10 best kids' umbrellas according to parents

The weather in the UK can be temperamental to say the least, so it makes sense to ensure the whole family is prepared for rainy days by investing in quality umbrellas. But it can be difficult to find a suitable brolly for kids. You'll want something that's small enough for little fingers to handle with a design that they'll be happy to hold. And of course, it needs to be safe and functional too.

If you're trying to find an umbrella for your child then we've got you (rain) covered. We've tracked down 10 of the best brollies to buy.

Here are the best kids' umbrellas to buy in 2021.

1. Best overall kids' umbrella: Hatley Boy's Printed Umbrella

Price: £15 | Buy now from Amazon

"We have had good experiences with Hatley umbrellas" - TakeMeToYourLiar

This design is fun and modern but it has a traditional feel thanks to its wooden tip and handle. And it comes in a small size for tiny hands to hold. It's available in three cute designs: sharks, tractors and dinosaurs and you can complete the look with a matching raincoat and wellies.

There's just so much to love about this umbrella. The brand is a Mumsnet favourite, the design is safe, yet fun and you can get matching outdoor gear so it gets our seal of approval. Due to its small size, it's better suited to younger children.

2. Best budget umbrella for kids: Trespass Clarissa Patterned Umbrella

Price: £6 | Buy now from Amazon

Not only is this a budget brolly buy, but Trespass is a brand that Mumsnetters seem to universally love.

We were particularly impressed by the design of this little number, because although it's been made by a trusted outdoorsy brand, the design will still appeal to kids. We love the pink and orange spots and the pink ruffled edge.

There's also a whistle attached to the handle, which is a fun added extra for your child (although it might not be as fun for adults in the vicinity!).

At under £6 for a brolly made by a trusted brand, it's hard to see where you can go wrong with this one.

3. Best novelty umbrella for kids: Drizzles Childrens 3D Dome Animal Umbrella with Crook Handle Green

Price: £9 | Buy now from Amazon

"My dd, who is two, has been on about a frog umbrella for months!" - Ifyoulikepinacoladaa

This frog umbrella certainly has the fun factor with its large, free-flapping eyes attached to the top. It's bold, it's bright and your child is sure to love it.

If you're not buying for a frog fan, then fear not, there are other designs to choose from. We like the shark brolly with raised fins and the mermaid umbrella with a flapping tail. These novelty umbrellas won't break the bank either, as you can snap one up for less than £8.

4. Best colourful umbrella for kids: AHUA Kids Dinosaurs Umbrella

Price: £19 | Buy now from Amazon

Mumsnetters love it when they spot a pink dinosaur product, because for some reason, they can be difficult to find. If your kid is a pink loving dinosaur fan, then this is the design for them. But that's not the only reason why we rate it. This bright brolly has literally been designed to stop traffic. It reflects light at night and there are yellow reflective strips within the frame to ensure drivers stay alert to little rain dodgers on dark and gloomy days.

This umbrella also comes with a detachable strip card in the handle, so your child can write their name on it. Hopefully this will reduce the chance of it being misplaced.

Aimed at children aged 3-13, this umbrella isn't the cheapest on the market, but it should last them a while.

5. Best lightweight umbrella for kids: DUA Lightweight Kids Children Striped Umbrella

Price: £10 | Buy now from Amazon

If you're looking for a lightweight design, then this is the umbrella for you. Weighing in at just 215g, this fun rainbow-coloured brolly is bursting with personality. It also proves that you don't have to settle for a plain, no-frills umbrella if you're looking for something compact.

We think this design is well suited to older children, who already have enough to carry in their school bag.

6. Best quick-dry umbrella for kids: G4Free 43Inch Windproof Compact Folding Umbrella

Price: £17 | Buy now from Amazon

Although this one isn't technically a kids' umbrella, we think it works well, especially if you're after a quick-dry umbrella to pop into your teenager's school bag.

Available in 11 different colours, this umbrella has a Teflon coating and it's been made using pongee fabric so it's both lightweight and quick drying. It also has a safe-lock design, so you can open and close the umbrella slowly without worrying that it's going to burst back open.

This is definitely one to consider if you have older children.

7. Best clear umbrella for kids: Kids' Clear Dome Umbrella Bubble Brolly For Boys And Girls

Price: £8 | Buy now from Amazon

Stop right here if your child is a space enthusiast. This transparent umbrella has a fun design featuring spaceships and planets. It's easy to open and close too, making it perfect for small space cadets, ideally aged between four and seven.

8. Best colour-changing umbrella for kids: Fringoo Colour Changing Umbrella

Price: £18 | Buy now from Amazon

If you want to bring some magic to a rainy day, then look no further because this colour-changing umbrella is just the ticket. The dinosaur bones on this brolly go from white to red to blue and then yellow when water hits, bringing the fun factor to any drizzly stroll.

This funky design will appeal to both boys and girls, but if your child isn't into dinosaurs, there are three other colour-changing designs to choose from. You could go for hearts and rainbows, a traffic jam design or unicorns.

There are matching accessories available too so you could team this brolly up with a colour-changing raincoat and a pair of colour-changing wellies.

9. Best personalised umbrella for kids: Pink Pineapple Home and Gifts Child's Personalised Umbrella

Price: £14 | Buy now from Notonthehighstreet

Sometimes, no matter how many times you tell them to be mindful, it can feel like your child loses everything. If your kid is going through the 'misplacing everything stage', then this could be the umbrella to buy. You can add your child's name (or any other personalisation up to 20 characters) onto this brolly, so it's clear who it belongs to.

There are five design options so you're bound to find one that your child will like. You could opt for dogs, cats, pandas, vintage cars or colourful animals. The lettering can be customised as well; opt for a script, or bold font and choose between red and black lettering.

10. Best character umbrella: Vadobag Peppa Pigumbrella

Price: £11 | Buy now from Amazon

Most toddlers seem to view Peppa Pig as an icon and the character famously enjoys jumping in muddy puddles. So if you're looking to prepare your toddler for a rainy day in the park, then you can't go wrong with this design. Singing The Muddy Puddles Song as you go is optional.

As well as having a fun design, this brolly also has a curved handle so it's easy to hang up when you get home.

How to choose the best umbrella for kids

When you're choosing an umbrella for your child, you need to determine what matters the most. It could be the weight, it might be the size, or perhaps you need the design to be as appealing as possible. The most important aspect should lead your buying decision.

Do children need an umbrella?

In the UK it tends to rain a lot and there's nothing worse than dealing with soggy sprogs when out and about. To prepare for the elements, everybody should have an umbrella to hand and that includes children.

What is the best kids’ umbrella to buy?

The best umbrella is the one that will meet your child's needs. You'll want to make sure that it's small enough for your little one to handle, which is why the Hatley Printed Umbrella is perfect. It doesn't have any sharp parts either and the design incorporates traditional wooden elements, with a funky design.

This umbrella is our winner because it's clear that children's wet weather needs have been front of mind throughout the design process.

How we chose our recommendations

We spent several hours sifting through Mumsnet forums for recommendations from our users on which brands and umbrellas they rated most highly. We were also on the lookout for poor reviews of products to avoid.

We also consulted recommendations from experts, consumer websites and print media, and made sure we included brands that regularly appeared on top product lists.

We then looked at reviews for each of our longlisted kids' umbrellas to check that previous customers were satisfied with their purchases.

By doing this, we whittled our longlist down and chose a top list that we think offers something for every child, style and price point.

Why you should trust us

We work hard to provide unbiased, independent advice you can trust. We do sometimes earn revenue through affiliate (click-to-buy) links in our articles. This helps us fund more helpful articles like this one.