Is it just me or does everywhere seem extra muddy this year? With everything closed and restrictions in place we have been embracing the mud and getting stuck into our daily walks. The bonus is that Ashley, like most toddlers, absolutely loves the mud, the muddier the better! She’s far more likely to walk on our walks (rather than demand to be carried) if there’s mud to jump in. So I’ve put together a list of everything we use on our walks to stay warm, protected from the mud and to make our lives easier.
Table of Contents
Keeping the Kids Warm and Mud Free
Waterproof Trousers
We’ve learned the hard way that not all trousers or puddle suits are actually waterproof. Often they are only splash proof and it makes a huge difference. When checking the labels make sure they actually say waterproof on them.
The best one’s we’ve found so far are from Lidl (thanks to @theoutdoorsmum). They are completely waterproof, fleece lined so nice and warm and an absolute bargain at £5.99. The downside is they only sell them for short periods of time so it’s often hard to get your hands on them. They came out in stores a couple of weeks ago so if you’re lucky your store may have some left. I know the one by me has already sold out though.
If you’re unsuccessful in Lidl then I can recommend another pair we have which are from Amazon. These ones aren’t fleece lined so you’ll need to put warmer trousers on underneath (if it’s really cold I stick a pair of fleece pyjama bottoms over her leggings), but they are completely waterproof.
CareTec Kids Rain Pants Dungarees, Yellow, 104
Wellies
Ashley had been complaining recently that her feet were cold in her old wellies (and she never feels the cold!). So I found this great pair on Amazon which are fleece lined and really lightweight. We’ve seen a big difference in her wanting to walk more since she got them too. Final bonus is they are incredibly easy to get on and off. They come in loads of colours and if you’re not fussed which colour you get it’s worth having a look through them all to get the cheapest price as it varies by colour.
I’ve no idea why they’re marked as girls wellies, they’d obviously be fine for boys too.
Hat, Scarf and Gloves
You don’t need me to tell you about these, but here’s a couple of really cute balaclavas that I love and act as a hat, scarf and ear muffs in one.
There are loads of cute hats, scarves and gloves to choose from on the Style My Kid website.
Keeping Yourself Warm and Mud Free
The paths everywhere at the moment are so muddy that there’s no way you can tackle most of them without wellies. I have a paid of Hunter wellies, but they leave my feet freezing! If you’re looking at buying new wellies then I recommend getting some with neoprene lining.
Here’s a couple that look nice and warm.
Muck Boots Women’s Arctic Adventure Rain Boot, Black (Black/Maroon), 9 UK
Joules Printed Tall Neoprene Wellies
Getting Your Wellies Off!
I always struggle getting my wellies off, especially when they’re covered in mud. Add in being pregnant to the mix and I’ve got no chance lol! We bought this from Amazon and it’s been an absolute game changer! My wellies slip straight off with this, it’s amazing.
Carriers
When it’s this muddy you’ve got no chance with a buggy so our backpack carrier has become an essential. If Ashley’s in the mood for it she’ll do quite a lot of walking in the mud (far more than if there’s no mud). She’ll demand to be carried a lot though, so having the carrier just makes life easier all round.
The backpack carrier that we have is discontinued now, it’s an old hand me down. However this is the upgraded version of it.
Macpac Possum V2 Child Carrier NO SIZE BLUE
Here are a couple of cheaper backpack alternatives to look at as well.
Baby Toddler Hiking Backpack Carrier with Stand Child Kid Sunshade Shield (Green)
Baby Carriers
For younger babies then I highly recommend this Babybjörn carrier. We used it when Ashley was younger and it is so comfortable. I started off with a cheaper version which didn’t have extra waist belt support and it made such a big difference.
Babybjörn Baby Carrier Move, 3D Mesh, Grey
I hope you’ve found this article blog post helpful. Going out for walks at the moment has really helped us escape a bit from everything that’s going on. Being prepared and knowing that we’re not going to end up stuck in the mud makes it much less stressful!
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