Sunscreen Recommendations for Kids (Babies, Toddlers and Older)

Wearing sunscreen is essential for preventing skin damage. Babies and children have sensitive skin and shouldn’t go outside without wearing a child-friendly lotion. The best sunscreen for kids should contain ingredients that won’t irritate your child’s skin, and your child should wear sunglasses, a hat, and other protective clothing all year round.

suncream Source: Thoughtco

How to Choose the Best Sunscreen for Kids

Here is what to look for when choosing sunscreen for your child:

Coverage: Look for a broad-spectrum product that protects against UVA and UVB.
SPF: The Sun Protection Factor indicates how long the product will protect your skin from UVB rays. We recommend choosing a sunscreen with an SPF of 30 or higher.
Safe ingredients: Look for a sunscreen with zinc oxide or titanium dioxide since these ingredients won’t irritate your child’s skin.
Easy application: You should reapply sunscreen as needed. Think about using a stick for your child’s face, or choose a spray-on lotion.

Our Sunscreen Recommendations

Whether you’re headed to the beach or ski slopes, make sure you pack some child-friendly sunscreen.

Best Chemical Sunscreen for Kids

Chemical sunscreen is effective and lasts a long time.

1. Neutrogena Wet Skin Kids Water Resistant Sunscreen Stick

ChildFun Favorite

No products found.

SPF: 70
Main ingredient: Homosalate

We like this sunscreen because the stick and formula allow for quick and easy application, even when your child’s skin is wet. The hypoallergenic formula is ideal for sensitive skin, and the SPF 70 is ideal for a day at the beach or pool.

Downsides:
Contains chemicals	Protects skin for up to 80 minutes

No products found.

2. Sun Bum Original Moisturizing Sunscreen

No products found.

SPF: 50
Main ingredient: Homosalate, Octocrylene

The non-comedogenic and oil-free formula of this SPF 50 lotion is ideal for kids with sensitive or oily skin. The product provides excellent broad-spectrum protection against UVA and UVB rays, and it’s one of the products recommended by the Skin Cancer Foundation.

Downsides:
Application isn’t as convenient as other products	Contains a lot of chemical ingredients

No products found.

Best Mineral Sunscreen for Kids

The best sunscreen for kids contains natural ingredients that won’t irritate their skin.

1. Aveeno Kids Continuous Protection Sunscreen

ChildFun Favorite

No products found.

SPF: 50
Main ingredient: Zinc oxide

This lotion protects from sun rays and prevents skin damage thanks to its zinc oxide content. It contains oats to soothe the skin, and the formula will lock in moisture to avoid making your child’s skin dry.

Downsides:
Less convenient than a spray-on lotion	Other products have higher SPF

No products found.

2. Banana Boat Simply Protect Mineral-Based Sunscreen Lotion for Kids

No products found.

SPF: 50+
Main ingredient: Zinc oxide

This sunscreen is a great option for the value-conscious shopper, and it contains zinc oxide and titanium dioxide to protect your child’s skin. It’s a broad-spectrum formula that will last for two hours.

Downsides:
Not all the ingredients are mineral	Application can be messy

No products found.

Best SPF 30+ Sunscreen for Kids

An SPF 30+ sunscreen is ideal for limited exposure to sun rays.

1. Miami Cool Kids LaPlaya Zinc Organic Sun Stick

ChildFun Favorite

No products found.

SPF: 30
Main ingredient: Zinc oxide

We like this sunscreen because it contains organic ingredients that are safe for your skin and the environment. The stick formula is perfect for young children who don’t like lotion, and the product contains coconut oil to nourish and hydrate your child’s skin.

Downsides:
Higher SPF is preferred for prolonged exposure to the sun	More expensive than other products

No products found.

2. Badger Kids Sunscreen Cream

No products found.

SPF: 30
Main ingredient: Zinc oxide

This broad-spectrum sunscreen contains natural ingredients. It has a pleasant aroma of orange and vanilla and will protect your child’s skin thanks to its zinc oxide content.

Downsides:
Not as effective as products that have a higher SPF	Application can be messy

No products found.

Best SPF 50+ Sunscreen for Kids

It’s best to choose a product with an SPF of 50 or higher to reduce risks of skin damage.

1. Australian Gold Botanical Sunscreen Mineral Lotion for Kids

ChildFun Favorite

No products found.

