The sight of children in face masks isn’t as common as it was at the height of the COVID-19 pandemic, but there are still some scenarios where kids might want or need to mask up. Masks remain important in doctors’ offices (some may require them for sick patients), for families who choose to wear them while traveling, and if you or your child is diagnosed with COVID-19.
Over the past three and a half years, we’ve looked at more than 100 cloth and disposable masks for kids, pored over scientific studies, talked with health experts and researchers, assessed filtration efficiency in independent lab tests, and tested finalists with a panel of 10 kids, ages 2 to 11.
The best mask is the one that fits your child securely and comfortably, that offers strong filtration, and that they will wear, experts say. This means that no single mask will work for all kids, and finding the right one for your child may involve a lot of trial and error.
Fortunately, there are now many mask options for kids, including high-performing cloth masks with built-in filters as well as disposable KN95 and surgical-style masks. Our research and testing has allowed us to identify a handful of kids cloth and disposable masks that we think are good options to try, that can be easily ordered online, and that should ship fairly quickly.
If you’re looking for a mask for yourself, check out the advice in our guide to buying N95, KN95, and surgical-style masks. We also have advice on reusing medical masks and how to tell if you have a fake N95, KN95, or KF94 mask.
Our pick
This machine-washable mask is lightweight and breathable, and it includes an incorporated filter. It was among the best performers in our independent lab test.
If you’re looking for a child’s cloth mask with a built-in filter that can block droplet- and aerosol-sized particles, we recommend the Enro Tech Kids Face Mask. It offers among the best filtration of our picks (filtering about 99% of aerosol-sized particles, assuming a perfect fit), according to the independent lab tests we commissioned. Our kid testers found it to be exceptionally lightweight and well fitting. And it’s machine-washable, a rarity among cloth masks with incorporated filters.
Our pick
This mask has five layers, including a three-ply filter, but it still feels breathable and lightweight. In our independent lab test, it was among the best performers. But it needs to be hand-washed.
The Happy Masks Pro has an incorporated filter and performed well in our lab tests, filtering about 94% of aerosol-sized particles (assuming a good fit). Though it’s stiffer than most masks we tested, its unique “parrot beak” shape allows the mask to tent up higher off the face than others we’ve tested, and some kids may find this more comfortable. This mask has to be hand-washed, however.
Our pick
This disposable KN95 mask is one of the few available with adjustable ear loops, a helpful feature for achieving a close, comfortable fit.
The WellBefore Kids KN95 fits kids ages 2 to 12, and it has adjustable ear loops (a rarity among medical-style masks) and a nose-bridge wire. Our lab tests confirmed that it filters about 99% of aerosol-sized particles (assuming a perfect fit). And unlike most medical masks for kids, this one has a few color options.
Our pick
Though this mask lacks adjustable ear loops, it is one of the cheapest KN95s available.
The Children’s Sized Powecom KN95 offers a fit and shape similar to that of the WellBefore Kids KN95. Unlike the WellBefore, this mask lacks adjustable ear loops, but it does have a nose-bridge wire. We found that it fit testers ages 4 to 10 well, and our lab tests confirmed that it filters about 99% of aerosol-sized particles (assuming a perfect fit).
