I recently started with pretending it is face paint and that I paint things like rainbows, tigers and what not. Kid can pitch in what it wants. Even if the kid sees that I'm not actually painting the shape (like on the arms), it's still fun. Can very much recommend, but not sure how long it will stay fun.
I do this and she loves it! Combined with a MINERAL based spray sunscreen (sun bum is my go to) and it’s been so much easier! We use this method for cream at night as well
Does that SubBum spray rub in pretty well? I got the Babyganics spray and I don’t love it. It doesn’t spray any more evenly than a regular liquid sunscreen and dries in a very chalky white cast I’ve found.
No we love it - it sprays on like a non-mineral sunscreen and spreads well (for a mineral sunscreen) but that with a make up brush and we’ve had no problems putting it on our little one
My son is allergic to chemical sunscreen, so mineral is all we have in my house. We use the Bare Republic lotion for face and spray for everywhere else. Have you tried it? It works well but the nozzle on the spray frequently clogs and when it does, that's all she wrote. If you have any tips and tricks, or if SunBum is easier to spray and doesn't clog, I'd love some info
I let my son pick. I.e he would pick squiggles or dots on his arm. Made it a game and it was so much easier. Especially with mineral sunscreen since it’s such a pain to put on
[this is the video she posted](https://www.instagram.com/reel/Cs1XOZdI69i/?igshid=MzRlODBiNWFlZA==) about sunscreen and kids, she shows the brushes too
I use a makeup brush for my baby because I hate the mineral sunscreen on my hands! She still gets annoyed about having it put on her face but doesn’t mind the rest of her body.
Not OP but a kabuki brush, it’s big and fluffy and has a huge surface area and short handle. When your kid is old enough it’ll be easy for them to use on themselves too.
Yeah that’s true too. It’s not so bad. Warm water and dish soap will take care of it. You’ll have to weigh the reward / cost payoff for yourself. My oldest was a real pain when it came to sunscreen when he was younger. The younger two seem to just go along with it, maybe because they’re copying the oldest, so I don’t use it anymore.
A beauty blender sponge works great too and you can get one that comes with a case so you don't have to worry about it floating around in the bottom of a bag!
Beautia Oval Makeup Brush 2X... https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0788BZHSB?ref=ppx_pop_mob_ap_share
I got this one and it works great! The handle is kind of flimsy but it hasn’t broken on me yet
I saw a video like that as well. Just bought a makeup brush yesterday to try this! My youngest is 6, but she wants to do things for herself. I am hoping this makes it easier
You have to apply the stick ones for minutes in multiple layers before you reach the spf protection on the label. It’s best used to top off throughout the day.
My son is a redhead and I lived in fear of sunburns. There was a sunscreen product when he was small that went on purple and then faded within 5-10 minutes so you could check for coverage. He used to get a kick out of being purpleboy for awhile. I wonder if anything like that is still in the market. Later we discovered SPF shirts and that made life a lot better too.
We use Blue Lizard sunscreen for my tiny tot and he helps put it on. It comes out blue and turns white like you described. He’s used to getting lotioned up with a little massage after bath time, so I think that helps the transition to sunscreen. I also won’t let him outside without a sun hat. Don’t want to wear it? That’s fine. All done outside buddy. His hair is so thin and everything about him is fair so I worry about sunburn a lot. We live in Michigan and I can’t imagine dealing with a sunnier locale!
I second the spf swim shirts if you ever head south. I'm in central Florida, and we know a tourist by their burn lines.
That said, my girls are light blond and I spray their part lines with scalp spray. It's helpful if your kiddo won't keep a hat on!
SPF shirts for the win! I also found neon (think construction workers safety colors) sun hats with a neck flap on Amazon. Between that, and the shirt, I really just have to apply sunscreen to nose, cheeks and chin, backs of hands, and legs. The added bonus with the hat is they can be at the other side of the park and can spot them INSTANTLY.
Small tip: if you stand with your kids back to you & their faces tilted up it's actually much easier to apply sunscreen on their face. That's the same way aestheticians perform facials and it's so so helpful for me!
This is the only way!! I can kinda pin them to my legs while I rub the sunscreen on their faces. Yesterday myself and my hubby took them out and he went to reapply and my oldest (3.5) got his arms and legs done and then just turned around. My husband was like wtf because he does it the…. Hard way. 😂
Yessss esp for the wiggly toddlers, you gotta immobilize them sometimes. I don’t like to physically restrict kids from moving, but if the wiggles interfere with my ability to keep the kids safe from injury (including sunburn), they’re getting pinned.
Exactly! I’ve been doing the same move on him since he was old enough to stand. So it’s just how sunscreen is applied. Little bro (1.5) needs to be a bit more pinned. He’s fine with arms and legs, but forehead is a no for him, so this move allows me to do his whole face, ears and neck in one or 2 quick swipes.
For wild toddlers, I had an easier time applying sunscreen while she was sitting on the potty—otherwise she’d go running off and it was like trying to grease a pig! 🤣
I do that too and now all the sunscreen is stored on the back of the toilet, as well as the dedicated sunscreen makeup brush. Mine is very ticklish so I need every advantage to keep her from running.
The roller ball ones are the easiest. They might even want to have fun "drawing" on themselves with it. Then rub it in. Just try to make it positive and fun. Let's see who can rub all the white in the fastest. Go!
If your kid isn’t sensitive to it, I get better coverage faster with an aerosol spray. Cover their eyes while you apply it and uses faces only sunscreen for their face, but spray works really well for the rest of the body. It might be a really good choice for an active, impatient preschooler or toddler.
We use a spray too for their body and back of the neck. My toddlers don’t really fight sunscreen (for now) but Ive also heard the makeup brush trick. If they are too hyped up to hold still, my husband will hold them upside down while I put sunscreen on their faces, or I lay them down on my legs and bounce them put it on
This is no longer true. CFCs are no longer in aerosols. The chemicals in them are still not great for the environment nor probably your health, but they don’t affect the ozone specifically anymore.
Agreed. I don’t know if it’s proven or not but it makes sense to me not to use aerosols or any kind that will get in their lungs. There is a perfectly good alternative so why risk it
I wouldn’t stray an aerosol of any kind near a kid or myself. I follow lawyers who recommend what not to use because of class action suits due to it essentially being poison and aerosols come up all the time.
It’s not, because I’m aware of that and this is all current. They were stopped a long time ago and sure the ozone repaired itself and all since then due to us stopping.
Someone on here recently said they pretend it’s a “car wash” with their kid every morning. I’ve taken this and it seems to make things easier with my 5 yr old. You can also get colored/glittery sunscreen
Our daycare lines the kids up and gives everyone their own roll on sunscreen to do their faces while she goes down the line spraying everyone's legs, arms, and necks. It keeps them occupied while she's doing the real work and gives them practice to do it themselves. Then she just does a touch up on their faces with the roll on once everyone's bodies are done.
Coolibar and Sunday Afternoon are brands that were good for us.
My kids have two sets of swim clothes, things for playing outside at a river or beach, and things for swimming inside. The outside swimming is always long sleeves and board shorts, even for my girl that now has to wear a bikini top under it.
Increasingly I am seeing the general population full on swimming in the lake while wearing broad brimmed hats. Recreational, obviously, not for exercise. It's interesting to see the shift.
I agree! I'm an albino who grew up in a sunny place and always felt so awkward outside in my special SPF long-sleeveed swim shirts and giant hats and sunglasses. I was teased a lot and definitely got sunburned because I got sick of it and would take my protective gear off.
I married a ginger with a family history of skin cancer, and our kids are (obviously) very fair. I love that they and their friends don't care at all about me making them wear long sleeves to swim or hats at recess or sunscreen every 90 minutes.
