- Kids love playing outside in the winter, but they also lose body heat rapidly in cold temperatures. A great kids' winter jacket can preserve core warmth while enhancing your child's style.
- The Columbia Sportswear Whirlibird II Interchange Jacket is our top pick because its removable liner can be worn separately as a mid-weight coat, making it three coats in one.
The human body begins to lose heat through radiation when the ambient temperature is below 70 degrees Fahrenheit. This type of heat reduction accounts for about 65% of total warmth lost. When wind blows, the effects of convection can increase heat loss by as much as 15%. And as children are smaller than adults, with a higher surface area relative to overall mass, they are even more susceptible to over-cooling.
Long story short? Don't send your kids out to play, to wait for the bus, to ski or snowboard, or any other activity that will see extended exposure to cold weather unless the little guy or gal has a great winter coat. Like one of the fine options discussed in our guide, for example.
We're focusing primarily on safety and performance. Every kids' winter coat covered will help your child maintain core warmth so he or she can enjoy the outdoors regardless of the winter's chill. But of course we also sought out kids' jackets that look great, because in many parts of the country (and world), the cold season is a long season indeed, so you and your child need to find a coat you'll be happy to see lots of.
As kids come in all sorts of sizes, we're including winter coats for babies, for toddlers, for pre-school aged children, and for kids in their elementary years. Shop carefully, because speaking of size, chances are good that your child will outgrow his or her winter coat after a single season. Finding a jacket you'll be happy to hand down to a younger sibling (or niece or nephew or whatnot) will help soften the blow of the annual process of buying a children's winter jacket.
And all of these fine kids' winter coats will help take the sting out of the winter chill. One last note: I'm leaving the gender choices up to you. You won't find a "best winter coat for baby girl" or "best winter jacket for toddler boys" here, you'll just find great winter coats for kids, period.
Here are the best kids' winter coats you can buy:
- Best winter coat for kids overall: Columbia Whirlibird II Interchange Jacket
- Best winter coat for girls: The North Face Mossbud Swirl Reversible Jacket
- Best budget winter coat for kids: Amazon Essentials Lightweight Packable Puffer
- Best boys' winter coat: Patagonia Snowshot Jacket
- Best winter coat for babies: Tea Collection Sherpa Fleece Zip Hoodie and Columbia Infant Zing III Fleece Jacket
Updated on 10/14/2019 by Les Shu: Updated pricing, links, and formatting. Added a pick for baby boys and related guides.
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