Nature School Gear Guide: How to Dress a Toddler for Fall & Winter Outdoors (Colorado Tested!)

Our daughter is 4 years old, and while she’s spent most of her life outside (full-time RV living means your living room is the outdoors), this is her first time attending an actual Nature School program. The school has no building at all — it’s 100% outdoors (yep, even bathroom breaks) — and the only reason they cancel is if the temperature dips below 15°F.

She has absolutely loved every second of it, and having the right gear to keep her warm and dry has made a huge difference.

We live in the Colorado mountains, which means you have to be prepared for anything weather-wise. A sunny morning can turn into sideways snow by lunch, and the forecast is more of a suggestion than a guarantee. Here’s what we’ve learned about dressing our child depending on conditions, plus the gear we’ve loved (and the stuff we wouldn’t buy again).

Sneak Peek Into the Day of a Nature School Kid. I was told that this is a pirate ship. You can see our kid in pink Carhartts!

We Will Cover:

• Basic Backpack & Supplies

• Fall Gear

• Winter Gear

Backpack & Supplies

All the kids carry their own backpack and basic supplies.

Nature School Drop off: Backpack, Hat, Insulated Carhartts (yes, pink ones), Patagonia Puffy, barefoot shoes.

• We chose a Patagonia kids’ pack for her, and a lot of classmates have the similar REI version which honestly looks exactly the same and is a lot lower in price. So next time around i would probably make that choice instead (although we love our Patagonia pack and support the company ethics wholeheartedly).

• Inside, we keep backup base layers: extra socks, pants, shirt, and gloves.

  
  

• She carries her own water bottle — we use a Hydro Flask. I’ve considered a CamelBak bladder, but worry the tube would freeze in winter.

  
  

• She also brings her lunch and snacks. We use a lightweight bento. Usually I would avoid plastic but I don't want to make her backpack too heavy.

  
  

• On very sunny days, we toss in a pair of sunglasses she can choose to wear.

Nature School Backpack!

Fall Clothing Essentials

This fall has been unseasonably warm (amazing), but we still dress her in layers because mountain weather does whatever it wants. It can be 20° at drop-off and hit the 60s by early afternoon.

Base Layers

We always start with merino wool. It keeps kids cool when it’s warm, warm when it’s cold, and super comfortable either way. Even if she sheds all her other layers, she’s totally happy running around in just merino.

Merino Base Layers for Kids!

We love Iksplor kids’ merino layers.For socks, we use their merino socks as well as Smartwool. Wool is key because socks are the most likely to get wet, and wool still insulates even when damp.

Mid Layer

Usually just a cozy sweatshirt or fleece. Anything works, but I love the Patagonia fleece layers and our Columbia fleece. Lots of great options here.

Kids being kids in nature.

Outerwear

We rotate between insulated (flannel lined) Carhartts and snow bibs depending on weather.

• On dry, sunny days, the Carhartts are incredible — durable enough for tree climbing, dirt rolling, and general chaos, and surprisingly warm. She’s often coat-less at pickup because these keep her toasty.

• If it’s wet, we use ski bibs to keep her dry while still warm.

No bad weather, just bad gear. Having a rain suit has been amazing for getting out in all conditions.

We also have an LLBean rainsuit (our exact one is sold out), which is perfect for warm, wet days but not insulated enough for cold storms. I've heard good things about the REI version, which looks exactly the same as the one we have, but I have not tested it.

Puffy Coat!

Coat

We top it all off with her Patagonia puffy coat. We bought it a little big and have been using it for 2 years! Its doesn't even have any holes in it magically and has kept our daughter super warm in all condition.

You can see her little purple merino cap here.

Hat

We switch between a ball cap for sun and a warmer insulated winter hat. I just grabbed a North Face hat that does both, and I’m excited about it.

We also have a thin merino beanie for layering (also good for under a helmet when we go skiing!).

I liked her shoes so much I got a pair for myself. They are so comfy and warm!

Shoes

We’ve been loving her Wildling barefoot-style shoes — especially the insulated wool ones.

For wetter days, we switch to a more water-resistant pair (we love Bogs!), which has worked great.

Most of her fall setup transitions easily into winter.

Before we upgraded to a full body snow suit we did ski bibs and patagonia puffy.

Winter Clothing Essentials

Winter is where the big upgrades happen — mostly in outerwear and footwear.

Outerwear

For super cold days, we use a full Patagonia snow suit. It’s cozy, waterproof, and keeps her comfortable all day long.

Game changer for warmth and staying dry!

Shoes

We switch from fall shoes to full winter snow boots. I prefer barefoot shoes for my kid so we like these Xero Shoes!

Barefoot Style Winter Snow Boots, yes please!

Gloves & Mittens

We add waterproof mittens (we love ours), plus Smartwool merino gloves that can work as liners or backups. Extra gloves always go in her backpack.

Neck & Face Protection

We use an Iksplor merino neck gaiter and a balaclava for the bitter, windy days.

Nature School Kids are the Coolest ;)

Backups

Always, always pack extra socks, mittens, and a full outfit change. These kids dig, splash, roll, climb, and occasionally fall face-first into mud — backups are non-negotiable.

That about sums it up! I’d love to hear any suggestions you have or answer any questions — we’re still learning, but this setup has worked beautifully for our outdoor kid so far.