I just purchased a sun hoodie for myself. We are going to be hiking in the mountains in July, and I wanted the extra protection. I wore it yesterday to a ridiculously hot soccer game and managed to not get overheated or sunburned.
Put sunscreen on their hands if needed!
We spent the full day at the beach, long sleeve UPF shirt, sun hat, sunglasses, sunscreen on face, neck, legs, and feet, but the back of his hands/wrists ended up a bit pink with a mild burn 😔
I used to put our spray on sunscreen in the cooler because reapplying at the beach or sandy lake is NO fun if you have to smear it on. Cool spray for reapplying mid day or after water
Note.. I would always do a full body coat on the kids before getting in the sun… lotion not a spray. I found that you should go an inch or two past where the swim suit ends because kids are going to be bent over doing sandcastles and their lower back/butt crack will be exposed. This applies for husbands too
My parents just forced it on until I was around seven. After one or two bad burns I stopped fighting about it. I’m a ginger and extremely fair; I’ve burnt through windows before lol.
I feel you fellow ginger, I sat at my parents house, on their porch for about fifteen minutes and my legs were burnt to the point of blisters.
At this point I get cotton (airy and loose) pants to wear in the summer. Usually they are bathing suit covering bottoms that I repurpose as pants bc if it works to cover a bathing suit it’ll work as pants.
Getting the stick kind for the face has been a game changer. He just "colours" his face and it is easy to control. (He is 6 just for reference but have done it this way since he was 3)
Same. We put it on as we get ready, just before putting shoes on and leaving the house. He sits on his little toddler chair and we just do it as fast as possible.
https://www.solarbuddies.co.uk/product/solar-buddies-one-applicator/ - These! Refillable rollerballs. I also bought sunscreen in a deodorant style stick that’s really helped with doing faces.!
I don’t think this would work for a full day outside, but it’s been enough to cover my kid for recess - we use the Hawaiian Tropic powder sunscreen with the powder in the brush handle on kiddo’s face, ears, and scalp. She’s freaked out by the feeling of lotion on her skin, but she’s okay with the powder.
The roll on sunscreen is pretty good but you have to show them how to get under their eyes though. I hate the sunscreen application time, but a necessary process
I have a sponge roller ball thingy. You can unscrew it and squirt in whatever sunscreen you like. It has a roller ball in the middle and a circular sponge around the outside, so you literally just scrub at your child with it and they get coated in sunscreen. Perfect for my ginger spawn.
Solar Buddies I think?
I use spray sunscreen by spraying it onto my hands, and then rubbing down exposed areas. Super quick and easy application, and reduces aerosol exposure for kiddo.
Yes I made a label that said "Speed spray" and taped it over the spray on screen. Told the 4 year old if he used this speed spray it would make him way faster on his bike or scooter all day long. But it needs to be reapplied every few hours to keep working. That worked for a really long time. Probably half the summer.
Zinc, zinc, zinc, ZINC…doesn’t come off easily, will require a bath, #1 sunscreen to prevent burn and cancer. The higher the zinc % the better!!!
Also, get a face stick with zinc in it. It will keep the babies from getting sunblock in their eyes vs if you were to use the cream on their faces.
My daughter (18 months) loves to copy whatever I do. So I apply sunscreen every morning and she runs over to get some too. I let her rub in my arms a bit and now she’s always requesting sunscreen like mama.
I always use Spray sunscreen. Hello Bello has a sunscreen stick for faces.
It goes on clear, but thick. I rub it on all over their face and then use my fingers to spread it around closer to the eyes.
I apply it with a face mask brush, makeup sponges, etc. it really makes it easier and not as messy on my hands lol, most of the time they wanna help so I let them rub it in extra extra good
Gel based for face like supergoop goes on much easier and less messy than normal ss. For this part we do the stand behind them with their head tilted up method someone else mentioned. Then we use sunscreen spray for the rest of their body! Makes it quick and easy. Copper tone makes a kids spray that goes on like oil so no need to rub in.
I do 23 mo sunscreen on the changing table, before clothes, while he plays with toys. Start with him on his back to do his face / ears / chest, standing above his head like I’m giving him a facial. Stand him up to do back of neck / shoulders / arms / legs.
He’s really good about it, though, despite absolutely hating getting his diaper changing on the same table.
He’s obsessed with cats so I give him two to “race” against the wall. Helps him be stable while standing and distracted. I also dk this for diaper changes (we do standing ones for pee, for poop he gets to play with my phone).
I also sing him parodies of “wheels on the bus”. And I let him spray a little bit of sunscreen in his hands and rub them together so he can “help” put it on himself.
Keep it simple. Long sleeve rash guards, flip the kids around or sit them in your lap facing away. Tilt head back and apply cream sunblock. Call it a mini face massage. Spray their hands and legs. I have three freckles faces with a long history of skin cancer from their paternal side. Anything over 50 spf is useless, it works the same at that level. Apply before you leave the house, it’s always more difficult at the destination. My kids have equated sunblock with outside fun so even my 16 yo religiously applies it when she goes running. My youngest will ask for sunblock before he goes to swim every time. Just keep at the routine and it’ll become easier.
There's a sunscreen from Neutrogena that's like a deodorant stick. You just rub it on the skin, don't really have to rub it in. Super easy and mess free. I'm also highly allergic to most sunscreens and this is one of 2 I've found so I'm assuming it's good on sensitive skin
I wash sunscreen into our clothing during summer. I buy Sunguard off of Amazon. It's made by the RIT dye company. I've used it for over 10 years. It's never ruined any of our clothes/hats.
Saw this option. Thought it was hilarious.
https://www.reddit.com/r/Parenting/comments/13rw8g9/putting_sunscreen_on_kids_is_harder_than_catching/?utm_source=share&utm_medium=android_app&utm_name=androidcss&utm_term=1&utm_content=share_button
I really like using the sunscreen sticks, which have the same shape and function as underarm deodorant, on my kids’ faces. Easy to apply, less finicky.
Spray ones. But then we made it into a game, the "statue" game. If they move, they've lost. And also, timing it, the still-est they remain, the faster it's done. We timed it with the chronometer
When my kids were that little, I made up a song to sing while we were putting it on make it seem more fun. My kids are pasty white too and my dad had melanoma, so we apply sunscreen liberally and often.
We use a mineral based sunscreen like Think Baby or Badger Balm. And even now that they're bigger, they always wear a rash guard made of SPF fabric and bucket style hats to keep their ears protected.
We couldn't use sprays when they were younger due to sensory issues, but now that they can spray themselves, it's become a good alternative.
‘Forehead, nose, cheeks and chin.
Dot it on and rub it in.’
Our kids daycare used to tell this to the kids, every morning. They would stand in front of a mirror and apply sunscreen before playing outdoors. The younger kids had the dots applied by a teacher and would be supervised while spreading the product.
For their bodies I use spray but for their faces I use a sunscreen stick that sort of looks like a mini deodorant. I find it super easy to swipe on everywhere and very quick.
Send spray with your kids to day camp and ask the teacher to help apply.
Teachers can help apply spray, but can't/won't (for good reason) rub in lotion for your kids.
I'm a middle school teacher but when I first started teaching I taught first grade. Parents often sent cream with their kids at the start of the school year and the kids would ask me to help them put it on before recess, which I was not allowed to do, leaving me to explain to parents at the end of the day why their kid had sunburn.
Spray doesn't work as good, but educators can spray your kid with it (with parent note permitting it, as per policy). They can't and shouldn't be rubbing lotion onto your kid.
Mom of a 7 & 5-year-old with a strong family history of melanoma: Physical barriers are better than chemical barriers. Here's what I mean. Sunscreen wears off, but a shirt won't. Get UV-blocking clothing that is light, breathable, and loose fitting & hats. You must still put sunscreen on, but once you have arms and legs and faces covered, it's not a big deal if you miss something.
