Toddler Hats

The first rule of toddler hats is to avoid just having one. Not only will your child become very attached to it, but losing that essential piece of headgear when you are trying to hammer home the importance of regularly covering up.

Sunhat plus suntan cream is the best combination.

Don't let the hat make you complacent - keep checking that your little cherub is not burning up. Often these are roll-upable, but it's best to just leave the flap hanging down.

It's worth buying all these sunhats or woollen bonnets on the same shopping trip. Then keep them in one place in your home. In the hurly burly of parenting a toddler, hats are one of those items that get lost in the Laundromat of Oblivion!

Using limited choice can really help with gaining your toddler's cooperation. Instead of saying 'Right, come here and I'll put your hat on" followed by a tantrum, why not ask "Which hat would you prefer to wear today?"

You don't want to get any headgear that blends in with the environment too much. Pink and green polka dots may never make the style awards 2010, but should your child play hide and seek without you noticing, you'll find garish patterns extremely useful.

If you are anxious that your child will injure themselves, you may want to think of buying a toddler crash helmet. Think 'swimming cap' not 'baseball cap'.

It's equally necessary to get your little one's head covered up in the autumn and beyond. He won't necessarily be able to tell you - or even understand - that he really needs a hat at that time of year.

A small child with a cold head is a miserable sight - and what is worse is that they are incapable of seeing the logical connection with the hat and their own personal comfort.

The best hat - whatever the weather - is worthless if you don't get your child to put it on. This will require a good deal of persistence at times - but don't give up. The way you respond to challenging situations in the early years will set the precedent for parenting throughout your child's time growing up. This way there is no escape for your child!