13 Best Kids Swimsuits, Rash Guards, Sun Hats, and Other Beachwear of 2025

Swimsuits

If you want a full-body, zip-up swimsuit for a little kid: The UPF 50+ SwimZip Long-Sleeve Sunsuit Romper is a great choice that comes in sizes up to 5T. Wirecutter special projects director Christine Cyr Clisset and editor Jennifer Hunter have both bought their daughters suits from this company, and they’ve found the suits to be comfortable and long-lasting. “I love the SwimZip suits’ fun, colorful prints, the UPF 50+ sun protection they provide, and the zipper opening that makes them easy to get on and off,” Christine said.

If you want a cute two-piece with extra butt coverage: The Hanna Andersson Rashguard Top & Shorts Set was a favorite during our most recent round of testing. The boy-shorts offer extra sun protection, as well as a fun look that our testers said was both stylish and sporty. Laura’s 7-year-old daughter loved that it was easy to go to the bathroom in this suit, and she said that because the top was a little looser than Hanna Andersson’s one-piece long-sleeve suit, it was more breathable on hot days. It feels just as well made as the other Hanna Andersson suits, trunks, and rash guards we recommend.

If you want a medium-coverage girls’ bathing suit: The Boden Short-Sleeved Swimsuit comes in several bright and colorful patterns and offers a nice level of sun protection, minus the full sleeves. Shoulder and upper-back coverage is valuable, and slapping a little extra sunscreen on forearms and biceps is doable. Our kids felt less encumbered in this suit than in long-sleeved versions on extra-hot days. But the collar is a little more robust than we’d like, so if your kiddo is sensitive to tight things around their neck, it may not be the best suit for them. Just like the Boden Cross-Back Printed Swimsuit we recommend, this suit runs small.

If you want a versatile girls’ option: The Lands End Rashguard Bikini Swimsuit Set was a favorite among our testers. Full disclosure: It was the only bikini we tested, and our testers never wanted to wear the rash-guard component. Still, this is essentially a two-in-one suit, which may be valuable for different conditions and climates. It’s available in a wide range of sizes, including “kids plus” and “kids slim” variations. It feels well made, and it showed few signs of wear despite repeated use during our most recent testing, but we found the array of patterns on offer somewhat unappealing.

If you want swim trunks available in more fun prints: Boden’s Swim Shorts could be a great option. We thought the sapling green puppy scooters print was adorable, but our 9-year-old tester said it was “cringe.” We acknowledge that, as parents, we can’t always tell the difference between “cringe” and “cool,” but with 22 prints ranging from subtle to wacky to whimsical, there’s probably something for everyone. The suit feels well made, with a functional drawstring and comfortable lining, and its inseam is slightly shorter than that of our top pick, the Hanna Andersson Swim Trunks, a design difference that some kids may prefer.

If you want cool-looking board shorts with a dolphin hem: Check out the Primary Kids Board Short. Available in four prints, it has a more stylish look than the basic solid-colored Primary Kids Swim Trunks, our runner-up pick. The hem is a touch shorter, which adds to the look and which some kids may find more comfortable. This pair has the same soft knitted boxer-brief-style lining as Primary’s other board shorts, which all of our testers (both boys and girls) found super comfortable.

If you want swim trunks that pair with a suave matching button-up: Miles the Label makes a couple of sets in a soft, wrinkle-resistant fabric. We tried out the palm-tree-patterned Birch Swim Trunks and matching Viscose Blend Camp Shirt, and the resulting outfit was super cute. (It also comes in a macaw print.) But it’s on the pricey side, and we’re not sure how many kids want to keep their lined swim trunks on for after-swim activities.

Rash guards

If you want an extra-bright rash guard with a hood: The Land’s End Sun Hoodie Rash Guard is a great choice. It’s available in six solid colors, including a highlighter-like neon yellow. One of our testers happened to be wearing this rash guard — which is looser-fitting than the other rash guards we recommend — in yellow on his way home from spring break, and he was exceptionally easy to spot in a busy airport terminal. That high visibility is great in pools and on beaches, too, and the hood offers bonus sun protection. This rash guard is especially silky and lightweight, and the stitching feels high-quality.

If you want a good, inexpensive rash guard in bright colors: The Kanu Surf Long-Sleeve Rashguard is surprisingly high-quality considering its price (around $16 at this writing). During testing, one of our kids wore it snorkeling all day, and it did a great job of protecting him from sunburn — while making him extra easy to spot. The Kanu Surf logo has a classic surf vibe, which appealed to one tester in particular who favored more grown-up looks. Its collar is thick, but not too tight around the neck. We found that it fits true to size.

If you want an affordable, quick-to-arrive rash guard for a baby or toddler: You might try the UPF 50+ Green Sprouts i Play Rashguard Shirt. Wirecutter editor and mom of two Erica Ogg has bought multiple sizes over the years, and she has loved their fit and the speed at which they dry. “Crucially for us, the neck opening was large enough to easily pull over my son’s 80th-percentile noggin,” Erica said. (There are also versions with a zipper at the neck.) These rash guards come in blue, pink, or white, but as Erica notes, “We’ve learned to avoid the white ones, because they are easy to permanently stain.” These shirts come in sizes from 6 months to 4T.

