Overwhelmed by the countless options in kids' multivitamins? Don’t know what nutrients are actually important, or if gummies are really a choking hazard?

That’s why in this mega review, we did the work for you! With the help of Pediatric Dietitian and mom, Lizzie O’Connor, we tested the leading kids’ multivitamins, comparing each on ingredients, dosage, safety & form-factor, taste, and price. Here are the winners—and the ones you’ll want to avoid.

The Top Kids’ Multivitamins, Compared

Here’s how each vitamin stacks up. We’ve highlighted (in green) the top products in each category.

Vitamin & Mineral Content

“A well-rounded multivitamin should include essential nutrients to support immune function, bone health, and cognitive development,” explains O’Connor. A wide variety of included nutrients ensures no dietary gaps are missed.

🥇 Hiya Kids Daily Multivitamin: contains 15+ essential vitamins and minerals, such as vitamin C, vitamin D, folate, and calcium, derived from natural fruit and veggie blends. Of all the brands we reviewed, Hiya had the most comprehensive ingredients to support kids' mood, growth, and development.

🥈 SmartyPants: 14 essential vitamins and minerals. But as a gummy, it does not contain calcium - recommended as one of the most important minerals for kids’ growth and development.¹

❌ Llama Naturals: 13 essential vitamins and minerals, and no calcium or zinc, recommended as an important mineral for immune support.²

❌ Olly and Mary Ruth’s: 12 essential vitamins and minerals and no calcium.

❌ L’il Critters and One A Day: 11 essential vitamins and minerals; no calcium.

❌ First Day and Nature Made: Just 9 essential vitamins and minerals; no calcium.

Other Ingredients

Many kids’ multivitamins still contain unnecessary sugar and artificial additives, like glucose syrup or even FD&C dyes. Some also contain animal byproducts, like gelatin.

🥇 Hiya and Mary Ruth’s: The only brands with zero sugar, plus no artificial additives or dyes.

🥈 First Day: Contains 2g of sugar and no artificial additives.

❌ Llama Naturals: No artificial additives, but high sugar content of 4g.

❌ SmartyPants: A gummy which uses gelatin (derived from animal bone and tissue) and contains 3g of sugar.

❌ Olly and Nature Made: Both contain gelatin and sugar, plus glucose syrup, an artificial sweetener.

❌ L’il Critters and One A Day: Contain gelatin, sugar, and glucose syrup. Additionally, no third party testing info was available - important to ensure that ingredients are pure.

Form

O’Connor always recommends tablets over gummies. Due to their manufacturing process, gummies can contain inconsistent levels of nutrients. Their form also prevents them from containing important minerals like calcium and iron.³

^‍On top of these nutrition issues, gummies often get stuck in teeth – and their sugar can lead to dental issues like cavities.⁴ They can also be a choking hazard for kids 4 and under - toddler parents, be cautious.⁵

🥇 Hiya is the only tablet option from this review, safe for kids aged 2+.

❌ All other brands listed are gummies - it is recommended not to give these to children under 4.⁵

Allergens

O’Connor advises parents to “avoid potential allergens like gluten, dairy, soy, or artificial dyes to minimize the risk of reactions, especially in sensitive children.”

😁 Allergen-Free: Hiya, Mary Ruth’s, Llama Naturals, Nature Made, SmartyPants, First Day.

🏭 Processing: Olly and L’il Critters are processed in facilities that may contain several major allergens, ranging from dairy, to fish, to peanuts.

🥜 Tree nut allergens: L’il Critters.

🌾 Gluten allergens: One A Day

Taste

The most effective multivitamin is one that kids will actually take! The results of our taste test produced a clear winner and loser:

🥇 SmartyPants’ strawberry gummy was voted the best tasting multivitamin. Kids enjoyed the sweetness of the gummy, as well as the sugary coating around it.

❌ First Day’s “Yummy Gummies” were unfortunately not so yummy—and they arrived melted. The sticky texture accompanied with a “yeast-like” smell was met with great resistance.

Price

When examining price, make sure to look at cost per serving. Serving sizes for multivitamins can be up to 4 gummies.

🥇 L’il Critters is the least expensive at just $0.13 per serving (2 gummies).

🥈 One A Day is not far behind at $0.16 per 2 gummy serving.

❌ First Day,  at $1.30 per serving, was the most expensive vitamin by far.

Our #1 Choice for Kids’ Multivitamins: Hiya

Hiya is the clear winner. It has high quality and comprehensive ingredients, zero sugar, and is safe for kids aged 2+ with its chewable form.

O’Connor, our pediatric dietitian and mom of two, agrees: “Hiya stands out as a trusted choice for families. It checks all the boxes a parent or healthcare provider would want in a multivitamin.”

Ready to try Hiya? With code “TCD”, save 50% on your first order plus get free shipping. Hiya also offers discounts for families with more than one child.

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_{1. UNM Health Sciences Center: The Importance of Calcium in Kids}

_{2. NIH: Zinc and Immune Health}

_{3. Hartford Healthcare: Gummy Vitamins are Unstable}

_{4. Alpine Dental Health: Gummies and Your Teeth‍}

_{5. Dr. Julie Wei: Gummies as a Choking Hazard}