# Insect Repellent for Kids (2026): The CDC Age Rules, Which Actives to Use, and Four Family Picks > Kids' insect repellent by the CDC and AAP rules: nothing under 2 months, no OLE or PMD under 3, lotions over aerosols, and four picaridin picks for families. - Source: https://wildprooflab.com/bugs-ticks/insect-repellent-for-kids - Publisher: WildProofLab (https://wildprooflab.com) - Published: 2026-09-29 - Category: bugs-ticks - Tags: insect repellent for kids, picaridin, DEET, baby bug spray, tick repellent, family camping - Method: picks chosen from Amazon listings and brand specs; not hands-on tested; current Amazon prices are on the page; content checked 2026-09-29. - Quick answer: Buy Sawyer's 20% picaridin lotion: a lotion lets you rub repellent onto a child's face from your own hands, as the CDC advises, and Sawyer rates it for up to 12 hours against mosquitoes and ticks. For a baby from 6 months, OFF!'s Adults & Kids picaridin lotion is labeled for that age. ## Key takeaways - No insect repellent on babies under 2 months, and no oil of lemon eucalyptus (OLE) or PMD under 3 years, per the CDC. Use netting over the stroller or carrier instead. - The AAP gives about 2 hours for 10% DEET and about 5 hours for 30%, and says anything over 50% does not protect for longer. - An adult applies it: spray or squeeze it onto your own hands, then onto the child's face. Never on a child's hands, eyes, mouth, cuts or irritated skin. ## Products (chosen from listings, not tested) 1. **Sawyer Premium Insect Repellent, 20% Picaridin Lotion, 4 oz** (details: https://wildprooflab.com/bugs-ticks/insect-repellent-for-kids#product-B00VV5KRD8) — Buy it if you want one long-lasting lotion for the whole family, including the adults. - Pros: 20% picaridin; up to 12 hours against mosquitoes and ticks and up to 8 hours against flies, gnats and chiggers, per the listing; Fragrance free, odorless and non-greasy; won't damage plastics or synthetic coatings, per the listing; A lotion, so you control how much goes on a small face - Cons: Neither the listing nor Sawyer gives a minimum age; Sawyer's help page points to Canadian travel-medicine advice that picaridin suits children from six months 2. **Boogie Insect Repellent Lotion, 20% Picaridin, 6 fl oz** (details: https://wildprooflab.com/bugs-ticks/insect-repellent-for-kids#product-B0BTR2DTWM) — Buy it if two or three children go through repellent fast and you want the most lotion per bottle. - Pros: 20% picaridin; up to 14 hours against mosquitoes and ticks and up to 8 hours against flies, gnats, chiggers and no-see-ums, per the listing; Fragrance free and odorless, per the listing; 6 fl oz, the largest bottle here - Cons: The listing gives no minimum age; The listing says it can go on the face; the CDC still says to put it on your hands first and keep it out of eyes and mouth 3. **OFF! Adults & Kids Insect & Mosquito Repellent Lotion, 3.8 oz** (details: https://wildprooflab.com/bugs-ticks/insect-repellent-for-kids#product-B0DD5C3FLD) — Buy it if the youngest user is between 6 months and a year and you want a label that names that age. - Pros: Picaridin lotion labeled for children 6 months and older, per the listing; Unscented and not greasy or sticky, per the listing - Cons: The listing gives neither the picaridin percentage nor an hour figure; read the label on the bottle; Most of the listing talks about mosquitoes and only one line mentions ticks; check the label if ticks are the worry 4. **Avon Skin So Soft Bug Guard Plus Picaridin Towelettes, 8 Count** (details: https://wildprooflab.com/bugs-ticks/insect-repellent-for-kids#product-B001CXF4WI) — Buy it for the diaper bag or the car, where a lotion bottle is one more thing to carry. - Pros: Each towelette carries 10% picaridin and repels mosquitoes, ticks and gnats, per the listing; Resealable pouch that fits a pocket or a day pack; No spray to drift into a child's eyes - Cons: Eight towelettes do not go far; the listing gives no hour figure and no minimum age Children need the same EPA-registered repellents adults use, applied by an adult and matched to the child's age. Parents heading to a campground, a ballfield at dusk or a tick-heavy trail have three decisions: which active ingredient the child's age allows, which form an adult can put on without it reaching eyes and mouth, and how many hours the day needs. **How we chose:** we did not test these repellents; we read the CDC's and the American Academy of Pediatrics' rules for children, checked each listing's active ingredient