6 Best Swim Goggles for Kids
The pools are open and you've got the sunscreen and swimsuits — but do your children have goggles they'll actually wear?
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In my freewheeling childhood, my cousins, brother and I never wore swim goggles — for that matter, we rarely wore sunscreen. Times are different; my kids and my nieces go in the water wearing a rash guard, sunscreen and goggles to make swimming more comfortable. Many kids want goggles to help them see where they're going underwater.
For this story, the Good Housekeeping Institute crowdsourced the best swim goggles from parents and consumers, giving preference to well-established brands and prioritizing comfort and fit, leakproof performance, anti-fog lenses, durability and ease of use. Each of our five picks has been used by Lab pros' kids or one of our consumer testers' children, and we'll continue to test more swim goggles this year.
Pros
- Easy to adjust
- Large, curved lens for wide field of vision
- UV protective and anti-fog
- Scratch-resistant
- Non-leaking
Cons
- Full-coverage design is less ideal for competitive swimming
Strap material: Rubber | Ages: 3+
"This is the one I use after we initially struggled to find good goggles when my kids were learning to swim," says Good Housekeeping Institute Executive Director of Strategy and Operations Lexie Sachs. "A camp swim director swore by them, and they’ve been a game changer for one of my kids especially, who struggled with the discomfort of goggles. They’re fairly easy to adjust; there’s a little button where you can loosen and tighten the strap easily."
Aquasphere Seal kids' goggles have large, curved lenses for a wider field of vision than most swim goggles. The brand says the lenses are UV-protective, anti-fog and scratch-resistant. A consumer tester told us, "They're a good option that doesn't press into a child's eyeballs. Yet they get a good seal, so we've had no leaking. The strap around the back does a good job of holding them up."
While we think these are a great pick for kids, especially those that are learning to swim, it wasn't a top recommendation among parents or coaches involved in competitive swimming.
Pros
- Strong suction holds tight to face for no leaking
- Low price, great if you need to buy multiples
- Anti-fog and sun-protective
- Recommended for little kids
Cons
- An adult may need to adjust the sides to perfect the fit
Strap material: Silicone | Ages: 3 to 12
This is the brand that has served my nieces well. Findway swim goggles aren't large, and though I get the appeal of having a wide field of vision, these small ones fit their faces well and sit high up on the bridge of their nose. In Amazon reviews, users describe them as having good suction, and I agree. The goggles hold tight; I haven't seen them leak or fog up.
If you have more than one kid and more than one swim spot, the under-$15 price is nice. My brother's kids can keep two pairs at home and two pairs at grandma's house, where there is a community pool. The silicone strap stretches easily when the girls are ready to pull them off or put them back on, but usually, adults have to step in to perfect the fit with the side adjustments.
Findway says these are anti-fog, UVA and UVB protective. The brand recommends them for ages 12 and under, with many Amazon reviewers liking them for little kids who take swimming lessons.
Aegend Kids Swim Goggles, Pack of Two
Pros
- Buckle in the back for easy on and off without hair pulling
- Set of two
- Comes with protective cases, ear plugs and a nose clip
- Can choose clear or mirrored lenses
- All have an anti-fog coating
Cons
- May scratch easily; use the goggle cases
Strap material: Silicone | Ages: 3 to 9
A mom told us these stay on better than others for her child and "are more comfortable and stylish." Another said, "The buckle in the back means no more hair pulling. Plus, it's a set of two, and there are a ton of colors available."
Not only do you get two pairs, but this also comes with two goggle cases, ear plugs and a nose clip set. However, swim-team moms say the goggles might not be best for competitions: "They don't stay on well off the blocks and can get scratched easily," one told us. Amazon reviewers say that using the goggle cases and not laying them face-down on the concrete can help protect from scratches
Aegend offers mirrored, sun-reflective and clear lenses. In some cases, you can get a two-pack with one clear and one reflective set so your child can try each. The brand says that all styles have an anti-fog coating.
Pros
- Many cute frame designs
- Bungee-cord straps are easy for little kids to use
- Parents like the fit and comfort
- Anti-fog and UV-protective
Cons
- Check the age-grading to be sure they'll fit your kid
Strap material: Bungee cord | Ages: 3 to 8
"We love these," a mom of two told us. "They are comfortable, easy to adjust and have some very cute frames," including designs with sparkles, flag stripes, polka dots and more.
Myriam Sandler, a mom of three who posts to social media as @mothercould, has a cute video of her 3-year-old daughter yanking these over her wet head without any hair pulling (you can watch the goggles in action on her Instagram). The bungee cord strap is unique and stretchy, making it easy for little kids to handle independently.
A swim-team mom who uses other Speedos for her competitive-swim kids says the Sunny Gs are best for ages 5 and younger, citing their fit on small heads. But a staff mom with a 10-year-old said Sunny Gs are still her daughter's favorites, and indeed, there are Sunny Gs for ages 6 to 14. The brand says that all are UV-protective and anti-fog.
