Sports clothing and equipment for children

Comfort

As every parent knows, children don’t stay the same size for long, so both clothing and equipment have to stay in step with their growth so that they will continue to be comfortable to wear and suitable for the activities your children will use them for.

Contrary to what some people think, children are not miniature adults. Since their bodies are shorter and narrower in proportion than those of adults, they deserve better than simply smaller-sized adult equipment.

Given the growing popularity of outdoor activities, manufacturers offer an increasingly wider range of quality products that are especially designed for children and their smaller limbs, including paddles and oars, climbing harnesses, shoes and helmets, snowshoes, sleds and bikes, and, of course, baby carriers—always indispensable and in styles to delight parents and little ones alike.

When it comes time to get dressed for the great outdoors, it may be tempting to make do with ordinary garments or hand-me-downs. While that may sometimes be suitable, in other circumstances investing in new clothing will prove to be a wise move. Rather than putting up with older cousins’ worn-out polar fleece tops or out-of-shape T-shirts, it’s better to buy high-performance garments that are close-fitting yet roomy enough to allow good freedom of movement and provide total comfort.

Buying clothing designed specifically for children’s needs is all the more important in that their muscle mass (about 25% of total body weight) is lower than that of adults (about 40% of total body weight), which results in a less-efficient metabolism. That explains why children don’t tolerate cold as well as adults, and why their bodies become colder more quickly when outside temperatures drop.

All the more reason, then, that the principle of multilayering particularly applies to young enthusiasts of the outdoors, except when they’re immobile in a baby carrier or on a sled, in which case you should dress them very warmly—if not downright bundle them up—particularly during the winter.

However, once they can walk and run around, burning up energy, you should make sure that they can pull a jacket or polar fleece top on or off as need be to suit how active they are or what the weather is like. In any event, clothing made from synthetic fabrics, which are breathable and dry quickly, are preferable, especially if your children are likely to perspire as they run around playing.

As concerns the tiniest members of the family (under the age of one), one-piece hooded outfits with rib-knit or elasticized cuffs at the wrists and ankles are best for keeping heat in or, alternately, insects out. Clothing for infants should also feature zip or velcro openings so that you can change diapers quickly and easily. Finally, once your little ones are toilet-trained and able to gambol about with the rest of the family, give special consideration to clothes that are fast and easy to remove when they have to make a trip to the bathroom.

The more they grow, the more children move and the more they need clothing, ideally made from tear- and scratch-resistant materials, that can take a lot of wear. In addition, as they get older, you should pay attention that the areas around the joints (elbows and knees) feature special reinforcement.

One final consideration: children should wear brightly coloured clothing once they are mobile and active out of doors. That way, it will be easy to keep them in view if they are at a distance from you, and maximize your chance of finding them quickly should they wander out of your sight.