Gear Guide for an Outdoor Nursery:

Keeping Your Child warm, comfortable & happy at Hidden Valley

Autumn and Winter at Hidden Valley are one of our favourite times of year - frosty mornings, muddy puddles, and the woodland at its quietest and most magical. But an outdoor nursery only feels magical when a child is warm, dry, and comfortable enough to enjoy it all day! Getting the layers right makes all the difference between a child who wants to be outside and one who's counting down to pick-up time.

We know winter kit can feel like a lot to think about, especially if this is your family's first outdoor winter. So here's our guide to give you some useful tips, so you can make the best decision when buying clothes for your little one.

Please do bear in mind that every little one is different and feels cold in different places and at different temperatures (like us adults..!), so it’s about a bit of experimentation and listening to the team based on their feedback. 

At the end of the page we’ve included a list of recommended products based on our experience over the past few years of operating Hidden Valley.

There is by no means a one size fits all piece of kit, but hopefully it helps give you ideas.

Essential kit lists by season

Base Layers: The Foundation

A snug thermal layer, top and bottom, is where warmth starts. Choose something that sits close to the skin and wicks moisture away, rather than cotton, which holds damp against the body and cools quickly, taking a long time to dry if it gets wet. 

Whilst they can be a little more pricey, we particularly recommend Merino wool base layers. Merino offers an excellent warmth-to-weight ratio, regulates temperature well and continues to insulate even when slightly damp. It's a staple of Scandinavian outdoor clothing for good reason!

Wool is also naturally anti microbial, meaning it can be worn for several days in a row without washing (look it up, promise!)

Mid Layers: Trapping the Warmth

On top of the base layer, add a jumper or fleece to trap warm air close to the body. 

On milder days, one thinner mid-layer on top is usually enough. On the coldest days, add a second thicker layer on top and a pair of fleece-lined trousers underneath, on top of the base layers. 

Look for tops with a little room to move - climbing, digging and den-building all need freedom through the shoulders and arms.

The Outer Layer: Waterproof jacket and Puddleproofs

This is the layer that does the hardest work, so it's worth getting right. 

Every Hidden Valley family is provided with a pair of Puddleproofs (all-in-one waterproof waders) on joining - please make sure children arrive wearing these for every autumn/winter session, as they're our preferred option for a full day in the woods. 

For the coat on top, choose something genuinely waterproof rather than just shower-resistant, with taped seams and a snug hood, cuffs and hem to keep the weather out. 

A well-fitted, flexible waterproof coat over good mid-layers will generally keep your child warmer and more comfortable through a full day outdoors than a bulky, heavily insulated winter jacket. Layering also gives us much more flexibility to adjust clothing throughout the day.

Hats & Neck Warmers

Keeping the head and neck warm makes a huge difference to overall comfort once temperatures drop - a balaclava or neck warmer is a great addition on those bitter winter days. For gloves, we'd recommend sending in two or three spare pairs: children take gloves off constantly for fiddly tasks, and wet gloves need swapping out through the day. Waterproof or fleece-lined gloves work best, and bright or patterned pairs are far easier to reunite with the right child.

Gloves

Gloves are the hardest thing to get right. Children want to be able to use their hands, and will get frustrated and take gloves off if they can’t play properly. Five-finger gloves provide more dexterity but are a complete pain to put onto small children. 

• Ideal glove set up: Waterproof warm mitts over a thin 5-finger knit liner glove. The waterproof outer mitt is for walking around, or general climbing and gross motor play. Children can remove the waterproof outer mitt when they need more dexterity for fine-motor activities, while still keeping the thin liner glove on. These thinner inner gloves get wet and dirty, so we’d recommend to send in 3-4 spare pairs. They take up no room and are very cheap!

• Back up gloves: We would recommend to send a pair of insulated ski-gloves for a warm-up if they are getting cold hands and their mittens get soaked through

Socks and footwear

The Puddleproofs we provide have integrated wellington boots, keeping your little one dry from the chest down with the added bonus of having no air gap for cold air or water to seep in. We suggest to pack 1 pair of spare trainers, just in case your little one does have an accident. They are also useful for them to wear when we are back indoors at the end of the day.