Pros
- These get a vote for durability
- Many tie-dye colors and fun, spiky versions
- Fits most kids
- UVA- and UVB-protective as well as anti-fog
Cons
- Eye cups are on the smaller side, a con for some kids
Strap material: Silicone | Ages: 3 to 10
"When purchasing a new pair of goggles, I always expect to get at least two years of use out of a single pair," says Heidi Pare, the owner of Michael Phelps Swimming, which offers swim lessons to kids. "Obviously, this does not include how many I may lose in a single season! "
Her recommendation to clients is this TYR Swimple, available in a wide range of tie-dye colors and in a fun spiked version that has your kid looking a little like a sea monster. Pare says that besides their durability, she likes the color options, price and fit.
The brand promises that these mold to a wide range of face shapes, but the eye cups are smaller, and some kids like wider ones. At press time, 85 percent of the over 6,000 Amazon reviews are five-star. TYR says these are anti-fog and UVA- and UVB-protective.
Speedo Vanquisher 2.0 Goggles
Pros
- Good choice for older kids who do swim racing
- More than 16,000 five-star Amazon reviews
- Mirrored lenses fight glare
- UV protection and anti-fog lenses
Cons
- Not made to fit little kids
Strap material: Silicone | Ages: 11+
Back to our swim team moms: This is the design they most often recommend for tweens and teens who swim competitively. "Vanquishers stay on best when racing," one mom said, noting that their swim coach recommended them.
Of all the goggles on our list, these have the most five-star Amazon ratings (at press time, more than 16,000). People like ones with mirrored lenses, as shown, to reduce glare. Depending on your child's preference, there are also versions with tinted or clear lenses.
These are made for ages 11 and up and are not recommended for little kids. Speedo says these have UV protection and are anti-fog.
How we choose the best kids' swim goggles
Many of the Lab pros at the Good Housekeeping Institute have kids who use swim goggles for learning to swim and recreation. We started with our learnings and favorites, then asked a pool of our consumer testers for their recommendations. We also asked the Michael Phelps Swimming management team for advice they offer to parents.
We give preference to well-established brands, and when it comes to swim goggles, we look for ones that are comfortable for kids, leakproof, anti-fog, durable and easy to get on and off.
What to look for when shopping for the best kids' swim goggles
"When I purchase swim goggles at my swim school, I have lots of requirements," says Heidi Pare, the owner of Michael Phelps Swimming school, with three locations in New York state. "My first requirement is that the goggles be made out of pliable rubber or silicone that is a single, molded goggle. My second requirement is that the goggles are easily adjustable for the swimmer as they grow. The third and most important requirement is that the goggles not cover the child's mouth or nose."
This means you can't substitute a snorkel mask for swim goggles. "If the child is using a mask-type goggle that covers their nose, it makes it impossible for them to learn breath control underwater," Pare says. "Every swimmer should strive to feel comfortable underwater without holding their nose or wearing a mask that covers their nose." Other considerations:
✔️ Fit: Pay attention to the age grading and who the goggles are meant for: little kids, big kids, tweens or teens.
✔️ Comfort: Soft, adjustable straps and soft gaskets around the lenses can keep the goggles from pulling hair and the eye cups from leaving marks on your child's skin.
✔️ Leakproof performance: A good seal will keep the water out, and choosing swim goggles for your child's age will help.
✔️ Anti-fog lenses: All of the choices on our list claim to be anti-fog. That usually means the manufacturer adds a thin, clear, water-repellant silicone layer to the inside of each goggle lens, to discourage condensation. Aegend recommends that users do not scrub the inside of the lenses because it can wear down the anti-fog material.
Speedo offers this additional tip: Have your child wet their face and wet the goggles in the water before putting them on. That helps prevent an immediate burst of fogging because their face and the goggles will be close to the same temperature.
✔️ Durability: Kids are hard on goggles, so most parents we spoke with mentioned buying new ones each year. You can help extend their life by storing them in a case or bag and teaching your kids to sit them at the side of the pool with the lenses facing up.
Why trust Good Housekeeping?
For more than a century, the staff of the Good Housekeeping Institute has tested and reviewed consumer goods to determine if they live up to their claims. For family fun outdoors, we have lists such as the best swim diapers and sunscreen for kids, as well as a guide to our favorite beach towels, beach chairs and beach wagons.
This article was written by Contributing Writer Jessica Hartshorn. Formerly a senior editor at Parents magazine, she's covered the baby and kids' market for 25 years and is a mom of two.
Jessica (she/her) is a freelance writer with several decades of experience writing lifestyle content and evaluating home and parenting products. A mom of two teens and two cats, her previous work can be seen in American Baby and Parents.
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