While at first glance a dressing gown may seem to serve only one purpose, look closer and you’ll find that it’s actually one of the more versatile pieces in your kids’ wardrobe.
They come in all shapes and sizes, a variety of eye-catching colours and patterns, and in a wide range of materials, from fluffy fleece and soft terry towelling to velour and light-as-air cotton.
There are snuggly fleecy ones to wrap them up in on chilly spring mornings, when there’s still a nip in the air. There are fluffy towelling ones to bundle them into after a bath, when they’re pink-cheeked and sleepy. There are waterproof versions, made for the rough and tumble of Cornwall’s sandy beaches and a day splashing about in the freezing surf. And there are floaty cotton options for donning on the beach, the perfect weight for chucking over a wet swimming costume on a hot summer’s day.
The children’s dressing gown is also a particularly hard-working item of clothing. Invest in a good one made from decent quality materials and it will long outlast some of your little one’s more weather or trend-dependent items – here in England, there’s always a need for a warm, fluffy dressing gown, even in the deceptively cold summers.
Then there’s the cuteness factor – just try telling me there’s anything on this earth more adorable than a newborn baby wrapped up in a hooded robe topped with bunny ears, or a toddler desperate to put on his favourite Gruffalo dressing gown as soon as he wakes up? You can buy striped versions, chic pastel-coloured ones, outlandishly printed ones and everything in between.
But that plethora of choices on the market can also lead to decision paralysis – how do I know which one to go for? Who does the best quality, most affordable options? And – crucially – which one will be the snuggliest? Here we’ve rounded up our top picks of the best kids’ dressing gowns on the market today.
M&S Duck Towelling Robe
Transform your toddler into the cutest little fluffy duckling in seconds with this adorable offering from M&S, who has never put a foot wrong when it comes to delightful pint-sized clothing. The impossibly sweet style is made from soft cotton terry, making it a cosy option for chilly mornings and nights, as well as after bath time.
The cheerful sunshine yellow keeps it handily unisex, while the traditional tie belt waist and hooded style keep it extra warm and toasty. Always on top of the finer details, it also comes with a clever popper on the chest to ensure it doesn’t flap open. Just be warned, your little one might start demanding to wear it on their next visit to the duck pond.
Buy now £18.00, M&S
My 1st Years Personalised Hooded Fleece Robe
When it comes to adorable personalised pieces, no one does it better than My 1st Years. Case in point? The cute-as-a-button hooded fleece dressing gowns, which can be adorned with an embroidered version of your child’s name. Made from huggably-soft fleece material, they’re ideal for chucking on over your kids’ pyjamas first thing in the morning or to snuggle up in when getting ready for bedtime.
Thanks to their personalised nature, they make the perfect presents for babies and children alike – my toddler daughter has been gifted three since she was born, and she’s loved each one. They also come in a range of colours, from the more traditional baby pink and pale blue to pebble grey.
Buy now £31.00, My 1st Years
John Lewis Kids' Dino Print Dressing Gown
Help them to look roarsome in John Lewis’ dino-themed dressing gown. The sweet piece is crafted from cloud-like material and features a fuss-free wrap-over shape.
Buy now £16.00, John Lewis
Liewood Lily Bathrobe
If you’re after a quirky, Scandi-chic aesthetic, Liewood is the brand for you. With designs firmly rooted in Nordic tradition, the offering is always a little different from the standard pieces you find on the British high street. The latest collection of bathrobes includes this sweet rabbit design, which kids will adore – and parents will love the high quality and eco-friendly materials used just as much.
Made entirely from organic terry cotton, it’s super soft while also being brilliantly absorbent, so it’s the ideal option to jump into straight after the bath. With its traditional tie belt around the waist and embraided animal face and ears on the hood, it’s both practical and fun to wear. A win-win.
Buy now £53.40, Smallable
Polarn O. Pyret Dressing Gown
The sought-after Swedish brand has specialised in high quality, unisex organic clothes for children for over 45 years and is a go-to brand for sustainably minded parents looking for long-lasting pieces. This smart robe offers a sleek alternative to the more traditional dressing gown, doing away with a belt tie around the waist in favour of a neat zip down the front.
Available in navy or pink, it is made from pleasingly plush terry cotton and the hood is lined in organic cotton. This dressing gown will keep little ones nice and cosy. It also comes with some clever design features, including handy oversized pockets that were just made for stashing midnight snacks in.
Buy now £22.50, Polarn O. Pyret
The White Company Velour Bunny Robe
While pristine white may not seem the ideal choice for an item of kidswear, we can’t resist The White Company’s children’s clothes, which are some of the most stylish around. We’re particularly taken with their nightwear range, which features embroidered pyjama sets and a range of chic dressing gowns, including this bunny robe from their latest collection.
Made from super-soft pure cotton velour – a fabric more commonly reserved for Noughties tracksuits – kids will love wrapping up in it when fresh from the bath, and younger ones will particularly enjoy the sweet bunny ears on the hood, which are lined in the brand’s own floral print. The perfect spring-time option.
Buy now £13.60, The White Company
Gruffalo Dressing Gown
If, like most kids in the UK, your child has an obsession with Julia Donaldson’s The Gruffalo, this is the dressing gown for you. It includes all the key features from the outrageously popular children’s book character, including embroidered versions of those terrible tusks and terrible claws, right down to the terrible teeth in his terrible jaws.
There are the same orange eyes and the poisonous wart at the end of his nose – you’ll even find those tell-tale purple prickles all down the dressing gown’s back. Little ones will delight in spotting all the details, right down to the novelty hand-drawn print inside the hood, while also enjoying being enveloped in the snuggly fleece. Best of all, it can double up as a costume for next year’s World Book Day.
Buy now £19.95, Amazon
Luca and Rosa Lemon Grove Fleece Dressing Gown
This London-based premium nightwear and loungewear brand specialises in beautifully designed, ethically sourced pieces that are created in England but imbued with a healthy dose of Italian style. The cheerful yellow dressing gown brings a slice of La Dolce Vita to the UK thanks to the brand’s signature Lemon Grove print, which lines the hood and cuffs in jersey fabric.
The super-soft sherpa fleece perfectly complements the brand’s sweet embroidered logo of two ducklings, and is the ideal cosy cover-up for babies and older kids alike. Other adorable prints are available, including the popular Busy Bees and Dizzy Daisy designs – and if you fancy going all out, you can get the matching pyjama sets, too.
Buy now £29.99, NOTHS
Boden Cosy Dressing Gown
Look super in stripes. This nautical dressing robe by Boden is a charming, genderless pick for kids between the ages of two and twelve. It has a timeless design with a blue and white colourway.
Buy now £29.00, Boden
Verdict
The M&S Duck Towelling Robe ticks all the boxes when it comes to a cute, well-made dressing gown that both kids and adults will love – it’s impressively warm, cosy and absorbent, while still being fun enough to appeal to the little ones.
If you’re after a more traditional option, you can’t go wrong with a personalised fleece robe from My 1st Years. The softest and snuggliest of the lot, this was a firm favourite with our tester when it came to cuddling up for pre-bedtime stories.
