BuzzSkito Mosquito & Tick Control Specialists · Published July 12, 2026
Compare current Canadian prices on the kids’ repellents below:
Best Bug Spray for Kids: Picks Compared
Every product below carries a Canadian PCP registration number, and the Ages column follows each label’s age directions. Where a plastic or fabric matters (car seats, sunglasses, rain jackets), remember that icaridin and DEET-free options don’t damage synthetics — DEET does. Prices are 2026 Canadian ranges from Canadian Tire, Home Depot Canada, MEC, and Amazon.ca.
| Product | Active ingredient | Ages | Protects for | Price check |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Natrapel (spray/wipes) | Icaridin 20% | 6 months+ | Up to 12 h | Check price on Amazon.ca → |
| PiActive (Canadian brand) | Icaridin 20% | 6 months+ | Up to 7 h | Check price on Amazon.ca → |
| Sawyer Picaridin (lotion) | Icaridin 20% | 6 months+ | Up to 12 h | Check price on Amazon.ca → |
| OFF! FamilyCare (low DEET) | DEET 5–10% | 6 months+ * | ~2–3 h | Check price on Amazon.ca → |
| OFF! Botanicals (DEET-free) | Oil of lemon eucalyptus (PMD) | 3 years+ | ~4–6 h | Check price on Amazon.ca → |
| Bite Blocker (plant-based) | Soybean oil 2% | 6 months+ | ~2 h | Check price on Amazon.ca → |
* Under 2 years, DEET products should be applied no more than once per day. Protection times are approximate and drop with sweat, water, and heat. For ticks specifically, choose DEET or icaridin — the plant-based and soybean options are weaker against ticks.
Why icaridin 20% is the parent’s pick
If you only want to buy one bottle for the whole family, make it icaridin (picaridin) 20%. It matches DEET for mosquito and tick protection, Health Canada’s age rules permit it for children from 6 months, and it fixes DEET’s two everyday annoyances: the smell and the way DEET can cloud sunglasses, soften stroller plastics, and mark synthetic jackets. A 20% icaridin spray gives a child several hours of coverage from one application — enough for a soccer game, a hike, or an evening on the deck.
When a low-DEET product still makes sense
DEET is not the villain it’s sometimes made out to be — it’s the most-studied repellent in the world, and Health Canada’s age rules permit it for kids over 6 months at 10% or less. If you already own a bottle of OFF! FamilyCare, it’s perfectly reasonable for a 2-to-12-year-old at up to three light applications a day. Just keep the concentration low, keep it off their hands and face, and don’t combine it with sunscreen in a single product.
DEET-free and plant-based options
Beyond icaridin, oil of lemon eucalyptus (PMD) is the strongest plant-derived choice, but note the Health Canada label: not for children under 3. Soybean-oil repellents (Bite Blocker style) are an option for younger toddlers but wear off in about two hours, so you’ll reapply often. Citronella products give the shortest, least reliable protection and aren’t a good bet where ticks are a concern.
Protecting a baby under 6 months
No spray of any kind — DEET, icaridin, or plant-based. Use fine-mesh mosquito netting over the stroller, car seat, bassinet, or playpen; dress the baby in loose, light-coloured long sleeves and pants; and avoid dawn and dusk outings. Another step is reducing the mosquitoes in the yard itself — see professional barrier spray; kids and pets stay off treated areas until the spray has dried, as the product label directs.
The netting is the whole strategy for this age group, so it is worth buying one that fits your stroller and pram properly rather than a generic square of mesh that gaps at the corners.
How to Apply Bug Spray on Kids Safely
- Spray your hands, then rub it on — never spray toward a child’s face.
- Exposed skin only — not under clothing, and never on cuts or irritated skin.
- Keep it off little hands — young kids put fingers in their mouths and eyes.
- Sunscreen first, then repellent — apply sunscreen, let it absorb, then the repellent. Avoid all-in-one sunscreen-plus-DEET products.
- Wash it off indoors — soap and water when playtime ends, and wash treated clothing before it’s worn again.
- Do a tick check — after any time in tall grass or wooded areas, check kids (and pets) head to toe.
That last bullet is the one that needs a tool rather than a technique. A fine-point tick remover or a tick hook gets a small nymph off a child cleanly; household tweezers usually do not, and a squeezed tick is the outcome you are trying to avoid.
Parents usually want to know whether DEET itself is the problem or just the dose. It is the dose — Health Canada holds children aged 2 to 12 to a maximum of 10% while allowing adults up to 30%, and we explain where those age limits come from in our plain-language look at DEET safety.
Repellent vs a Treated Yard: Use Both
Bug spray protects the child; a treated yard protects the space. Repellent is essential for hikes, cottages, sports, and travel — but reapplying it on a wriggling toddler every couple of hours gets old fast. A whole-yard barrier treatment cuts the number of mosquitoes and ticks near the house so your backyard needs less spray in the first place. The two work together: treat the yard for everyday home use, and keep a bottle of icaridin 20% by the door for everywhere else.
