The general term “baby mittens” typically can mean one of two things. They may be lightweight hand coverings designed to wear inside – these baby mittens keep the infant from accidentally scratching themselves with sharp baby nails. They can also keep the hands warm when naturally slow circulation causes slight cooling. Baby mittens may also be warm wool or fleece products for wear outside during the winter months. We will show you some of the best baby mittens in each category so that your sweet child’s hands will be safe and protected all year round.
Why Use Baby Mittens?
Obviously, when you are outside with your baby in cold weather, it is important to cover baby’s hands with cold weather mittens. But that is just one use for baby mittens. When your child is a newborn, he or she won’t immediately have excellent control of their hands and arms. A lot of flailing is necessary to build those muscles and learn how to control appendages. One of the side effects of that flailing is inadvertent scratches.
Placing lightweight mittens over a baby’s hands can keep their skin protected from painful scratches, and this is especially helpful when it comes to the accidental eye pokes. Babies have surprisingly sharp fingernails that can be challenging to cut, partly because those fingers are so tiny, and partly because those little hands are never still!
When to Use Baby Mittens?
However, babies do need to be able to work their fingers in order to gain dexterity, so you don’t want to leave them in mittens all the time. It is important to find a technique that works to keep baby’s nails trim. Many experts recommend that parents bite their children’s nails when they are small, rather than use clippers!
Still, baby mittens can be a real blessing for those times when the fingernails are long enough to scratch but not long enough to trim, or when your baby is touching things that might not be as sanitary as you’d like – such as on the public changing table in a restaurant. Baby mittens can also be very helpful for infants with itchy skin; baby can still relieve itching by rubbing hands along his or her body without the risk of drawing blood with a scratch. Babies who need oxygen tubes, catheters, or ports of any kind will also benefit by preventing their hands from being able to pull on this equipment.
Now that you know when and how to use baby mittens, let’s look at some choices. These are among the cutest baby accessories available in a niche filled with adorable items!
Best Baby Mittens on the Market Reviews
Let’s get into the details about each of these products.
1 RATIVE Newborn Baby Cotton Gloves No Scratch Mittens for 0-6 Months Boys Girls
For newborns in particular, these baby mitten from RATIVE are a great choice. Made of 100% cotton, they feature gentle elastic at the wrist to keep on them on tiny hands. Even parents of preemies have found that these mittens are great for keeping babies from scratching themselves.
Designed for babies from 0-6 months old, these mittens have enough space inside for a baby to move their fingers when wearing them. This product comes in a pack of 9 pairs, so you’ll have enough to throw in your diaper bag as well as keep a few clean pairs at home, even on laundry day.
You can choose from a pack that contains all white, all pink, or all blue pairs, or else choose a combo pack with some white and some pink or blue. To keep your baby mittens in the best shape possible, we recommend washing them in a hosiery bag on your machine’s gentle cycle.
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2 N'Ice Caps Little Kids and Baby Easy-On Sherpa Lined Fleece Mittens - 2 Pair Pack
For cold weather, you need a mitten that’s both warm and easy to put on. These mittens from N’Ice Caps fit the bill. They feature an elastic wrist band that easily stretches to admit baby’s hand, as well as a hook and loop closure to achieve a customized fit. That makes these great mittens to grow with your child.
They come in four different sizes, so you can rely on this brand until your child is six years old. Infant sizes cover 3-6 months and 6-18 months; these mittens do not have separate thumbs. Larger sizes cover 2-3 years and 4-6 years; these mittens do have thumbs because it allows for greater dexterity among children old enough to walk and pick things up themselves.
N’Ice Caps uses fleece materials that are selected for softness and comfort. The mittens are all double layered with this fleece for added warmth. You’ll get two pairs of mittens in each pack, making it much easier to locate at least one dry pair when you need it.
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3 Goumimitts, Scratch Free Baby Mittens, Organic Soft Stay On Unisex Mittens, Stops Scratches and Prevents Germs
One of the downsides of using baby mittens is that it can limit baby’s ability to work with their hands and develop dexterity. These baby mittens from Goumimitts compensate for that limitation with high contrast patterns that actually stimulate your baby’s brain. Looking at these mittens actually help baby to see, process, and enjoy color.
