If you have a child that’s a picky eater, they may not be getting enough nutrients over the course of the day. Using an organic multivitamin for toddlers can help to fill in those gaps.
The process of selecting the right multivitamin can be challenging. There are many different varieties on the market, and unfortunately, they’re not all created equal. In fact, there are too many options when you take into account the low-quality products that you should stay far away from.
To make the process of choosing the best organic multivitamin for kids and toddlers as simple as possible, I’m going to break down all the different components of toddler vitamins for you. I’ll also talk about what your child’s nutritional needs are and whether or not your child should be taking a multivitamin. The goal is to provide you with all of the information and research needed to make an educated decision as a parent.
Quick Table of The Best Organic Multi-Vitamins for Toddlers
Multivitamin | Sugar | Vitamins Per Day | Type | Avg. Rating |
|---|---|---|---|---|
0g | 1 | Chewable | 4.9/5 (1,433 reviews) | |
2g | 2 | Gummies | 4.9/5 (1,191 reviews) | |
3g | 2 | Gummies | 4.9/5 (392 reviews) | |
2g | 2 | Gummies | 4.7/5 (14 reviews) | |
0 | 3 | Gummies | 4.8/5 (44 reviews) | |
0g | 1 | Gummies | 4.8/5 (495 reviews) | |
4g | 2 | Gummies | 4.6/5 (465 reviews) |
Should My Child Take a Multivitamin?
If your child is growing appropriately and eats a well balanced diet each day, then you may not need to worry about using a multivitamin in your household. If they’re consuming a number of fortified products such as cereal, milk and juice, they may be getting enough of the essentials (Vitamins B and D, calcium and iron). However, most children have aversions to certain foods and go through phases of only eating certain foods. There may even be days when your child just doesn’t have a healthy appetite. In these instances, an organic multivitamin for toddlers can provide all of the different nutrients that this age demographic needs.
Some common signs to watch out for that indicates your toddler may need a multivitamin include:
- Low weight or declining weight
- Your child is a poor eater
- Your child is skipping entire food groups
- A food allergy or food intolerance makes it difficult for your child to eat a balanced diet
Choosing the best organic multivitamin possible is ideal, because there are a lot of products that can pose some health risks. The vitamin product that your child uses should be formulated for their nutritional needs.
Low quality products often include very high doses of certain vitamins and minerals. This can be toxic to your toddler’s small body. If you decide to purchase multivitamin for your child or your child’s pediatrician suggests you start administering one, make sure you choose a high quality product that doesn’t exceed one hundred percent of the daily value of all included vitamins and minerals.
What Vitamins Do Toddlers Need The Most?
There are 13 essential vitamins, but there are a few that are incredibly important for small children as they grow. These vitamins can come from a variety of food sources, but they’re also the primary vitamins in most supplements.
Vitamin A
Vitamin A is used by the body for normal growth rates and physical development. Healthy skin, tissue repair and bone integrity all occur from adequate intake of vitamin A. The immune system also depends on this vitamin, so you may notice that your child is experiencing a few more colds per year when they’re deficient in vitamin A. Foods that contain vitamin A include eggs, milk, cheese, carrots, squash and yams.
B Vitamins
There is an entire family of B vitamins (B2, B3, B6 and B12) that help with the production of energy, maintaining a healthy metabolism and promoting a healthy nervous system. Getting enough of these vitamins is possible if your child eats a lot of meat, chicken, nuts, fish, milk, eggs, cheese and beans.
Vitamin D
The best source of vitamin D that our children can receive is from the sun, but there are plenty of times of the year where not enough exposure can be achieved. Vitamin D is necessary for bone and tooth formation. It’s also needed for the absorption of calcium, which your child needs plenty of as well.
Your child can consume vitamin D in foods like milk and fatty fish. There are a lot of fortified foods that are beneficial, such as cereals and orange juice, but most kids and adults are still deficient in vitamin D throughout the year. It takes awhile to build levels back up when the sun is shining and it’s warm outside. Once the temperatures turn cooler, vitamin D levels can drop quickly.
Calcium
Calcium is used to build strong bones, and this is support that your child needs as they get bigger. Healthy sources of calcium include yogurt, cheese, milk and fortified cereals and orange juice.
