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Primary education

Join our Primary Education forum to discuss starting school and helping your child get the most out of it.

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Original poster

Winter uniform - anyone using thermal underwear

28 replies

IvanaDK · 14/11/2009 21:54

OK, so I'm not English, I'm Danish, but surely I'm not the only one who's worried about my children getting cold in winter?

I have looked everywhere for school trousers or skirts made of thicker material or with lining - nothing. Most trousers and skirts in the shops are very flimsy, not suitable for winter. If anyone has found anything, I'd love to hear more.

I put wool vests on my daughter in the winter, but as they are not exactly cheap, I'm looking at thermal underwear, so far I have seen it in M & S and Primarks - has anyone tried it?

She's only 5 and I'm sure she doesn't zip up her coat when they go out to play...

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LadyGlencoraPalliser · 14/11/2009 21:57

You need to bear in mind that most school buildings are very well heated in winter - my DCs would cook if I put them in thermals. Better off with warm outdoor layers for playtime and walking to and from schools, but not extra indoor layers, unless you happen to know that your DCs' school building is particularly cold.

primarymum · 14/11/2009 21:59

Please don't ! Children get so hot in school they are forever stripping jumpers and cardigans off and, even if your daughter escapes the classroom at playtime without her coat zipped up, I can guarantee she will be chased around the playground by staff yelling "fasten your coat up, it's cold" We still have children in shorts! If you are worried, a vest and woolly tights are all she needs ( but not on PE days!)

pinkmagic1 · 14/11/2009 21:59

My DS had the primark thermal underwear. It was very good despite being very cheap, washed well and lasted him 2 winters. He has now grown out of it but would definitely buy it again.

GrimmaTheNome · 14/11/2009 21:59

Kids really don't seem to feel the cold. No, they don't zip up their coats at playtime; if they are running around they are quite likely to take them off entirely except in really bad weather.

Thermal undies are for sedentary oldies!

LynetteScavo · 14/11/2009 22:04

My DC's come out of school haveing discarded their jumpers, with hot little hands. I really wouldn't wrap them up any more than necessary. I do put a vest on DS2 though, as he does feel the cold, and he has a down coat, which he probably doesn't do up, but they're not out side for more than 40 min's so as long as they've out a hat on they will survived even with a coat flapping open.

I'm very pleased to discover the teachers/TA/lunchtime supervisors actually do up the children's coats at there school, though.

MollieO · 14/11/2009 22:06

I can't get ds to wear a vest even though he has to wear shorts to school and the classroom is a cold prefab (I spotted a portable fan heater there this week).

Original poster

IvanaDK · 14/11/2009 22:13

Then it must be genetic! A Scandinavian thing maybe? Feeling the cold, that is, because my daughter asked for her wool vests when it started getting colder, she has even asked for winter boots!

Thanks for your insights, LadyGlencoraPalliser, I agree that the schools are well heated, it's the going outdoors I worry about. It is a good point, LynetteScavo, that they are only out for a small period of time, I will keep saying that to myself next week at 12, when I usually wonder if she has her coat on or not ;)

pinkmagic1, thanks for that, will get a few vests from Primark to try then ;)

OP posts:

GrimmaTheNome · 14/11/2009 22:18

Oh, well if she's asked for wool vests then she must feel the cold.. maybe its the dampness of typical British cold weather that gets to her.

Merle · 15/11/2009 10:58

Mine wear thermals on v. cold days. We live in Yorkshire. I like the ones from Muddy Puddles but we also have some from a ski shop. I have a strong memory from when I was young of being cold a lot in the playground. I think that schools are trying to economise on heating costs more nowadays, so the classrooms are not always boiling. I also think that if your children are slightly built, they will feel the cold more.

displayuntilbestbefore · 15/11/2009 11:01

I've used Marks' thermals for dcs and they are great but I don't use them on school days for the reasons pointe dout above - the classrooms are so hot that even inthe middle of winter, dcs take off school jumper and has shortsleeved polo shirts! Just make sure you have really cosy coats, hats and gloves for when they are outside and the more attractive they are to your child, the more chance they'll wear them during playtimes (ds2 loves a certain hat so he has that at school because he can't wait to have a reason to wear it! )

Amy68 · 15/11/2009 12:04

I agree with those who have said schools are properly heated so thermal undies would be a bad idea. DD is 10 and in the height of winter she either wears trousers with socks or normal tights, or a skirt with cotton/wool type tights. Trousers and skirts from M&S usually, but John Lewis tights are way better (Supersoft), more comfortable and durable. She has boots for deep snow but rarely wears them.

Just check she has a warm coat, hat and gloves. Once she's inside school it's no problem.

Original poster

IvanaDK · 15/11/2009 13:16

The point about thermal underwear is supposedly that it transports heat and moisture away form the skin ;)

Merle, I really like Muddy Puddles, they've got great stuff! Only they don't have vests and short sleeved thermal underwear.

displayuntilbestbefore, a very good point, I do try and make sure that they have winter stuff that they like, it does work ;)

Amy68, thanks for the recommendation, I usually get M & S school wear as my MIL works there and she gets a discount, but I will def check John Lewis then - just looked online, they hardly have anything at the moment, will have to wait till December / January then, isn't that when the schools usually start having a wider range of school wear?

