Long sleeve T, hoodie, and the down sweater. On super cold days, layer a fleece or vest. Layering is key with jackets like that. My son also has a rain shell to wear on top for really nasty, wet days.

Anonymous wrote:You don't have to spend a fortune to have several jackets for your kids - hand me downs, as the OP mentioned. Also sales. Have you not seen, there was even a thread about it on here Macy's was selling heavy winter coats for $15 each before Thanksgiving.

I get my DD a lovely thick GAP down coat for $30 in the sales, reduced from about $130-$150

Its not rocket science.

Agree. My DD has a rain coat, fleece jacket, hanna anderson nylon with fleece interior jacket, patagonia down sweater and then a heavy coat for snow. Some hand me downs, some great deals - bought patagonia for $40 in summer but all are useful.

Heh. This is why I like the temperature ratings on the LL Bean website. I really don't know what's good for what. From what I've read, the down sweater has as much insulation as the down coats, but doesn't have as wind resistant a shell. Does that sound right? So it seems to me it would be plenty warm on all but the windiest days.

You don't have to spend a fortune to have several jackets for your kids - hand me downs, as the OP mentioned. Also sales. Have you not seen, there was even a thread about it on here Macy's was selling heavy winter coats for $15 each before Thanksgiving.

I get my DD a lovely thick GAP down coat for $30 in the sales, reduced from about $130-$150

Its not rocket science.

My kids wear their Patagonia down sweaters all winter with only a long sleeve t-shirt underneath for my an at least unless they are actually playing in the snow and then we do several layers underneath.

Anonymous wrote:We use the down sweaters all winter. Kids are 8, 10 and 11 and they've had them for years. I buy them in the off season and pass them down between kids.
We don't switch to a warmer coat.

Do they wear multiple layers or have they been ok with just a long sleeve shirt?

We use the down sweaters all winter. Kids are 8, 10 and 11 and they've had them for years. I buy them in the off season and pass them down between kids.
We don't switch to a warmer coat.

Anonymous wrote:You have more than one down jacket for an elementary school student? I can't relate.

Why can't the kid decide what jacket they want to wear? My Kindergartner does.

Yes, we're fortunate to have lots of hand me downs. My son is in K and I don't trust that he knows which jacket he'll need - he still tries to wear shorts when I let him dress himself. I'm just worried that he'll get cold during recess and aftercare since he's outside twice each day unless temps are extreme.

Anonymous wrote:You have more than one down jacket for an elementary school student? I can't relate.

Why can't the kid decide what jacket they want to wear? My Kindergartner does.

Why did you post this obnoxious response twice?

NP here - my daughter has a down sweater jacket that she wears when it's 40s +. When it's colder than that she wears a heavier coat (fleece + outer shell) that covers her butt and has a hood. If by chance it gets too hot she can take the outer shell off and just wear the fleece to recess.

Unless it's in the 20's or below, the patagonia down sweater should be more than fine. That's been my experience with my kids.

You have more than one down jacket for an elementary school student? I can't relate.

Why can't the kid decide what jacket they want to wear? My Kindergartner does.

My kids went to school today in a long sleeve t shirt and a hoodie. They were chilly in the early morning but fine the rest of the day. They'll probably stick with a similar combo until the highs are expected to only be in the 30s.

At 6 and 8, they are heat machines.

My kids went to school today in a long sleeve t shirt and a hoodie. They were chilly in the early morning but fine the rest of the day. They'll probably stick with a similar combo until the highs are expected to only be in the 30s.

At 6 and 8, they are heat machines.

You have more than one down jacket for an elementary school student? I can't relate.

Why can't the kid decide what jacket they want to wear? My Kindergartner does.

At what temperature do your kids stop wearing it and switch to a warmer jacket? DS only likes to wear long sleeve t shirts to school as he gets warm in the classroom so he doesn't like multiple layers. Today I felt like the down sweater wouldn't be enough and put him in a heavier down coat though that felt like it was too much. What do others do? I'm assuming it is not good enough for the entire winter unless kids wear a fleece under it too but haven't tried it.