Sun hats

If you’re looking for a simple, inexpensive sun hat in a soft, light fabric: The swim hats from Green Sprouts come in two styles that we’ve tried and liked — one with a full brim and one with a protective flap covering the ears and the back of the neck. Both are made of fabric rated to UPF 50+. Erica used both for more than four years with two kids, and she preferred the flap style when they were younger and in the stroller more often. Once they were older and walking everywhere, the two hat styles worked equally well.

These hats have two long ties for securing the hat under the chin, as well as a drawstring at the crown. Editor Ingrid Skjong, who tried both styles, liked the fabric and the cute silhouettes, but she found that the two long ties under the chin distracted her then-2-year-old; the brimmed style also sat a bit too high on his head. The hats come in sizes from 6 months to 4T.

If you like the idea of a chin-strap-free sun hat made of swimsuit-like material: Several Wirecutter parents have tried and liked the Flap Happy UPF 50+ Swim Flap Hat. The foam-filled brim and generous neck flap provide ample sun protection, and the hat air-dries quickly and packs down easily. Ingrid compared four sun hats (including our pick) in testing with her kids, then ages 2 and 5, and she liked this one the best for her younger child, who wore it without a second thought. She found it easy to slip on and off (no ties to contend with), and she appreciated the full ear and neck coverage.

Although Amazon reviewers have noted that when this hat gets wet, the brim flops down into their kids’ faces, we didn’t have this problem. Flap Happy hats come in sizes XS to XXL, which should fit newborns to age 3-plus. Refer to this size chart to get the correct fit.

Sunglasses

If you have a bigger kid or want to see a wider variety of styles and colors: Take a look at Roshambo Eyeware. Writer Lauren Dragan switched from her beloved Babiators to this company after her then-6-year-old began insisting that everything he owned must be red. And she found that the new glasses held up well. Although Roshambo doesn’t offer a loss guarantee, as Babiators does, it provides polarized replacement lenses for free, or 50% off mirrored lenses (you pay shipping).

Water shoes

If you want a low-fuss, relatively inexpensive, slip-on summer shoe: Crocs are an obvious choice. Our own kids have loved Crocs since they were toddlers, and many other Wirecutter kids agree. (Weirdly, “No socks with Crocs!” was Kalee’s older son’s first complete sentence.)
Crocs are durable and easy for kids to get on and off on their own, and they float. But they fall off much more easily than an adjustable water shoe like the Keen Newport (see below). And they aren’t nearly as good for hiking or scrambling over rocks.

Sizes range from infant through adult. Some parents find that they run large; refer to the company’s sizing guide to maximize your chances of an ideal fit. If you’re flexible on color and you wait for sales, you can find Crocs at a low price, either in the Classic Clog style or (as shown above) the Crocband Clog style.

If you want a sturdy shoe for all kinds of watery adventures: The Keen Newport H2 is a tried-and-true option that typically comes in an array of cheerful colors. The smaller Newport H2 runs from 4T up to 7T, and the bigger-kid version of the Newport H2 starts at a little-kid 8 and goes up to teen sizes. (Keen makes the same sandals for adults, as well.)

Like many shoes from Keen, these sandals have extra-solid, grippy soles and a wide toe box to provide reliable protection from roots and rocks. The straps are adjustable for a secure fit. A couple of summers ago, Kalee and her then-10-year-old son both relied on these sandals for a weeklong canoe-camping trip along the Allagash Wilderness Waterway, near Maine’s border with Quebec. This trip also included lengthy portages, where she noticed that these shoes were by far the most common footwear on other paddlers they encountered.

If you want a sleeker-looking, water-friendly shoe: The Native Jefferson is another favorite of multiple Wirecutter parents. We’ve found that these slip-ons share many of the virtues of Crocs, though they have a narrower fit, so they can be harder for little kids to pull onto wet feet. Editor Marilyn Ong loves them for her three kids: “They’re a great water shoe that can stand in for ‘real’ shoes when you show up for dinner at a restaurant,” she said. These Native shoes come in a ton of colors and styles, and they’re sized for toddlers through adults. They’re typically more expensive than Crocs but can also often be found on sale. And like Crocs, these can be worn with socks or without.

Cover-ups

If you’re looking for a cozy and convenient towel alternative: You might like the Boden Towelling Throw On (an older print is shown in the photo above). Wirecutter writer and linens expert Jackie Reeve bought ever-larger versions of this summer staple for her daughter for years. The long-sleeved cover-up is made of terry cloth (an 85% cotton, 15% polyester blend), the hood has a soft cotton lining, and the styles range from giant fruit to rainbow leopard. It’s available in sizes from ages 2 to 3 up to 13 to 14 (in some styles).

If you’d prefer a short-sleeved terry-cloth cover-up: The Slowtide Joaquin Kids Poncho feels cozy — with a hood and a kangaroo pocket — but skips the sleeves. The fabric is thick and substantial enough to keep a kid warm after a dip, and it slips on and off easily. Like the Boden cover-up, it’s sewn down the sides, so in a pinch it can pull double duty as an actual garment. It comes in just a handful of styles, however, and in just one kids size, which Slowtide recommends for ages 3 to 7.