Do toddlers wear mittens? Gloves?

[LucyG]

I need help on this one! DD plays outside each morning at the sitter's house, and she (sitter) has suggested getting some mittens or gloves for her. It probably won't be colder than the 40's when they are outside, but that's pretty chilly for little fingers. It seems like mittens would be frustrating for the toddler, as fingers wouldn't be free. Then again, trying to jam tiny fingers into gloves seems crazy. What should I get, and where? And, are mittens on a string still around? I remember having those when I was little!

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21 months and counting!

[heidis2girls]

I would definitely go with mittens. I tried gloves for my 4 year old last winter and it was horrible trying to get her fingers in them! We ended up going back to mittens. It doesn't seem to bother either of my girls not to have their fingers free. It's more important that they are warm.

We live in Massachusetts and I've gotten them fleece mittens for cold without snow and also "squall" mittens for playing in the snow at Lands End for the last couple of years. They fit really well and are knitted around the bottom to keep snow from going in and keep the mittens from falling off (I know that makes no sense, but if you look at them online you'll see what I mean!).

I had mittens with strings when I was a kid and also for my girls when they were infants. Now I get them mitten clips which have a clip on each end, one to clip on the mitten and the other on the coat.

HTH!

[parkersmama]

I also vote mittens. I had gloves for my 4 1/2yo to wear with his Halloween costume and it was horrible getting them on him! He just struggled with how to get his fingers into all the fingers of the gloves. I don't think kids are really ready for gloves over mittens until about kindergarten.

As for mittens on a string, Hanna Andersson has some great ones. :)

[JElaineB]

We had fleece thumbless mittens from Lands End last year and this year we have fleece mittens with thumbs from LLBean, on sale with a fleece hat for $8.95, plus the free shipping code. I also bought the Fleece-lined mittens from LLBean that are more of a waterproof type on the outside (the ones on the sale page below are only in lavender, there are more colors on the non-sale pages). I just got them and they seem pretty good, they open wide to put on and seem quite warm. DS is doing really well with the fleece mittens with thumbs and even enjoys putting them on to go outside.

[link:www.llbean.com/webapp/wcs/stores/servlet/CategoryDisplay?categoryId=7737&cat4=6783&storeId= 1&catalogId=1&langId=-1&featb=ssdpb6783|Toddler hats/mittens sale items at LLBean]

Jennifer
mom to Jacob 9/27/02

[LucyG]

Thanks, Jennifer! Those look great. Do you mind sharing the free shipping code?

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21 months and counting!

[lukkykatt]

Definitely mittens. Even my 4 yo wears mittens - I *might* try gloves on him this year, but still not sure.

The only place I could find mittens on a string was at the Children's place - that was 2 years ago, but you could try them. Lots of stores have stopped carrying them for safety concerns.

[JElaineB]

The free shipping code is 7208240. You type it in the catalog number box. No minimum order, good until 1/1//05.

Jennifer
mom to Jacob 9/27/02

[Melanie]

Our son wore mittens last year and didn't mind. He actually still seemed not to mind, but I bought him lightweight knit gloves this year. No, it's not easy to get his hand in, but we do it. He likes wearing them so it's not too bad.