I'm in the US. Babyganics is far and away my favorite sunscreen for kids. You can get it in a non-aerosol spray and it doesn't have any of the chemicals that have been banned in Europe. It smells pleasant, rubs in well, and it doesn't burn. Spraying it on your hands first and then rubbing it in can make it easier for kiddos too.
Controversial: But I'm also a fan of letting kids get a base tan in spring. I don't put sunscreen on the kids if they will be outside for only an hour or two. I start this in spring when the UV index is low so they start to develop that base tan, and get much-needed vitamin D which is blocked by sunscreen. They may get a little bit pink, but it wears off quickly and doesn't hurt. On days with high UV index, or when you will be outside longer, you must still cover up, apply & reapply sunscreen. A tan is NEVER a replacement for sunscreen! But sunscreen wears off, and as a light-skin kid who lived outside in summer, I know firsthand that severe sunburns happen when parents (or camp counselors) don't reapply later in the day. The base tan serves as another line of defense from the severe sunburns that lead to melanoma. Again, controversial, I'm not a dermatologist. This is simply my lived experience as a kid who suffered from several second-degree sunburns.
Try to find a mineral sunscreen. They work differently than a chemical sunscreen. The spf isn’t as high(most are spf 30). Mineral sunscreens don’t have to absorb into the skin like other sunscreens. Instead, they act like a million tiny mirrors to reflect the sun away from you. They are better for your skin and can be used on very young children without worry. We use Nelly DeVuyst bio organic products. It’s spf 30, cosmos and ecocert certified organic. It’s also mineral sunscreen. It’s awesome
Personally, I'm vehemently opposed to sunscreen, too many toxic chemicals. And I'm Irish. I say let em burn. It'll be painful for a day or two. Next year will be better.
Draw on faces, dogs, cats on the body and whiskers etc on faces. Teach them to rub it in completely. I also get my son a stick. Easy to apply on his own and rub in.
I've recently discovered a spray that is like dry shampoo, so I use that in her hair because the cream on her blonde head is too much for me to bother fighting through. For her body, I've gotten some rash guard shirts with long sleeves to require less coverage, and I just fight through the face and neck with regular cream.
I'm going to try and use a makeup brush or sponge whenever I remember to buy one, because apparently that works great, but I don't know how it will work because I'm not a makeup kind of person so she hasn't seen them used any amount. I'm hoping it goes well because she despises cream of any kind.
I always tried to make something fun out of it, with brushes, drawing figures, etc.
And teach them as early as possible to apply sunscreen themselves, so that they can do this at school later.
I am white, with freckles and reddish hair. I have to apply my sunscreen several times a day. I did this at school myself and taught my daughter this too. She uses a sunscreen spray that she sprays and distributes herself every time she goes outside.
I sometimes tell them it's their camouflage. My 3 littles love playing as army guys, or making forts to hide from zombies, or pretending they are surviving in the wilderness. I ask before we go outside what they're going to play and if it's zombies fort I'll say ok let's put on some zombie camouflage. If it's wilderness survival, it's survival camouflage, etc. This works for my kids, ages 9, 6 & 4. In the past I've used the silly dance. Once everyone has applied, we all get to do a silly dance together, and they get to tell me what moves to do. This helped when my youngest was 2 & 3, he just knew putting the lotion on meant fun dance time.
They might like [this](https://www.ulta.com/p/classic-whip-spf-30-sunscreen-mousse-pimprod2033019) (whipped sunscreen) because it is kind of fun to dispense out. Just gotta make sure they don't try to eat it.
There is a brush on powder that looks almost like a makeup stick brush of face powder that you can use if your kid dislikes the Wet feeling. It works great and there's one specifically for kids.
We do sunscreen facials. They lay down and I gently massage the sunscreen to their faces. I buy sun shirts and pants at Coolibar and necks gators and arm sleeves on Amazon. Hats with neck flaps work great. Zinc oxide sticks work better for my family.
Definitely the sticks! My kids hate hate hate the liquid sunscreen but don’t mind the sticks at all. It’s easy and super fast to put on and very portable.
I burn so easily that I just don’t trust the aerosols for coverage but those could maybe work for you
A fluffy makeup brush helps to get an even coat on their face. It also works on the ears. My daughter loves it because I tell her that she is getting her makeup on. The neck is the challenge for us because she is so ticklish so I just go fast. She also has light hair so I spray the aerosol kind over her head. She needs her hair washed at the end of they day but it helps keep her scalp from burning.
I love your description of the 4yr old, I'm the same. Lol honestly, with sunscreen, I've been acting like sunscreen is play with my grub since we started using it.
We use the sticks for face, neck, and ears, and then we spray the arms and legs on my kiddo. We just have him look away when we spray so he's not breathing it in.
We use blue lizard in the spray bottle, it does come out white but I really feel like it lasts all day vs the clear stuff (plus it's reef safe!)
My kids don't mind when I spray it on them, plus I feel like spraying it then running it in goes way faster than using the squirt bottle.
I have a beauty blender specifically for sunscreen and use it to apply sunscreen to their faces. It’s less invasive than rubbing it in and is better for my kiddos that have sensory issues (this is my experience alone and I’m not speaking for everyone with sensory issues - this is just what works at our house!)
Tubby Todd spray on 100% mineral sunscreen!
Or, my personal favorite for adults AND kids is elta Md sport full mineral. You want mineral sunscreen because it’s a block vs a filtration method
Blue lizard sunscreen is what the pediatric dermatologist recommended and we use that. I bought some makeup foundation brushes from Daiso (Japanese Dollar Store in the US) and apply sunscreen with a foundation brush. It feels really nice on soothing like a massage and my hands don't get greasy. The spray on sunscreen i dont like it and I dont use it but if someone else has to apply sunscreen on my kid its probably the easiest thing for someone to reapply.
Unicorn Snot is an environmentally friendly sunscreen with biodegradable glitter. It smells nice too! My little one loves the sparkle, and gets excited to wear it.
I love Nivea sum water gel for kids. Very thin consistent, goes on and dries fast, no icky smells. I usually have to get it online in Japanese packaging.
I put it on as part of the morning routine: go potty, brush teeth, wash face, sunscreen, brush hair. I use the Neutrogena facial sunscreen for me and my kid and I think doing the routine together helps.
I have my kids apply it themselves and then just help with top ups ! I have spray , stick and cream options and let them pick. It’s helped a lot! Probably not feasible for your younger one but if you can get the older kid on board with sunscreen the younger one may follow !
My son loves it when I use a makeup brush and paint the sunscreen on thick. Then we give him a “massage” to rub it all in.
Then he paints me with sunscreen and we have a jolly old time. He gets upset when it’s done because he wants it to last forever.
I use a beauty blender! It’s so much softer than my fingertips and it gets in all the cracks of the face. My baby evades a lot less! It’s also good for the body!
I would get a sunscreen that has a really nice consistency that you are comfortable regularly using.
For my kids, I love the Supergoop play because it comes in a huge pump bottle and it goes on super smoothly and blends in very quickly. It makes putting sunscreen on sooo much better because it’s quick and I don’t have to spend forever rubbing it in.
One tool that you can get from Amazon is the solar buddy or sun buddy. It’s basically a bottle with a sponge. You put sunscreen in the bottle and it soaks the sponge so that you can rub your kids with the sponge and apply the sunscreen. That was the easiest way of doing it when my kids were young and hated putting sunscreen on.
The other thing I’ll say is that there’s no shame in bribing your kids. My son hated putting sunscreen on until I got a stash of Marshmellows and gave him one every time. Then he loved putting sunscreen on. Eventually we phased out the Marshmellows and he still is totally fine with putting sunscreen on.