SPF: 50
Main ingredient: Titanium dioxide, zinc oxide

This mineral lotion delivers UVA and UVB protection. It has a pleasant citrus smell and contains plant extracts with antioxidants. The titanium dioxide and zinc oxide will form a protective layer that isn’t greasy on your child’s skin.

Downsides:
Botanical extracts aren’t ideal for babies	Young children might not like the citrus fragrance

No products found.

2. Thinksport Kids Safe Sunscreen

No products found.

SPF: 50+
Main ingredient: Zinc oxide

This water-resistant lotion is perfect for a day at the beach or pool. It contains aloe vera extract to prevent irritation, jojoba oil, and vitamins that nourish the skin. The product has excellent ratings in the EWG database.

Downsides:
Contains some chemicals	More expensive than other options

No products found.

Best Sunscreen for Babies

We recommend using products designed with babies in mind since they tend to have sensitive skin, and some products can cause eczema.

1. Neutrogena Pure & Free Baby Mineral Sunscreen Stick

ChildFun Favorite

No products found.

SPF: 60
Main ingredient: Titanium dioxine, zinc oxide

This sunscreen stick is ideal for babies thanks to its SPF 60+ and its natural ingredients. The stick formula is convenient for applying sunscreen on a fussy baby, and the product doesn’t have a long list of ingredients like most sunscreen lotions. The National Eczema Association recommends this product!

Downsides:
Application can take longer because of the stick formula	Contains some chemicals

No products found.

2. Babyganics Sunscreen Lotion

No products found.

SPF: 50
Main ingredient: Zinc oxide

This broad-spectrum sunscreen is water-resistant and protects your baby’s skin with its zinc oxide, octisalate, and titanium dioxide content. The levels of active ingredients are lower than what you will find in other products to prevent irritation.

Downsides:
Contains some chemical ingredients	Some shoppers say the lotion has a thick consistency

No products found.

Best Sunscreen for Toddlers

Toddlers need long-lasting protection in a convenient formula for a quick and easy application.

1. La Roche-Posay Anthelios Dermo Kids Sunscreen

ChildFun Favorite

No products found.

SPF: 60
Main ingredient: Homosalate

The SPF 60 rating of this lotion is ideal for young children who are more likely to get sunburnt while playing on the beach or by the pool. It’s a water-resistant formula that is gentle on the skin. We feel confident recommending this sunscreen since the Skin Cancer Foundation has endorsed it!

Downsides:
Application can be messy	Contains more chemicals than other products

No products found.

2. Blue Lizard Baby Mineral Sunscreen

No products found.

SPF: 30+
Main ingredient: Zinc oxide

Choosing a sunscreen with a recognizable cartoon character on the bottle could be the key to getting your fussy toddler to sit still long enough for you to apply sunscreen. This broad-spectrum lotion doesn’t contain any active chemical ingredients and uses zinc oxide and titanium dioxide to protect your child’s skin from UVA and UVB rays.

Downsides:
Some of the inactive ingredients aren’t natural	Your child might need a product with a higher SPF

No products found.

Best Sunscreen for Ages 5-12

It’s important to choose a broad-spectrum product that your child can apply by themselves for that age range.

1. Neutrogena Wet Skin Kids Sunscreen Spray

ChildFun Favorite

No products found.

SPF: 70+
Main ingredient: Homosalate

Neutrogena offers a broad-spectrum spray-on sunscreen with a high SPF of 70. We think it’s a great value since you can purchase a two-pack, and the sunscreen won’t wash off if your child swims in the pool or ocean.

Downsides:
Contains chemical ingredients	Young children might have a hard time applying the sunscreen properly

No products found.

2. Australian Gold Botanical Sunscreen Natural Spray

No products found.

SPF: 50
Main ingredient: Homosalate

This spray-on sunscreen promotes healthy skin with its antioxidant content and mineral ingredients. Your child will love the pleasant citrus fragrance, and the spray-on application is a quick and easy way to reapply sunscreen every 80 minutes.

Downsides:
Some of the botanical extracts might be too harsh for children with sensitive skin	Contains some chemicals

No products found.

You can recognize the best sunscreen for kids by taking a quick look at the ingredients. Avoid any product with a long list of chemicals that could irritate your child’s skin, and make sure you choose a broad-spectrum product with high SPF for optimal protection.

Certain content that appears on this site comes from Amazon. This content is provided ‘As is’ and is subject to change or removal at any time. / Images from Amazon Product Advertising API

Spread the love