Best multivitamins for kids according to parents

Trying to get children to eat healthy foods can sometimes be like pushing water uphill. We all know the importance of vitamins, but when your toddler will only eat a handful of different foods, this makes getting all the nutrients they need a tricky business.

A good multivitamin will help give little brains, bones and bodies the boost they need, whatever their stage of life.

But which multivitamin is best for your child? We’ve trawled the Mumsnet forums to find out which kids’ multivitamins our users recommend and have come up with our top eight below.

Here are the best multivitamins for kids.

1. Best overall multivitamin for kids: Abidec Advanced Multivitamin Syrup

Price: £4 | Buy now from Amazon

“Abidec - it's raspberry flavoured and goes in milk. My toddler’s favourite part of breakfast! It's not cheap though.” KitchenWarrior 

“Mine always liked the Abidec syrup. Clamoured for it most days!” DappledThings

Toddlers love the sweet raspberry taste of the Abidec Advanced Multivitamin Syrup, so we can guarantee that your little one will give it two thumbs up as well. And with 12 essential vitamins, including vitamin D, and omega-6 and 9 packed into one bottle, this multivitamin is a hit with many parents too.

If you have a fussy eater on your hands, Abidec can be hidden in your toddler’s favourite drink so there’s no chance of refusal.

Pros

• The fruity taste

• Can be added to milk, water or juice

Cons

• Not suitable for children who drink more than 500ml of formula milk a day

• Contains cashews, so not suitable for kids with a nut allergy

Key specs

• Recommended age: 1 to 5 years

• Quantity: 150ml

• Daily dose: Two 10ml spoons

2. Best value multivitamin for kids: Haliborange Baby & Toddler Multivitamin Liquid

Price: £5 | Buy now from Amazon

“I use the Haliborange Multivitamin Liquid and mix it in his yoghurt. Never been refused.” Moonshine11

“Second vote for Haliborange - DS eats it from the spoon!” TheBestSpoon

This tasty orange-flavoured multivitamin is suitable for babies from one month old and will see them all the way through to toddlerhood and beyond. Haliborange Multivitamin Liquid contains nine essential vitamins to support your baby’s health and wellbeing, including vitamins A, C, D and B5.

However there are several vitamins and minerals which don’t make it into a bottle of Haliborange, so check the ingredients to see if it will meet all your child’s needs.

Pros

• Can be mixed with milk or water for babies under six months

• Suitable for vegetarians

Cons

• No spoon or syringe included

• Doesn’t contain iron

• Doesn’t contain omega 3

Key specs

• Recommended age: 1 month+

• Quantity: 250ml

• Daily dose: Half a 5ml spoon daily (1 to 4 months), one 5ml spoon daily (4 months to 4 years), two 5ml spoons daily (4 years+)

3. Best multivitamin for babies: Vitabiotics Wellbaby Liquid Multivitamin

Price: £5.97 (£15 for a pack of three) | Buy now from Amazon

“We use Vitabiotics Wellbaby - it's a multivitamin in a liquid and you can add it to milk. DS actually prefers milk with it in now, and can tell when we've run out!” presidentgerbil

“I give Vitabiotics Wellbaby Multivitamin Liquid for six months to four years.”  ilovecake77

“We also use the Wellbaby liquid. It can either be mixed in a drink (we put it in bedtime milk) or taken off the spoon if they are a bit older.” monkeyted

With no less than 14 vitamins and minerals, including iron, Vitabiotics Wellbaby Liquid Multivitamin contains more of the good stuff than other children’s multivitamins on the market.

Great for developing bodies, bones and brains, Wellbaby comes highly recommended by Mumsnetters too.

This orange-flavoured multivitamin can be mixed into milk or juice, but there are reports that some tots don’t find the mixture as palatable as others. And with the distinct smell, you may find your attempts at deception rumbled.

Pros

• Contains iron

• Suitable for vegetarians

• No need for an additional multivitamin

Cons

• Not suitable for children with an allergy to barley

• Not as easy to hide in drinks as other multivitamins

Key specs

• Recommended age: 6 months to 4 years

• Quantity: 150ml

• Daily dose: 5ml spoon

4. Best multivitamin for teens: Vitabiotics Wellteen Him Original

Price: £6.50 | Buy now from Amazon

“[DS is] now 15 and takes a daily Wellteen from Vitabiotics. He’s a very healthy budding athlete now.” itwaseverthus

Vitabiotics Wellteen Him is packed with everything to help your child navigate those rollercoaster teenage years.

