As the weather turns colder and wetter, with snow starting to fall, the one essential item of children's footwear is the kid's wellington. With the British climate being as damp as it is the kid's wellie is a low cost, year round solution to keeping little feet dry. Don't get me wrong, a warm lined waterproof boot, using something like a Gore-Tex lining, will give excellent protection, comfort and support, but for quick, easy practicality a wellie is hard to beat.

There are, of course, several options on the wellie front. At winter time a lined wellie, with an internal wool or fleece lining, also provides a layer of warmth against the cold conditions. Term Roll top wellies are a rubber wellie with a removable fleece lining. This means that during the colder winter months your children's feet are nice and warm. Then as spring brings milder weather, and your children's feet have grown, you can remove the liner and continue to wear the wellies well into the new season. The lining that comes inside the Term wellies is a lightly brushed fleece that has a foam backing. There is also a stylish rib fleece cuff on the outside. While the design of the Term wellies lining means that it is not intended for repeatedly removing the inner, an additional benefit of the removable lining is that if you child does a jump into a puddle that's bigger than they should be jumping in, as my son did, and water goes into the top of the wellies, you can still remove the lining and have a dry wellie to get you home. The warm lining will dry out quite naturally.

Further benefits of the Term wellies are the reflective disk at the heel. With it getting dark as early as 4pm in the winter months it's not unusual for you to be out with your children at night. The reflective disk will reflect lights from car head lights, and other sources, to ensure that your son or daughter remains clearly visible.

Term wellies are sized from an EU20 to EU34 (infant UK4 to a junior UK2).

Term wellies come in a great variety of bold colours:- Green, Navy blue, Purple, Pink and Fluorescent Blue.

Another option for children's wellies comes from Chipmunks. Chipmunks kids wellies come with handles so that your children will find it easier to put their wellies on themselves. The wellies range from Chipmunks are produced with a rubber outer and a fleece inner that also provides a layer of protection against the cold weather. These kid's wellies have a chunky grip on the sole to provide excellent grip.

Chipmunks kid's wellies come in a variety of colourful designs including pirates, raincats and racing cars. Chipmunks wellies come in a size run ranging from infant UK4 to Junior UK12.

For those who have just started to walk or struggle in a traditional tall, heavier wellie. The Cotswold Rainbow wellie is a great first wellie option. Produced in lightweight PVC, as opposed to rubber, the children's wellie is narrower and slightly smaller in fit, and we have found that younger children in particular find it easier to walk in. Parents are often keen to get their children in to wellies so that they can enjoy the wetter weather and not be restricted by it. However, if your child can't walk in wellies, due to the height coming up the leg or the weight being too heavy, then there's no point in them having a pair. However, we have found the Cotswold Rainbow wellie to solve this issue in some instances.

Due to the lighter construction of this wellie the tread, on the sole, is not as deep as either the Term wellies or the Chipmunks wellies, but is still sufficient for the requirements of most children and their parents.

The Cotswold Rainbow PVC wellie is available from an EU20 to EU29 (infant UK4 to a junior UK11).