13 types of masks your kids can actually wear (2022)

For almost two For years, the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention has issued complex – and sometimes contradictory – guidance on when you should wear a mask, depending on whether you are in, out, or vaccinated. or not vaccinated. In all the confusion, it’s easy to miss a large demographic that is still unvaccinated: Children under 5 still cannot take a shot.

The rapid spread of the Omicron variant made children sick and interrupt daily routine of all families nationwide. Ventilation and vaccinations are still important tools to fight the spread, and so are good masks. Children over 2 years old who have not been vaccinated should wear masks in public places. If your child is going back to school, you should probably refresh your mask inventory.

I have a 4-year-old child and a 6-year-old child attending preschool and primary school; I spent almost two years looking for the masks they would wear. Recently Guidelines from the US Centers for Disease Control Note that N95 respirators provide the best protection. However, these masks have not been tested for widespread use by young children and as I noted in The best mask for adults instructions, the ideal mask is one that fits and your child will wear. I also keep an eye out for masks that have been independently tested and certified to the new ASTM mask manufacturing standards.

If you’re looking for ideas to entertain your small (or not too young) kids, check out our guide to entertaining preschoolers during quarantine and How to set up a virtual workspace for your child.

Update January 2022: We’ve added the latest guidance on the Omicron variant, childhood immunizations, and N95.

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