The multivitamin includes 24 nutrients, including vitamins B6 and B12 to combat tiredness and fatigue as well as boost the immune system and improve mental performance. This little boost of goodness will help with everything from sports to studies.

The Vitabiotics Wellteen range also does a multivitamin for teenage girls, containing extra iron to aid with menstrual health.

Pros

• Suitable for vegetarians

• Gluten-free

• No need for an additional supplement

Cons

• Tablets are large and can be difficult to swallow

• May cause nausea if taken on an empty stomach

Key specs

• Recommended age: 13 to 19 years

• Quantity: 30 tablets

• Daily dose: One tablet a day

5. Best chewable multivitamins for kids: Bassetts Vitamins Multivitamins

Price: £4 | Buy now from Amazon

“You can get the Bassetts multivitamins for ages three to six (not sure if they do them for younger ages). My DC have had them since they were little, but the omega-3 ones are a bit fishy, so I've stopped buying them. The others they have happily (youngest still refers to them as his ‘morning sweetie’).” Zhx3

“We've always used Bassetts. The kids have always liked them and never refused.” 1stMrsF

With a yummy strawberry flavour and chewy texture, Bassetts makes getting multivitamins into your child an absolute doddle. These one-a-day pastilles contain vitamins A, B6, C, D and E to keep your little one bright-eyed and bushy-tailed.

If your child is a fan of these particular multivitamins, then you’ll be happy to know that Bassetts also do multivitamins for kids aged six to 11 too.

Pros

• Easy to chew

• Nice flavour

• Also available in blackcurrant and apple flavour

Cons

• Not suitable for vegetarians

• Doesn’t contain iron

• Contains fewer vitamins than other multivitamins on the market

Key specs

• Recommended age: 3 to 6 years

• Quantity: 30 pastilles

• Daily dose: One a day

6. Best kids’ multivitamin for Vitamin D: BetterYou D400 Junior Vitamin D Daily Oral Spray

Price: £4.39 | Buy now from Amazon

“For vitamin D, I use the Better You spray (they have a kids’ version). I think the spray absorbs better. I’ve certainly seen my levels go right up (had them tested).” Delatron

Vitamin D is an essential ingredient in any multivitamin to support your child’s immune system and bone and teeth development. Although not strictly a multivitamin, the BetterYou D400 Junior Vitamin D Daily Oral Spray is a quick and convenient way of boosting your child’s vitamin D levels, delivering their recommended daily dose in just one puff.

Just one gentle spray into your child’s mouth is all you need to keep them fighting fit each day.

Pros

• Nice peppermint flavour

• More than three months supply (100 doses) in just one bottle

• Quick to administer

Cons

• Contains vitamin D only, so you’ll need to use it alongside other supplements

• Some children may not like the spray application

Key specs

• Recommended age: 3 years and up

• Quantity: 15ml

• Daily dose: One spray

7. Best natural multivitamins for kids: NaturesPlus Animal Parade Source of Life Children’s Multivitamin

Price: £10.95 | Buy now from Amazon

“I bought Nature's Plus Animal Parade. They are expensive and messy but my toddler will eat them (they look like little animal sweets) albeit slowly and stickily.” Puppyinmypocketwasthebest

These cute little animal-shaped multivitamins are bursting with natural goodness. As well as containing no less than 16 vitamins and eight minerals, Animal Parade contains spirulina, carrot, broccoli, whole brown rice and spinach.

The assortment of flavours, including cherry and orange, only adds to the appeal of these small but mighty chewable supplements.

Pros

• Suitable for vegetarians

• Free from gluten, yeast, wheat, soya and dairy

• Various animal shapes - who doesn’t love a tiger?

Cons

• Pricey

Key specs

• Recommended age: 2 years and up

• Quantity: 90 tablets

• Daily dose: Two tablets daily

8. Best kids’ multivitamin from birth: Healthy Start Children's Vitamin Drops

Price: £3.99 | Buy now from Superdrug

“Try the Healthy Start drops. It's only five drops a day, so small amounts, but has all the recommended A, C and D. They taste a bit like banana. DS is two and hated all others but will have these just off a spoon, but more often mixed with his milk. You can buy them in Superdrug.” TheOpportuneMoment

Health Start Children’s Vitamin Drops, from the NHS’s Healthy Start scheme, are the perfect entry point to the world of kids’ multivitamins.

