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Pajamas are both some of the easiest and the trickiest articles of clothing to buy for your kids. Easy because you don't have to worry as much about them looking presentable in public. As long as your kid is comfortable, it's OK if she wears mismatched PJ tops and bottoms or sleeps in an outfit emblazoned with unicorns, superheroes, or polka dots.
On the other hand, the rate at which kids outgrow clothes makes buying pajamas that will actually be worth their price tag a balancing act. You want to buy PJs that are just a bit too big now so the kid gets plenty of use out of them, but you can't go too big. Loose pajamas can be uncomfortable and are in fact a safety hazard both in terms of potentially limiting motion and fire danger.
But kids' PJs are no place to go cheap despite the fact that they'll be soon outgrown. Many children spend 10 or even 12 hours asleep each day well into their preschool years, so they'll be wearing their pajamas as much or even more than clothing. The more comfortable those PJs are, the more of those hours in bed or in the crib will actually be productive.
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When considering the best pajamas for your kids, start by considering the child's age and what comes with it. For babies, you need PJs that you can easily open up and/or remove for diaper changes. Toddlers who are starting to walk may do better without "feetie" pajamas so that you can remove their socks and give them better stability on smooth floors. As kids get older and can dress themselves, it's time to move away from one piece pajama outfits to separate tops and bottoms.
Next, think about materials. Organic cotton pajamas cost more than their polyester counterparts, but they might be safer for sensitive skin. And with proper care, they last well, too. While some extra-concerned parents shop for flame-resistant pajamas, most are comfortable with pairs that fit their kids well enough to not create a large pocket of air between the fabric and a child's skin, thereby minimizing danger during the unfortunate (and unlikely) event of an evacuation during a fire.
Finally, once you have function, sizing, and style picked out, it's time for you to select the print. The issue there will be an overabundance of choices, not a dearth. Good luck on that one.
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Most newborns outgrow clothing so quickly that many of those outfits you got as baby gifts will be returned or re-gifted with the tags still on. In fact, some kids never even fit newborn sized clothing at all. So newborn pajamas aren't the place to spend top dollar. But on the other hand, your baby's skin will never be softer or more sensitive, so this is also no time to go cheap!
Simple Joys by Carter's makes 100% cotton newborn pajamas that are soft, warm, and that have a full neck to foot zip, making diaper changes easier and cleaner. They have built-in feet that will keep your baby warm, and a snap closure tab that covers the zipper pull, preventing pokes and keeping the garment zipped up tight.
The PJs are available in a number of prints, many of which are gender neutral, some of which are more clearly male or female in color, pattern, and text. Like the one that says: "Little Sister," for example? That one is for a girl.
Of equal note to all those points is the fact that you get a two-pack of Simple Joys by Carter's Cotton Footed Sleep and Play PJs for $15.99. Yes, there are cheaper baby pajamas out there, but having been through many pairs of these with my own kids, I can tell you they are a perfect balance between affordability and quality.
Nearly 500 shoppers have left Amazon reviews for Little Joys by Carter's pajamas, and the PJs have a solid 4.6-star averaged rating. One mom calls them "cute and great quality," adding that they "hold [up] wonderfully after each wash." Another called the pajamas "made well... and really cute."
Several shoppers did note the rather thin material, though, so they won't add much insulation and may require the addition of a sleep sack as another layer.
Pros: Great price, full zip for easy diapering, available in many prints
Why you'll love them: Tea Collection Patterned Footed Pajamas come in multiple sizes, so you can find just the right fit for your baby even as he packs on pounds and inches.
As your baby grows out of the newborn stage and all through his infancy, he's going to grow and change quickly. He is also going to start rolling, then sitting up, then crawling, and soon enough, walking.
So he needs a flexible, durable pajama that can handle all the action and that will keep him warm and safe whether he's sleeping, army crawling, or waddling around, and the Tea Collection Patterned Footed Pajamas have you (or your baby, rather) covered on all fronts.
Tea Collection Patterned Footed Pajamas come in five different sizes and are grouped in three-month intervals for the three smaller options (three to six months, six to nine, and nine to twelve, e.g.) so it will be easy to find a pair that fits your kid well.
They have a brushed interior that increases the softness and comfort and a long front zipper for easy changing and diapering. And while soft and flexible enough for comfort and easy motion, they are also designed to fit snugly, conforming to multiple Dimensional Restrictions imposed for safety purposes.
Tea Collection pajamas hold up well even after multiple washings and even once your baby is dragging himself around on the floor and rolling around in his crib. He will end up outgrowing them long before their service life is up, but that's better than the PJs wearing out and you needed to buy more.
