Teaching safety to your kids at a young age may prevent nasty accidents and injuries as your children grow up. They fall off their bikes, scooters, skateboard, and the older they get, the more dangerous their wheels become. For your convenience, we’ve created a list of the best bike helmets for toddlers and babies.
You can’t start too young with teaching your child to wear a bike helmet. One of the best ways is taking them along as a passenger on a child bike seat or trailer. Be mindful, however, that at a too young age, your baby’s body may not be strong enough to carry the extra weight of a helmet
Top Picks For Great Baby and Toddler Helmets
Best Overall for Baby / Toddler: Giro Scamp MIPS Bike Helmet
Pros
- This helmet is built to protect your child BETTER from common falls. The MIPS BPS protects your child from brain and other injuries during a fall.
- No need to buy a new helmet every few months! This helmet not only fits small heads – but can grow with your child.
- Eight vents designed to keep the child’s head cool, and numerous colorful designs to fit your kid’s style.
Cons
- This helmet could use a magnetic buckle – it would then be near perfect!
It’s taken 20 years of research, but we’ve FINALLY come up with a better helmet for protecting your tot from certain types of falls. The Giro Scamp has this technology – meaning you are giving your child the highest level of safety in a kid’s helmet available today.
Isn’t that the reason you buy a helmet in the first place?
The Giro Scamp is one of the best bike helmets for toddlers and infants with tiny heads. The Scamp MIPS Brain Protection System (BPS) protects your child’s head in specific impacts.
The Multi-Directional Impact Protection System (MIPS) is a two-layer helmet to protect the brain by redirecting the force at when someone hits another surface at an angle. Since most falls occur at an angle, this safety feature is one you’ll hope to never use – but is great if your child needs it.
MIPS is something you’ll hope to never use – but you’ll be glad your helmet has it if your child gets in a crash.
The inner layer that rests on the child’s head is a low-friction liner. It is covered with an In-Mold Shell outer layer made from EPS material.
It is lightweight and fits small head sizes, which makes it ideal for babies and infants. The Roc Loc Jr. Fit System is designed to meet the shape and curvature of a child’s head for a comfortable fit. Adjust the helmet tension with the rubberized adjustment knob for a secure fitting. A pinch Guard buckle prevents pinching the child’s chin when buckling the chin strap.
With eight colorful designs with graphics, your toddler should find the bicycle helmet design that appeals to them. In-Mold bike helmets are generally lighter and provide better ventilation than traditional helmets. The Giro Scamp MIPS helmet has eight ventilation vents to keep a toddler’s head fresh and prevent unnecessary sweating under the helmet.
Head Sizes: X Small (17.75-19.25 inches), Small (19.25-20.75 inches)
Helmet Weight: 0,573 pounds
Materials: EPS, foam liner
CPSC+1 Certified: Yes, MIPS
Age: 4+ months
Features: MIPS, In-Mold construction, Flatback for bike or trailer, Dial-adjust fit, pinch-guard buckle, built-in visor, eight vents
Best Adjustable Toddler Helmet: Bell Sidetrack Bike Helmet
Pros
- Easily adjustable on a child’s head
- Attractive mountain bike style design with visor
- Optional with or without MIPS technology
- Flat back makes it perfect for hauling your child in a bike trailer or bike seat.
Cons
- With the Ergo-Fit, the helmet may be too narrow for a child with a broadhead.
- The buckle isn’t pinch-proof.
Your young child will feel cool looking like the adults in this great helmet. The Bell Sidetrack Bike Helmet has the style of an adult mountain safety helmet, including a visor to keep your toddler’s eyes in the shade. The durable plastic snap-on visor is securely attached to the bike helmet. Your preschooler is going to feel like a big kid wearing this product on his head. The cool design is available in a variety of colors that could color coordinate with your kid’s bike.
Every toddler wants to look like “grown ups” – and with the Bell Sidetrack they can!
It is one of the best bike helmets for toddlers for fitting and adjusting the helmet on a toddler’s head. The updated Ergo-Fit (previously known as ErgoDial) is sleeker with an improved dial function you can operate with one hand. It is no longer necessary to push to turn the dial.