and age statement, and kept only lotions and wipes sold by Amazon.com or the brand's own store and in stock on September 29, 2026. ## The age rules The CDC's [mosquito bite prevention fact sheet](https://www.cdc.gov/mosquitoes/pdfs/mosquitobitepreventionus_508.pdf) sets two hard limits: - **Under 2 months:** "Do not use insect repellent on babies younger than 2 months old." Dress the baby in clothing that covers arms and legs, and cover the stroller or carrier with mosquito netting. - **Under 3 years:** "Do not use products containing oil of lemon eucalyptus (OLE) or para-menthane-diol (PMD) on children younger than 3 years old." Past those two lines, follow the bottle. Labels set their own minimum ages: OFF!'s Adults & Kids lotion says 6 months and up, and OFF!'s aerosol version says 1 year and up. A label's age is part of how the product was registered, so it is not a suggestion. ## DEET, picaridin or IR3535 for a child? All three are on the CDC's list of six actives, and the CDC does not rank them for children. The EPA says DEET [is approved for use on children](https://www.epa.gov/insect-repellents/deet) with no age restriction and no limit on percentage, and that it repels mosquitoes for two to twelve hours depending on its percentage. The American Academy of Pediatrics puts the DEET numbers in plainer terms on its [HealthyChildren.org repellent page](https://www.healthychildren.org/English/safety-prevention/at-play/Pages/Insect-Repellents.aspx): 10% DEET protects for about 2 hours, 30% for about 5, and "anything over 50% DEET does not provide longer protection." It suggests the lowest concentration that covers the time outside. The same page says 20% picaridin can protect for 8 to 12 hours. We picked picaridin lotions for reasons you can check on the labels: they are odorless, Sawyer says its formula won't damage plastics such as sunglasses and pack buckles, and 20% picaridin covers a full day out by the AAP's 8-to-12-hour figure. A DEET lotion is a fine choice too; our [DEET vs picaridin guide](https://wildprooflab.com/bugs-ticks/deet-vs-picaridin-insect-repellent) covers Sawyer's controlled-release DEET lotion. ## Four family repellents side by side | Repellent | Active | Form | Protection, per the listing | Youngest age on the listing | Sold by | Amazon price | |---|---|---|---|---|---|---| | [Sawyer Picaridin Lotion](https://wildprooflab.com/bugs-ticks/insect-repellent-for-kids#product-B00VV5KRD8) | 20% picaridin | Lotion, 4 oz | Up to 12 h mosquitoes and ticks | Not stated | Amazon.com | see the current Amazon price on the page | | [Boogie Insect Repellent Lotion](https://wildprooflab.com/bugs-ticks/insect-repellent-for-kids#product-B0BTR2DTWM) | 20% picaridin | Lotion, 6 oz | Up to 14 h mosquitoes and ticks | Not stated | Eleeo Brands (Boogie) | see the current Amazon price on the page | | [OFF! Adults & Kids Lotion](https://wildprooflab.com/bugs-ticks/insect-repellent-for-kids#product-B0DD5C3FLD) | Picaridin, % not listed | Lotion, 3.8 oz | Not stated | 6 months | Amazon.com | see the current Amazon price on the page | | [Avon Bug Guard Plus Towelettes](https://wildprooflab.com/bugs-ticks/insect-repellent-for-kids#product-B001CXF4WI) | 10% picaridin | Wipes, 8 | Not stated | Not stated | Avon USA | see the current Amazon price on the page | Where a listing gives no age or no hours, check the printed label or search the EPA's [repellent finder](https://www.epa.gov/insect-repellents/find-repellent-right-you), which lists registered products by active ingredient and protection time. Sawyer's [picaridin FAQ](https://help.sawyer.com/retail/products/picaridin-repellents) says lotions usually last longer than sprays because you control how much goes on, and gives half an ounce as the amount for one application. It gives no minimum age, pointing instead to Canadian travel-medicine advice that treats picaridin as the first choice for travelers from six months to 12 years. ## How to put it on a child The CDC's rules for children come down to who applies it and where: 1. **An adult applies it.** "Adults: spray insect repellent onto your hands and then apply to a child's face," says the CDC fact sheet. 2. **Not on the hands.** The CDC says not to apply repellent to a child's hands, eyes, mouth, cuts or irritated skin. The AAP explains why: children put their hands in their mouths and eyes. 3. **Exposed skin only.** The AAP says to put repellent on exposed skin and the outside of clothing, never under clothing, and to use just enough to cover. More does not work better. 