Iron
It’s very common for young children and teens to be deficient in iron, and this can result in fatigue, weakness, dizziness and shortness of breath. When your child is consuming enough iron in their diet or with the use of a supplement, their body will be able to build muscle efficiently and develop healthy red blood cells.
Vitamins That Children Shouldn't Take
Some vitamins are water soluble, meaning that the body will quickly expel anything that it doesn’t need. Other vitamins are fat soluble, meaning they are stored in the fat. If your child isn’t deficient in vitamins A, D, E, and K but they’re still taking them, this could lead to toxicity.
If your child is taking certain prescription medications, there may be vitamins and minerals that they should avoid taking because they will interact with their medication. For example, older children taking Adderall for ADHD shouldn’t take vitamin C because it will increase acid production in the stomach. It’s also common for children with ADHD to develop allergies to vitamins A, all of the B vitamins and C.
You should talk to your child’s pediatrician about the potential use of a vitamin supplement if you’re concerned with the risks. They can provide you with a recommendation that takes into account your child’s growth chart, their mental development and diet.
What to Look for When Choosing an Organic Toddler Multivitamin
There are different types of organic toddler multivitamins, including chewable products, liquid multivitamins and even powdered supplements. Once you’ve determined what form of a vitamin your toddler will have the easier time taking, you’ll want to do some investigation for each product that you’re considering.
Don’t buy the first option that you see sitting on the grocery store shelf. And, definitely don’t choose the cheapest product you can find simply because of its affordability. There are some legitimate organic toddler multivitamin concerns that you may have, and looking into each brand is the only way to determine safety, benefits, etc.
Reputable Brand
Make sure that the brand you’re purchasing from is reputable and has outstanding customer reviews with a large sample size. The brands that make up this organic kids multivitamins list have passed our test as to what’s a reputable brand, and those characteristics are:
- An Excellent product that works
- Full transparency of ingredients
- Above and beyond customer service
- Excellent average rating with a large sample size of verified customer reviews
Made With Organic Ingredients
When a multivitamin for toddlers is made with organic ingredients, that product will not contain any pesticides or harmful chemicals. A lot of parents worry about the chemicals that their children are exposed to and rightfully so. You can avoid any risks by choosing a multivitamin that is certified organic. There are non-organic multivitamins that are safe, but you’ll need to look into a specific brand to see what their manufacturing process is all about.
You may want to be careful of major brand-name multivitamins. A lot of them will contain those high megadose concentrations of vitamins and minerals that can be toxic to your child. The vitamins and minerals that your child needs may actually be missing in these products.
Also watch out for high sugar content in organic toddler multivitamins. A lot of gummy products are sweetened with sugar and then they have sugar all over the exterior of them. While this makes them tasty for your child, there can be four to five grams of sugar in each dose.
Made With Fruits and Veggies
The best and healthiest way that your toddler can consume their vitamins is by eating their fruits and vegetables, but it can be difficult to get them to eat enough in a 24-hour period. A multivitamin made with whole food ingredients contains a very safe and vast profile of nutrients. The body can absorb these nutrients much easier. As a parent, you can trust the quality of these whole-food supplements because you know where the vitamins are coming from.
7 Best Organic Vitamins for Kids in 2022
After thinking about your child’s diet over the course of a day, you’ve determined that a multivitamin might be an appropriate addition to your toddler’s routine. But how do you know where to start in regard to choosing the best vitamin product for kids? It can take a lot of time to figure out what the right product is for your child. Luckily, I’ve done a lot of the initial research for you. Let’s take a look together at some of the best organic vitamins for kids.
1. Hiya Daily Organic Multivitamin for Kids
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A blend of 12 different fruits and vegetables produces the Hiya Kids Daily Multivitamin, which contain 15 essential vitamins and minerals. These superfoods are pressed into a chewable tablet that can be taken once daily to fill in any nutritional gaps that are present in your child’s diet. This is a gluten free product that is also free of all the major allergens.
This product is extremely fresh. It’s quite different from the vitamin products at the grocery store that can sit there for months at a time. After you purchase your child’s first 30-day supply, you receive replacement pouches to pour into your original glass bottle every 30 days. The bottle is child-proof, and the company even sends some super cute stickers that you can have your child use to decorate their personal bottle of vitamins.