These banana-flavoured drops contain three essential vitamins (A, C and D) to help maintain vision, bones and the immune system, and can be taken straight from the spoon or skilfully hidden in milk, juice or other liquid food, such as yoghurt.

They are suitable for children aged up to five years, but you may decide to switch to a more comprehensive multivitamin before then.

Pros

• Affordable

• Suitable for newborns

• Subtle flavour means drops can be hidden in drink

• NHS-approved

Cons

• Limited vitamins included

• Not suitable for formula-fed babies

Specs

• Recommended age: Birth to five years

• Quantity: 10ml (eight weeks supply)

• Daily dose: Five drops daily

What vitamins should children take?

According to the NHS, all children aged six months to five years should take daily vitamin supplements containing vitamins A, C and D.

Vitamin D is only found in a few foods, so it’s difficult to get enough vitamin D from food alone. Vitamin D also comes from the sunlight on our skin in the summer, so it’s particularly important that children get their recommended dose of vitamin D during the winter months.

Babies who are having more than 500ml (about a pint) of infant formula a day don’t need supplements as formula is fortified with vitamins A, C and D and other nutrients. However babies who are breastfed should be given a daily vitamin D supplement from birth, whether or not you are taking one yourself.

Vitamin A is needed for a healthy immune system, vision and skin health while vitamin C is great for general health, boosting the immune system and helping with iron absorption.

Children’s needs vary at each stage of their development, so it’s important to choose an age-appropriate multivitamin, as higher doses of some vitamins and minerals may not be suitable for younger children. For example, too much iron can be harmful to very young children, while teens, particularly teenage girls, will benefit from a higher dose.

Is it good to take a vitamin every day?

All children aged six months to five years should take daily vitamin supplements containing vitamins A, C and D. However older children and teens will also benefit from taking daily vitamins to make up for a shortfall in any essential nutrients. Vitamins are particularly important if your child is a fussy eater, struggles to eat foods with certain textures or is on a restricted diet.

What to consider when choosing a multivitamin for kids

There are several things you should consider when choosing a multivitamin for kids.

• What’s in it? Some multivitamins contain more vitamins and minerals than others, so it’s important that you check the ingredients before buying. As a rule, you should make sure children are receiving a supplement containing vitamin A, C and D every day. In some cases, you may require a separate supplement to ensure your child is getting all they need.

• Age: Check that the multivitamin is suitable for your child’s age.

• Liquid or solid? Check whether the vitamin is in solid or liquid form. Some children may struggle with tablets, so a liquid or chewable tablet may be a better alternative.

• Flavour: Most multivitamins for young children are flavoured to help encourage them to take them. These flavours can vary though, so just make sure your little one likes orange/strawberry/banana etc before committing to a purchase.

• Allergens: Some multivitamins contain allergens, such as nuts and barley, so it’s important that you check the ingredients before administering.

• Dietary requirements: Some multivitamins on our list are suitable for vegetarians and some are gluten-free. However this is not universal, so check carefully before purchasing.

Always read the label to ensure you are giving your child the right dose. And make sure you treat your multivitamins as any other medicine and store them out of the reach of little hands. This is particularly important as some children’s vitamins can be very tasty.

What is the best multivitamin for kids?

Mumsnet parents rate the Abidec Advanced Multivitamin Syrup as the best multivitamin for kids. Not only is it packed with vitamins and omega oils, it’s sweet raspberry flavour means that it’s a toddler favourite too.

How we chose our recommendations

We scoured Mumsnet forums to find out which kids’ multivitamins our users rate highly - and which ones they weren’t impressed by.

We also consulted consumer watchdogs and took note of what they looked for in multivitamins for kids and which brands they were recommending to their readers.

Finally, we collated all that information and then looked at other online reviews to see which multivitamins had received the best recommendations.

Why you should trust us

We work hard to provide unbiased, independent advice you can trust. We do sometimes earn revenue through affiliate (click-to-buy) links in our articles. This helps us fund more helpful articles like this one.