The Twos Aren’t So Terrible When Tykes Get Togs They Can Toddle Around In

Because the average toddler plays most of the day, the durability and comfort of the clothes he or she wears is important. When it comes to choosing clothing for today’s tykes, parents look for a few critical ingredients.

“Clothing that enables children to move around freely sells the best,” says Jeannine Trout, owner of Petite Marche in Costa Mesa. “For girls, leggings and stretch fabrics are in because they’re very comfortable.”

Parent’s No. 1 fabric choice is 100% cotton, says Roy Frey, manager of Anneliese’s Boutique for Children in San Clemente.

Trout agrees. “People are shying away from artificial fabrics--they want their children to wear clothing made of natural, softer materials.”

Here are a number of local stores that sell comfy, durable clothes for 2- to 4-year-olds:

ANNELIESE’S BOUTIQUE FOR CHILDREN

This store has a variety of children’s clothing, including a Kay Gee navy and white striped dress. It is 100% cotton and has a navy scarf that ties in a bow around the collar and a navy and white beret ($38).

Or put your little girl in the Thia B 100% cotton shirt and shorts outfit. This has a long white shirt with an attached vest in a pastel calico print. The shorts are also calico and have an elastic waist ($42, for everything).

Boys can play rough in a Kay Gee 100% cotton short and shirt outfit. The short-sleeved polo shirt is solid white and has a navy collar. The shorts are navy with a white draw string, and both pieces have a crest emblem ($42 total).

Or put your little slugger into an I-C Playwear long-sleeved shirt with red, white and blue print and coordinating suspender jumper in royal blue with green and red trim. Both are 100% cotton ($29).

69 Calle de Industrias, San Clemente, (714) 498-1300.

BALBOA ISLAND KIDS CLOTHING CO.

This store offers a Gotcha sweat suit for boys. The outfit has a green and white striped top with a hood and solid green pull-on pants with an elastic waist ($34).

Or try the Sideout volleyball theme sweat suit in navy blue. The pull-over top has a pouch pocket, gray hood and long turquoise sleeves. It comes with fleece draw string pants in turquoise ($56).

For your little angel, try Flapdoodles Capri pants from the Fruit Basket Group. These tight-fitting cotton/Lycra pants are purple with yellow bananas, green apples, oranges, cherries and strawberries ($26).

Finish the outfit with a long-sleeved black oversized T-shirt. It is hooded, has a draw-string neck and a pouch pocket in front ($26).

Or outfit your little girl in a Flapdoodles 100% cotton jumper-dress made of seersucker plaid fabric. This comes in a variety of colors, including purple and bubble gum (hot pink). The dress has shoulder ties and a drop waist ($28). Pair it with a blueberry long-sleeved 100% cotton pull-over shirt ($15).

224 Marine Ave., Balboa Island, (714) 723-4490.

GREAT PUT ONS

This store sells a variety of animal-theme clothing, including dinosaur T-shirts for boys.

The 50% cotton, 50% polyester white short-sleeved shirts have dinosaurs in a variety of colors, including pink, purple, blue, red and green. Have your child’s name put on the dinosaur in washable fabric paint ($16). Or put your little boy in a long-sleeved dinosaur sweat shirt, which can also be personalized. This is white and 50% cotton, 50% polyester ($24).

Little girls will stay warm in a long-sleeved dinosaur dress. This is white with a pink dinosaur on the front and pink collar and sleeves. Have her name put on this 50% cotton, 50% polyester dress ($29).

Or try a short-sleeved white dress with a black cow print. It is 50% cotton, 50% polyester and has a red and blue ruffled collar and sleeves ($29).

Knott’s Berry Farm, 8039 Beach Blvd., Buena Park, (714) 995-7176.

KIDS R US

For your little girl, this store has an OshKosh long-sleeved 100% cotton pink top with a Peter Pan collar ($11). Team this with OshKosh pink overalls that have a pink and white sailor bear pattern ($21). This store also carries a Baby Togs one-piece bubble sunsuit. The 100% cotton suit is navy blue with white polka dots. Wear it with a matching 100% cotton headband ($18 for both).

Young boys can play comfortably in OshKosh navy blue shortalls with a white-and-red sailboat print. They are made of woven and knit material and cost ($18).

Complement the look with an OshKosh short-sleeved red knit T-shirt with matching sail boat print cuffs. ($11). Or outfit your little sailor in a OshKosh knit white V-neck cardigan covered with blue ribbons. This has a blue, yellow and red lighthouse on the front and a sailboat on the pocket ($16). Pair the sweater with blue shorts by the same maker ($14).