The dial adjusts the inside cradle for a better circumference fit. It makes sure the helmet fits the width of the head, which provides greater safety. With the overlapping sizes, it gives a broader choice for the right fit for your toddler and young children. It also doesn’t feel as bulky as the previous dial.
The No-Twist Tiri-Glides keeps the chin strap in position and flat, avoiding twisting and pain. The quick-adjust fasteners will have your young bikers off on their adventure in no time. Together with the Ergo-Fit, the safety helmet has a longer-lasting fit that may protect your child should they crash.
The inner foam core is merged with the in-mold construction of the outer layer.
The bike helmet is available with or without MIPS. We’d recommend paying up for MIPS – it’s worth it.
Helmet Sizes: Universal Child 18.5-21.2 inches (47-54 cm), Universal Youth 19.6-22.4 inches (50-57 cm)
Helmet Weight: 0.66 pounds
Materials: Polycarbonate shell
CPSC+1 Certified: CPSC Bicycle, MIPS (optional)
Features: Removable snap-on visor, Ergo-Fit dial-adjust system, 15 vents
Best Fun, Baby Helmet: Schwinn Infant Bike Helmet
Pros
- The flatback is wonderful for hauling kids in a trailer of a high-backed bike seat.
- Plenty of 360-degree interior padding for comfort and safety.
- DIt’s specially designed to fit the head contour of 9-month-old babies to 2-year-old toddlers.
Cons
- Reviewers have mentioned the chin straps on this helmet sometimes move around. That might lead to a helmet shifting during use or a crash.
The Schwinn Infant Bike Helmet, with its playful theme, is one of the best choices for infants who start wearing a bike helmet for the first time. If you are wondering whether you should spend the money on a bike helmet for your 9-18-month old baby, then this is an excellent place to start.
A flat back ensures a comfortable ride on a trailer or child bike seat. The infant’s head isn’t forced forward but comfortable rests with the flat back design. The bike helmet isn’t suitable for babies under nine months. At nine months, your child’s neck is strong enough to hold their head. Kids under nine months may not yet be strong enough to carry a weight on their heads. Lightweight, the bike helmet won’t burden your child’s body with the extra weight; it cannot tolerate making it challenging to hold their head up.
This is a great first-time helmet for your young toddler – very comfortable in a bike trailer.
The colorful jungle theme may delight your infant. Another cute design is the elephant design…yes, you see pink elephants. The cute designs may appeal to boys and girls, and they will be thrilled to ride along with a parent. It’s not just a cute design but also made to protect your child’s head in the event of an accident. The lower molded shell and the extended rear coverage add extra protection.
It is a basic helmet that is ideal for a first bike helmet. The 360-degree internal padding system creates, and extra safety layer and a comfortable fit. A dial-adjust system fine-tunes the bike helmet for the best fit on your baby’s head. Six flow vents create air flowing inside the helmet to avoid unnecessary sweaty heads.
Helmet Sizes: 17.32-19.29 inches
Helmet Weight: 10.4 ounces
Materials: Lower molded shell
CPSC+1 Certified: Yes
Features: Dial-adjust system, flat back for trailers and bike seats extended rear coverage
Best Budget Toddler Helmet: Joovy Noodle Bike Helmet
Pros
- Easy-to-reach dial makes on-the-fly sizing adjustments a breeze!
- Sweat pads are high quality – no more sweat in eyes on hot days.
- An extra pad is attached to the dial-adjust system at the back of the helmet for stability.
Cons
- The pointed back makes this helmet less suitable for kids in a bike trailer or high-backed bicycle seat. Pick another one on the list if you need to haul your child behind your bike.
This helmet is great for parents looking for high quality at a low price.
The Joovy Noodle bike helmet for toddlers and kids 1-4 years old is really well made. It has features that rival those of many higher-priced helmets.
The dial-adjust system is one of the most practical systems. The dial sits lower on the helmet, which allows for easy adjustments even on wriggling toddlers. A small pad attached to the rear of the dial-adjust system gives additional comfort and safety to the rear of the head.
