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Us adults think nothing more of taking a vitamin or supplement to help keep us fit and healthy, but what’s the score with children?
Is it ok for the kids to take vitamins or supplements to support their vitamin and mineral levels, or is this something that’s only for grown-ups?
It’s a valid question and one we’re going to tackle for you right now.
In short, vitamins for children and kids supplements do exist.
And, to make your life easier, we’ve rounded up our top picks and shared them with you a bit further down.
So, keep reading, all you need to know about vitamins for children is coming right up!
There’s a reason why vitamins for children exist, and that’s because it is fine for children, even babies, to be given a vitamin supplement.
In fact, it’s something that’s recommended by the Government.1
All children aged between 6 months and 5-years-old should be given vitamin supplements containing vitamins A, C and D every day.
Breastfeeding babies should be given a daily vitamin D supplement from birth, whether or not their mum is taking a supplement that contains vitamin D herself.
However, babies who are having more than 500ml of infant formula a day shouldn’t be given vitamin supplements because milk formulas are fortified with vitamins A, C and D and other nutrients.
If you’re planning on giving your child/children vitamins, make sure you stick to the recommended dose and don’t give them more than one supplement at a time.
For instance, cod liver oil contains vitamins A and D, and so do vitamin drops, so there’s no need to give them both of these things.
According to the Department for Health and Social Care, breastfed babies from birth to 1 year should be given a daily supplement containing 8.5 to 10mcg of vitamin D.
Meanwhile, 1 to 4-year-olds should be given a daily supplement containing 10mcg of vitamin D.
Handpicked content: Guide to vitamin D for children & babies
Vitamin A helps keep children’s immune systems healthy and enables them to see in dim light.
It’s recommended 0 to 12-month-year-olds should have 350mcg of vitamin A a day, and 1 to 6-year-olds, 400mcg a day.
Vitamin C also helps maintain your children’s immune systems and overall health, as well as helping their bodies to absorb iron.
The recommended daily intake of vitamin C for 0 to 12-month-olds is 25mg a day and 30mg a day for 1 to 10-year-olds.
All children aged 6 months to 5-years-old should be given vitamin supplements that contain vitamins A, C and D every day.
As is the case with most products, some people favour certain brands over others.
And when it comes to buying a multivitamin for kids or other vitamins for children, there’s plenty of choice!
It may be that the brand you use happens to do a children’s version or you’ve settled on your own favourite brand simply by using the trial and error process.
Or, it could be that you want to buy some vitamins for your little ones, but haven’t gotten any further than that just yet…
The good news is, you’re here, reading this article, which is now going to feature lots of different vitamins, multivitamins included, for children from brands, such as Nature’s Aid, BetterYou and Vitabiotics.
If you're set on giving your child a multivitamin that incorporates a selection of essential nutrients, have a read of our article on 8 of the best multivitamins for kids.
The vitamins and supplements we’re going to share with you now have been selected based on our customers’ feedback.
By all means, it isn’t a complete list, simply because there are so many fabulous children’s vitamin products available, but, it will provide you with more of an idea of the different types of products and, more importantly, the most popular ones!
These PAW Patrol Multivitamins Apple & Blackcurrant Chewables are packed with 12 essential vitamins and minerals to help support everyday health, growth and development.
Each chewable contains Vitamins A, C, D, E and all 8 B-complex vitamins plus zinc, iron and iodine. There are 60 chewables in each pack.
Age range: 3 to 7-year-olds
How to take them: Take 1 to 2 tablets a day.
Amazing packaging and flavour - 5/5 stars - Sully27
‘My little ones absolutely loved the look of these as soon as we unpacked them, especially my little boy who’s a big Paw Patrol fan. He absolutely loved them and wanted another straight away. Certainly something we'll be keeping in their diets.’
Better than gummies! - 5/5 stars – SilverMoon99
‘I tried gummy vitamins with my 4-year-old and he hates them! So I tried him with these chewables to see if they were any better, and he loved them. He loves the fruity taste and is happy to take them every day which helps me!’
Natures Aid Kidz Daily Multi-Vitamin & Minerals banana-flavoured liquid contains 14 vitamins and minerals, including zinc and iodine, which contribute to the normal growth and cognitive function in children.
Age range: 6 to 12-years-old
How to take it: Take 1 teaspoon (5ml) daily. Do not exceed the recommended intake.
Excellent - 5/5 stars - Domisaku
‘The quality is very good and my son loves the flavour. I have been using vitamins from this brand for over a year and I can definitely say they do the job.’
Good everyday product - 5/5 stars - Happy Dad
'Taste is much better than other childrens multivitamins on the market and it doesn't contain any sugar!'
These PAW Patrol Apple & Blackcurrant Multivitamin fizzy drink sachets contain 12 essential vitamins and minerals to help support everyday health, growth and development.
Each drink contains Vitamins A, C, D, E and all 8 B-complex vitamins, as well as zinc, iron and iodine. Each pack contains 10 sachets.
Age range: 2 to 7-year-olds
How to take them: Take 1 sachet a day. Pour the contents into 150ml of water, watch it fizz, stir and then drink!
All all-round great-tasting drink - 5/5 stars - Jo32
‘Absolutely love these drinks. My kids and I were scrolling through H&B in search of some new vitamins and as soon as they saw this they were in awe of it. After checking through the ingredients I was in awe too, it ticked all the boxes. The kids will have one sachet a day and will always be asking me for another, they just love the flavour. Would 100% recommend.’
BetterYou™ MultiVit Junior Oral Spray is an expert blend of 14 essential vitamins and minerals expertly formulated to support your child's health and wellbeing.
It absorbs directly into the bloodstream, bypassing the digestive system for quicker absorption.
