5 Best Kids Bike Helmets: Toddler, Youth, Older Kids (2024)

Learning to ride a bike is a rite of passage for generations of children, opening the world for kids to explore, and providing them some independence while they’re at it. That’s not to mention what a great form of exercise or family-bonding opportunity bike riding can be. Just like adults, though, children should always wear a bike helmet. Studies show, in fact, that bike helmets reduce the chance of head injury by as much as 85%! 

Pushing limits is what childhood is all about. Keeping them safe is your job as a parent. No matter what age your child happens to be, or what developmental stage they are in, there’s the perfect product in this article. Any one of them will  provide you peace of mind without limiting their fun. What is the best kids bike helmet? Keep reading, because you’re about to find out. Adventure awaits!

Our Top Picks

Take quick trip around the block with the 5 best bike helmets for kids

A Closer Look: Best Kids Bike Helmets

Ready for a longer ride? Here’s what we liked about the best bike helmets for kids.

Good for ages one through nine and available in seven color options, Joovy Noodle is the best rated kids bike helmet in our ranking. We like the easy-to-use adjustable fit dial, and the extended visor. It’s made from PVC, or polyvinyl chloride, and expanded polystyrene, or EPS. Keeping the helmet securely in place are nylon straps, and the chin strap is protected by a pinch guard. Also notable, 14 air vents with integrated bug mesh in the front.

Best of all, the helmet adjusts easily as your child grows, and it’s very comfortable, according to reports. Depending on head size, it fits kids as young as 18-months, and one child even forgot to take it off when they reached the playground. Otherwise, the color options are popular, and generally speaking the quality of the helmet far surpasses the very reasonable price. “The cool colors make me fast!” one child said, and that’s all the endorsement we need.

Prioritizing sustainability when manufacturing all their products, Kinderfeets’ adjustable bike helmets are up next in our ranking. We like the easy-to-use adjustable fit dial, and the PVC for maximum protection. Helmet straps can be a little pinchy and Kinderfeets solves this problem with a padded chin strap. There’s also plush padding on the interior for added comfort. Don’t miss the 11 ventilation vents, and it comes in some nice, understated color choices.

For these reasons and more the helmet is sturdy, easy to adjust, and fits securely. Kids as young as 18 months wear it. but it’s a bit big for the tiniest of noggins. Even then, it was able to be adjusted adequately, we found out. There is no visor, which is a drawback, but the helmet does double nicely for other physical activities your child may enjoy, like skating or scootering. It also complies with the United States CPSC bike safety standards.

As your kids grow, so does their sense of adventure and their need for independence. Feel confident letting them wander a bit further afield wearing the Giro Tremor, the best youth bike helmet in our ranking. This polycarbonate shell helmet has a low-friction MIPS layer, protecting against rotational motion head injuries should an accident happen. We also like the impact-absorbing foam layer on the inside, the ventilation system, and the Universal Fit sizing with Roc Loc sport fit system. 

The helmet grows with your child, according to reports. It fits kids as young as five, though some even some 4-year-olds were able to wear it depending on their head size. The tension mechanism keeps the helmet securely in place, and it won’t make their head too sweaty. It’s not the cheapest helmet, we realize, but the quality makes it worth it. Parents especially like the removable visor for added protection. There are also some nice color options to choose from.

An American company, Razor makes the best bargain bike helmets for kids, because just because you’re on a budget doesn’t mean your kids shouldn’t be as protected as any other child. This multi-sport helmet has adjustable straps, foam pads, and an EPS foam liner. Worth noting, pads are easy to remove to keep them clean (we know how kids are!) and though there’s no visor, it does extend a bit down the back of the head for added protection.

Otherwise, the helmet offers a good fit with room to grow. Some use it for biking, but others like it for skateboarding, scootering or whatever else junior might get up to. It’s easy to put on, simple to adjust, and very comfortable, according to reports. It also has a nice sleek design. Packaging says that it fits kids 8-and-over, but it fits one 6-year-old without an issue, and even kids as old as 12 like to wear it.

As kids grow into their tween years, they become even more daring, pushing the boundaries of what they can do and the limits you place upon them. How they look also becomes important.  While all this is natural, safety should still be a concern. For this reason, we chose the Bell Sidetrack II as the best bike helmet for older kids. 

Available in 12 color choices to suit their burgeoning personal aesthetic and looking pretty much like a grownup helmet, the Sidetrack II offers MIPS. Which, as we explained earlier, adds even further protection in the event of an impact. We also like the polycarbonate shell and EPS foam liner. To perfect the fit, there’s an easy-to-use ErgoDial with no-twist tri-glides and sweat guides. 

Otherwise, this is an excellent youth helmet, and especially for rounder heads, according to reports. Unlike some helmets with MIPS, there are also no plastic attachment buttons which tend to get caught in longer hair. Kids love the sleek look, while parents love the safety features.

What to Look For

Here are some additional tips and pointers when choosing a bike helmet for your child:

• Make sure it fits correctly. It should cover the forehead without tipping too far back. Always fasten the straps. 
• Take care of the helmet. Cracked or beat up helmets won’t do their job. Also, never wear a hat underneath your helmet.
• Get a new helmet after an accident. If the unthinkable occurs and there should happen to be an accident, always get a new helmet before your child rides again. 

Last, and certainly not least, to make the best kids bike helmet even safer, consider adding some reflective tape.

Our Process

For this guide on the best bike helmets for kids, our team spent 5 hours researching the most popular options from over 25 brands and manufacturers big and small. We then read about twenty-five user reviews (both positive and negative) to discover what shoppers thought about each bike helmet for kids. After comparing this data, we narrowed our list down to the top 5 kids’ bike helmets on the market. You can count on this research to guide you to a mindful purchasing decision.

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