🎒 Starting kindergarten: the clothes and gear your child needs
📢 This article contains advertising through affiliate links to Guttelus and Småungene. The advice is our own.
Children in Norwegian kindergartens (barnehage) are outside every day, in all kinds of weather. So the gear list is mostly about clothes that cope with rain, mud and cold – and about keeping enough spare clothes on the shelf.
Most kindergartens send out their own list before the start. Follow that first. Here is what those lists usually include, and what we think is worth considering when you choose.
Updated 10 November 2026
🌧️ 1. Rainwear
Rainwear is the most used item of all, especially in autumn. You can choose between a one-piece rain suit and a rain set with jacket and trousers.
A one-piece suit keeps the wet out best and is easiest for the youngest, who sit and crawl in the puddles. A rain set is more flexible as your child grows and practises getting dressed. Check that the trousers have a strap under the foot so they stay down over the boots.
🥾 2. Wellies and rain mittens
Wellies should have room for a wool sock, but not be so big that your child trips. When it gets colder, lined boots or a wool insole are good to have.
Rain mittens are easy to forget but get a lot of use. Lined ones keep hands warm when it is wet and cold at the same time.
🧥 3. Fleece or wool as a middle layer
Under the rainwear your child needs something warm. A fleece or thick wool set is the most common choice. It goes under rainwear in autumn and under the snowsuit in winter, so it is in use almost all year.
🐑 4. Wool next to the skin
Wool stays warm even when a little damp, and children playing outside often get both sweaty and wet. A thin wool base layer is a good idea from autumn and through the winter. It helps to have one set on your child and one kept at kindergarten.
🍂 5. Outdoor suit for autumn and winter
On dry autumn and spring days, a thin softshell suit is comfortable to play in. It breathes better than rainwear and copes with a bit of damp.
When the cold arrives, a snowsuit is needed. If your child starts in August, you can wait until October to buy it – by then you will also know more about the size. We have a separate guide to winter clothes for babies and toddlers.
🧢 6. Hat, mittens and neck warmer
A thin hat for autumn and a warm one for winter, and at least two pairs of mittens. Mittens get wet and go missing, so spares pay off. Many kindergartens ask for a neck warmer or balaclava instead of a scarf, because scarves can get caught during play.
🩴 7. Indoor shoes or slippers
Many kindergartens want children to have indoor shoes or slippers with a non-slip sole. Choose something your child can put on alone and that stays on the foot. Ask what the kindergarten prefers – in some places the children wear socks.
🎒 8. Bag, water bottle and lunch box
A small backpack with a chest strap is good for outing days. A water bottle is almost always needed. A lunch box depends on the kindergarten: some serve all meals, others want children to bring breakfast or a packed lunch. Check before you buy.
🧦 9. Spare clothes and name labels
Leave at least two full changes at kindergarten: underwear or bodysuit, socks, tights or trousers and a jumper. The youngest often need more. Top up as things get used.
Label everything with a name – mittens, boots and water bottle too. There are many identical rain suits in a cloakroom, and labelled clothes find their way home.
Questions and answers
A one-piece rain suit or a rain set for kindergarten?
A one-piece suit is easiest for the youngest, because it stays fully watertight when your child sits and crawls on the ground. A rain set suits slightly older children who are learning to dress themselves, and the jacket can be worn on its own. Both work – ask the kindergarten what they recommend for the age group.
When should we buy the gear?
Rainwear, boots, a middle layer and spare clothes should be ready for the first day. A snowsuit and winter boots can wait until the cold is closer, so the size is more accurate.
How many spare clothes does a child need?
At least two full changes is a good starting point. The youngest, and children who are potty training, often need three or four. The kindergarten will tell you when to top up.
Does everything have to be new?
No. Kindergarten clothes get dirty and worn, and a lot can be handed down or bought second-hand. What matters most is that the rainwear is watertight and that the clothes are labelled.
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