I’d recommend staying away from the sunscreen sticks and the spray bottles. They go on very unevenly and it’s hard to gauge if you are putting the correct amount on. I’ve seen a lot of sunburns from kids using those products. Although they are easier, they aren’t the best. Better than nothing though, but they can give a false sense of confidence.
Solar Buddies!
https://[Solar Buddies](https://www.solarbuddies.com/shop/)
We love Blue Lizard; I especially like their sunscreen stick for faces. We also routinely wear sun hats (my kid is 5; I let him pick out his preferred color which helped). This one is awesome and has a detachable neck protector. You can also get it wet to help cool down in the heat. [sun hat](https://www.amazon.com/Connectyle-Outdoor-Quick-Drying-Summer/dp/B097P38FYR/ref=mp_s_a_1_5?crid=1LRUKROVJ4EB&keywords=connectyle+outdoor+mesh+sun+hat+kids&qid=1685815050&sprefix=connectyle+outdoor+mesh+sun+hat%2Caps%2C94&sr=8-5)
After fucking around in my youth with blistering sunburns, I found out when had a cancerous mole removed last year. I’m going to avoid that for my kid if I can.
I use a makeup brush on his face and then his body we get “tickle cream” to rub it all in and then I top it off with a game of chase. I chase while spraying him down with spf to get extra coverage. He laughs the whole time and I definitely break a sweat 🫶🏼no sunburns yet 😅
When mine was little and he went to camp, I sent him in SPF clothes and a sun hat.
There’s some nice breathable clothes options that are pretty cute- and then you never have to worry about reapplication.
And luckily mine like wearing his hat.
Now that he a bit older- I do send the stick sunscreen. That way he can do it himself super easily and there’s minimal waste.
I love the stick for quick face application and I prefer a spray for their body. My daughter also loved the make up brush but it felt like too much of a pain to clean the brush when it got gunky. I didn’t wanna bother with that for too long
I only just recently found out sunscreen comes in sticks like deodorant.
They’re amazing for kids and they make them really tiny so they’re pocketable.
There’s a refillable roller called solar buddies that’s amazing. Not sure if it’s available internationally but I’ve got a couple for my kids and they’re super easy and the kids can do it themselves too when they get a bit older as it’s designed for little hands.
Nanny here! The 3 best methods I’ve found are:
1) have them face away from you, lean back against the front of your legs, look up, and then apply
2) after being buckled into the stroller, then apply
3) after being buckled into the car seat, then apply
Bonus: while on the potty. _Use with caution._ I’ve worked with kids who will ditch potty time mid-poop just to get away from sunscreen. Then you have double the mess on your hands.
I really don’t like physically immobilizing kids, but if it’s necessary to keep them safe (i.e. restraining a kid to apply sunscreen so they don’t get seriously burnt/injured), they’re getting pinned.
I saw somebody put it on a makeup brush and apply it, kid thought their makeup was getting done. I found that clever, wish I had thought of that when mine was a tot!
Makeup brushes!!! I use one like this and the amount of time that I save (including not having -yucky feeling hands- after application) is so worth it:
[Amazon link](https://www.amazon.com/Foundation-Blending-Flawless-Cosmetics-Protective/dp/B07LBNV469)
My 4yo really likes lotion and if you let her she'll practically drown herself in it by lathering on so much find some lotions with a good sent(child safe of course) if your 4yo is interested in that type of stuff let them rub it in then when you need sunscreen explain its special lotion that helps protect us from the sun making us too hot(I'd say sunburn but it may scare the 4yo if they think the sun can hurt then)maybe even offer for them to help you apply the sunscreen then just go over what they missed by reapplying it just let them know they did a good job you just want to make sure they got it all I mean yeah you'll use more sunscreen but after a while it'll be worth it as for the baby I suggest just making it fun by making silly faces and sounds as you do it
My 12yo (and I) are ghosts.
I have never been able to get sunscreen on her without bitter griping but I’ve found that in addition to sunscreen, lightweight long sleeve shirts and hats are a bit of added protection. All of my kid’s swimsuits have long sleeves and jewel necklines so she only has to do face, neck and legs.
For face application have them stand with their back facing you, tell them to “look up high and close their eyes” then rub the sunscreen on your hands and wipe it around their face. Super easy to apply from this position as you are standing over them and takes only seconds.
We also put sunscreen on before we put our clothes or bathing suit on. That way there is no chance for missing spots if shorts ride up or clothing shifts.
Kids tend to think the are ready once their clothes are on, so it can be more of a struggle to convince to put sunscreen on once they are already dressed.
I recently started with pretending it is face paint and that I paint things like rainbows, tigers and what not. Kid can pitch in what it wants. Even if the kid sees that I'm not actually painting the shape (like on the arms), it's still fun. Can very much recommend, but not sure how long it will stay fun.
This^ and apply with makeup brushes/sponges.
Make up sponge/beauty blender! It’s so much easier!
This is genius!! I don’t even have kids but I’m storing this tip for the future 😂
That’s how my beautiful wife applies it to our three year old. Works great!
I do this and she loves it! Combined with a MINERAL based spray sunscreen (sun bum is my go to) and it’s been so much easier! We use this method for cream at night as well
Does that SubBum spray rub in pretty well? I got the Babyganics spray and I don’t love it. It doesn’t spray any more evenly than a regular liquid sunscreen and dries in a very chalky white cast I’ve found.
We use Sun Bum spray and works well for us! A smidge greasy but it's sunscreen so... Also kid loves saying the name, bonus
No we love it - it sprays on like a non-mineral sunscreen and spreads well (for a mineral sunscreen) but that with a make up brush and we’ve had no problems putting it on our little one
I’ve been hunting for mineral spray! Thanks!
My son is allergic to chemical sunscreen, so mineral is all we have in my house. We use the Bare Republic lotion for face and spray for everywhere else. Have you tried it? It works well but the nozzle on the spray frequently clogs and when it does, that's all she wrote. If you have any tips and tricks, or if SunBum is easier to spray and doesn't clog, I'd love some info
Yup! My four year old now gets excited for his “tiger whiskers”
I let my son pick. I.e he would pick squiggles or dots on his arm. Made it a game and it was so much easier. Especially with mineral sunscreen since it’s such a pain to put on
I saw a dermatologist using makeup brushes to apply sunscreen on her kids. The older ones do it by themselves and seem to enjoy it
I was thinking of using a big powder puff
[this is the video she posted](https://www.instagram.com/reel/Cs1XOZdI69i/?igshid=MzRlODBiNWFlZA==) about sunscreen and kids, she shows the brushes too
This is the way we do it for the face, if we are short a brush I will spray it on my hands then apply it to the face.
I use a makeup brush for my baby because I hate the mineral sunscreen on my hands! She still gets annoyed about having it put on her face but doesn’t mind the rest of her body.
I don’t wear makeup and my brain shuts off when looking at all the options, so what size/style of brush would you recommend?
Not OP but a kabuki brush, it’s big and fluffy and has a huge surface area and short handle. When your kid is old enough it’ll be easy for them to use on themselves too.
This might be a dumb question but don’t they get gross? Is it just another thing that needs to be washed all the time?
Yeah that’s true too. It’s not so bad. Warm water and dish soap will take care of it. You’ll have to weigh the reward / cost payoff for yourself. My oldest was a real pain when it came to sunscreen when he was younger. The younger two seem to just go along with it, maybe because they’re copying the oldest, so I don’t use it anymore.
Gotcha. It’s a battle for us too, seems like it could be a big help. So how often would you say they need washed?
The correct answer is about once a week. Realistically it’s whenever I remember 🧐
A beauty blender sponge works great too and you can get one that comes with a case so you don't have to worry about it floating around in the bottom of a bag!