4. **Wash it off.** Back indoors, wash the child's skin with soap and water and wash their clothes before they wear them again, per the AAP. The AAP also says to choose "sticks, lotions or unpressurized sprays" for children and to avoid pressurized sprays they might inhale or get in their eyes. That is why every pick here is a lotion or a wipe. ## Two products the AAP says to skip **Sunscreen-repellent combinations.** The AAP says not to use them on children: sunscreen needs reapplying every 2 hours and after swimming or sweating, and reapplying a combination "may expose your child to too much insect repellent." Use a separate sunscreen first, then repellent, which is the order the CDC gives. **Wristbands, stickers and ultrasonic devices.** The AAP lists wristbands soaked in repellent and ultrasonic devices among products "not proven to be effective against mosquitoes." Plant-oil lotions made with citronella or peppermint are not on the CDC's list either. ## Clothing does half the work The CDC's first advice for babies is clothing that covers arms and legs, and the same logic helps older children: less bare skin means less repellent on it. For tick country, permethrin-treated clothing adds a layer that never touches skin. The CDC says not to put permethrin on skin, and our [permethrin clothing guide](https://wildprooflab.com/bugs-ticks/permethrin-clothing-spray) covers how to treat a child's socks and pants. For a sleeping baby at a campsite, a net over the carrier or play yard does what no repellent may. Our guide to [mosquito nets for cots, hammocks and camp beds](https://wildprooflab.com/bugs-ticks/mosquito-nets-for-cots-hammocks-and-camp-beds) covers mesh sizes. ## Which one we would buy Buy the **Sawyer 20% picaridin lotion** for most families: odorless, long-lasting, and easy to rub onto a face from your palms. Buy **Boogie's 20% picaridin lotion** if you want more lotion per bottle for several children. Buy **OFF! Adults & Kids lotion** if your youngest is between 6 months and a year, because its label names that age. Buy **Avon's picaridin towelettes** for the car or diaper bag. Related: [tick removal tools](https://wildprooflab.com/bugs-ticks/tick-removal-tools) for the check after the walk, and [head nets](https://wildprooflab.com/bugs-ticks/mosquito-head-nets-and-bug-jackets) for black-fly country. ## Frequently Asked Questions ### What can I use on a baby under 2 months? No repellent at all, per the CDC. Cover the stroller, carrier or crib with mosquito netting and dress the baby in clothes that cover the arms and legs. ### Is it safe to use DEET on a toddler? The EPA says DEET is approved for children with no age restriction and no limit on percentage. The AAP says to apply it sparingly on children under 2 and to weigh the risk of insect-borne illness against the risk of absorbing chemicals. ### Can my 8-year-old put repellent on by themselves? The AAP says to supervise older children when they use repellent, and every DEET label carries the line "Do not allow young children to apply this product," per the [EPA](https://www.epa.gov/insect-repellents/deet). Keep the bottle out of young children's reach. ### What if my child gets a rash from repellent? Stop using it and wash the skin with soap and water, then call the pediatrician or Poison Help at 1-800-222-1222, says the AAP. Take the container with you if you go to the doctor. ## Sources - Centers for Disease Control and Prevention: [Mosquito bite prevention fact sheet](https://www.cdc.gov/mosquitoes/pdfs/mosquitobitepreventionus_508.pdf) - U.S. Environmental Protection Agency: [EPA](https://www.epa.gov/insect-repellents/deet) - healthychildren.org: [HealthyChildren.org repellent page](https://www.healthychildren.org/English/safety-prevention/at-play/Pages/Insect-Repellents.aspx) - U.S. Environmental Protection Agency: [Find repellent right you](https://www.epa.gov/insect-repellents/find-repellent-right-you) - Sawyer Products: [Picaridin repellents](https://help.sawyer.com/retail/products/picaridin-repellents) --- Last updated: 2026-09-29 Canonical URL: https://wildprooflab.com/bugs-ticks/insect-repellent-for-kids How to cite: "Insect Repellent for Kids (2026): The CDC Age Rules, Which Actives to Use, and Four Family Picks", WildProofLab, https://wildprooflab.com/bugs-ticks/insect-repellent-for-kids (checked 2026-09-29). Disclosure: as an Amazon Associate WildProofLab earns from qualifying purchases. Safety information summarizes public guidance and is not medical advice.