We recommend a thick sock with room enough for warm feet to wiggle. A thin liner sock underneath a thicker outer sock is a great combination for the coldest weeks - and do send a spare pair, as accidents can happen even in the mighty Puddleproofs!

Backpacks

We’d recommend a small 10-20 litre backpack, ideally waterproof but not essential as we do our best to keep them dry, in the trolley when on the move and undercover at the site. If it is not fully waterproof (the only fully waterproof backpack is a dry bag) then suggest to pack smaller dry bags or zip locks with spare clothes in which helps in case they do get saturated. Please avoid sending in your little ones with bags for life or tote bags, as they are not practical for carrying.

Some links at the bottom to a few options, depending on preferences!

Spares to Keep in the Bag

However well dressed your child arrives, winter days are unpredictable. We therefore require:

• 1 spare pair of socks

• 2–3 spare pairs of gloves

• 1 spare hat

• 1 spare base-layer top

• 1 spare base-layer bottom

• 1 extra fleece/mid-layer

• 1 spare pair of trainers

Having spares on hand means a wet sleeve or a soggy pair of socks never has to cut a good session short.

One Last Thing: Label Everything!

With so many similar coats, hats and gloves at Nursery, a name written or sewn into every item is the single easiest way to make sure lost kit finds its way home. You can even Sharpie the outside of waterproof gloves, for example!

If you have any questions about kit, or you're not sure what your child needs for their first winter with us, just ask any member of the Hidden Valley team - we're always happy to help you get set up for the season.

Examples with links

We've tried a lot of different outdoor clothing over the years, and the options below are some of the brands and products we've found particularly useful. This isn't an exhaustive list, and you absolutely don't need to buy these exact products — they're simply a starting point if you're not sure where to look.

We've included options at different price points, and we'd always recommend checking Vinted and other second-hand platforms too.

Merino Thermals

Polarn O Pyret. Top quality merino option, premium price point.

Mountain Warehouse. Great value Merino wool option.

Decathlon. Great value Merino wool option. 

Waterproof Jackets

Polarn O Pyret. High quality kit from a reputable Swedish brand. Gold standard, on the pricy side.

Muddy Puddles. A great selection of high quality waterproofs at a decent price  

Wet Wednesdays. Another great option and reasonably priced. Some interesting colour options too!

Fleece/mid layers

Polarn O Pyret. High quality kit from a reputable Swedish brand. Gold standard, on the pricy side.

Trespass. Good quality thick fleece, ideal for very cold days on top of a thinner fleece and/or base layer.

Socks

Amazon merino 6 pack. Amazon stock an amazing value Merino 6 pack. These are great for cold temperatures, around 5-10 degrees but entirely child dependent. For the coldest days, see below.

Heat Holders. These are super warm, and super thick! Great for the coldest days, but do require a bit of room in the Puddleproofs to make sure they don’t suffocate feet.

Gloves

Didriksons Biggles kids zip mitten. These are great as they are fully waterproof and have a warm liner. Can be worn over a thinner cheap pair of gloves. Might find them cheaper on other websites.

Amazon inner gloves. Lots of similar options on Amazon or other major retailers.

Hats, balaclavas, snoods

Polarn O Pyret. High quality kit from a reputable Swedish brand. Gold standard. Fair price for a balaclava.

Muddy Puddles. This is a great piece of kit and will last years, if labelled and looked after! Waterproof and warm.

Backpacks

Jack Wolfskin ‘Little Scout 10’ - Sturdy, practical and comes in several colours. Probably first choice from our side.

Patagonia Refugito 12 litre - A great option, similiar in size to the Jack Wolfskin but more expensive.

Marchway Dry Bag 100% waterproof. Order the 20litre version - plenty of room and lightweight. No extra pockets so all in one main compartment.

Quechua from Decathlon 23 litre roll top - plenty of room, can be made smaller/larger using the roll top.