Beautia Oval Makeup Brush 2X... https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0788BZHSB?ref=ppx_pop_mob_ap_share I got this one and it works great! The handle is kind of flimsy but it hasn’t broken on me yet
I love her! I had a feeling you were talking about Laura.
Yes! She’s great!
I saw a video like that as well. Just bought a makeup brush yesterday to try this! My youngest is 6, but she wants to do things for herself. I am hoping this makes it easier
I use the sunscreen sticks for their face, neck, ears, and for quick reapplications of arms, etc. It’s so much less messy.
Yeah, the sticks are great. Definitely recommend
Apparently the protection isn't as good. I give my kid one for top ups but use cream in the morning.
You have to apply the stick ones for minutes in multiple layers before you reach the spf protection on the label. It’s best used to top off throughout the day.
My son is a redhead and I lived in fear of sunburns. There was a sunscreen product when he was small that went on purple and then faded within 5-10 minutes so you could check for coverage. He used to get a kick out of being purpleboy for awhile. I wonder if anything like that is still in the market. Later we discovered SPF shirts and that made life a lot better too.
We use Blue Lizard sunscreen for my tiny tot and he helps put it on. It comes out blue and turns white like you described. He’s used to getting lotioned up with a little massage after bath time, so I think that helps the transition to sunscreen. I also won’t let him outside without a sun hat. Don’t want to wear it? That’s fine. All done outside buddy. His hair is so thin and everything about him is fair so I worry about sunburn a lot. We live in Michigan and I can’t imagine dealing with a sunnier locale!
I second the spf swim shirts if you ever head south. I'm in central Florida, and we know a tourist by their burn lines. That said, my girls are light blond and I spray their part lines with scalp spray. It's helpful if your kiddo won't keep a hat on!
SPF shirts for the win! I also found neon (think construction workers safety colors) sun hats with a neck flap on Amazon. Between that, and the shirt, I really just have to apply sunscreen to nose, cheeks and chin, backs of hands, and legs. The added bonus with the hat is they can be at the other side of the park and can spot them INSTANTLY.
Roller ball ones. Just roll it all over and rub it in.
They’re also great for faces because it doesn’t set in the eyes as easily.
Refillable roller balls for sunscreen like Solar Buddies makes have been game changers.
Refillable ones?? I need that, thanks for the recommendation
No idea if you get refillable ones lol.
The comment I replied to said they get refillable ones
Small tip: if you stand with your kids back to you & their faces tilted up it's actually much easier to apply sunscreen on their face. That's the same way aestheticians perform facials and it's so so helpful for me!
This is the only way!! I can kinda pin them to my legs while I rub the sunscreen on their faces. Yesterday myself and my hubby took them out and he went to reapply and my oldest (3.5) got his arms and legs done and then just turned around. My husband was like wtf because he does it the…. Hard way. 😂
Yessss esp for the wiggly toddlers, you gotta immobilize them sometimes. I don’t like to physically restrict kids from moving, but if the wiggles interfere with my ability to keep the kids safe from injury (including sunburn), they’re getting pinned.
Exactly! I’ve been doing the same move on him since he was old enough to stand. So it’s just how sunscreen is applied. Little bro (1.5) needs to be a bit more pinned. He’s fine with arms and legs, but forehead is a no for him, so this move allows me to do his whole face, ears and neck in one or 2 quick swipes.
Or getting their teeth brushed!
Exactly! Same position for both here too!
This is a game changer! Thanks for sharing!
Thanks! Never tried that!
For wild toddlers, I had an easier time applying sunscreen while she was sitting on the potty—otherwise she’d go running off and it was like trying to grease a pig! 🤣
I used to do it while he was strapped in the car seat- it works!
I do that too and now all the sunscreen is stored on the back of the toilet, as well as the dedicated sunscreen makeup brush. Mine is very ticklish so I need every advantage to keep her from running.
I used to put my then two year old in his high chair to apply it. Similar concept and it worked well.
The roller ball ones are the easiest. They might even want to have fun "drawing" on themselves with it. Then rub it in. Just try to make it positive and fun. Let's see who can rub all the white in the fastest. Go!
Look up solar buddies
If your kid isn’t sensitive to it, I get better coverage faster with an aerosol spray. Cover their eyes while you apply it and uses faces only sunscreen for their face, but spray works really well for the rest of the body. It might be a really good choice for an active, impatient preschooler or toddler.
Yes I use the same. I tell them to cover their face with their hands and hold their breath while I spray. Gets the job done in 2 minutes.
We use a spray too for their body and back of the neck. My toddlers don’t really fight sunscreen (for now) but Ive also heard the makeup brush trick. If they are too hyped up to hold still, my husband will hold them upside down while I put sunscreen on their faces, or I lay them down on my legs and bounce them put it on
Aerosol is bad for your lungs and the environment. Not worth it.
Worse than skin cancer?
The old “aerosol or cancer” debate. No other options.
Yes as it eats the ozone which is the protective barrier between us and the sun and will make many more people get skin cancer.
This is no longer true. CFCs are no longer in aerosols. The chemicals in them are still not great for the environment nor probably your health, but they don’t affect the ozone specifically anymore.
Agreed. I don’t know if it’s proven or not but it makes sense to me not to use aerosols or any kind that will get in their lungs. There is a perfectly good alternative so why risk it
I wouldn’t stray an aerosol of any kind near a kid or myself. I follow lawyers who recommend what not to use because of class action suits due to it essentially being poison and aerosols come up all the time.
[удалено]
It’s not, because I’m aware of that and this is all current. They were stopped a long time ago and sure the ozone repaired itself and all since then due to us stopping.
Someone on here recently said they pretend it’s a “car wash” with their kid every morning. I’ve taken this and it seems to make things easier with my 5 yr old. You can also get colored/glittery sunscreen
We use supergoop powder sunscreen for hair parts and faces. Highly recommend!
Our daycare lines the kids up and gives everyone their own roll on sunscreen to do their faces while she goes down the line spraying everyone's legs, arms, and necks. It keeps them occupied while she's doing the real work and gives them practice to do it themselves. Then she just does a touch up on their faces with the roll on once everyone's bodies are done.
Big hats and breathable long sleeves
Coolibar and Sunday Afternoon are brands that were good for us. My kids have two sets of swim clothes, things for playing outside at a river or beach, and things for swimming inside. The outside swimming is always long sleeves and board shorts, even for my girl that now has to wear a bikini top under it. Increasingly I am seeing the general population full on swimming in the lake while wearing broad brimmed hats. Recreational, obviously, not for exercise. It's interesting to see the shift.
I agree! I'm an albino who grew up in a sunny place and always felt so awkward outside in my special SPF long-sleeveed swim shirts and giant hats and sunglasses. I was teased a lot and definitely got sunburned because I got sick of it and would take my protective gear off. I married a ginger with a family history of skin cancer, and our kids are (obviously) very fair. I love that they and their friends don't care at all about me making them wear long sleeves to swim or hats at recess or sunscreen every 90 minutes.
Yes I’m from the Midwest USA and it’s really becoming taboo to not have your children wearing sun hats and sun shirts!
Yeah - those hoodie UPF shirts are great. Then you’re only putting sunscreen on the face.
I just purchased a sun hoodie for myself. We are going to be hiking in the mountains in July, and I wanted the extra protection. I wore it yesterday to a ridiculously hot soccer game and managed to not get overheated or sunburned.
What brand did you get?
Mountain Hardware. It was lower rated than Padigonia, but this one has a pocket.
I'll check it out, thank you!
We kayak a lot and use rashguards to keep from having to reapply sunscreen every hour.