755 E. Birch St., Brea, (714) 256-1936; 1447 S. Harbor Blvd., Fullerton, (714) 992-1980; 12110 Harbor Blvd., Garden Grove, (714) 748-0362; 7600 Edinger Ave., Huntington Beach, (714) 848-6155; 3921 Bristol St., Santa Ana, (714) 241-9377, and 3011 El Camino Real, Tustin, (714) 669-9796.

LUCY MAX

This store has a variety of clothing, including a one-piece romper by Kid Poet for girls. The long-sleeved outfit is 100% cotton flannel in plaid with purple and red cuffs ($35).

Or try one of the 100% cotton rompers by Surfbabies, which are made by local surfers. These over-dyed blue or green rompers are hooded and long-sleeved ($36).

Put your little boy into Flapdoodles chocolate brown preshrunk corduroy pants ($24). They go well with a long-sleeved 100% cotton preshrunk matching T-shirt, also by Flapdoodles ($22).

For both girls and boys, this store also carries unisex Baby Guess denim overalls with adjustable straps. They are straight-legged and have a small pocket on the front that looks like a bib ($27).

380 Glenneyre St., Laguna Beach, (714) 494-3114.

MAI’S BABY WORLD

For active boys, this store has a 100% cotton blue Playskool jogging outfit. The shirt is short-sleeved, and the pants have a snap crotch and pockets on each side ($25, for both). Or try the Quiltex red- and white-striped overalls with built in shirt. They are 50% cotton, 50% polyester and have a snap crotch ($15).

Try your little girl in this store’s Angel dress. The short-sleeved 100% cotton dress is pink with white flowers. It has an elastic waist and lace trim at the bottom ($45). Or for more rugged times, try the Quiltex white and blue striped overalls with built-in shirt. These have a snap crotch and are 50% cotton, 50% polyester ($15).

15585 Brookhurst Ave., Westminster, (714) 775-1489.

MISS MUFFET SHOPPES

This store has a variety of unique playwear, including a two-piece, hand-painted outfit for your little girl by Cromwell’s Kids. The white, short-sleeved top pictures Beauty & the Beast in pink and green--including rhinestone earrings for Beauty. Coordinating leggings are white with pink flowers and green leaves. The outfit is 100% cotton ($33).

Or try your young lady in a London Fog jogging suit. The 50% polyester, 50% cotton outfit has a zipper jacket lined in nylon, which is shiny green with yellow, pink, orange and purple accents. The base of the jacket is green with triangle designs, and there are stripes on the sleeves in orange, pink and yellow. Accompanying tight-fitting pants are solid green and have a pocket on each leg ($33 for the set).

Outfit your little boy in a Gotcha 100% cotton two-piece outfit. The hooded shirt is green with gold and purple sleeves, and there are four buttons down the front ($35). Coordinating flannel print shorts have pockets on the back and both sides ($20).

Or put him in Double Scoop denim jeans and a long-sleeved shirt. The jeans have flannel plaid red, blue and white insets in the pockets. For a Western look, there is also a beaded silver buckled belt. The 100% cotton shirt is red with a cactus, boot and cowboy print ($50 for everything).

31931 Camino Capistrano, San Juan Capistrano, (714) 493-4704.

PETITE MARCHE

At this store you can find a lot of durable playwear, including a boy’s Choozie 100% cotton beige sweater with a bear motif in red and olive green ($34). Pair this with olive green corduroy pants ($29).

Or try your youngster in a Weebok wind suit made of parachute nylon material. The jacket has a hood and is purple and royal blue with yellow trim. The pants are also purple and royal blue and have two big cargo pockets ($50). To accent this outfit, try a Weebok long-sleeved, 100% cotton royal blue mock turtle neck ($18).

For girls, the store carries a Hot Tot two-piece, 100% cotton outfit. The French terry cloth yellow pants have a leaf print in purple, teal and fuchsia. Accompanying the pants is a purple long-sleeved knit top with a yellow leaf print and three big yellow buttons ($49, for everything).

Or for the wet weather we’ve been having, try a raincoat by Choozie. The black and white houndstooth coat has a hood that is black and white on one side and hot pink on the other. There are two zipper pockets and a zipper in the front ($52). Pair this with black and white houndstooth 50% cotton, 50% polyester stirrup pants ($24).

369 E. 17th St., Costa Mesa, Westport Square, (714) 642-4714.