Pixar, Puddles + Our Favorite Rain Gear
Watch The Blue Umbrella: 6 min | Puddle Jumping: Endless
April showers bring May flowers, annnd gigantic mud puddles. We couldn’t be more excited. Not only because we get to splash in our new rain boots, but because it’s the perfect time to watch Pixar’s The Blue Umbrella as the newest addition to our #pixarandcraft series. This rain-soaked film is only 6 minutes long, but you will hit replay. It’s a love story between two umbrellas—quintessentially, brilliantly Pixar. Watch it on a rainy day with your kids, then get outside and stomp some puddles! ...As a BONUS: We’ve included our list of favorite boots + gear for the serious puddle-jumpers. Jump to our Favorite Rain Gear here.
Let’s get Jumping!
Warning. The images you are about to see are extremely muddy. Several loads of laundry were run in the making of these photos. But the faces you are about to see are so happy. And to us, it’s completely worth it.
Now for the gear!
Review: Hatley + Joules
We ordered rain boots from Hatley (US) and Joules (UK), and loved them both! Ultimately, our boys decided Hatley won due to sizing. The boots were looser in the ankle, and much easier to pull on. No fireman pulls needed. Even our 1YO could pull his own pair on. We have put these boots through mud and muck, and they have proven awesome. We also love their patterns, especially played out in their rainwear sets.
Joules boots are gorgeous. To us, they harken to Hunter’s classic wellies, and rival their price: $45 vs. $55-80. One design distinction to note: Joules offers a collection of patterns, while Hunter offers a spectrum of solid colors + coatings.
A note about sizing: The cut of Joules wellies taper at the ankle, so a Joules 9 was too narrow for our 3YO, yet a Joules 10 was too big. A Hatley 9 was a perfect fit. So we think it really comes down to a good try-on session for each kid, especially if you plan to spend a little money. When ordering, measure your child’s foot closely to the company’s size guide. Even order two sizes to try on, plus boot socks if you want to extend their use into cold weather.
Our Favorite Rain Gear
For the serious puddle jumper looking to invest in gear, here are our favorites! Read our review of Hunter x Target packable raincoat.
Left to Right:
Rain coat. We would have loved to include Hunter x Target boots in our boot list, but we could barely find a single pair, just two days after the launch. We re-focused on their rainwear, and purchased this Hunter x Target Packable Raincoat. We give it an A+ for not being bulky as raincoats can be. I loved the solid zipper and wrist snaps to protect from water. Is it mud-puddle worthy? Yes! After fruit-picking in a muddy rain, this coat held up to it’s Hunter name.
Poncho + Umbrellas. Moving onto (original) Hunter, we are crushing on their vibrant packable ponchos. Also their kid’s moustache umbrella, might be the cutest blue umbrella around. (Not to mention the striped bubble umbrella for Mom. I mean, Mother’s Day is coming...)
Splash pants will be our next purchase. With the amount of puddles we jump in, we are definitely in the splash pants zone. We love Hatley’s splash pants, and they come in several solid colors. H&M has a great line of affordable rain gear, including rain pants with suspenders. We are also keen on these rain pants by Faire Child both for their product and for their mission. Founded by a mother devoted to outdoor play for her kids, Faire Child specializes in sustainable outerwear for Littles. From plastic bottle to raincoat to plastic bottle again. The entire line is a lovely, monochromatic navy blue. Check them out!
How much gear do you need?
First, we should confess our love for mud. We love it so much that this article is being added to our #mudlove series. My oldest and I have puddle-jumped in Nikes for two summers before purchasing boots. I’m grateful for that experience because we realized we don’t need all of the gear. (Thumbs up, for less storage.) What we do need is an outdoor hose, good washer and a tiled entryway. Those are very helpful. But truthfully, to us it’s so worth it to feel the relaxing rainwater and wet grass sticking to our knees. If we suited up to repel all water, we would miss God’s incredible gift of summer rain. I want my boys to feel every drop and splash. So while you don’t need to cannon-ball into puddles as we do, (there will be laundry), enjoy splashing some rainwater with your kids this spring. You may just get hooked.
Happy splashing!
Check out these related posts:
The Awesomeness of Getting Dirty with Dirt Boxes
“La Luna” + Glow-in-the-Dark Moon Puzzle
“Paperman” + Planes-at-the-Park Contest
