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The hard part about coats and car seats is that what works for one kid may or may not work for another. We have tried that lands end coat twice but it’s just cut too wide for my DD and creates too much slack. But I know two families who have used it for years with their kids and it’s been perfect. So, unfortunately, you might have to try a few. Many of the car seat safe coats can be warm but I would still want something warmer and more water resistant for long snow play. We typically look for a three in one coat - we use the inner piece for daily wear and in the car seat but can attach or layer the outer piece when playing outside or for really cold weather when we reach our destination.

Can you ask daycare to use one coat for outside play and another coat for when they are leaving? Or try a three in one coat, and you could attach the outer layer when you get to school?

Ugh this is such a thorn in my side! For the past 2 years, DD has worn a Northface 3 in 1. She wears the inner down layer in the carseat and the outer waterproof layer gets stuffed in her backpack. When she goes to recess, she puts them both on as two separate coats, doesn't zip them together. It seemed to work okay. I wish I had done that for this year too.

I bought a poofy Columbia snowjacket at end of season last year. Not sure what my strategy is there. We have an LLBean lightweight, packable down jacket and I think she'll probably wear that in the car.

We live in Northern MI, super cold and super snowy. I find snow jackets fairly forgiving, that LLBean jacket she'll probably get 3 years out of.

Following for ideas!

We've had good luck with the North Face Moondoggy and North Face Mossbud for carseat use. We just keep ordering the same coat in larger sizes/colors every year (which I like because it takes the guesswork out of this every year). We tried the Patagonia down sweater a few years back but it definitely didn't seem warm enough for our Chicago winters.

My kids get in the car carrying their coats/sit in their carseats without them, and put them on in the car before open the doors. Same thing in reverse coming home from school. I'm not sure the ages of your kids or the vehicle you drive - my solution is probably only feasible with a minivan or SUV (and obviously only with kids who manage their own outerwear).

But, if you want them to wear a coat in the carseat...for us the TNF Mossbud Swirl coats have worked for day-to-day wear. Eddie Bauer makes a similar soft-fleece lined coat that is less expensive. I agree that while the Patagonia down sweaters, and similar down coats made by TNF or Gap, are great carseat coats, they don't stop the wind, and are awful when wet with snow.