Once upon a time as the house got colder I would just put on thick socks and a jumper, but times have changed. My children aren’t so keen on wearing jumpers (or clothes half the time), but they still like to complain when they are cold.  Worse still is when they are cold and don’t even realise it: anyone else had a tough time trying to persuade a grizzling, shivering toddler that they need to wear a coat? With three children including a baby I know I will be using my heating a lot this winter, but with money being tight I also need to be as fuel efficient as possible.  How will I keep my family warm for less?

Getting out of the bath is more appealing for children when their PJs are warm

8 Tips to Keep Children Feeling Cozy and Save Money This Winter

Smart Heating

Our smart heating really helps me to be in control (we have Hive, but there are other options). If you have a basic thermostat and heating control you might want to look at upgrading to something better. I can schedule my heating to come on multiple times each day and at different temperatures each time. I can even turn it off remotely if we are staying out longer than planned or use sensors so the heating goes off when a window is opened. I normally set the heating to heat to 21 degrees and then boost it when we really need it. Not heating the house needlessly can save a lot of money.

Warm Clothes

The times my children feel the cold most are when they have just got out of their warm beds or after bathtime. Heated towel rails come in really handy to get us through these challenging times. While my children are in the bath I put their pyjamas on the towel rail so after quickly drying them they have toasty warm night clothes to warm them up again. Putting their school uniform on to warm in the mornings helps them get dressed faster for school too.

Keep The Heat In

As someone who grew up in a house without double glazing I know how great modern windows are at keeping houses warm, but the addition of thick curtains or wooden shutters really makes a difference to keeping the warmth in and the cold out. On the coldest days I keep the curtains shut in the bedrooms all day long. We often aren’t in the upstairs rooms in daylight on week days in winter anyway.

Snuggle Up

Blankets in our house are obligatory. My children seem to prefer blankets to actual clothes and I will often find them wearing just pants and wrapped in a blanket (even in summer). They are a lovely to cuddle up in on the sofa if we are watching a film or even just a bit of Cbeebies. Onsies can hold a lot more appeal to children than jumpers too.

A Warm Cuppa

As adults we love a hot cup of coffee on a cold day; the drink warms our hands and our insides. I’m not about to give my already exhausting children caffeine and they aren’t a fan of hot chocolate, but they do love a warm drink when they are feeling cold or under the weather. We normally go for microwaved milk or orange squash with a mix of water from the kettle and cold tap. 

The ingredients for a cozy afternoon with children

Go Outside

If everyone is feeling a bit cold then I find a quick walk outside or run around the garden helps. It can be hard to motivate them, but a trip to the post box is a handy excuse. No matter how cold the house felt before they went out, when we go back inside the contrast to the chill outside makes the house feel super cozy.

Get Moving

If the weather is too wet to be appealing then getting moving inside helps to make everyone feel warmer too. My family love to dance so putting on some music normally encourages jumping around. We also have some fun games like Ultra Dash that gets everyone up and moving.

Heating Comparison Sites

It’s sensible to check how much you are paying for your heating at least once a year and see if there are any better offers. There are lots of websites which will help you look for better deals, check out this list from Ofgem of the sites they have accredited for energy comparisons.

If you have any other ideas for keeping your family warm I would love to hear them.

***Disclosure: This is a collaborative post***