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2. First Day Organic Kids Multivitamin Gummies
First Day Vitamins has made their Organic Kids Multivitamin Gummies with the knowledge of experts, ensuring that each dose provides your child with what their body needs to grow. More than 35,000 pediatric health studies were considered when designing this product, and the company traveled the world to find the highest quality organic ingredients. Each serving contains 12 different fruits and vegetables that were organically grown. Vitamins, antioxidants and phytonutrients will help your child thrive. The main vitamins in this First Day product includes vitamins A, B1. B2, B6, B9, B12, C, D3 and K2.
The First Day Organic Kids Multivitamin Gummies are designed for children age three and older. They also contain as much as eighty percent less sugar than the competition, but they’re still really tasty thanks to natural flavors from oranges and strawberries. You won’t have any trouble getting your child to eat these!
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3. 1st Phorm Kiddos
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1st Phorm kiddos recognizes that kids don’t always have super healthy diets, which is why they designed their M-Factor Kiddos multivitamin. Made with 13 essential nutrients to boost your child’s consumption of vitamins and minerals, M-Factor Kiddos Multivitamin Gummies boost the immune system thanks to vitamins A, C, D, E, and zinc. Strong bones and teeth come from a healthy dose of vitamin D. You can also support your child’s vision, skin, nails and hair thanks to the vitamin combination of A, C, D, E, biotin and zinc. Brain development is boosted by vitamins B6, B12, E, choline, folate and inositol.
This product is for children age 2 and up, but adults can easily take this product as well to fill in some of their own nutritional gaps! We all have our busy days when we just don’t consume as many fruits and vegetables as we should.
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4. Future Kind Organic Vegan Kids Multivitamin Gummies
If you’re having trouble getting your kids to eat their vegetables at dinner, Future Kind Organic Vegan Kids Multivitamin Gummies is the perfect solution. This is an organic multivitamin and mineral complex that has been scientifically formulated to boost wellness (through vitamins A, C and E) and fill in nutritional gaps from zinc, B vitamins and D3. Iodine can boost the function of your child’s thyroid and help them meet their developmental goals.
There are many bodily processes that require certain vitamins and minerals in order to function properly. Future Kind Organic Vegan Kids Multivitamin Gummies contain these crucial nutrients, helping your child reach their growth and development goals. It can also help with immune function, helping your family get through the cold and flu season.
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5. Ritual Multivitamin Kids 4+ (Organic)
One of the most important features that I look for when I’m shopping for supplements is the transparency of a brand. Ritual is so honest about what’s in their products that they include a visible supply chain for all of their ingredients. On their website, you can read more about where the ingredients in their multivitamins are coming from. For example, the vitamin D3 in the product comes from Nottingham, UK and the folate comes from Pisticci, Italy. Ritual Multivitamins for kids ages 4 and up also includes Omega-3 DHA, and a healthy source of fiber. Three grams of fiber are included in one dose.
To add to the transparency of Ritual Multivitamin Kids 4+, each batch of product is tested for purity, strength and safety. A third-party lab is used for testing that is designed to spot the presence of heavy metals, microbes, allergens and other contaminants.
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6. Mary Ruth’s Kids Organic Multivitamin Gummies
The Mary Ruth’s Kids Multivitamin Gummies contain a specific formulation of vitamins and minerals that are necessary in toddlers and small children. Vitamin A is used to promote normal growth and development, vitamin C aids in brain development and vitamin D3 builds bones and teeth. Mary Ruth’s also includes B complex vitamins for healthy metabolism and nervous system function. Iodine and zinc help boost the immune system.
Mary Ruth's Organics is a brand that you can trust. Mary Ruth is an actual person who is a certified health educator, nutritional consultant, and chef. This family-owned business strives to produce high quality wholesome supplements that your whole family will love and benefit from.
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7. Smarty Pants Organic Toddler Complete
The Smarty Pants Organic Toddler Complete Multivitamin is made with more than 13 different premium nutrients as well as omega-3 from flaxseed oil. Toddlers and children benefit from an omega-3 supplement because it is beneficial for brain development and can potentially decrease the risk of childhood allergies. Vitamin D3 is included for bone health, B12 supports energy production and zinc is for immune system support. This vitamin also includes vitamins A, C, D, E, B6, B12, folate, biotin and iodine.
