Best Baby Mittens to Keep Tiny Hands Warm
Once the winter season gets going, you won’t want to leave the house without cold-weather accessories—especially if you’re accompanied by temperature-sensitive babies. Cozy hats and snowsuits are essential, but a great pair of baby mittens should also be high up on your winter checklist. Babies struggle to regulate their body temperature, and they lose a lot of warmth when their hands and feet are exposed to air. Unlike regular gloves, they allow four fingers to co-mingle and share body heat in the main compartment, making them a more appropriate choice to keep your snow bunnies warm and happy. (Plus, you don’t have to attempt to get each of your baby’s five fingers into their proper finger holes, which can be a serious struggle.)
When it comes to shopping for any baby garments, functionality and performance are the most important features to vet before adding to your cart—after all, there are bound to be tears when baby’s fingers are red, wet and tingling after a rigorous romp in the snow. Keep reading for some buying tips for your search, plus a roundup of some of the best baby mittens to shop now.
In this article:
What to look for in baby mittens
Best baby mittens for winter
Here’s what to look for when looking for the best baby mittens:
- Easy on, easy off. To get baby gloves on and off easily, you’ll want to look for pairs that have extra-wide openings for their hands, aren’t too tight and don’t have too many zippers or bungee cords to undo. The best baby winter mittens have fastening systems like Velcro closures and adjustable straps to ensure they fit snugly on your child without feeling too tight.
- Water-repellent materials. If your winter warrior will be braving blustery or snowy conditions outside, they’ll need baby mittens that won’t get saturated after an hour or so of light play. That means you’ll need options that are waterproof or feature water-repellent fabrics and materials in some regard. Pay special attention to brand-engineered technology references—like Thermolite or Thinsulate—which can add even more thermal protection and insulation to your kiddos’ precious palms.
- Connected pairs. Babies are known for losing just about everything, including mittens, which makes an easy case for pairs that have a string that keeps them together or can be separated and then reattached via clips or snaps. Wrist elastics that let your child take their mittens off without losing them are also helpful.
From fleece-lined picks with no thumbs to magnetic mittens to prevent misplaced items, these are our recommendations for the best wintertime buys—they’ll surely be smitten with these mittens!
String Fleece Baby Mittens
Zutano’s fleece baby mittens have no thumb opening, making them easy to slide on little hands. Plus, there’s a string to keep them together—because nothing’s worse than realizing halfway through your winter walk that baby’s missing a glove. The small size makes them ideal for newborns and young infants. Plus, these parent-favorite pairs come in 15 different color options, so you’re bound to find something to match your little one’s outerwear.
- Lined with organic cotton interlock for added warmth and comfort
- Machine washable and dryer-safe
- Wear is limited, with many parents saying the fit won’t extend past six months
Ultra-Warm, Waterproof Baby Mittens
Billed as the “warmest mittens on the market,” you’ll definitely want to check these out if you live somewhere that’s extra frosty in the winter—they can handle temperatures as low as -º20C. The waterproof and wind-resistant nylon design of these baby mittens features adjustable toggles to ensure a snug fit on baby. They also have an inner fleece lining that provides a soft and comfortable feel on your love bug’s hands. If you need one perfect last layer to your little one’s look, these mitts are a must.
- Extra-wide over-arm coverage fits over coat cuffs
- Machine-washable
- Made with non-toxic, vegan materials
- Pricey
- Conflicting opinions on sizing, according to customer reviews
Pita Pocket Baby Mittens
Taking an infant out in freezing temperatures calls for something more substantial than your average baby mittens. Patagonia’s Baby Pita Pocket mittens have a double-layer of fleece for warmth and a smooth lining that helps them slide on and off with ease. Plus, the long cuffs fit nicely underneath a jacket to keep them firmly in place.
- Outside lining of fleece is soft in case baby scratches their face
- Extra large thumb space makes it easy to wrangle their thumb into the right spot
- Fleece isn’t waterproof, better suited for casual everyday wear
Adjustable, Insulated Baby Mittens
It’s a blessing when baby winter mittens are easy to slip on—and a real pain when they easily slip off. But that won’t be a problem with this pair from 7AM Enfant. They feature elastic around the wrists for easy-on wear, a hook-and-loop wrist strap for a secure fit and side snaps to attach the mitts together when baby’s not wearing them. The best part? A water-repellent outer shell and an insulated lining keeps those fingers warm and dry in temps as low as -4 Fahrenheit.
- Inner palm grip gives toddlers better dexterity and flexibility
- Bulkier in design; may be better suited for older babies
- Runs slightly large
String Wool Baby Mittens
Keep baby’s hands and wrists warm with these gorgeous alpaca wool mittens from Cabbages & Kings. The thumb-free design works well for small infants, and they’re connected by a string to prevent misplacing one. Best of all, the bright colors are sure to cheer baby up on dark, cold days—a welcome addition to any winter wardrobe.
- Naturally water-repellent thanks to alpaca wool
- Pricey
- Only available in one size
Magnetic Baby Mittens
Protect little paws from the elements with these magnetic baby mittens from Magnetic Me. They feature magnetic fasteners that keep the mitts together when they’re not in use, which means you’ll always have a complete pair. A combed-cotton lining and a fleece outer layer retains warmth, while the elasticated cuffs help them stay in place. And since they’re available in sizes 0 to 24 months, these make for great toddler mittens too.
- No thumb holes makes them easy to fit fingers, with enough room for them to wiggle around
- Magnetic fasteners are safely sewn into their garments and inaccessible to infants or their siblings
- Fleece can get matted easily
Lined Fleece Baby Mittens
There’s a reason these baby mittens have more than 5,000 nearly-five star reviews. They feature a quality fleece that’s nice and thick, and are lined with sherpa fleece for extra warmth. The infant style (available in sizes 3-6 months and 6-18 months) has an easy-on, no-thumb design, and a Velcro tab to keep the mittens snuggly on your little one’s hands. Plus, they come in a range of colors to match every winter wardrobe.
- Thick, warm, double-layer fleece
- No-thumb design and elastic cuffs makes for easy on
- Available in pairs of 4
- Not waterproof
- No connecting string to keep pairs together
Warm, Water-Resistant Baby Mittens
If your family is big on hiking and outdoor recreation even when it’s icy outside, then these mittens from Columbia might just be the right pair for your little one. The baby mittens are easy-on, easy-off with a zipper and an elastic cuff, while buckles keep the garments together when they’re not in rotation. Columbia’s proprietary Omni-Shield technology makes the gloves extra warm and water resistant.
- Fleece lining and extra-warm insulation
- Hook-and-loop wrist adjustment and a pairing clip helps to keep their mittens from getting lost
- One size only and runs small, according to some parents
Organic Wool Baby Mittens
Baby mittens are often one-size-fits all—which can get tricky when you’re shopping for a newborn or younger infant with itty-bitty hands. The solution: These organic merino wool baby mittens from LANACare. They’re available in sizes 0-4 months and 4-12 months, so you can ensure a proper fit. Not only that, but these incredibly warm, deliciously soft mittens slide right on thanks to a no-thumb design and then stay on thanks to the draw-string adjustment. Plus, they come in four beautiful colors.
- Super-warm and easy to adjust
- KbT-certified wool meets Europe’s highest standards for organic textiles
- Wool stays warm even when damp
- No connecting string
- Pricey
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