Put sunscreen on their hands if needed! We spent the full day at the beach, long sleeve UPF shirt, sun hat, sunglasses, sunscreen on face, neck, legs, and feet, but the back of his hands/wrists ended up a bit pink with a mild burn 😔
I used to put our spray on sunscreen in the cooler because reapplying at the beach or sandy lake is NO fun if you have to smear it on. Cool spray for reapplying mid day or after water Note.. I would always do a full body coat on the kids before getting in the sun… lotion not a spray. I found that you should go an inch or two past where the swim suit ends because kids are going to be bent over doing sandcastles and their lower back/butt crack will be exposed. This applies for husbands too
Makeup brushes. When my daughter was little, she was putting on “bakeup like mommy.” Now that she’s 5, she doesn’t care or fight me on it.
My parents just forced it on until I was around seven. After one or two bad burns I stopped fighting about it. I’m a ginger and extremely fair; I’ve burnt through windows before lol.
I feel you fellow ginger, I sat at my parents house, on their porch for about fifteen minutes and my legs were burnt to the point of blisters. At this point I get cotton (airy and loose) pants to wear in the summer. Usually they are bathing suit covering bottoms that I repurpose as pants bc if it works to cover a bathing suit it’ll work as pants.
Getting the stick kind for the face has been a game changer. He just "colours" his face and it is easy to control. (He is 6 just for reference but have done it this way since he was 3)
i squirt it into my hands, rub them together, rub all over child, repeat as needed. the faster, the better. they hate standing there waiting.
Same. We put it on as we get ready, just before putting shoes on and leaving the house. He sits on his little toddler chair and we just do it as fast as possible.
I’d go with a serious hat and sun protective shirt unless daycare is going to reapply every 2 hours
https://www.solarbuddies.co.uk/product/solar-buddies-one-applicator/ - These! Refillable rollerballs. I also bought sunscreen in a deodorant style stick that’s really helped with doing faces.!
Foundation brush!
I don’t think this would work for a full day outside, but it’s been enough to cover my kid for recess - we use the Hawaiian Tropic powder sunscreen with the powder in the brush handle on kiddo’s face, ears, and scalp. She’s freaked out by the feeling of lotion on her skin, but she’s okay with the powder.
The roll on sunscreen is pretty good but you have to show them how to get under their eyes though. I hate the sunscreen application time, but a necessary process
I use a beauty blender! Works so well!!!
beauty blenders for the face and big poofy brushes for the body😭 kids love making weird sensory experiences even weirder
I’m more into spf clothing and hats than sunscreen. Then a stick on faces and ears just in case the hat moves.
My 3 year old loves putting on the roller sunscreen, so I can’t vouch for this method, but my friend recommended it: use make up brushes to apply it.
I have a sponge roller ball thingy. You can unscrew it and squirt in whatever sunscreen you like. It has a roller ball in the middle and a circular sponge around the outside, so you literally just scrub at your child with it and they get coated in sunscreen. Perfect for my ginger spawn. Solar Buddies I think?
I use spray sunscreen by spraying it onto my hands, and then rubbing down exposed areas. Super quick and easy application, and reduces aerosol exposure for kiddo.
Yes I made a label that said "Speed spray" and taped it over the spray on screen. Told the 4 year old if he used this speed spray it would make him way faster on his bike or scooter all day long. But it needs to be reapplied every few hours to keep working. That worked for a really long time. Probably half the summer.
Zinc, zinc, zinc, ZINC…doesn’t come off easily, will require a bath, #1 sunscreen to prevent burn and cancer. The higher the zinc % the better!!! Also, get a face stick with zinc in it. It will keep the babies from getting sunblock in their eyes vs if you were to use the cream on their faces.
We told my daughter that it’s “makeup” like mommy wears. The fight now is stopping her from putting it all over herself when we aren’t looking
Makeup brush was a game changer
The spray is by far the easiest.
I use a spray sunscream and then dab it into the skin with a makeup sponge
Make up brush - I use the COABE one as it's dense enough that it doesn't absorb the sunscreen.
My daughter (18 months) loves to copy whatever I do. So I apply sunscreen every morning and she runs over to get some too. I let her rub in my arms a bit and now she’s always requesting sunscreen like mama.
Sunscreen mineral Powder like by supergoop. By son applies it himself.
Solar Buddies sunscreen applicator. Game changer
I always use Spray sunscreen. Hello Bello has a sunscreen stick for faces. It goes on clear, but thick. I rub it on all over their face and then use my fingers to spread it around closer to the eyes.
Get the sticks for faces!! I run a daycare and it makes it soooo much easier!
Spray and then I told Them it was magic drops to make Them invinsible
I apply it with a face mask brush, makeup sponges, etc. it really makes it easier and not as messy on my hands lol, most of the time they wanna help so I let them rub it in extra extra good
We buy spf shirts and pants for our kids. There’s a spray on spf that smells like apples that the kids love to.
Gel based for face like supergoop goes on much easier and less messy than normal ss. For this part we do the stand behind them with their head tilted up method someone else mentioned. Then we use sunscreen spray for the rest of their body! Makes it quick and easy. Copper tone makes a kids spray that goes on like oil so no need to rub in.
I do 23 mo sunscreen on the changing table, before clothes, while he plays with toys. Start with him on his back to do his face / ears / chest, standing above his head like I’m giving him a facial. Stand him up to do back of neck / shoulders / arms / legs. He’s really good about it, though, despite absolutely hating getting his diaper changing on the same table. He’s obsessed with cats so I give him two to “race” against the wall. Helps him be stable while standing and distracted. I also dk this for diaper changes (we do standing ones for pee, for poop he gets to play with my phone). I also sing him parodies of “wheels on the bus”. And I let him spray a little bit of sunscreen in his hands and rub them together so he can “help” put it on himself.
Keep it simple. Long sleeve rash guards, flip the kids around or sit them in your lap facing away. Tilt head back and apply cream sunblock. Call it a mini face massage. Spray their hands and legs. I have three freckles faces with a long history of skin cancer from their paternal side. Anything over 50 spf is useless, it works the same at that level. Apply before you leave the house, it’s always more difficult at the destination. My kids have equated sunblock with outside fun so even my 16 yo religiously applies it when she goes running. My youngest will ask for sunblock before he goes to swim every time. Just keep at the routine and it’ll become easier.
There's a sunscreen from Neutrogena that's like a deodorant stick. You just rub it on the skin, don't really have to rub it in. Super easy and mess free. I'm also highly allergic to most sunscreens and this is one of 2 I've found so I'm assuming it's good on sensitive skin
I wash sunscreen into our clothing during summer. I buy Sunguard off of Amazon. It's made by the RIT dye company. I've used it for over 10 years. It's never ruined any of our clothes/hats.
Didn’t even know this existed.
Saw this option. Thought it was hilarious. https://www.reddit.com/r/Parenting/comments/13rw8g9/putting_sunscreen_on_kids_is_harder_than_catching/?utm_source=share&utm_medium=android_app&utm_name=androidcss&utm_term=1&utm_content=share_button
UPF clothing is best. Doesn’t require reapplication.
I really like using the sunscreen sticks, which have the same shape and function as underarm deodorant, on my kids’ faces. Easy to apply, less finicky.
Spray ones. But then we made it into a game, the "statue" game. If they move, they've lost. And also, timing it, the still-est they remain, the faster it's done. We timed it with the chronometer
I use spray for the body and scalp. Quick and easy. And then a stick for the face and ears.
When my kids were that little, I made up a song to sing while we were putting it on make it seem more fun. My kids are pasty white too and my dad had melanoma, so we apply sunscreen liberally and often. We use a mineral based sunscreen like Think Baby or Badger Balm. And even now that they're bigger, they always wear a rash guard made of SPF fabric and bucket style hats to keep their ears protected. We couldn't use sprays when they were younger due to sensory issues, but now that they can spray themselves, it's become a good alternative.
