How do you keep hats and mittens on?

It's starting to get cold here in Toronto, so when we're outside I really want the boys wearing hats and mittens (it's cold enough that I need gloves). However, the HATE anything on their heads- if I put them in a hat, or pull up a hood they scream and tear at whatever it is 'till it's off. And mittens last about 7 seconds on their hands, (they pull frantically to get them off and then they start yelling "hand cold! hand cold!).
I have tried all sorts of different styles of hats- those that tie on, velcro on, putting a hat on under a hood, putting a hood up alone, and have tried pulling the wristbands of their jackets over their mittens to keep them snug, but nothing works.
Does anyone have any tips on how to get their cold weather gear to STAY ON?

 

I saw the title of your post and I saw that nobody had responded. I clicked on to write "please please somebody respond" because I'm having the same problem. Then I saw you were from Toronto - me too! Maybe it's only us northeners that can relate. Hope somebody has some good ideas. I bought mittens yesterday, put them on their hands today and thought to myself "I'm giving those 3 days before they are gone gone gone" I might put the string on them (which would also mean using a needle and thread - not my strong suit) but it might come to that.

Good luck with it and the good news is that it is supposed to be 17 tomorrow! Happy Hallowe'en!

 

I haven't had to deal with mittens, but as for hats... they're essential here in New Mexico at all times of the year for my very fair skinned girls. If they didn't wear hats, they'd have sunburns within minutes. I did a few things to get them to wear hats.

First, we played with hats a lot in the house. I wore a hat inside and they then wanted to copy me. We put hats on their dolls and teddy bears. Also, I wear a hat when we go out too so it's not just something they have to do. The main thing I did is make hat wearing mandatory. If you take your hat off, we go home. It only took two or three very short trips to the park (because someone removed her hat and refused to keep it on) and now I have no fights about hats. I'm hoping mittens are as easy when it gets cold here, but I suspect I won't be that lucky.

I grew up on the New York side of the lake from Toronto and my mom says she kept our mittens on by getting ones with velcro straps around the wrists so we couldn't pull the mittens off. She also used winter hats with ties under the chin that can't be easily taken off.

Good luck!

 

I just tried mittens for the first time this year and it was a total failure. They got frustrated, pulled them off and threw them down. That was just our practice session. I was hoping if we were actually outside they might keep them on, but based on your post, they probably won't.

My neighbor has cool mittens for her son that has a string that connects them. The string goes over their shoulders from one jacket sleeve to the next. He wears his mittens so well (13 months old), but I see that just frustrating my kids even more!

I think we will all just have to keep on trying!!!

Jessica

 

Does it help if YOU put on a hat and gloves and make a big deal about how FUN, WARM, WONDERFUL and COOL you feel while wearing them? Might help if Dad gets in on the dramatization too (do it as if you just LOVE your hats and the boys just happen to be listening to you and your husband talk about how you love your hats and gloves and help each other put them on).

 

QUOTE(Momto2es @ Oct 30 2008, 05:43 PM) [snapback]1048986[/snapback]
I bought mittens yesterday, put them on their hands today and thought to myself "I'm giving those 3 days before they are gone gone gone" I might put the string on them (which would also mean using a needle and thread - not my strong suit) but it might come to that.

Ok, first I just want to recommend Mitten Clips as a way to make sure you don't lose the mittens. Naomi and Luke have some and I love them-they have really strong grip and stay on well, I don't have to worry about losing a glove, they are easy to take off if you want to switch coats, and there's no sewing!

The way I got them to keep hats/mittens on was to make a rule that they had to wear them. No arguments. If they took them off then I put them straight back on. I think it helped that the first time we went through it they were in the buggy, so they couldn't run away from me or anything. I just watched them as we walked along and if anyone pulled off a hat/mitten I would stop walking and put it back on (I also tried to say "No. Keep it on." and/or physically stop them before they pulled the item off). It didn't take more than about 10 minutes for them to give up. If yours are very determined it may take longer, but it will work.

I also like idril's ideas of playing with hats or just going home if they won't wear them. I also think it helps if you are wearing a hat and gloves because then it is just something everyone has to do to go outside.

Good luck!

 

Thanks for the responses. I have tried the enforced hat-wearing (ie. stopping and putting it back on) but got annoyed after about 20 minutes of it and gave up.
I like the idea of just going home if they take off their hats/mitts- it'd be frustrating but may work. I'll try it!
Also, I'll look into those mitten clips.

I wonder if there's a machine out there to hermetically seal babies into their winter gear...

 

I'm in Canada too. I run a home daycare so I have a few tricks. Put mitts on first then snowsuits/jackets so they're "tucked in". Hats that actually tie under their chins,not velcro. I have 4 -1 year olds and we haven't lost a single mitt or hat yet(we spend 2+ hours outside most days). Charlotte did alot of screaming and trying to pull off her hat but she's since learned that it's NOT NEGOTIABLE!

 

Before we go out, "We're putting on hats and mittens because we're going outside to do fun stuff but it's cold outside. You must wear these to be able to do fun stuff outside." Once outside and they start tugging, "If you take off your hat or mittens, we're going back inside/home" and mean it. They're old enough to learn about consequence. They'll get it but they'll also get it if you make empty threats so you must be prepared to follow through if they don't listen.

 

We also went the rule route. Like idril, we're in NM and the girls have had to wear hats since birth. They love hats and I keep them accessible for play so that's not an issue. With gloves (like shoes) the rule was you can't go outside without them. If the kids get mad or frustrated, that's just too bad and then we can't go outside.

I went to Radio Shack and bought a pack of alligator slips that I tied together with short pieces of string to make mitten & hat clips. That way I can always attach their hat and gloves to their clothes and we don't lose them as often. It was really cheap.