It is one of the best bike helmets for toddlers who tend to sweat on those hot days. The sweat-wicking pad is high-quality sports performance material, and with 14 air vents, your kid’s head may stay dry during trike, bike, and other daring adventures. It’s a single pad that is more cumbersome for a toddler to tear out and loose.
Head circumference varies from child to child. Make sure your toddler’s head size will fit the helmet securely. Smaller kids may have to wait before they can wear their Joovy Noodle. The helmet with it’s pointed back is designed for toddlers riding a bike and isn’t suitable for child bike seats or trailers without a rear mesh panel that provides a comfortable space for the back of the helmet.
The dial adjust system on the Joovy Noodle is great – it’s really easy to get a good fit on your youngsters head.
Wider V-shaped straps may initially require some getting used to set in place. Once adjusted, the bike helmet stays on the child’s head.
The extended visor keeps the sun out of your toddler’s face and protects your child’s face against injuries when falling forward.
Helmet Sizes: S 18.5-20.5 inches, M 20.5-22 inches
Helmet Weight: 0.5 pounds
Materials: Hardshell with solid foam covered by a plastic shell
CPSC+1 Certified: Yes
Features: Dial-adjust system, wicking pads, rear pad attached to dial-adjust, bright colors
Best Stylish Design: Nutcase Baby Nutty Bike Helmet
Pros
- No more pinching of tender skin – the magnetic buckle is easy and painless. Your child will thank you.
- Lightweight design is perfect for young toddlers who can’t carry heavy loads on their heads.
- Stylish design to motivate young toddlers to wear a bike helmet from an early age.
Cons
- There are no side vents – this can lead to more sweating on hot days with this model than others on our list.
Are you tired of accidentally pinching your child’s neck when buckling the chin strap? Or do you have an older relative that helps out and has a hard time pinching those plastic buckles while your child is wiggling around?
Sometimes it’s ok to get a little nutty!
The Fidlock magnetic buckle avoids pinching your child’s skin when fitting the helmet chin strap. An elastic fit system ensures the bike helmet adjusts to your baby’s head as they grow. It stretches and adjusts and doesn’t get caught in your child’s hair like Velcro would. Once changed, you don’t need to re-adjust every time your baby gets on their bike.
If your baby likes style and you want to motivate them to wear a bike helmet, then the Nutcase Baby Nutty Bike Helmet could be a great choice. The stylish design may inspire your little one to start wearing helmets from a very young age.
The bike helmet is very lightweight so that your baby doesn’t have to carry additional weight on their heads, adding stress to their bodies. Flat-shaped at the back of the helmet ensures the baby’s head isn’t pushed forward on a bike seat or trailer.
With the Ergo-design, your baby learns from a young age to have the best bike posture. Front and back venting holes help keep your baby’s head fresh but aren’t as effective as other bike helmets for toddlers. The netting over the front vent holes protects your child from bee stings or insects flying into them.
Helmet Sizes: XX-Small 18.5-19.7 inches (47-50 cm)
Helmet Weight: 9.9 ounces
Materials: In-mold, EPS
CPSC+1 Certified: Yes, for bicycle helmets for 1-year and older
Features: Appealing design, Fidlock magnetic buckle, Ergo-design, vents, flat back for bike seats and trailers
What to Look for When Buying the Safest Toddler Bike Helmet
As a parent, you want to keep your little one safe at all times. When it comes to toddlers, the possibilities for mishaps and falls are endless as they explore the world without care or caution. That’s why you have to do your best to protect them as well as you can-especially when they are learning how to ride a tricycle.
As with any product for children, you want to find the best toddler bike helmet to ensure that they are protected in case they fall while riding their tricycles.
Why should you buy a toddler bike helmet?
Toddlers are little explorers who try to do anything and everything without thinking about the consequences. What this means is that while they try to learn how to ride a tricycle, there may be times when they do adventurous, and very crazy, things. While falls will always happen with toddlers, you can help to prevent dangerous results such as concussions and head injuries, by making sure that they are protected by a top-quality bike helmet.