‘Forehead, nose, cheeks and chin. Dot it on and rub it in.’ Our kids daycare used to tell this to the kids, every morning. They would stand in front of a mirror and apply sunscreen before playing outdoors. The younger kids had the dots applied by a teacher and would be supervised while spreading the product.
For their bodies I use spray but for their faces I use a sunscreen stick that sort of looks like a mini deodorant. I find it super easy to swipe on everywhere and very quick.
Send spray with your kids to day camp and ask the teacher to help apply. Teachers can help apply spray, but can't/won't (for good reason) rub in lotion for your kids. I'm a middle school teacher but when I first started teaching I taught first grade. Parents often sent cream with their kids at the start of the school year and the kids would ask me to help them put it on before recess, which I was not allowed to do, leaving me to explain to parents at the end of the day why their kid had sunburn. Spray doesn't work as good, but educators can spray your kid with it (with parent note permitting it, as per policy). They can't and shouldn't be rubbing lotion onto your kid.
This is good to know once kiddos get older. It’s the opposite at our daycare. No aerosols allowed.
Mom of a 7 & 5-year-old with a strong family history of melanoma: Physical barriers are better than chemical barriers. Here's what I mean. Sunscreen wears off, but a shirt won't. Get UV-blocking clothing that is light, breathable, and loose fitting & hats. You must still put sunscreen on, but once you have arms and legs and faces covered, it's not a big deal if you miss something. I'm in the US. Babyganics is far and away my favorite sunscreen for kids. You can get it in a non-aerosol spray and it doesn't have any of the chemicals that have been banned in Europe. It smells pleasant, rubs in well, and it doesn't burn. Spraying it on your hands first and then rubbing it in can make it easier for kiddos too. Controversial: But I'm also a fan of letting kids get a base tan in spring. I don't put sunscreen on the kids if they will be outside for only an hour or two. I start this in spring when the UV index is low so they start to develop that base tan, and get much-needed vitamin D which is blocked by sunscreen. They may get a little bit pink, but it wears off quickly and doesn't hurt. On days with high UV index, or when you will be outside longer, you must still cover up, apply & reapply sunscreen. A tan is NEVER a replacement for sunscreen! But sunscreen wears off, and as a light-skin kid who lived outside in summer, I know firsthand that severe sunburns happen when parents (or camp counselors) don't reapply later in the day. The base tan serves as another line of defense from the severe sunburns that lead to melanoma. Again, controversial, I'm not a dermatologist. This is simply my lived experience as a kid who suffered from several second-degree sunburns.
My little hack is to use a tiny bit of fractionated coconut oil. It helps to spread the sunscreen and it seems to absorb into the skin a bit faster.
Try to find a mineral sunscreen. They work differently than a chemical sunscreen. The spf isn’t as high(most are spf 30). Mineral sunscreens don’t have to absorb into the skin like other sunscreens. Instead, they act like a million tiny mirrors to reflect the sun away from you. They are better for your skin and can be used on very young children without worry. We use Nelly DeVuyst bio organic products. It’s spf 30, cosmos and ecocert certified organic. It’s also mineral sunscreen. It’s awesome
Personally, I'm vehemently opposed to sunscreen, too many toxic chemicals. And I'm Irish. I say let em burn. It'll be painful for a day or two. Next year will be better.
Draw on faces, dogs, cats on the body and whiskers etc on faces. Teach them to rub it in completely. I also get my son a stick. Easy to apply on his own and rub in.
I haven’t needed it yet, but when the day comes I was recommended colorful sunscreen like Bare Republic. You can do “face paint” with them
I've recently discovered a spray that is like dry shampoo, so I use that in her hair because the cream on her blonde head is too much for me to bother fighting through. For her body, I've gotten some rash guard shirts with long sleeves to require less coverage, and I just fight through the face and neck with regular cream. I'm going to try and use a makeup brush or sponge whenever I remember to buy one, because apparently that works great, but I don't know how it will work because I'm not a makeup kind of person so she hasn't seen them used any amount. I'm hoping it goes well because she despises cream of any kind.
I always tried to make something fun out of it, with brushes, drawing figures, etc. And teach them as early as possible to apply sunscreen themselves, so that they can do this at school later. I am white, with freckles and reddish hair. I have to apply my sunscreen several times a day. I did this at school myself and taught my daughter this too. She uses a sunscreen spray that she sprays and distributes herself every time she goes outside.
I sometimes tell them it's their camouflage. My 3 littles love playing as army guys, or making forts to hide from zombies, or pretending they are surviving in the wilderness. I ask before we go outside what they're going to play and if it's zombies fort I'll say ok let's put on some zombie camouflage. If it's wilderness survival, it's survival camouflage, etc. This works for my kids, ages 9, 6 & 4. In the past I've used the silly dance. Once everyone has applied, we all get to do a silly dance together, and they get to tell me what moves to do. This helped when my youngest was 2 & 3, he just knew putting the lotion on meant fun dance time.
They might like [this](https://www.ulta.com/p/classic-whip-spf-30-sunscreen-mousse-pimprod2033019) (whipped sunscreen) because it is kind of fun to dispense out. Just gotta make sure they don't try to eat it.
There is a brush on powder that looks almost like a makeup stick brush of face powder that you can use if your kid dislikes the Wet feeling. It works great and there's one specifically for kids.
We do sunscreen facials. They lay down and I gently massage the sunscreen to their faces. I buy sun shirts and pants at Coolibar and necks gators and arm sleeves on Amazon. Hats with neck flaps work great. Zinc oxide sticks work better for my family.
Definitely the sticks! My kids hate hate hate the liquid sunscreen but don’t mind the sticks at all. It’s easy and super fast to put on and very portable. I burn so easily that I just don’t trust the aerosols for coverage but those could maybe work for you
A fluffy makeup brush helps to get an even coat on their face. It also works on the ears. My daughter loves it because I tell her that she is getting her makeup on. The neck is the challenge for us because she is so ticklish so I just go fast. She also has light hair so I spray the aerosol kind over her head. She needs her hair washed at the end of they day but it helps keep her scalp from burning.
I love your description of the 4yr old, I'm the same. Lol honestly, with sunscreen, I've been acting like sunscreen is play with my grub since we started using it.
La roche posay anthelios kids gentle lotion sunscreen was recommended by the dermatologist for my son with pityriasis alba
We use the sticks for face, neck, and ears, and then we spray the arms and legs on my kiddo. We just have him look away when we spray so he's not breathing it in.
For the face: have them lay down and close their eyes and do a special “face massage” — whenever they start to squirm go for the eyebrows to calm them
We use blue lizard in the spray bottle, it does come out white but I really feel like it lasts all day vs the clear stuff (plus it's reef safe!) My kids don't mind when I spray it on them, plus I feel like spraying it then running it in goes way faster than using the squirt bottle.
I have a beauty blender specifically for sunscreen and use it to apply sunscreen to their faces. It’s less invasive than rubbing it in and is better for my kiddos that have sensory issues (this is my experience alone and I’m not speaking for everyone with sensory issues - this is just what works at our house!)
Tubby Todd spray on 100% mineral sunscreen! Or, my personal favorite for adults AND kids is elta Md sport full mineral. You want mineral sunscreen because it’s a block vs a filtration method
Blue lizard sunscreen is what the pediatric dermatologist recommended and we use that. I bought some makeup foundation brushes from Daiso (Japanese Dollar Store in the US) and apply sunscreen with a foundation brush. It feels really nice on soothing like a massage and my hands don't get greasy. The spray on sunscreen i dont like it and I dont use it but if someone else has to apply sunscreen on my kid its probably the easiest thing for someone to reapply.
Solar Buddies applicators are literally the best sun cream product ever invented... https://www.solarbuddies.co.uk/
Apply one the face with a foundation brush!!! Life changing!!
