Choosing the best kids blanket for your toddler or young child is an important job. After all, at this age, they just might take that blanket with them everywhere they go—yes, everywhere. You’ll want to choose something comforting, cuddly, cute, and most importantly, easy to clean. You may also want to purchase more than one in case something happens to the first one—“But honey, it’s the exact same blanket, only this one is blue,” doesn’t tend to fly—or to cover the bases for different blanket types and uses.
What Kinds of Kids Blankets Are Best?
As a parent, you’ll quickly discover that not all products, including kids blankets, are created equal or for the same purpose. For example, when you’re on the go, you may want to bring a blanket that doubles as a spit-up rag (something to use other than your favorite sweater, we mean) or diaper changing pad. At home or at Grandma’s, you may just want something soft and snuggly.
As your baby becomes a toddler, you may not get a lot of say in the decision anymore. Your growing child may develop an attachment to a particular blanket and prefer that one over all the others. Good luck finding time to wash it!
In other words, the best type of blanket will depend on your individual family preferences. However, we recommend looking for a few distinct qualities and stocking up on a few different types of blankets.
- Durability: How long can the blanket be used/abused before falling apart?
- Texture: Is the blanket soft or scratchy? Does it have interesting textures to stimulate learning? Is it absorbent (just in case)?
- Purpose: Will you be using it solely for snuggles or does it need to be versatile?
- Temperature: How thick and breathable is the blanket? Will it still be usable in the summer?
- Care: Is it easy to clean?
- Attachment: Does your child like it?
- Parent-Approved: Do you like it?
Types of Kids Blankets You Need Most
There are a few types of kids blankets that do stand out above the others and are arguably more necessary. Check out our list of blankie must-haves below.
Minky Blankie
A minky blanket is made from the softest parent-approved material and is often the blankie of choice for children who love to snuggle. It makes a great comfort item for home or travel and is warm, cozy, and durable. It has specific care instructions, but learning how to clean a minky blanket is easy—as long as you can sneak it out of your kid’s iron grip while they sleep. Mostly, you will need to remember to wash it alone on a delicate setting with no detergents or fabric softeners, and hang it up to dry.
Swankie Blankie/Towel Blankie
If you’ve never heard of a Swankie Blankie before, you are in for a treat. A Swankie Blankie is a super soft towel blanket with a hood. You can wrap your child up after a bath to dry them off and keep them from shivering. The hood is both cute and functional, as it can be in the shape of their favorite animal (Hippo? Bee? Dinosaur? Check, check, check.) and also keeps their wet head warm. A kids hooded blanket is a must for bathtime.
Summer Blankie
In the summer, your minky blanket is breathable enough to still be snuggly when the temp rises. However, if your child sweats a lot at night, your home gets hotter than in the winter, and you are still swaddling, it may be wise to choose a thinner fabric. A muslin blanket is a great option for a baby or small child that is too young to kick off blankets or move them away from their face, but still needs to be wrapped up.
Cleanup Blankie
If you are shopping for kids blankets for your first child, here’s a helpful tip: Find products that can be used for more than one purpose. Sure, you can buy one of those foldout diaper changing pads to use when you leave home and pack a bunch of burp cloths and bibs. Or you can bring an absorbent cotton blanket and use it for everything. You can also leave an extra in the car in case of a really big blowout, but you won’t need to carry it around all the time.
Sew Sweet & Swankie Blankie
Sew Sweet Minky Designs has a large selection of beautiful baby and kids blankets, including Swankie Blankies for bath time. Every blanket is handmade using the softest materials and an extra dose of love. Support local moms and find the perfect blanket for your child (or yourself) with Sew Sweet.