Age range: 1-year-old & upwards
How to use it: Shake well before every use. Carefully spray into your mouth or on the inside of your cheek.
Only vitamin my child will take - 5/5 stars - SarahN75
‘Mild taste, my kid won’t take any chewable vitamin, and the liquids all have such a strong taste/smell, she just spits it out. We’ve used this spray for a year and no complaints!’
Builds immunity - 5/5 stars - Anonymous
‘I have been giving this to my daughter for the last 2 years. It has really helped her to build her immunity.’
Nature's Aid Vitamin C Mini Drops have been designed specifically for breastfed babies, infants and children aged 3 months to 5 years.
Vitamin C contributes to the normal function of the immune system and increases iron absorption.
Age range: 3 months to 5-years-old
How to take them: Mix 0.5ml with formula, juice or water. Shake well before use and clean dropper thoroughly after each use with cooled boiled water.
Best vitamin C suppliment - 5/5 stars - Nikolett18
'The best ever vitamin C suppliment for children and babies. It is easy to use and also last for months. I use this for my child for years. Simple to put it into water or juice and it has no bad taste.'
Kids love it c vitamins - 5/5 stars - Esay
'Easy to use perfect for little kids. I did mix with fruits.'
Not only do they taste great, these soft chewables are packed full of vitamin C to help children over the age of 3 on their way to meeting their daily dietary requirements.
This vitamin C supplement is designed to support the immune system, metabolism and help increase iron absorption.
Age range: 3-years-old+
How to take them: Take one softie a day
Great vitamins! - 5/5 stars - MARY04
‘My son loves these vitamins. They are tasty and have what he needs every day. The good thing about them as well is that they only need to be taken once a day compared to other vitamins that need to be taken twice.’
Fun and healthy - 5/5 stars - Clauquintero
‘Excellent for children as well as adults. My son loves them, especially because they’re the shape of a teddy bear. They’re fun and healthy.’
Holland & Barrett Pre-vites is a delicious orange flavoured multivitamin chewable with iron.
The formula has been specially created for active, growing children over the age of 3, and contains Vitamins A, D, E and C along with other vitamins and minerals.
Iron contributes to the reduction of tiredness and fatigue. It helps in normal function of the immune system and also contributes to normal cognitive development of children.
Age range: 3-years-old and over
Free from: Artificial colours, flavours and sweeteners, preservatives, added salt, yeast and porcine.
How to take them: Chew 1 tablet a day, preferably with a meal. Do not exceed the recommended dose.
Great vitamin for little ones - 5/5 stars - Anonymous
‘Excellent value for money, great taste, like a little orange sweet. My son takes them quite happily. Will buy again.’
Ideal for children - 5/5 stars - N Williamson
‘Ideal for little ones. They have a sweet orange taste and a texture a bit like 'love hearts'. The youngest in our family loves taking them and regularly asks for her morning vitamin at breakfast.’
Alive! Children’s Chewable Multi-Vitamin & Multi-Mineral tablets contain a specially balanced formula to support the needs of children aged 3 to 12-years-old.
These tablets are high in Vitamin C for normal immunity and iron for cognitive development. They also contain a dried blend of 26 fruits and vegetables and citrus bioflavonoids.
Age range: 3 to 12-years-old
How to take them: Chew one tablet daily with food. Do not exceed the recommended intake.
Made a big difference - 5/5 stars - Jalal
‘My son started taking these about 7 months ago after becoming very poorly with low iron levels. He had been taking vitamins, but they did not include iron. My son eats very well, but is vegetarian. After taking these for about a week, he started getting better and had more energy and colour to his face. He went from sitting down all the time and being tired and emotional to being full of beans and happy again.’
Yummy taste! - 5/5 stars - Anonymous
‘My 4-year-old enjoys the taste and has them every day without any fuss. It’s great knowing it has all the multivitamins and tastes yummy!’
Wellbaby Vitamin D-Drops have been carefully developed by Vitabiotics’ nutritional experts, and provide the exact level of Vitamin D for infants and young children, as recommended by the Department of Health.
Age range: 4 months to 5-years-old
Free from: Artificial colours, sweeteners and peanut oil
How to use them:
Easy to give to my baby - 5/5 stars - Irena33
‘It’s so easy to give this vitamin to my baby. There is a syringe in the package, I have used this one since my baby was born.’
The great vitamin D! - 5/5 stars - Irena33
‘My doctor advised me to use this for my baby from day one! It's perfect and important to use vitamin D from birth to 4 years. Also it's free of peanut oil, artificial sweeteners and colours.’
Holland & Barrett Healthy Kids Vitamin D3 Liquid are unflavoured liquid drops that can be mixed with water, milk or juice to supplement the diet with vitamin D.
Vitamin D contributes to the maintenance of normal bones and teeth, which is needed in the growth and development of children.
Age range: 6 months to 5-years-old
Free from: Artificial colours, flavours, preservatives, added sugar, sweeteners, salt, corn, porcine and yeast.
How to take them: Draw the liquid into the graduated pipette to 0.5ml and dispense directly into milk/juice. Consume one serving (0.5ml) daily. Do not exceed stated dose.
Fab - 5/5 stars - Carlzed
‘Love these drops. I pop them in my daughter’s milk in the morning. She doesn't even know they’re there because there's no flavour, nice and simple.’
My kids like it - 5/5 stars - Doublechen
‘I have being giving my kids these Vitamin D drops and they love them, so we just keep getting more!’
We hope you’ve found this guidance on vitamins for children useful?
Whether you’re looking to boost your children’s D, B or iron levels or give them an overall multivitamin support, there are plenty of options, ranging from chewies and drinks to drops.
Now that you’re here, check this out, ‘Should my children take omega-3?’
Last updated: 12 August 2021