A chin-strap sun hat is a bucket hat with a chin strap: a soft brim all the way round, and a strap that fastens under your baby's chin. The brim shades the face, ears and neck, and the strap keeps it there.
Wear it whenever your baby needs a sun hat, which is when the UV index in your weather forecast reaches 3. The strap matters most on windy days, in a carrier, and at the age when your baby pulls every hat off.
If your baby leaves hats alone and the day is calm, any sun hat does the same job. Brims, fabric and sizes are no different from other sun hats.
- For ages0–3years
- You'll need1–2sun hats
- Wear it fromUV 3
Which chin strap to choose
Straps differ in two ways: whether they let go if the hat catches on something, and whether your baby can open them. For a baby in a stroller or a carrier, any of the three works, with ties kept short. Once your child climbs and slides, choose a breakaway clip, which is made to open if the hat catches on play equipment.
Breakaway clip
A small plastic clip joins the strap under the chin, and a slider sets the length. After it pops open, it clicks back together.
- Good: Pops open if the hat catches
- Good: Slider sets the length
- Not good: A strong tug from your baby opens it
Hook-and-loop strap
Two soft tabs press together under the chin, the fastening often called Velcro. A long tab lets you close it small for a young baby, while tabs only at the very ends leave one fixed length. A firm tug peels it open, quick for you and, sooner or later, for your baby too.
- Good: Quick for you to open
- Good: Long tab that closes small
- Not good: Tabs only at the very ends
Ties
Two fabric ties, tied in a bow under the chin. A bow is hard for a baby to undo, yet one pull on its loose end opens it for you. A tie does not let go if it catches, so keep the ends short.
- Good: Ties to any size
- Good: Hard for a baby to undo
- Not good: Long ends that dangle
How to put it on
Set the size first, at the back of the hat: most have an adjustable band, or a cord with a toggle (a small sliding stopper). Tighten it until the hat sits on its own, with the brim just above the eyebrows, so the strap only has to stop a gust. Some hats have neither, and then the strap does all the holding, so look for one when you buy.
Close the strap under the chin, just snug. Your baby should still be able to yawn, eat and turn the head without it tugging, and it should leave no mark when it comes off.
Indoors and in a warm car, take the hat off straight away, even if it wakes your baby. A covered head soon gets too warm there.
How to keep a hat on a baby or toddler
Many babies pull hats off at first, strap or no strap. Start with the hat itself: a brim over the eyes, a scratchy label or a tight band gets a hat pulled off fastest. Then these help, with any hat.
1. Put it on outside
Put the hat on once you are out of the door and something has caught your baby's eye: ducks, a dog, the swings. Each time it comes off, put it back on without a fuss. With time it becomes part of going out.
2. Wear your own hat
Babies copy what they see, so wear a sun hat yourself. Once your toddler has opinions, offer two hats to choose from.
3. Shade when it won't stay
Some days the hat loses. Then keep your baby in the shade: pull the stroller canopy forward, or sit under a tree. From 6 months, sunscreen covers the skin the hat would have shaded.
Questions parents ask
Are chin straps safe for babies?
Yes, for time outside with you there. Skip a strap sewn in one piece from side to side, with nothing that opens: it can catch on play equipment, and baby hats like that have been recalled in the US.
Are hats with ties safe?
Short ties are fine for a baby in a stroller or carrier, with you there, though not for a child who climbs.
Can my baby nap in a chin-strap hat?
No. As soon as your baby falls asleep, in the stroller or the car seat, undo the strap, take the hat off and use the canopy for shade. Your baby sleeps with a bare head every time, and anything tied around the neck comes off before the crib.
Will it stay on in the wind?
Yes, with the strap fastened. Tighten the band at the back too, because a loose hat can stay on and still twist around over the eyes in a gust.
How do I add a chin strap to a sun hat or straw hat?
Sew a short strap into each side, where the brim meets the crown (the top of the hat), and join the two under the chin with a small breakaway clip or two hook-and-loop tabs. Keep spare clip parts away from your baby, because they are small enough to swallow.
Can my baby wear one in a carrier?
Yes, and in a back carry, where you cannot see the hat, the strap does most of the work. In a front carry, a stiff brim can bump your chest and tip forward over your baby's eyes, so turn the back of the brim up.
Do bucket hats protect from the sun?
Yes, when the brim is wide enough for the face, the ears and the neck. Bucket hats are one of the three best styles for children, with broad-brimmed and legionnaire hats.
