All kids 6 months and older should be wearing sunscreen — regardless of skin tone

11 Best Sunscreens for Kids in 2026, According to Experts | NBC Select
IE 11 is not supported. For an optimal experience visit our site on another browser.
Top stories Early Amazon Prime Day deals 50 Best oral care products of 2026 Talking Shop with Paige DeSorbo Target Circle Week 2026 Best sunscreens for kids Deal of the Day: Stanley, Hydro Flask and Yeti water bottles
Skip to Content
About Us
Wellness
All Wellness
Skin Care
Hair Care
Oral Care
Health
Fitness
Sleep
Home
All Home
Small appliances
Bedding & bath
Cleaning
Vacuums
Office
Gardening
Kitchen
All Kitchen
Appliances
Kitchen gadgets
Cookware
Food & drink
Tech
All Tech
Electronics
Personal Tech
TVs
Audio
Computers
Cameras
Pets
All Pets
Dogs
Cats
Pet Care
Lifestyle
All Lifestyle
Travel
Apparel
Footwear
Outdoors
Hobbies
Talking Shop
Select 100 Best
Deals & Sales
All Deals & Sales
Deal of the Day
Most Popular This Month
Sales This Week
New & Notable
What to Buy This Month
Top Stories
All Top Stories
For What It's Worth: NBC Select's Livecast
Gift Guides
All Gift Guides
100 Best Gifts of All Time
Gifts for Graduates
Best Beauty Gifts
Best Gifts for New Parents
Best Gifts for Teachers
Eco-Friendly and Sustainable Gifts
Amazon Prime Day 2026
All Amazon Prime Day 2026
Early Prime Day deals
Early Prime Day home and cleaning deals
Prime Day 2026 dates
The history of Amazon Prime Day
Subscribe
Share
About Us
Wellness
Main Menu
All Wellness
Skin Care
Wellness
All Skin Care
Hair Care
Wellness
All Hair Care
Oral Care
Wellness
All Oral Care
Health
Wellness
All Health
Fitness
Wellness
All Fitness
Sleep
Wellness
All Sleep
Home
Main Menu
All Home
Small appliances
Home
All Small appliances
Bedding & bath
Home
All Bedding & bath
Cleaning
Home
All Cleaning
Vacuums
Home
All Vacuums
Office
Home
All Office
Gardening
Kitchen
Main Menu
All Kitchen
Appliances
Kitchen gadgets
Cookware
Food & drink
Tech
Main Menu
All Tech
Electronics
Tech
All Electronics
Personal Tech
Tech
All Personal Tech
TVs
Tech
All TVs
Audio
Tech
All Audio
Computers
Cameras
Pets
Main Menu
All Pets
Dogs
Pets
All Dogs
Cats
Pets
All Cats
Pet Care
Pets
All Pet Care
Lifestyle
Main Menu
All Lifestyle
Travel
Lifestyle
All Travel
Apparel
Lifestyle
All Apparel
Footwear
Lifestyle
All Footwear
Outdoors
Hobbies
Talking Shop
Select 100 Best
Deals & Sales
Main Menu
All Deals & Sales
Deal of the Day
Most Popular This Month
Sales This Week
New & Notable
What to Buy This Month
Top Stories
Main Menu
All Top Stories
For What It's Worth: NBC Select's Livecast
Gift Guides
Main Menu
All Gift Guides
100 Best Gifts of All Time
Gifts for Graduates
Best Beauty Gifts
Best Gifts for New Parents
Best Gifts for Teachers
Eco-Friendly and Sustainable Gifts
Amazon Prime Day 2026
Main Menu
All Amazon Prime Day 2026
Early Prime Day deals
Early Prime Day home and cleaning deals
Prime Day 2026 dates
The history of Amazon Prime Day
More from NBC
Sign up for the Select Newsletter
Check out Shop TODAY
NBC News
TODAY
About
Help
Careers
Privacy Policy
Do Not Sell My Personal Information
CA Notice
Terms Of Service
NBC News Sitemap
Advertise
Ad Choices
Follow Select
© 2026 NBCNEWS.COM
Skin Care
All kids 6 months and older should be wearing sunscreen — here are the best ones
Protecting your child from the sun exposure is crucial. These expert tips on buying and applying sunblock for kids can make it easier.
June 2, 2026, 4:56 PM EDT
Mili Godio
Updates Editor
Skip to table of contents
Even sunscreens labeled water-resistant are only effective for 40 to 80 minutes, so you’ll need to reapply regularly if your kid loves the water. Courtesy of Becca Delman;
Bethany Heitman-Samuda
Wearing sunscreen is a must, especially for kids. In fact, it’s crucial for all children over six months of age, regardless of skin tone, experts say. “It helps prevent damage from the sun that goes beyond the painful effects of sunburn , including increased risk for skin cancers down the line,” says Dr. Rebecca Carter , a pediatrician at the University of Maryland Children’s Hospital.
