For most toddlers and kids, food comes first, and the one supplement routinely advised for little ones is vitamin D for breastfed babies: 400 IU a day, from birth. If you do choose a kids' vitamin, pick a format that suits your child's age, follow the dose on the label, and treat anything with iron with real care.
The basics, by age
Here's the usual guidance for healthy babies and young children in Canada.
| Age | What the usual guidance is |
|---|---|
| 0–12 months | Breastfed and partially breastfed babies get a vitamin D supplement of 400 IU a day, from birth. Infant formula sold in Canada already contains vitamin D. |
| From 6 months | Iron-rich first foods, like meat, meat alternatives and iron-fortified cereal, two or more times a day. From 12 months, offer them at each meal. |
| 12–24 months | Toddlers who are still breastfed keep getting 400 IU of vitamin D. When to stop can depend on how much they get from other sources, such as cow's milk. |
| 2 years + | Food first, following Canada's Food Guide: vegetables and fruit, whole grains and protein foods, with water as the drink of choice. A vitamin D supplement is no longer routinely advised. |
Some babies at risk of low iron may benefit from iron drops from six months, but that's a decision your doctor makes with you.
How much vitamin D do kids need?
These are the daily amounts from food and supplements together.
| Age | Daily amount | Upper limit |
|---|---|---|
| 0–6 months | 400 IU | 1,000 IU |
| 7–12 months | 400 IU | 1,500 IU |
| 1–3 years | 600 IU | 2,500 IU |
| 4–8 years | 600 IU | 3,000 IU |
| 9–13 years | 600 IU | 4,000 IU |
Add it all up
If your child takes a multivitamin and a separate vitamin D, both count toward the total. Atlantic winters are long and dark, so a lot of families keep a kids' vitamin D going from fall to spring. Our vitamin D in winter guide has more on that.
Does my toddler need a multivitamin?
Many don't. A toddler who eats a reasonable range of foods most days is usually covered, even if some meals look like three bites of toast and a strong opinion about peas.
A multi can make sense for a very selective eater, a child on a vegan or vegetarian diet, allergies that rule out whole food groups, or a condition that affects absorption. Your family doctor, pediatrician, pharmacist or naturopathic doctor can help you decide, and can tell you whether your child needs a single nutrient, like vitamin D, rather than a full multi.
The right kids' vitamin is the one your child actually needs, at the dose for their age, in a format they'll happily take.
Drops, sprays, chewables or gummies
Drops
The easiest for babies. A drop goes on a clean finger, a spoon, the nipple before a feed, or into food.
Sprays
A good fit for toddlers who won't take a spoon.
Chewables
Can carry more nutrients than a gummy.
Gummies
The easiest sell, and the format to be most careful with.
A few drops, sprays and chewables families ask us about:
CanPrevD3 Drops for Kids400 IU of vitamin D3 per drop, in unflavoured coconut oil.Shop →
KidStarVitamin D3 Spray500 IU per spray, orange flavour, no sugar.Shop →
KidStarStarMultiVegan, sugar-free chewable with 20 vitamins and minerals, for ages 3 and up.Shop →
Natural FactorsBig Friends chewablesDinosaur-shaped chewables for children 3 and older.Shop →
Gummies and little ones
Gummies and chewables are a choking risk for young toddlers, and the gummies on our shelf are labelled for age 3 or 4 and up. Under that, stick with drops or a spray. Gummies also look and taste like candy, so keep them out of reach and call them vitamins, not treats.
Reading a kids' label
- Match the age and dose. Kids' labels in Canada list directions by age. Follow the one that matches your child, and don't give an adult product unless a healthcare provider has recommended it.
- Check the sugar. Traditional gummies can carry a few grams of sugar per serving. Many newer kids' vitamins use stevia, monk fruit, xylitol, erythritol or added fibre instead. Look at the Nutrition Facts or the non-medicinal ingredients.
- Find the NPN. An eight-digit NPN on the label shows the product is licensed for sale in Canada, for the ages and doses listed.
Xylitol and pets
Some sugar-free kids' chewables are sweetened with xylitol, which is very toxic to dogs. Store them where the family dog can't get at them either.
Suku and the other kids' brands we carry
Suku is one of the brands we get asked about most, and allKiDz is a popular gelatin-free choice.
Suku VitaminsThe Kids Complete MultiPectin gummy with 14 vitamins and minerals plus fibre, no sugar or sugar alcohols. Two a day for ages 3 to 9.Shop →
Suku VitaminsKids Magnesium Citrate40 mg of magnesium per gummy, for ages 4 and up.Shop →
allKiDzMulti Gummy BearsGelatin-free, no added sugar, with fibre from chicory root.Shop →
Magnesium helps in the development and maintenance of bones and teeth. If your child prefers a bit of crunch, the KidStar and Natural Factors chewables above are worth a look. You'll find the full range in our baby and children's vitamins collection, and our omega-3 for kids guide covers fish oil separately.
Iron: the one to treat with extra care
Iron matters for growing kids, but children need far less than adults. Their upper limit is 40 mg a day from food and supplements combined.
Keep iron locked away
Accidental iron overdose is dangerous for young children. Many iron labels carry the warning "There is enough iron in this package to seriously harm a child." That goes for kids' iron, your prenatal vitamins and any adult multivitamin with iron. Keep them up high, ideally locked away, and if a child swallows more than their dose, call your poison centre or 911 right away.
Baby vitamins with iron. Iron-rich foods come first. If your doctor recommends iron drops, KidStar BioFe Pure Iron Drops are unflavoured and mix into breast milk, formula or food, with directions by age on the label.
KidStarBioFe Pure Iron DropsUnflavoured drops that mix into breast milk, formula or food, with dosing by age on the label.Shop →
Don't double up. If your child takes a multivitamin with iron, check with your pharmacist before adding a separate iron product.
Questions we get a lot
Should a 2-year-old have vitamins?
Most two-year-olds who eat a range of foods don't need a multivitamin. If your toddler is still breastfed, keep up the 400 IU of vitamin D until your healthcare provider says otherwise.
Can a 2-year-old take gummy vitamins?
Most gummies are labelled for age 3 or 4 and up because of the choking risk. For younger toddlers, drops or a spray are the safer choice.
Do babies need a multivitamin with iron?
Not routinely. The usual advice is vitamin D for breastfed babies and iron-rich first foods from about six months. Iron drops are for babies their doctor has identified as at risk.
What are the best organic vitamins for kids?
Organic certification is less common on vitamins than on food. If it matters to you, look for a certification logo on the label, and ask us in store which kids' products currently carry one.
What are the best vitamins for kids in Canada?
The one your child needs, at the right dose for their age, with an NPN on the label, in a format they'll actually take.
Not sure which kids' vitamin is right for your family?
Bring your question, or your child's current vitamin, to the supplement aisle at either store, and we'll help you compare labels.
Kids' vitamins are in the supplement aisle at both stores: 486 Starboard Drive in Bedford and 590 Portland Street in Dartmouth, open seven days. For the grown-ups in the family, our guides to reading omega-3 labels and men's multivitamins cover the adult shelf. In HRM, order by 11 am with Luminate Express for same-day delivery, or choose pickup. Anywhere else in Canada, orders over $80 ship free.
Sources: Infant nutrition, birth to six months; 6 to 24 months; Dietary Reference Intakes, vitamins and minerals; Canada's Food Guide. This article is general information, not medical advice.
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