Tights: I usually get MP tights (cotton or wool mix), they are quite pricey, but they last and last and they have a great fit, never fall down.

OP posts:

colditz · 15/11/2009 13:32

not necessary. At ALL.

The trousers and skirts in the shops are perfectly suitable for winter, you have to remember it's slightly warmer in Britain than in Denmark.

I don't worry remotely about my children getting cold. I don't get cold, why would my children?

colditz · 15/11/2009 13:34

According to statistics Denmark is wetter too!

mrz · 15/11/2009 14:33

There are few really cold days and I'd say extra layers to wear if/when your daughter goes outdoors which she can wear if she is cold. I'm a reception teacher and spend a big part of my time outdoors and rarely get that cold even up here in the north.

Merle · 15/11/2009 16:38

Everyone is different, though; some people feel the cold more than others, so I'd have thought it would be the same with children. A lot of poeple seem to find the temperature a lot warmer than I do. These people are usually a lot bigger build than I am, so I think that makes a difference.

lexcat · 15/11/2009 18:08

My dd wears thermals in the winter when it gets cold. Every year she asks for them. She hates been cold so we have long sleeve shirts and (out of choice) wears long sleeve thermals. When we had all the snow she also wore thermal leggings too. But her classroom was a porta-hut so really not that warm.

We got short sleeve thermal vests from primark, leggings and long sleeves from M&S.

mrz · 15/11/2009 18:25

Merle I agree but young children are also far more active which raises body temperature so they often get too hot. Having the option of adding an extra fleece or woolly socks with boots allows children who do feel cold to regulate their temperature as they move between indoors and outdoors.

Original poster

IvanaDK · 15/11/2009 19:25

colditz, yes, Denmark is definitely colder than England, but are you sure it is also wetter? When the frosts comes in Denmark, the air stops being as humid, so it doesn't feel much colder.

Merle, I agree, everybody is different. My niece, she's 6 an English, she is such a hot child, I have never seen her cold, some times I have to go and check here when she's wearing t shirt and shorts and everybody else is wearing hat and gloves, and she IS warmer than the rest of us ;)

My dd is def one of those who feel the cold, her younger brother doesn't feel it half as much, he's a sweaty little kid ;)

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PlasticBandit · 15/11/2009 19:41

My DD does Forest School once a week and is outdoors, whatever the weather for about half a day. On those days she wears M&S thermals. There is a cumulative effect to being out in the cold for hours, rather than just 20 minutes break time. She finds that the thermals really help to keep her warm. For Forest School she also wears a hat, gloves and windproof waterproofs at this time of year. On days which are not Forest School days, she would run a mile from such garments.

lexcat · 15/11/2009 20:44

Forgot to say we have some lovely thermal leggings very girly with brightly coloured flower from millets. These are dd favourites.

Original poster

IvanaDK · 15/11/2009 20:53

PlasticBandits, I just looked up Forest Schools as I have never heard of it, it looks great! To my surprise I found that it inspired by the Danish "Skovbørnehave" - a type of outdoors preschool that just doesn't have any indoor facilities ;)

I do wish we could Forest School at at my dd's school, do you now how your school got it in the first place?

Also looked up Millets, looks great,thanks!

OP posts:

PlasticBandit · 15/11/2009 21:54

One teacher was inspired by the "Waldschule" in Germany and similar movements in Scandinavia. She really wanted to be a Forest School leader/teacher and persuaded the Headteacher that it was a good idea for her to be trained. I understand that the training is quite expensive, but the Headteacher agreed. It started in our school with the Reception class and it is now being rolled out to all of Key Stage 1. Next will be Key Stage 2 so that the whole school have half a day per week at Forest School.
We are lucky that we have a suitable woodland area just a short walk away from the school. The landowners have been very supportive of the Forest School initiative and were happy to give permission for the land to be used for this purpose. We also have some interested parent helpers that are happy to give some time to help with Forest School - I am one of them - my Forest School days are a real treat - the children gain so much from this time spent outside. I do hope that more schools will participate in this.

BonjourIvresse · 15/11/2009 22:15

I have the primark thermals for DD and they are good. Get a bigger size so they can be easily tucked in. I also send DD in in an extra zip up fleece under her coat when it gets really cold. She doesn't wear her thermal vests everyday, only whenit gets really cold. She just has cotton vests on normal winter days.

M & S do tights that are body sensor ones which keep her legs nice and warm. A hat is important too, but except to lose at least 3 each winter term.

Original poster

IvanaDK · 17/11/2009 14:30

I got the Primarks short sleeved vest for my dd, she likes them very much and it seems they do the job. They are just really short and wide ;)

BonjourIvresse, I had the body sensor tights, but they fell apart very quickly.

PlasticBandit, I will talk to the PTA and hear if they have heard of it and try to suggest / present it to the school. There are lots of green areas where we live, but the mindset is very suburban, people go for a short walk only when the sun shines, and drive everywhere.

Oh, and I totally overdressed my ds today, coat hat and overtrousers - it's so mild, it completely took me by surprise!

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