10 Best Kids Bike Helmets In 2021

For this post, I have put together a collection of the best kids bike helmets currently available. See my top picks for kids bike accessories.

Our Top Picks:

Best Kids Bike Helmets
Best Kids Bike Helmets

It’s absolutely essential you invest in a quality children’s helmet.

I’ve picked out 12 of the best kids bike helmets on the market in this buyer’s guide. You’ll also get tips on what to look out for when choosing the right bike helmet for your kid.

Related: See my buyer’s guide for the best balance bikes and trikes.

Let’s get going!

Best Overall Young Kids Bike Helmet – Giro Scamp MIPS

  • Everything you’d want in a kids helmet and at a reasonable price.
  • It’s lightweight with a simple dial feature at the back to simply tighten or loosen.
  • It has MIPS technology (see below video) which provides added safety.
  • Extremely well reviewed helmet with parents and children raving about its comfort and light weight.

Best Overall Older Kids – Giro Tremor MIPS

  • Like the Scamp, the Giro Tremor is an excellent helmet for your child.
  • It’s aimed at the older children and like the Tremor also benefits from MIPS technology.
  • It’s extremely comfortable and lightweight, two of the key factors for encouraging your children to wear it.
  • There is a great deal of flexibility as your child grows with the rubber-grip adjustable dial knob at the back.
  • Combined with the soft side straps this makes it a doddle to adjust.
  • The location and design of the internal pads and 18 air channel vents reduce any sweat.
  • Lots of colours to choose from.

Best Fun Design Kid Helmet – Hornit Mini Lids

  • Huge selection of fun, striking designs that will surely please your child and provide them all the motivation to wear it.
  • It’s fully adjustable with a head adjuster dial and an adjustable chin strap.
  • There is a light at the back which is an excellent safety feature and a popular addition according to the children.

Best Mountain Bike Helmet for Kids: Bell Spark Jr

  • A bright design with a racing stripe that is keen to appeal to your biking mad child.
  • It sports large ventilation holes that provide superb ventilation – perfect for long rides and energy sapping off road terrains.
  • The MIPS technology comes as standard.
  • The shell itself has lots of room to grow into with the MIPS liner inside acting like a permanent airbag and well cushioned in every direction.

Best Classic Cycling Kids Helmet – Giro Hale MIPS

  • The airflow channels and 22 vents provide a huge amount of ventilation.
  • Coupled with sealed internal pads they will keep your child’s head dry and cool.

This is a high end helmet for your child and as you’d expect from the Giro brand, provides a very comfortable ride.

Best Sporting Design Kids Helmet – Bell Sidetrack II Youth

  • A sporty and modern design that kids love.
  • The shell itself has plenty of room to grow into but the twist dial adjust system keeps the fit snug.
  • There is a long, durable snap-in visor that can provide extra protection from any falls.

Best Bike Helmet for Toddlers: Micro 3D Scootersaurus

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  • You’ll the Micro brand from the popular scooters.
  • This helmet is suitable for toddlers aged 3 and above.
  • The prehistoric design and horns will be a big hit with the kids.
  • There’s lots of good features including 11 vents to keep them cool and a quick release on the adjustable strap.
  • It’s made from tough ABS plastic and has a lightweight inner padded shell.
  • It might cost a little more but might be worth it given that they might need a little less encouragement to wear this design.

Best Kids Bike Helmet Design: Kiddimoto Red Goggle

  • This is a highly rated helmet that also looks fantastic with this eye catching retro design and ‘flying goggles’ look!
  • It has plenty of room for growth so it’s perfect for 2 years and old up.
  • Very comfortable but sturdy with lots of internal padding and provides a protective shape low at the back of the helmet.

Best All Season All Sports Kids Bike Helmet: Bern Bandito EPS

  • A great all rounder aimed at tweeners – not quite small enough for a kids helmet nor big enough for an adult helmet.
  • Versatile for those who love their winter sports – the Bandito converts to a snow helmet with a winter accessory liner.
  • Some customers find the sizing a bit on the large size so bear this in mind when ordering.

Best Budget Kids Helmet: Halfords’ Kids’ Bike Helmet

  • This one certainly packs a punch when it comes to cheap price and an eye catching pink colour.
  • Don’t worry though, even though it’s a low price it still does meet all the necessary safety specifications.
  • There’s now shortage of ventilation with 10 spots for keeping the kids cool.
  • There’s plenty of adjustable straps, removable pads and under-chin fastening to balance comfort with safety.

Best Kids Helmet to impress their friends: TuffNutz Mohawk Slime Helmet

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  • A design that children will surely love!
  • It sports a magic combination of punk, mohawk and slime – what more could they ask for.
  • It conforms to all the right safety guidelines and aimed at children aged 5 and over.
  • The added bonus of it’s ‘standout’ design is this means you can keep a close eye as they race ahead.
  • You may even find your child will wear this helmet around the house!

Best Nightime Kids Bike Helmet: Met Crackerjack

  • We don’t recommend night time riding but if the light is fading after a long ride then this one that has in built LED is a great choice.
  • It sports a funky design that kids love and it gets excellent reviews for comfort.

What to Consider When Choosing Bike Helmet for you Child

No matter what sort of cycling your child will be doing, be it kids’ pedal bike, balance bike, tag a long bike or travelling in a bike trailer – a safe, comfortable bike helmet is critical.

All cycle helmets for children sold in the UK will have to adhere to basic safety guidelines so you can be confident they’ll provide peace of mind and safety your child will be protected.

You will find helmets that have greater ventilation and a lighter lid will cost more.

Certain designs will also be a higher price – sometimes this is worth it, if it makes it easier to encourage your child to wear the helmet without argument.

Also bear in mind how your children will use their helmets – along with biking they also need the upmost protection when it comes to scooting, skating and BMXing!

Girls Bike Helmets and Boys Bike Helmets

The vast majority of kids helmets on the market are gender neutral in both their fit and design. Specific aesthetic designs and colours may vary.

Getting Sufficient Ventilation

Biking is such a fantastic form of exercise and freedom for your child.

By buying a helmet that provides enough ventilation on hot sunny days you’ll ensure they keep a cool head and have lots of fun for an extender period of cycling.

How to Get the Right Size Helmet

You should measure the circumference of your child’s head with a tape measure slightly above the ears.

To ensure you get some longevity out of the helmet it’s a good idea to buy one that has a dial on the back that allows you to change the size.

The fit is key to both comfort and safety – it needs to be tight enough so it does not come away in the event of a fall.

A simple test for this is to ask your child to put the helmet on, tighten it, and shake their head to ensure it doesn’t move around.

Of course you don’t want it so tight that it proves uncomfortable and may discourage them from wearing it.

What is MIPS Technology?

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Dominic Sawyer

Dominic has been writing on the web since 2000. He has a BSc (Hons) degree in Biological Sciences from Nottingham University and his research thesis has been published in journals. With a foundation in painstaking research he found his passion for travel and has worked in the sector for 20 years. He has written a book about travel and has extended his expertise to consumer research across the travel and leisure sector.