The expert product testers at Wirecutter called Tea Collection pajamas "super soft" and noted the pretty prints, which manage to be cute without being cutesy. A writer there did say they tend to run small, though.
Pros: Brushed interior for softness, available in multiple sizes, attractive prints
Why you'll love them: The Vaenait Baby Toddler PJs have an elastic waistband that keeps them comfortably in place while your little one rolls around in bed or runs around the house.
A lot of amazing things happen in the months following a first birthday. During this time, most kids will get up on their feet and start walking, and soon enough they will start running. And not long after a kid's second birthday, it will be time for the joys of potty training. Both of these toddler phase milestones make Vaenait Baby Toddler PJs a great choice for your one to three-year-old kid,
Vaenait Baby Toddler PJs have a broad elastic waistband that keeps them securely though gently in place even as your kid bounces up and down and runs all around. Yet the bottoms are still easy to slip down when it's time for your kid to sit on the potty, or for applying, removing, or swapping out a diaper before they have mastered the art of using the bathroom.
As this phase of life tends to be a messy one for all sorts of reasons, parents will love the fact that each pair of Vaenait Baby's toddler-sized pajamas only costs $14.99. That low price point will allow you to keep plenty of pairs on hand and will take the sting out of tossing out any PJs that wear out or are too heavily soiled to justify keeping.
I also appreciate how all Vaenait Baby pajamas in the toddler sizes are unisex, with gender-neutral colors and patterns. Little boys and girls alike will love the prints featuring cars, stars, robots, and monsters, and parents will, too. Especially if any pairs make it through to the hand-me-down phase of life.
With more than 150 reviews posted on Amazon, Vaenait Baby Toddler PJs enjoy a fine 4.5-star overall rating. A customer named Stephanie called them "great quality" and loved the graphics. Another buyer said they were "quality, soft pajamas at a remarkable price."
Many buyers noted that the sizes run too small, though, so consider sizing up right from the start.
Pros: Elastic waist band, unisex colors and graphics, good price point
Our son has a cousin nearly two years his senior and thus a frequent source of hand me downs. Often after being used for a year or so by two little boys, the shirts and pants are worn out and we retire them.
However a few years back, the aforementioned cousin's parents gave us a few pairs of Hanna Anderson pajamas, which our little guy wore for a year and a half, at which point we tucked them away to keep them for his sister as they were still in such good shape. Now here's the crazy part: They were hand me downs when the cousin got them, too.
So while $44 might seem like a lot of money for a pair of Hanna Anderson Long John Pajamas, rest assured that it's money well spent. These soft, charming, and amazingly durable PJs hold up wash after wash, wear after wear, lasting for years without losing their looks or soft feel.
They come prewashed and pre-shrunk and feature smooth flat-lock seams for added comfort. The combed cotton is soft and thick, providing plenty of comfort and warmth, while the waistbands are snug without squeezing.
With hundreds of reviews posted on its site, the Hanna Anderson Long John Pajamas enjoy a stellar 4.9-star overall rating, with parents giving them a five-star rating in terms of sheer comfort.
Pros: Last for years, organic cotton, soft and comfortable
Why you'll love them: Target's Cat & Jack line has pajamas your bigger kids will love because of the broad selection of prints and patterns.
As hard as it is to accept, kids grow up fast. And for a lot of the years during which we parents still know full well that they're kids, they don't want to feel that way. One of the easiest ways to empower your kids is to allow them to make choices where there's really no wrong answer, and when it comes to selecting pajamas, it really can't be done wrong provided a bottom and top are included.
Target's Cat & Jack line has all sorts of kids' pajamas in all sorts of styles. From shorts and sleep tees to long john style PJs and from plaids to prints to graphics of animals, rockets, robots, and more, they almost surely have multiple options your unique child will love.
If you have a daughter hell-bent on growing up quick, you can offer her basic prints in simple colors or a classic checkered design. If you have a son who just loves dinosaurs, no problem there, either. Or for the zany individualist, Cat & Jack pajamas are available in some crazy colors and patterns that will appeal to the artistic mind.
Oh, and don't forget the dinosaur-themed holiday pajamas, sure to appeal to just about any kid during the winter celebration season. Cat & Jack pajamas do more than give your kid choice — they also take it easy on your wallet.
Don't worry, despite the rather small price tag, these PJs are rather well made.
Other parents did mention the rather thin material of most Cat & Jack pajamas, which won't last for years, but neither will your kid's style preferences endure all that long, either.
Pros: Vast selection of styles, shorts and long johns available, great prices
