Part of the excitement at the end of summer for parents of young children is shopping for new fall clothes. Getting all the stuff kids need to transition from summer to fall always feels like a fresh start: new shoes, new clothes for a new year! An important thing to remember when shopping for children this fall is that style needs to follow substance. Consider what your kids will be doing in those clothes. Preschool kids spend a lot of time during the day romping around on daycare equipment, playgrounds and playing with messy materials like paint and sand. So, it's paramount to dress kids comfortably and seasonally. What kids do in their clothes is an important factor when choosing their new wardrobe this season.



Dress Kids for Comfort

Ask any teacher or care provider and they will tell you to dress your kids for play and not for fashion when attending daycare or preschool! Kids need to wear functional, practical and comfortable attire. Because let's face it, kids will be kids. That means that large portions of their days are spent on swing sets and jungle gyms ? not in front of a camera having their portraits taken. Save the ruffles, bows and expensive clothing for annual portraits. For the rest of the time, dress kids in play clothes that encourage mobility for easy running and using the playground equipment at recess. Your children will be more comfortable and have more fun. You will be happy you didn't dress them in an expensive outfit only to have it soiled on a swing swet. Dressing kids for comfort gives kids the freedom to be a kid!

Dress Kids for Safety

Dressing youngsters in impractical shoes, hoodies or jackets with draw strings and ornate barrettes is inappropriate and unsafe for playgrounds and daycare equipment. Here are some tips for safe playground attire:

- Flip-flops and sandals are not practical for playground equipment. Pack tennis shoes to avoid blisters or boo-boos on their feet and toes.

- Clothing strings, loose clothing, and stringed items placed around the neck can strangle a child. The excess fabric can easily catch or snag on playground equipment and can create running hazards as well. Never dress a child in loose or stringed clothing if they will be on swing sets and other playground equipment.

- Fancy barrettes and clips can hurt a child's tender head when she lies down at naptime and even runs the risk of getting caught on playground equipment.

Classmates and teachers will recognize your child for their inner beauty and charm. Always remember ? safety first, not fashion when it comes to kids.

Dress Kids for Weather

You wouldn't want to wear sweats in the summer or shorts when the autumn chill sets in, so why would your kids? Dressing your children incorrectly for the season can cause limitations to what can be done that day. Back to school means that Fall is starting and the weather is bound to fluctuate. A smart choice for keeping kids warm and comfortable on the playground this season is to dress them in layers. With the temperature rising and falling throughout the day, kids wearing layers will be able to easily regulate their temperature. Another point is that active children on swing sets and playground equipment get warm quickly. If children are dressed in layers, then they can add or remove clothing as necessary. Parents need to stay in tune with the seasons and temperature forecasts. Some smart families keep an extra set of clothes in their car for quick-changes in case of surprise weather changes.

Buying new clothes and shoes for fall is and always will be something fun to look forward to. Just keep in mind that even though the summer has ended, your kids will still be using playground equipment well into the school year. Remember to dress your kids for comfort, safety and weather this year. Children will have a lot more fun and teachers will have a lot less hassle.