9 Rainy Day Gear Faves

Good For: Kids aged 1 to 4 years It's the hazmat suit equivalent for kids! Especially useful once they are walking, zip them up in this one-piece, waterproof, breathable and lightweight suit and watch little puddle jumpers enjoy the elements without any of the anxiety. With elasticized arms, legs, reinforced knees and attached hood, the only thing to be dried is their tears…when you tell them it's time to come inside.

Good For: Junior-sized homosapiens When raindrops keep falling on their heads, keep kids' craniums dry with Lavish and Lime's stylish rain hats for boys and girls. With a wide brim to keep the rain rolling off them, and chin strap to prevent slippage, the rain may fall but they'll still have a ball (hmm…that's catchy, too…)

Good For: Kids aged 1 to 7 years They are a Canadian success story, but that's hardly the only reason we love the ubiquitous Hatley line of rain gear (as well as sunwear, sleepwear, and more). Hatley's raincoats offer terry-cloth lining for added warmth, are machine washable and made with a PVC-free outer shell. With dozens of fun and fierce designs, including matching rain boots, we ‘heart' homegrown Hatley.

Good For: Kids aged 2 and up We love truth in advertising (Betty White can really take a tackle!) so we fell for Vancouver-based Cheeky Umbrella's line of kid umbrellas with light-hearted imprinted messages including ‘If you can read this I'm not muddy enough' and more. Well-designed umbrellas with particular attention paid to their kid clientele, the Cheeky umbrella also provides a bit of foreshadowing on a rainy day. Guaranteed, our kids will get muddier than we thought possible.

Good For: Kids aged 1 to 5 years We'd resigned ourselves to draping the kids in foreign plastic (aka PVC raincoats) come rainy days. Then the skies brightened with the introduction of iPlay's PVC-free, waterproof, lined raincoat with a cute whale pattern for both boys and girls. Perfectly safe (materials) and sound (product). Matching umbrellas are available, too.

Good For: Kids aged 5 and up The fact that our offspring often sport a better brand of outerwear than ourselves isn't lost on us, but for older kids who are comfortable spending longer periods out in rainy weather, North Face's Resolve jacket is a formidable foul-weather friend. Seam sealed and waterproof, the jacket has elasticized cuffs and chin lining. A worthy investment to keep our most important assets warm and dry.

Good For: Kids in shoe size 10 to 13 or size 1 to 6 Don't let wet feet rain on their parade. For every timid sidewalk-splasher, there's a wave maker ready to wreck havoc on their rain gear. For the city, the cottage or the campsite, we like these Junior Boot Gaitors from MEC which wrap around and toggle tightly over their rain boots, preventing any moisture from entering. Sometimes a stay-dry solution really is over the top.

Good For: 2T to size 20 We're firm believers in the ‘mom code': if something works well, pass it along. Our kids have worn these rain pants for years without any compromise in durability or waterproofing, despite all the outdoor abuse they've received. Roomy and comfortable, as well as affordable, they've aced all our tests (wish the same could be said for certain school-agers…)

Good For: Kids aged 3 and up For years we've been foisting sight-impairing objects into our children's hands on dark, gloomy days. Not so bright. We've finally seen the light with clear Fulton Funbrellas. Fulton's line for young boys and girls include all-clear or brightly patterned graphics and the dome style completely covers their head and shoulders. Approved by Her Majesty the Queen, these umbrellas are probably good enough for your own in-house royalty.