I spoke to dermatologists and pediatricians about what to look for in a safe, kid-friendly sunscreen and how to properly apply it. Below, I rounded up experts’ recommendations for the best kids sunscreens to shop, including water-resistant, powder and stick sunscreens .
Selected. Our top picks
Best overall
Blue Lizard Kids Mineral SPF 50 Sunscreen Lotion
$undefined
$11.49
Amazon
Learn more
Best for babies
Aveeno Baby Daily Moisture Face Lotion Mineral Sunscreen SPF 30
$undefined
$14.97
Amazon
Learn more
Best lotion
Banana Boat Kids 100% Mineral Sunscreen Lotion SPF 50
$20.35
$23.18
Amazon
Learn more
Best stick
Neutrogena Kids Sheer Zinc Sunscreen Stick SPF 50
$undefined
$17.99
Amazon
Learn more
Best powder
Roe SPF 50 Mineral Powder
$25.00
Roe Wellness
Learn more
Best without white cast
Aveeno Kids' Daily Moisture Face Lotion and Mineral Sunscreen SPF 30
$undefined
$14.98
Amazon
Learn more
See 3 More
Related
select
select The 100 best face sunscreens tested and ranked, according to NBC Select editors
Want more from NBC Select? Sign up for our newsletter, The Selection, and shop smarter.
Best sunscreens for kids
Best overall
Blue Lizard Kids Mineral SPF 50 Sunscreen Lotion
$
11.49
Amazon
$
15.99
Target
$
11.49
Walgreens
What to know
SPF rating: 50  | Water-resistance: 80 minutes  | Sunscreen type: mineral  | Consistency: lotion  | Fragrance-free: yes
What we like
Easy to rub into skin
Suitable for all skin types
High SPF
Something to note
Can leave a white cast
Blue Lizard’s mineral sunscreens are a favorite among the experts I spoke to and highly recommended by NBC Select editors. “I love the smart cap technology that helps to teach kids about UV rays; the cap or bottle turns pink in harmful UV light,” says Dr. Hadley King , a board-certified dermatologist in New York City. It’s also free of both parabens and fragrances, making it a safer bet for kids with sensitive skin, according to the brand. If you want something that’s easier to reapply and take on the go, consider Blue Lizard’s stick sunscreen for kids .
Best without white cast
Aveeno Kids' Daily Moisture Face Lotion and Mineral Sunscreen SPF 30
$
14.98
Amazon
$
14.98
Aveeno
$
14.99
Target
What to know
SPF rating: 30  | Water-resistance: n/a  | Sunscreen type: mineral  | Consistency: lotion  | Fragrance-free: yes
What we like
Hydrating
No white cast
Easy to rub in and apply
Something to note
Small packaging
“This moisturizing sunscreen lotion is perfect for my kids with sensitive skin. It’s super lightweight, easy to rub in and leaves no white cast,” says NBC Select senior production manager Becca Delman. “The texture is so smooth that my son, who’s almost 5 years old, had no problem applying the lotion himself. He also didn’t feel like he had the sticky, oily residue that a lot of sunscreens leave behind.” The sunscreen has an easy-to-use pump, plus it’s small enough to throw into your purse or beach bag.
Delman loves that her 5-year-old son can apply this sunscreen on his own without leaving a white cast. Courtesy of Becca Delman
Best lotion
Banana Boat Kids 100% Mineral Sunscreen Lotion SPF 50
$
20.35
$
23.18
Amazon
Now 12% off
$
14.49
CVS Photo
$
12.49
Walgreens
What to know
SPF rating: 50  | Water-resistance: 80 minutes  | Sunscreen type: mineral  | Consistency: lotion  | Fragrance-free: yes
What we like
Lotion consistency
Great for sensitive skin
Family size
Something to note
Can be messy to apply
This Banana Boat sunscreen has the National Eczema Association’s Seal of Acceptance , which means it’s suitable for people, including kids, with eczema and sensitive skin. It’s fragrance- and oil-free, so it won’t leave a greasy feel after applying it, according to the brand. If you’re looking for a sunscreen that’ll absorb more quickly into the skin, Banana Boat also has a kids sport sunscreen that’s water-resistant for up to 80 minutes.
Best stick
Neutrogena Kids Sheer Zinc Sunscreen Stick SPF 50
$
17.99
Amazon
$
17.99
Walmart
$
17.99
Walgreens
What to know
SPF rating: 50  | Water-r…

Text scraped from the landing page for research purposes. © respective owners. This text is sourced from the advertiser's public landing page; for removal, contact dmca@luba.media.