The long and cold winter is finally over. Spring has arrived. Trees are budding and new spring smells are tickling our senses. But with spring comes April showers. Outfitting the kids with the right kids umbrella is a task in itself. We’ve compiled a list of things to look out for before making a purchasing decision. Read them carefully as you don’t want to make the wrong decision and buy another.

1.Opening and closing mechanism. Depending upon the child’s age, you’ll first want to consider whether to purchase a kids umbrella that opens manually or automatically. For ages five and under, the manual kind is recommended. Test it out before purchasing. Have your child open the umbrella to see whether there are any chances of little fingers getting caught. For automatic umbrellas, some have a push button on the handle. Make sure this button is easy to press when opening.

2.Protective piece. At the tip of the kids umbrella, make sure that there is a protective piece (usually in the shape of a ball). Make sure the piece is well glued and does not easily come off. We don’t want to poke any eyes out!

3.Handles. Typically, kids umbrellas have three different types of handles. Some have plastic moulded handles in the shape of a cartoon character, others have a plastic handle with an image, and of course the classic round hook kind. Make sure the kids umbrella handle is not made of wood. We don’t want those pesky splinters getting in those little hands.

4.Size. Consider two types of shapes for umbrellas for kids; the bubble shape and the standard shape. Which to choose is really a personal preference. Some argue that bubble shaped umbrellas for kids give more coverage. We’ll leave the choice up to mom. In terms of size, a kids umbrella will measure approximately 28 inches in diameter.

5.Design. The most important factor in choosing a kids umbrella is of course design. Ask your child which character they love best. There are many themes available nowadays. For boys you might want to consider Toy Story umbrellas, Spiderman umbrellas for kids, or Disney Cars to name a few. For girls umbrellas, consider Disney Princess umbrellas, Strawberry Shortcake umbrellas or Dora the Explorer umbrellas. Popular choices for tweens include iCarly, Hannah Montana, or Wizards of Waverly umbrellas.

Some Tips and Warnings about Umbrellas for Kids

1.After prolonged use, you might want to double check to see if there are any missing pieces or protruding metal rods. Those little kiddie eyes need to be protected at all times.

2.Look for matching rain coats and boots. What’s cuter than your little girl all dressed up in Disney Princess or boy outfitted in Disney Cars!

3.Make sure when purchasing umbrellas for kids that they are age appropriate. Again, there are different sized umbrellas out on the market and you don’t want to get one that is too difficult for your little one to open and close.

Author Bio: Ron Goldman is Chief Big Kid at KimmyShop.com – an online e-tailer specializing in hard to find character merchandise.

Category: Family Concerns
Keywords: kids umbrella, kids umbrellas, umbrellas for kids