When shopping for bike helmets, it’s important to look for helmets that are specifically made for toddlers. Some parents may try to buy children’s helmets that are adjustable hoping that they will fit their little one, but the size and shape of a toddler’s head with an older child is quite different and you may not get the perfect fit. When it comes to protective gear, the point is that it fits perfectly as this is how it will provide the utmost protection.
What is the most protective material for your toddler’s bike helmet?
While you will probably be near your child the whole time and will hopefully never have to see them have a bad fall, if the unimaginable happens, you will want to make sure that their helmet can do the job of keeping their little head safe.
The best material for bike helmets is expanded polypropylene foam. This foam is a great material to look for in bike helmets because it has a recovery feature that helps to keep the helmet from being crushed. Another material that is protective is EPS foam, which while not as strong as expanded polypropylene, is commonly used in many helmets.
Something else that you want to keep in mind when purchasing a child helmet for your toddler is if it has a shell. This shell is supposed to work in a way that ensures that the helmet will skid should they fall on their head, which can be an important factor in protecting your child from a neck injury.
What are the top features to look for in toddler bike helmets?
The best toddler helmet is one that combines all the top protective features in one helmet. After all, if you are going to spend time shopping for a toddler bike helmet to keep your little one safe, you want the very best.
To help you understand what a highly protective helmet should have, we have compiled the best features to look for, for optimal safety:
- Segmented foam protection: Segmented foam protection ensures that the foam protection inside of the helmet doesn’t break upon impact during a fall. This is very important for keeping your little one’s head safe from harm.
- Vents and holes: It’s important to get a helmet with vents and holes as a helmet without one can get too hot for your little one in the summer and can cause heat stroke. It allows their head to breathe without taking away from protecting them.
- Magnetic closures: Although this may not do much during a fall, many times normal click closures tend to pinch little ones causing a scene before you even get out on the trail, so it helps to use magnetic closures. You will just want to be sure that you are using high quality dependable ones that will keep the helmet on during a fall.
- In mold construction: In mold construction is lighter yet provides more durable use which helps to ensure that you can depend on it for your child’s safety without worrying when it will give out.
- Straps: It’s not something that many people pay attention to when buying bicycle helmets, but the material and the strength of the chin strap used on your child’s helmets can hurt or harm. To ensure that they don’t get hurt during a fall or while wearing it, find one with a no-scratch scrap that will keep the helmet on without causing abrasions.
While some parents may like an adjustable kids helmet to ensure a good fit, it is important to be careful about them fitting right. Because some adjustable helmets are made to fit a broad range of sizes, it may mean that they aren’t the right fit for your little one, no matter how many times you may try to adjust it. It may also help if you take your toddler with you to shop so that you can be sure that it is comfortable and the right helmet fits – although they may put up a struggle before they let you put it on.
Tip: Try to find cute helmets with fun designs or characters which will make the experience of wearing a helmet more exciting.
In Conclusion
When shopping for the best kid bike helmet for your child, it is important to remember these three most important factors:
- That the helmet is designed to fit snugly. A helmet that slides off or comes off easily during a fall is equal to wearing no helmet at all.
- That it is made with high quality material that ensures complete head protection and doesn’t break or come apart in a fall.
- That it allows their head to get some air through vents or small holes in the helmet.
Other features may be more about preference, such as magnetic closures or different styles, cute designs, or hardshell or in-mold construction. You can usually decide on these factors according to what you think works best for your child or even ask them what they prefer in the area of design and style (as long as YOU know that it will keep them safe).
Make sure to check with the Consumer Product Safety commission in your country to see if there are any recalls or other product warnings around a helmet design. Usually ones with issues are pulled from stores quickly, but it’s better to be safe than sorry.
A child who wears a helmet is protected 100% more than one who doesn’t. As an adult, you may forget your helmet at home, but as any parent knows, toddlers are often clumsy and prone to accidents, so even if you have to spend a little more for a higher quality toddler bike helmet, you can rest assured that it will be worth it.
