Think the end of summer means the end of playing outside? The temperature dropped below 50 this week and several of my friends have already started posting “what can we do inside?”, “looks like winter is here, let’s reschedule the park playdate”, etc. Think again! I have lots of suggestions for kids (and adults!) to wear when playing outside in fall. We really try to get outside daily, all year, and everyone can still enjoy it if you’re dressed right! There is so much fun to be had with crunching leaves, talking about the seasons changing, seeing different colors on the trees, and watching the wind blow sticks up in the air.
[Lots of these links are affiliate links, which means you pay the same price but I get a small cut – thanks for supporting DSMOF!]
Before I share the nitty gritty product links, I want to say that I totally get purchasing all of this gear for a family, brand new, would be expensive. We always try to shop secondhand if we can; locally in Des Moines we have Once Upon a Child, Kidding Around, and two Stuff Etc.s (Ankeny & Clive). Another thing to keep in mind is that hiking clothes usually retain a bit more value than typical kid clothes, so you can resell them when you’re done. One of our favorite brands is the most expensive, Patagonia, because they repair or replace their products for free!
Where to buy hiking gear secondhand online
I also shop secondhand online on Ebay, through the Kidizen app, in Facebook b/s/t groups (here is one just for kid outdoorsy stuff and one specifically for Patagonia).
There are also sites like WornWear, Threadlyte, REI Used Gear, and Gear Trade.
How we save money if we can’t find secondhand
There are a few sites I check if I can’t find something secondhand, and can’t find it locally in stores. Amazon often has under retail prices on certain sizes and colors and I love their free returns! All closeout/clearance sites that I check for both clothes and shoes: 6pm.com, Campsaver, Sierra Trading Post, and Mountain Steals.
Another option is to get crafty and sew. Merino wool is pretty easy to find in sweater form at your local Goodwill – you can see some wool tights I sewed when my littlest was a baby, they were so warm. Are you babywearing? Check out this post on my craft blog about DIY babywearing coats with links to shopping options as well!
How we dress for fall
I have images above and links below of our gear for fall. My older child runs pretty hot, his getup is on the far left, my youngest runs colder and her gear is in the middle, then my outfit is on the far right (and my husband wears pretty much the same thing). Almost all of these are exact matches for what we are currently wearing, or brands we have used and loved in the past, if I couldn’t find an exact match.
In fall, we tend to just wear regular cotton long sleeved shirts and maybe a sweatshirt, in addition to this. The Dollar Tree has nice cheap thin knit gloves as well!
Footwear, bottom column, from left to right:
I also have a post of other waterproof boot options that are great for fall weather, in this post!
- Tall Bogs boots and wool crew socks
- Short Bogs boots and tall wool socks
- Women’s hiking boots and women’s wool socks
Pants, second column up from the bottom, from left to right:
- Fleeced lined joggers and wool tights
- Wool base layer leggings and fleeced lined jeans
- Women’s wool base layer and women’s hiking pants
Jackets, second column down from the top, from left to right:
Hats, top column, from left to right:
When it is rainy or muddy, we all add a rain layer over top! We liked the Muddy Buddies in the baby years, they’re really light and small, and then upgraded to Oakiwear once they were really getting into it. Size up when you buy Oakiwear, they cinch well at the wrists and ankles! I also linked the rain gear I wear.
When winter hits, we add puffy down coats and snowpants, plus these mittens, for winter.
Dressing babies for fall
I don’t have a baby any more, but when I did, they followed roughly the same guidelines, with a one piece bunting instead of a coat and lined pants. Wool baby tights are perfect because they don’t fall off like socks do!
Did I miss any tips or ideas that keep your family happy outside in fall? Let me know in the comments!
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