More than that, Goumimitts are made with a blend of 70% bamboo-derived viscose and 30% organic cotton. This material is sturdy but gentle on the skin, machine washable, and even naturally germ resistant. The signature two-part closure system works to keep these mittens safely in place.
This product comes in three size variations: preemie, 0-3 months, and 3-6 months. They are generally sold as single pairs and you can choose from an incredible 35 different color and pattern combinations.
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4 Stonz Mittz Baby Infant Mittens - Cold Weather Gloves for Snow and Winter
One of the biggest challenges of using baby mittens is keeping them on active hands. Stonz Mittz addresses this problem with a long design that covers much of baby’s arm as well. The wide opening, lack of thumb hole, and the fact that they fit over a winter coat make them easy to get on. These mittens are also adjustable, with two separate toggles to achieve a custom fit even as your child grows.
Made with 150g of 3M Thinsulate material, Stonz Mittz are warm, windproof, and 100% waterproof. Yet despite this, the lining is breathable to keep little hands from overheating. Overall, the mittens are a lot lighter with less bulk than many other brands.
You can choose Stonz Mittz in two sizes: 0-12 months and 12-24 months. They are available in several vibrant colors that match the complementary line of snow and rain boots.
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5 Handsocks Plushy Stay On Strap-Free No-Scratch & Warmth Mittens
Designed by a mother of two, Handsocks are created with comfort and functionality in mind. These mittens are great for warmth, but also deter babies from accidental scratches, excessive scratching of conditions like eczema, and from pulling or tugging on catheters/port tubes. The soft minky material is also soothing in itself and can provide comfort to babies with sensory issues.
Handsocks slip on and up your baby’s arms just like socks fit on the feet. The mittens conveniently flip open at the top to allow your baby to use them as a lovey, rather than a protective covering, if desired. Gentle elastic keeps the mittens secured.
Handsocks come in several sizes that range from newborn to 3T. The company is happy to exchange your purchase if you find it doesn’t fit your child. More than that, you can feel good about buying Handsocks because a portion of every purchase goes to Orphan’s Promise, an organization that ensures orphaned children have the housing, food, education, and medical care that they need.
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6 Magnetic Me So Soft Minky Fleece Magnetic Baby Mittens
A particular challenge of caring for baby gear that comes in pairs, like mittens and socks, is keeping both pieces together. Even if baby doesn’t take one off and throw it somewhere random, those little pieces of clothing can easily get separated. These mittens are literally attracted to each other due to sewn-in magnets. Also available are hooded jackets with magnets in the sleeves that provide another way to keep the mittens stored conveniently.
And beyond superior function, these mittens have adorable styling. Available in six colors and sizes up to 24 months, each features a cute animal paw print. The wrist area of this product is encircled in loose elastic to keep it the mitten secure, but they are not adjustable. Note that there is no thumb hole in the design.
These mittens are made of cotton and sherpa fleece and are machine washable. They are so soft and warm for baby yet so convenient for parents to use and maintain that they will quickly become a staple in your household.
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7 Zutano Baby Boys' Fleece Mittens
Another easy way to keep baby mittens together is to have them attached to each other. These basic mittens are made of 100% cotton fleece and connected by a soft cord that threads through the arms of your child’s jacket.
This not only ensures that the mittens will stay together with the coat, but also makes it harder for little hands to pull them off and impossible for them to be dropped.
The mittens are machine washable on the cold cycle; tumble dry low. Choose from 10 beautiful colors including your basic pink and blue plus fuchsia, periwinkle, gray, black, khaki, cream, pool, and pagoda. These imported mittens are one size fits all and generally recommended for babies 0-6 months old.
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Conclusion
Baby mittens can be an extremely useful tool for keeping your infant’s hands warm, for protecting against accidental scratches, and for preventing scratches due to eczema or another skin condition as well as tugs on oxygen tubes or catheters. Whatever your reason for using baby mittens, they are certainly a critical tool in your parenting toolbox. The best baby mittens for your beautiful child depend a lot on their intended use, but luckily you have a lot of great options to choose from!