Parents in the GTA regularly ask us whether yard treatment itself is safe around children and pets. Our answer is to follow the product label: kids and pets stay off treated areas until the spray has dried — we cover the details in our guide to whether mosquito spray is safe for kids and pets.
For everywhere else, the format matters as much as the active ingredient. Repellent wipes live in a diaper bag or a glovebox without leaking, and they let you do a face-adjacent application by hand with no aerosol anywhere near a child’s eyes.
Related Reading
- Is Mosquito Spray Safe for Kids and Pets?
- Picaridin vs DEET in Canada — Which Repellent Wins?
- BuzzSkito Professional Mosquito Control Service
- Book a Free Yard Assessment
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the best bug spray for kids in Canada?+
For most Canadian children aged 6 months and older, a strong choice is a 20% icaridin (picaridin) repellent, which Health Canada's age rules permit from 6 months — brands like Natrapel, PiActive, and Sawyer. Icaridin 20% protects against both mosquitoes and ticks for up to 7–12 hours, has almost no odour, is non-greasy, and won't damage plastics, clothing, or sunscreen the way DEET can. If you prefer DEET, choose a low-concentration product (10% or less) rated for children. For babies under 6 months, Health Canada advises using no chemical repellent at all — rely on mosquito netting over the stroller or playpen and lightweight long-sleeved clothing instead.
What DEET concentration is safe for kids in Canada?+
Health Canada sets age-based DEET limits. Under 6 months: do not use DEET. Ages 6 months to 2 years: products with 10% DEET or less, applied no more than once per day. Ages 2 to 12 years: 10% DEET or less, applied up to three times per day. Age 12 and older (and adults): up to 30% DEET, the maximum concentration registered for consumer sale in Canada. A 10% DEET product still gives a child roughly 3 hours of protection, which covers most backyard playtime and evening walks.
At what age can babies use bug spray?+
Chemical insect repellents are not recommended for infants under 6 months in Canada — that applies to DEET, icaridin, and oil of lemon eucalyptus alike. From 6 months, icaridin 20% and low-concentration DEET (10% or less) become options. Oil of lemon eucalyptus (PMD) products carry a Health Canada label warning against use in children under 3 years. For a baby younger than 6 months, protect them physically: fine mesh mosquito netting over the stroller, car seat, or playpen, plus loose long-sleeved clothing and long pants in light colours.
Is picaridin (icaridin) safe for children?+
Health Canada's repellent guidance allows icaridin (the Canadian spelling of picaridin) on children 6 months and older, and it is widely regarded as the best-tolerated repellent for kids. A 20% icaridin formula works against mosquitoes and ticks, is nearly odourless, feels light on skin, and does not dissolve plastics or synthetic fabrics. Unlike DEET, Health Canada does not cap the number of daily applications for icaridin in children over 6 months, though you should always follow the specific product label. It is the repellent many Canadian paediatricians suggest first for family use.
What are the best DEET-free bug sprays for kids?+
The strongest DEET-free option is icaridin (picaridin) 20% — technically a synthetic compound but not DEET, and the top pick for families. For plant-derived choices: oil of lemon eucalyptus (PMD), sold as OFF! Botanicals, works well but is labelled for ages 3 and up only. Soybean-oil repellents (Bite Blocker style) are gentle enough for younger toddlers but protect for a shorter window (about 2 hours) and need frequent reapplication. Citronella products give the shortest and least reliable protection. For kids, icaridin 20% gives you DEET-free performance closest to DEET without the drawbacks.
How do I protect a baby under 6 months from mosquitoes without spray?+
Physical barriers are the standard approach. Drape fine-mesh mosquito netting over the stroller, bassinet, playpen, or car seat — inexpensive, reusable, and uses no repellent at all. Dress the baby in loose, light-coloured long sleeves and long pants (mosquitoes are drawn to dark colours and can bite through tight fabric). Avoid peak mosquito hours at dawn and dusk, remove standing water around your property so mosquitoes don't breed near the house, and keep window and door screens intact. A professionally treated yard reduces the number of mosquitoes around the house in the first place.
How do I apply bug spray on a child safely?+
Spray into your own hands first, then rub it onto the child — never spray directly at their face. Keep repellent away from eyes, mouth, and any cuts or irritated skin, and apply only a thin layer to exposed skin, not under clothing. Do not use it on young children's hands (they put them in their mouths). Apply sunscreen first and let it absorb, then the repellent — never a combined sunscreen-plus-DEET product, because sunscreen needs frequent reapplication while DEET should not be over-applied. Wash the child's skin with soap and water once you are back indoors, and wash treated clothing before it is worn again.