This is the perfect supplement that is vegan safe. A vegetarian source of omega-3 is included, and all other vitamins come from animal-safe sources. The Smarty Pants brand is very authentic and transparent about their products. It was founded in 2011 by a group of parents that were curious about the products that their children were being exposed to. Instead of sacrificing quality, the Smarty Pants Organic Toddler Complete Multivitamin is made with safety in mind.
If you want to compare Smarty Pants to our top two choices, take a look at our Hiya vs Smarty Pants and First Day vs Smarty Pants articles.
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Frequently Asked Questions
Let's take a look at some of the most common questions asked by parents when shopping for an organic multivitamin for kids.
Children of any age can usually safely take a multivitamin, however the formulation is what’s important. I’ve been talking to you about multivitamins geared towards toddlers and small children. Their daily doses are chosen based on what children of this age demographic need in the way of daily nutrients. What may be included in a toddler multivitamin product might not be beneficial for teens or adults. Babies usually get enough nutrients, especially if they’re consuming baby formula. Breast milk is also very nutrient dense, but a lot of babies and toddlers are deficient in vitamin D when they’re nursing.
If you have concerns about your children not getting enough nutrients from what they’re eating, a multivitamin is a great option. Always make sure that you’re checking the label of the product that you’re about to give your child. Make sure they fall within the recommended age category, and make sure there isn’t more than 100 percent of the daily dose of any included vitamin or mineral.
The USP symbol refers to the United States Pharmacopeia, an organization that tests and monitors a variety of supplements. When a product passes testing, it receives the USP seal. This label provides you with a level of assurance that you won’t get with other products that don’t have the seal. You know you’re getting accurate product information with the USP seal.
Some children’s multivitamins contain iron, but you won’t find a gummy version with iron in it. This is because iron minerals are too large to put into gummy form. If you’re confident that your child is getting enough iron in their diet, then you don’t have to worry about finding a supplement based on iron content. If you think iron is necessary, a chewable multivitamin may contain it. Just check with your pediatrician before starting your child on a supplement with iron. This is a mineral that can cause toxicity.
Vitamins and minerals work hand in hand to help a child grow and develop. We often think of them as the same thing since they do a lot of the same functions. However, vitamins and minerals are completely different micronutrients.
Vitamins are organic compounds that contain both hydrogen and carbon. They’re found in very small amounts inside of foods, but your body doesn’t typically produce them on its own. Categorized into two different groups, vitamins can be water soluble or fat soluble. Fat soluble means that those vitamins can be stored in the fat of our body. Water soluble means that our body will use what it needs and then excrete the rest. Without vitamins, the body wouldn’t be able to grow or maintain itself and deficiencies would develop.
Minerals are also essential nutrients that we get through our diet or supplementation. They function as electrolytes, maintain our bones and teeth, boost the immune system and help to regulate bodily growth. There are a few different groups of minerals such as microminerals (iron, copper, fluoride), macrominerals (calcium, phosphorus, magnesium) and ultrarace minerals (Iodine, selenium, manganese).
My child took too many multivitamin gummies! What should I do?
If you find out that your child has consumed more multivitamin gummies than they were supposed to in one day, you should contact Poison Control as soon as possible. It’s likely that your child will be perfectly fine, but they could experience temporary issues like vomiting, diarrhea, constipation or headache.
Final Thoughts
As a parent you want what’s best for your child (or kids). Growing at a healthy rate and meeting all the developmental milestones is important. It’s difficult to get your toddler to eat a well balanced diet each day as they figure out what they like and what they don’t.
In the meantime, I recommend looking into an organic multivitamin that consists of all the necessary nutrients that are needed in the younger years. Not only does a multivitamin help your child grow, but it can also help keep your child healthy and happy so they can play and explore.
As the parent of a two toddlers, you know that they’re always on the move. Make sure they have the energy they need each day.
Tips for Success from the Nutritionist
How can you be sure that you’re picking up the best organic multivitamin for your toddler? It’s not that difficult of a process if you have these tips in mind.