There’s not a lot I like about autumn. I find the transition from dry playgrounds, light evenings and sweaty foreheads really quite difficult to handle. Now the clocks have gone back and we wake up to overcast mornings day after day that make weathermen sigh from the sheer monotony of it all. We skip the park for rainy walks in the woods with hoods up and have a perfectly pleasant afternoon - then get home to 5 minutes of stress and chaos as we have to strip the kids of wet clothes on the doorstep.

One thing is for sure, and that’s that staying one step ahead of the weather app on your iPhone will make life with kids much easier to swallow. If you correctly guess when a shower will break for 30 mins, you’ll still get to enjoy a spot of acorn hunting without having your mascara run. Sadly, unless you have a best mate at the MET Office on speed dial, this is hopelessly unachievable.

My other top tip? Make sure you dress your little cherub for every eventuality. As this is easier said than done, here’s what I’ve learned so far as a parent of a 3 year old:

Choose a jacket with buttons

Why? Because every toddler loves a zip. In fact, they like them so much they’ll want to show you how skillful they are at extricating themselves from their jackets at the most inappropriate times. I guarantee you’ll read at least one Facebook status over the coming months that criticises a parent for letting their child go out under-dressed, and sadly this isn’t always owing to a complacent mum or dad.

Opt for a coat with buttons, or a zip / button / popper combination that stops your little Houdini stripping off, and you’ll thank me for it when the cold snap sets in.

Snow suits aren’t ideal for potty training tots

Unless your child is a confident toilet-goer, you might want to give these a miss. As pretty as they are, they’re an utter faff for emergency situations. If this is the only outerwear you have with you, you may find yourself walking your tot home in Baltic temperatures in a jeans and jumper if the worst should happen.

Take a pair of wellies in your change bag

You look outside, the ground is dry and there isn’t a cloud in sight. Out goes your child in their Nikes and all seems surprisingly easygoing. Then, when you’re too far away from home to nip back, the heavens open. Muddy leaves stick to their trainers and they start following the lead of that irresponsible swine Peppa.

You might then think that a wellington boot is right for all occasions. Kids love them, they have surprisingly good grip and rain or no rain, they’ll do the job. But no. One bout of excessive puddle wading will see water pouring over the top of their boots and soaking socks & trousers. The trick is to instead keep the wellies in your change bag and whip them out only when necessary - I have also been known to pop a plastic bag over Dexter’s foot before he pops it into the boot, then tying it at shin height to protect his feet from becoming wet.

I’m loving Joules and Hunter wellies with their adjustable cuffs and supportive insteps available from Shoetique.

From Shoetique: Joules KIDS Seafarer Wellies Yellow (was £30) NOW £15 / Joules Kids Girls Welly Print Ditsy £25 / Hunter KIDS Original Contrast Boots Lipstick (was £39) NOW £29.50 / Hunter KIDS Original Contrast Boots Pillar Box Red (was £39) NOW £29.50

Ugg boots

For durability, comfort and warmth alone, you can’t beat Ugg boots. Worn both on the feet of surfers on the beaches of California, to farmers traversing the wet, cold & rugged terrain of New Zealand, Ugg boots offer feet a cloud-like casing no matter what the season. Whilst their sheepskin lining retains warmth in the winter, it also draws sweat away from the foot and keeps them cool in the summer.

Although you might feel the traditional suede design is impractical for mud-happy youngsters, the Ugg boot has seen a major transformation in recent years to become an incredibly practical choice for toddlers and bigger kids too. Not only are there now leather outers for ease of cleaning, there’s also a wide choice of hardy soles - just take a look at the designs below:

From Daniel Footwear (clockwise): UGG® Australia Kids Kensington Toast Leather Boot £120 / UGG® Australia Suede Toddlers Orin Lace Up Boot £70 / UGG® Australia Kids Callum Black Leather Chelsea Boot £70 / UGG® Australia Classic Brown Kids Boot £80 / UGG® Australia Kids Jorie 2 Tan Suede Ankle Boot £39.99 / UGG® Australia Kids Harwell Black Leather Buckle Boot £59.99

The best bit? Owing to the unique lining within, they’ll also accommodate growing feet perfectly and mold to your child’s feet to offer supreme support no matter how adventurous your little one might be.

 

So there you have it - my top tips for dressing younger children for the Autumn. Have any more to add? I’d love to hear them!