How to Choose the Perfect Pair of Sunglasses for Your Kids This Summer

Summer vacation means beach days, bonding time, and adventures with your kids. However, adventures have hazards, and you don't want to be ill-prepared. One of the top risks for children, especially during this sunlit period of this year, is insufficient sun protection-your kids getting overexposed to the sun's harmful ultraviolet rays. This can damage their sensitive skin and eyes.

The remedy for skin protection is relatively straightforward: apply sunscreen with a high sun protection factor (SPF) of at least 30 and a PA+++ rating to protect against UVA and UVB rays. Eye protection, however, isn't as straightforward. Your children's sunglasses must be personalized to their needs and tastes if they're to wear them more often without prompting, which can take a little more effort. Here's how to choose the perfect pair of sunglasses for your kids this summer.

Consider your child's vision needs

The first thing to consider is the eye equipment your kids need to navigate the world. Some children wear eyeglasses for vision correction, and if that's the case for your kids, you need to get eyewear that can accommodate that. Just because your child's sunglasses need utility doesn't mean they have to be drab; however-the online catalog on Sunglass Hut shows how prescription sunglasses are available in various colors, frame designs, and bridge choices. They also come from brands like Ray-Ban, Prada, and Burberry, with many of these mainstay designer shades coming in kid's sizes. With such a comprehensive collection, you can surely procure sunglasses that will meet your child's needs-and come in a style that boosts their self-esteem in a way regular eyeglasses don't.

Ensure the shades' fit and comfort

For your kid's sunglasses to be functional, they must stay in place. The sunglasses must also be comfortable if you don't want your kids swiping them off when you aren't looking. Therefore, you should pick shades that fit the contours of your child's head. A great source is sunglasses retailer Babiators, which manufactures and sells children's sunglasses with versatile rubber frames that can mold to your kid's face. Plus, the sunnies are BPA-free-if your kids are in the younger age bracket, they can chew on the frames without getting hurt! Prioritize comfort when picking your child's sunglasses.

Choose durable sunglasses

Ideally, your kids will have many summer escapades with their friends. However, games can be raucous, and if the sunnies you select don't account for that, you'll likely end up with a pair of broken shades before the break is over. Buy sunglasses that will stay intact no matter how often your kids throw them around or accidentally steps on them. The brand Real Shades has sunnies that are particularly good at this, having been fitting kids with unbreakable sunglasses that have shatterproof, impact-resistant lenses since 2002. By summer's end, you'll be grateful that your child still has a pair of sunglasses they can reuse during the coming year.

Keep your child's tastes in mind

Ensuring that your child's sunglasses are quality and can protect their eyesight is your responsibility as a parent. However, when considering the style of the glasses frames, it may be helpful to give your child the agency to choose-after all, they will be the ones wearing the shades for the summer, if not longer, and you'll want the eyewear to be something they'll like wearing. To streamline the decision-making process, allow them to pick from a brand that you trust. Oakley, for example, has stellar eyewear with Prizm lenses that block all UV bright radiation frequencies and enhance detail and profundity discernment. The company is known to experiment with fun, quirky and functional designs, like the over-the-top sunglasses that debuted in the iconic Spy Kids 3 and was recently worn by footballer Justin Jefferson. Oakley also conveniently has a collection just for kids.

The sun's radiation may be a risk, but that's nothing sunglasses won't fix. Gift your child a great pair of sunnies they'll love by leveraging the above tips.