10 Organic Face Masks for Kids

June 19, 2020 Aida Garcia-Toledo

Never did I ever think I would be writing a post about masks … but here we are.

Its been over three months since the start of the Covid -19 pandemic in the United States and California (and many cities around the country with more to follow) has mandated mask usage (and many medical experts are recommending this) for EVERYONE over the age of 2 when outside the home with few exceptions.

Since the start of the pandemic, however, I realized that not all masks are created equal- and not all are good for kids.

Here is what I have learned and recommend for kids:

AGE: Kids under 2 should not wear masks
ACTIVITY: I don’t think it is healthy for kids to wear a mask while exercising/ running. Try to do these activities in areas that are not full of people for optimal safety.
FIT: Make sure you find the right fit - masks that are meant for adults will often not fit well on a child. A mask should fully cover your nose and mouth, extending an inch or more past the ends of your mouth and wrapping under to “grab onto the bottom of your chin as an anchor. It should not interfere with your breathing.
MATERIAL: Considering we are literally breathing in from the mask, mask made of GOTS certified cotton are the ideal way to confirm your mask is not exposing you to any toxins. Homemade masks made of well washed cotton can be a good option too.
COMFORT: Masks are not comfortable but getting “the most comfortable mask” will help your child tolerate it easier. For my kids, GOTS certified cotton jersey has been the most comfortable as it seems to allows them to breathe easier than thicker cotton…also children are more active than adults and breathe more per minute so it is a good idea to allow them to wear a mask they can breathe through easily. However, the thicker the material (or the more layers) the more protection… Keep this in mind depending on the situation you will be in and the age of your child. We have and use both types
Dont touch the mask: try not to touch your mask while wearing it. Once you take it off : wash it. Because of this You may want to have several masks so that you can rotate them.