Oh my, Winter is most certainly here in Johannesburg and so I have been bundling Aria up to keep her all cozy and warm, except the crazy child keeps pulling her socks and shoes off. Anyway, I wanted to put together a list of my baby and toddler winter essentials that are practical and affordable. Because let’s be honest, kids are expensive little beings and if you can pinch a penny here and there, you do just that!

I tried to keep most of the colours gender neutral, but where you see a pink or blue item, they are also usually available in alternate colours.

Poloneck, (R49,95), Ackermans: I have one of these for Aria and I am definitely going to buy some more. They’re warm, but aren’t too thick that Aria gets too hot by the time the sun shows up and when it gets colder in the afternoon, or if we go out that evening, it’s easy peasy to just pop a jacket on top of it.

Socks, (R49,99 for a 2 pack), Woolworths: These are hands down the best socks ever. They are nice and thick so they actually keep the feet warm and they don’t wear thin. I also really love the little rubber bits on the bottom that make them slip proof, especially now that Aria is walking. Take my advice, don’t even bother with other socks this Winter.

Sherpa Jumpsuit, (R150), Woolworths: Ah man, is there anything more adorable than a fluffy bear suit? These are an absolute essential as far as I’m concerned. When Aria was still tiny, she used to wear them during the day, but now that she’s up and about, we use it as pajamas. You want to make sure that the jumpsuit that you buy is lined on the inside, this will keep your baba extra warm.

Grey zip up jersey, (R79,99), Jet: Just like the poloneck, this is a really versatile item to have in your child’s closet, so if you can, stock up on two or three of them!

Track pants, (R29,99), PEP: PEP is such a win when it comes to kids clothing: they are ridiculously affordable and the quality is good enough to last the full season. Track pants like these are such a must-have, they are fab to pop on your kid if you’re just going to be chilling at home that day. I literally have a pair for each day of the week, and when they get all scruffy, I don’t even bat an eyelid because they were SO affordable.

Gloves, (R69,95), Woolworths: If you can get your kiddie to keep these on, they are amazing to have!

Knitted hat, (R59,99), H&M: We all know that you lose the most heat through your head so a beanie of some sort for your kiddo is an absolute essential. One or two is usually enough. I love that you can fasten this beanie around their chin so that it’s a little bit more difficult for them to pull off.

Slippers, (R90-R100 each or R150 for 2 valid until 7 July), Ackermans: I’m not going to lie, Aria wears these whenever we’re at home. And who wouldn’t: they’re warm, they’re fleece-y and they must be super comfortable.

Sherpa blanket, (R79,99), Mr Price Home: We have a ton of sherpa blankets for Aria but my all time favourite ones are from Mr Price Home. They are really soft and fluffy and the perfect size. They aren’t very heavy so I usually chuck a knitted blanket over the top on the really cold nights.

Long sleeve top, (R19,99), PEP: Another essential from PEP, another item you need to buy multiples of.

Bennnets saline drops and aspirator, (R60,95), DisChem: Winter and snotty noses go together like peanut butter and jam. I tried out quite a few aspirators and this one from Bennets was by far the best. It got the job done quickly which was great since no one really wants to pull boogers out of their kids nose, do they now?

Epi-Max Junior & Baby Cream, (R64,95), Clicks: The Winters here in Joburg are incredibly dry and really wreck havoc on the skin. Epi-Max is a great brand to use on babies and toddlers as it is incredibly mild but still does an amazing job at hydrating the skin and repairing its barrier layer. There is also a bath oil that you can use.

I’m sure I’ve left some items off – what are your winter must have items?

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