If you walk to school in all weathers…

[Inyournewdress]

I need your tips!

Reception start later this week and we will be mostly walking except for occasional lifts from others. It’s at least half an hour each way and I am wondering how best to dress ourselves for serious rain and similar so that we don’t turn up with DD totally bedraggled before the day begins! She isn’t keen at the moment to wear trousers, prefers pinafore/skirt which makes wearing a puddlesuit hard.

We have basic wellies and light raincoats but nothing that will really keep us, more importantly DD, dry, annd I haven’t seen much around. Any outfit or product tips much appreciated. Also, if you do go in wellies, do you just carry shoes for your child to change into when they go inside?

2nding lidl waterproofs. They are fab, and last well. DC1's lidl coat is still going on dc2 and looks brand new, same for the waterproof overpants. Domed brollies are good too. For you both. I would also recommend a knee length rubberised coat for you, and decent leather style trainers (if you don't want walking boots all year round). I have found sainsbury's waterproof coats are good, and not ridiculously dear. Covering the thighs is useful - so many of the waterproof jackets are only hip length, leaving you with saturated, cold legs.

We are only a 5 min walk to school, but I have been drenched in the 15 min total journey time (inc waiting to go in) to the point of having to change almost everything. I wouldn't want a little one sitting in wet stuff all day - one time dc2 (and others) were clothed from spares ad they had got so wet in a sudden downpour.

Full waterproofs would be best - properly waterproof coat, waterproof trousers, and waterproof boots or wellies (boots more comfortable for walking longer but some kids are perfectly happy in wellies even on longer walks) but if she won't wear waterproof trousers then just make sure the coat is a long one and that'll help a lot. An umbrella also helps a lot.
Take school shoes with you for her to change into when you arrive.

That's for heavy rain, for normal rain then school shoes will be fine if they're leather and full coverage.

I also always kept a spare pair of socks in DD's back when she was in primary school, in case her feet did get wet (there was one year when she wore trainers all year round that were broken but refused to wear better shoes, so her feet got wet every time)

Pop a pair of joggers on, then waterproof trousers and a coat, then change into skirt when she gets to school, we used to do it in the playground as the skirt can go on top of the joggers, then take joggers off and sorted

Also wellies or waterproof boots, and a big umbrella

We all had waterproof trousers. I had walking boots and the DC wellies. If take their school shoes and change them into those when we got there

I’m not answering your question I know but just to say it can feel like a faff making them walk in reception, especially in winter, but she will get used to it! We did use a scooter with pull lead sometimes if that is an option for tired legs. DS now in year 3 and never complains about walking anywhere as he’s so used to it. He also got a fitness tracker watch last year so that motivates him to walk.