The 9 Best Toddler Bike Helmets in 2019
Looking to buy a bike helmet for your toddler?
A quick search on the internet would probably give you tens (or maybe hundreds) of choices, but the question is,
Which one should you buy?
What are the important factors and features to consider before buying?
Whether you’re on a budget or looking for the best helmet design for your toddler, we have listed our best picks.
A Quick Glance : Our Favorite Bike Helmets for Toddlers
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Budget Toddler Helmets
Bell Sprout
If you’re looking for an established brand, then you can’t go wrong with Bell, who has been producing helmets since 1954. This helmet fits a broad range of head sizes (from 47-52 cm) thanks to Bell’s True Fit system.
The helmet also offers extra protection for the back of the head. The trade-off here is that this is a bulkier helmet that may be uncomfortable for some children. Kids will love the graphics with seven design options ranging from Blue Goo to the Orange Tang/Drake dragon design to Pink Poodles.
Schwinn
While Schwinn’s popularity has ebbed and flowed in decades since it was founded in 1895, it’s still a respected brand in the world of cycling. A large part of that is due to the affordability, and quality Schwinn offers.
The Schwinn infant helmet is no exception. At a price point well under $20, it offers great value. This is a pure bike helmet with six flow vents for ventilation and a dial fit to ensure a secure connection to your child’s head.
And the cool jungle graphics are sure to convince your toddler that this is something they won’t mind wearing.
Dostar
This Dostar helmet is high on comfort and low on price.
At 7 ounces, this is one of the lightest helmets on the market. That’s in part due to the 12 airflow vents built into the helmet, not only making it lightweight but also giving it some of the best ventilation you can buy in a kid’s helmet.
In addition to including a wheel adjuster to ensure a tight fit, this helmet also offers several design options that are sure to please boys and girls, including a sunflower design and a patriotic American flag design (perfect for that 4th of July kids bike parade).
Helmets for Boys
Nutcase Baby Nutty
Nutty designs helmets with fun in mind. They want to protect your dome in style.
Nutty’s collection of adult helmets follow a skate helmet style with fewer vents, more coverage, and much more room for graphics. Their Baby Nutty line is no different and offers a helmet designed for toddler boys.
This helmet features a space-themed design that is sure to please your little guy. This helmet also includes some pretty cool features that parents will love too including a fit system that is designed to grow with your child’s head, a padded magnetic strap that eliminates pinching, and netted front vents that keep bugs out.
Lazer BOB (Baby on Board)
If you’re someone who values brand names, then this might be the helmet for you. There aren’t many companies that have been making helmets for as long as Lazer, which just celebrated 100 years.
As the Baby on Board name suggests, this is a helmet designed for kids riding in bike trailers. The helmet features a flat back that allows kids to comfortably rest their heads against the back of the trailer. Your son will look adorable in the cracking egg chick style.
The helmet also includes adjustable pads for fit, and straps that buckle easily.
Giro Me2
Serious cyclists will immediately recognize the Giro name. This company’s focus on designing lightweight aerodynamic helmets makes it one of the most popular brands with competitive cyclists.
Giro brings that same innovation to its toddler helmets. With 6 vents and built-in bug netting, this helmet is sure to keep your child’s head cool and insect free. Giro has also incorporated its patented Mini-Loc fit system into the helmet ensuring a comfortable and secure fit.
There are great design options for boys including helmets that feature airplanes and lightning bolts.
Helmets for Girls
BERN Nino
If you’re looking for quality, the style that will turn heads, and you’re willing to spend for it, then the BERN Kids Nino Helmet might be for you. BERN is known for its urban style snowboarding and cycling helmet.
With a soft flip visor reminiscent of the cycling caps pros used to wear, and cool graphic options such as red strawberry, hot pink, and sea glass polka dot, this helmet is certainly one of the more stylish options out there for girls.
But style isn’t the only thing your paying for. This helmet offers a polyester wicking removable liner that is machine washable. There are also options for cold weather and warm weather liners.
Bell Mini
This infant helmet from one of the best-known cycling helmet manufacturers in the business provides added protection with one safety extra that sets it apart from the competition.
The helmet, which comes in fun designs for girls including wonderland pink and mini girl koala is outfitted with flashing lights on the back, making your child more visible to traffic.
This helmet also offers enhanced protection that extends down the neck, providing maximum protection to the occipital area of the brain. More protection does mean more bulk, which may make this helmet a bit uncomfortable for your little girl.
Joovy Noodle
Joovy sets itself apart from the other helmet manufacturers on this list in that it is not your typical cycling company. In fact, Joovy isn’t a cycling company at all. In addition to its collection of children’s cycling helmets and balance bikes, it offers baby products of all kinds including strollers, playpens, and high chairs.
Don’t be fooled though. This is a quality helmet. This helmet’s features include bug guard mesh, an extended visor, a pinch guard strap, and a fit dial. This hot pink helmet will look great on your little girl.
Toddlers' Bike Helmets Buying Guide & Tips
Buying a helmet may seem like a simple purchase for a child, but one search on the internet will quickly reveal that this purchase isn’t so cut and dry.
There are a variety of different styles to choose from.
What size helmet do you need?
And how about weight?
Some of the helmets you’ve found are lightweight and streamlined, but will they protect your child?
Is your child strong enough to tolerate something safer but also heavy and uncomfortable?
Let’s take a look at the 3 important factors to make the right decision.
1. Size and Fit
Purchasing a helmet for a toddler is not the time to take a one-size-fits-all approach.
Age won’t help you here either. Remember, kids, grow at different rates and thus can have very different size heads.
The only way to ensure you get a proper and safe fit for your child’s developing noggin is to measure.
How to determine your toddler's head size?
Use a soft tape measure to measure your child’s head’s circumference about an inch above the eyebrows. Then look for a helmet that includes your child’s head size in its range.
Generally, helmet sizes for toddlers range from about 45 cm for a 1-year-old to 50 cm for a 3-year-old.
How should the helmet fit?
The helmet should fit squarely on your child’s head. It should not be covering the eyebrows nor should it be sitting on the back of the head exposing the entire forehead.
The plastic strap slides should be adjusted so they create a V around the ears. The strap should be tight enough to hold the helmet in place but not so tight that it inhibits your child’s ability to open and close his mouth.
2. Helmet Weight
You will also want to consider weight when shopping for your child’s helmet.
The lighter the weight the more comfortable the helmet, and the more likely your child will wear it. Children’s helmets can vary significantly from between 8 and 16 ounces (220g to 450g)
That said you need to be careful about putting too much, well, weight on weight.
While lightweight can equal more comfort, it may also compromise safety. Make sure the helmet you purchase meets safety CPSC safety standards.
3. Helmet Design
Toddler helmets come in a wider variety of options than one might think.
The helmets are designed for comfort and functionality. Usually, they’d feature several holes for ventilation to keep your toddler cool. They also offer fitting systems that ensure the helmet will stay firmly in place on your toddler’s head.
Generally, toddler bike helmets can be categorized into 2.
- Skate Style. Very popular among toddler helmets, they offer more coverage, a harder shell, and usually more padding. As such, they typically offer a higher level of protection. Besides, If you’re planning to carry your toddler in a bike trailer, look for a helmet that offers a flat back. A flat-backed helmet will allow your toddler to comfortably rest their head against the seat of the trailer.
- Standard Design. These are the standard helmets that we all know. The only difference is that they’re smaller in size to suit your toddler’s head. Compared to skate style helmets, these have more air vents and more design choices.
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