Good summer clothing for kids

Every summer when the kids get out of school and set off on three months of fun in the sun, outdoor adventures, and warm weather sports, they desperately need new clothing. The first day they go to try on their shorts and T-shirts, the little ones are sure to march out of their rooms in their underwear and say “mom, I don’t have anything to wear.” The shorts, shirts, shoes, and swimsuits from the year before have invariably become too small for their growing bodies.

It’s best to prepare for this situation ahead of time by stocking up on some children’s clothing and clothing accessories for the summer. Some children’s items can cost as much as men’s clothing or women’s clothing, but you don’t have to break the bank. By just buying the basic essential girls clothing and boys clothing items, you should be able to clothe your kids and stay under budget. This is especially important if you’re trying to outfit multiple kids.

Footwear

Buy each child one good set of gym or running shoes. These can be worn everywhere, even to church if the dress code isn’t too stringent. Don’t scrimp, though. Kids tend to wear their shoes out quickly in the summertime with all of the running, jumping, and playing they do when the weather is nice outdoors.

Another good and inexpensive footwear choice for kids is thongs, also known as “flip-flops.” They can slide these on and off when going to the lake or the pool, or even just to go for a walk or make a trip to the grocery store. Crocs are another style of slip on shoes that kids can wear. Smaller ones enjoy being able to put their own shoes on without the hassle of shoelaces, too.

Shorts and pants

If you do laundry at the rate we do at my house (we have three children) then you can probably get away with buying your child three good pairs of shorts or pants. Cargo shorts are nice because they can collect things in the pockets, or hold onto all of the fun little objects and toys they want to take with them to occupy themselves when you drag them along on trips to the store or in line at the bank. Cargo shorts are also sturdy and many times come with adjustable waistbands, which are important if your child is hard to fit or in the midst of a growth spurt. There’s nothing worse than buying a pair of expensive pants and having your child grow out of them in a couple of months.

Tops and shirts

T-shirts are always inexpensive, easy to buy, come in a wonderful array of colors and styles, and serve as a staple piece of boys clothing or girls clothing. You can buy then almost anywhere, too. Make sure you include your child in on the decision of which shirts to buy, though. The older they get, the pickier they seem to be about which cartoon character, logo, or slogan they have on their shirt. More than once I’ve bought what I thought was a perfectly good superhero shirt only to find out my son had outgrown that particular character or TV program and the shirt sat in the drawer with the price tag on it until we finally gave it to Goodwill.

One other indispensable boys clothing or girls clothing for the summer is a UV protection shirt. These are fantastic for the kids when they go to the beach, spend time at the pool, or play outdoors. Instead of having to lather them up with sunscreen every time they walk out the door, you can slap one of these shirts on them and you only have to protect their arms and neck with lotion. If you have an infant, this is a key piece of baby clothing to have in the summertime.