat before putting your little one in their seat.

The NHS says: "Make sure your baby is securely strapped in according to the manufacturer's instructions." A coat can be bulky and cause your little one to potentially not be secured in tightly enough, so although it's a lot of faff, take your little one's coat off before you fasten them in the car.

What's the difference between waterproof, showerproof and water resistant?

You might find that most coats are water resistant. This means that the fabric has been coated with a waterproof layer, but the seams may not protect you from any water getting in when it's particularly wet.

Waterproof coats are not only fully coated with waterproof layers, but the seams are protected and the lining is much more breathable while making sure no water is let in. Plus if you pair a fully waterproof coat with waterproof trousers for toddlers, your little one will definitely stay dry while they have fun splashing in the rain.

A showerproof coat is much less reliable when it comes to heavy rain, but it should protect you in a gentle shower as the fabric is often treated during the manufacturing process to ensure any rainwater falls off the fabric without being absorbed.

Should I size up when buying a coat for my baby or toddler?

If your tot is between sizes, then we'd recommend sizing up as you know how quickly they're going to grow. If however, the coat fits your tot perfectly, then go with their true size. Many parent reviewers found, sizing up meant that their cuffs got in the way when playing, often getting muddy and damp which isn't ideal for small and sensitive hands and skin.

As well as this, the hoods tended to be too large and oversized when sizing up, so little ones struggled to see where they were going when they had their hood up.

Winter coats should be durable so hopefully if your little one has a younger sibling they will be able to make use of it too.

Samantha Ball is a Product & Lifestyle Writer for Mother&Baby and freelanced for the website for two years before joining the team full time. She's a mum of two and loves browsing for the best products and cute outfits.