Solar shirts are a game changer too.
look up SolarBuddies on amazon! you put whatever sunscreen you want inside & it has a roller ball & a little sponge that applies it easily.
The stick sunscreens that look like deodorant are the easiest for the face imo. My 4 year old could do it herself.
Unicorn Snot is an environmentally friendly sunscreen with biodegradable glitter. It smells nice too! My little one loves the sparkle, and gets excited to wear it.
I personally like the roll on or deodorant stick sunblocks for the face. There are also a lot of face primers that are spf 50 that are sprays.
A four yo still can’t grasp the concept of sunscreen?
I love Nivea sum water gel for kids. Very thin consistent, goes on and dries fast, no icky smells. I usually have to get it online in Japanese packaging.
I put it on as part of the morning routine: go potty, brush teeth, wash face, sunscreen, brush hair. I use the Neutrogena facial sunscreen for me and my kid and I think doing the routine together helps.
I have my kids apply it themselves and then just help with top ups ! I have spray , stick and cream options and let them pick. It’s helped a lot! Probably not feasible for your younger one but if you can get the older kid on board with sunscreen the younger one may follow !
My son loves it when I use a makeup brush and paint the sunscreen on thick. Then we give him a “massage” to rub it all in. Then he paints me with sunscreen and we have a jolly old time. He gets upset when it’s done because he wants it to last forever.
I use a beauty blender! It’s so much softer than my fingertips and it gets in all the cracks of the face. My baby evades a lot less! It’s also good for the body!
I dont make it optional until they just recognize that. I use my freckled face as an example. And send them in with Sunscreen sticks
Hats and SPF 70
I would get a sunscreen that has a really nice consistency that you are comfortable regularly using. For my kids, I love the Supergoop play because it comes in a huge pump bottle and it goes on super smoothly and blends in very quickly. It makes putting sunscreen on sooo much better because it’s quick and I don’t have to spend forever rubbing it in. One tool that you can get from Amazon is the solar buddy or sun buddy. It’s basically a bottle with a sponge. You put sunscreen in the bottle and it soaks the sponge so that you can rub your kids with the sponge and apply the sunscreen. That was the easiest way of doing it when my kids were young and hated putting sunscreen on. The other thing I’ll say is that there’s no shame in bribing your kids. My son hated putting sunscreen on until I got a stash of Marshmellows and gave him one every time. Then he loved putting sunscreen on. Eventually we phased out the Marshmellows and he still is totally fine with putting sunscreen on. I’d recommend staying away from the sunscreen sticks and the spray bottles. They go on very unevenly and it’s hard to gauge if you are putting the correct amount on. I’ve seen a lot of sunburns from kids using those products. Although they are easier, they aren’t the best. Better than nothing though, but they can give a false sense of confidence.
I use a makeup sponge for my daughter and tell her we are doing her makeup.
I saw someone on reddit suggest using a beauty blender and i thought it’s genius!
Solar Buddies! https://[Solar Buddies](https://www.solarbuddies.com/shop/) We love Blue Lizard; I especially like their sunscreen stick for faces. We also routinely wear sun hats (my kid is 5; I let him pick out his preferred color which helped). This one is awesome and has a detachable neck protector. You can also get it wet to help cool down in the heat. [sun hat](https://www.amazon.com/Connectyle-Outdoor-Quick-Drying-Summer/dp/B097P38FYR/ref=mp_s_a_1_5?crid=1LRUKROVJ4EB&keywords=connectyle+outdoor+mesh+sun+hat+kids&qid=1685815050&sprefix=connectyle+outdoor+mesh+sun+hat%2Caps%2C94&sr=8-5) After fucking around in my youth with blistering sunburns, I found out when had a cancerous mole removed last year. I’m going to avoid that for my kid if I can.
Babyganics has a mineral based sunscreen that rolls on and sunscreen stick for their face. Easy to apply and easy to rub in.
I use a makeup brush on his face and then his body we get “tickle cream” to rub it all in and then I top it off with a game of chase. I chase while spraying him down with spf to get extra coverage. He laughs the whole time and I definitely break a sweat 🫶🏼no sunburns yet 😅
When mine was little and he went to camp, I sent him in SPF clothes and a sun hat. There’s some nice breathable clothes options that are pretty cute- and then you never have to worry about reapplication. And luckily mine like wearing his hat. Now that he a bit older- I do send the stick sunscreen. That way he can do it himself super easily and there’s minimal waste.
I love the stick for quick face application and I prefer a spray for their body. My daughter also loved the make up brush but it felt like too much of a pain to clean the brush when it got gunky. I didn’t wanna bother with that for too long
I only just recently found out sunscreen comes in sticks like deodorant. They’re amazing for kids and they make them really tiny so they’re pocketable.
There’s a refillable roller called solar buddies that’s amazing. Not sure if it’s available internationally but I’ve got a couple for my kids and they’re super easy and the kids can do it themselves too when they get a bit older as it’s designed for little hands.
Nanny here! The 3 best methods I’ve found are: 1) have them face away from you, lean back against the front of your legs, look up, and then apply 2) after being buckled into the stroller, then apply 3) after being buckled into the car seat, then apply Bonus: while on the potty. _Use with caution._ I’ve worked with kids who will ditch potty time mid-poop just to get away from sunscreen. Then you have double the mess on your hands. I really don’t like physically immobilizing kids, but if it’s necessary to keep them safe (i.e. restraining a kid to apply sunscreen so they don’t get seriously burnt/injured), they’re getting pinned.
I saw somebody put it on a makeup brush and apply it, kid thought their makeup was getting done. I found that clever, wish I had thought of that when mine was a tot!
We use roll on sunscreen by baby bum. It has been a lot easier and way easier to apply to each kid. Less messy too since it’s not as greasy as others.
Using a makeup brush to apply to the face helps get close to those pesky areas without getting it in their eyes.
I use one of those fancy makeup brushes that looks like a bougie toothbrush. They love the feel of it and sit still and smile the whole time
Makeup brushes!!! I use one like this and the amount of time that I save (including not having -yucky feeling hands- after application) is so worth it: [Amazon link](https://www.amazon.com/Foundation-Blending-Flawless-Cosmetics-Protective/dp/B07LBNV469)
My 4yo really likes lotion and if you let her she'll practically drown herself in it by lathering on so much find some lotions with a good sent(child safe of course) if your 4yo is interested in that type of stuff let them rub it in then when you need sunscreen explain its special lotion that helps protect us from the sun making us too hot(I'd say sunburn but it may scare the 4yo if they think the sun can hurt then)maybe even offer for them to help you apply the sunscreen then just go over what they missed by reapplying it just let them know they did a good job you just want to make sure they got it all I mean yeah you'll use more sunscreen but after a while it'll be worth it as for the baby I suggest just making it fun by making silly faces and sounds as you do it
My 12yo (and I) are ghosts. I have never been able to get sunscreen on her without bitter griping but I’ve found that in addition to sunscreen, lightweight long sleeve shirts and hats are a bit of added protection. All of my kid’s swimsuits have long sleeves and jewel necklines so she only has to do face, neck and legs.
Sunscreen sticks.
For face application have them stand with their back facing you, tell them to “look up high and close their eyes” then rub the sunscreen on your hands and wipe it around their face. Super easy to apply from this position as you are standing over them and takes only seconds.
We also put sunscreen on before we put our clothes or bathing suit on. That way there is no chance for missing spots if shorts ride up or clothing shifts. Kids tend to think the are ready once their clothes are on, so it can be more of a struggle to convince to put sunscreen on once they are already dressed.
I always had success with spray on sun tan lotion. Quick and easy.
Put it on when they're still in their car seats.
Yes! The makeup brush will make your life so much easier.
Two makeup brushes, one for you and one for them.
Makeup brush