This weekend my wife and I decided to take our sons on an adventure trip. We planned to camp out and enjoy some outdoor activities like paintball, archery, and hiking in the woods.
My wife, correctly so, wanted to make sure our sons had adequate protection as freak accidents do happen. Some of the first pieces of protective gear we looked for were safety glasses.
You would think that because there are so many safety glasses and safety goggle options, it would be easy to find a solution.
Surprise! It’s not! Needing to outfit smaller faces proved to be quite a challenge because there are not that many safety goggles and glasses that come in various sizes for different-sized faces.
As a result, both women and children may opt to not wear safety eyewear either because they can’t find the correct size, or because it’s uncomfortable, maybe both.
This is an important consideration for gearing up your children and young people in general who may want to take up a sport or a hobby like woodworking or metalworking but require more appropriate sizes.
So, I began to hunt and find the proper safety eyewear for both of my sons. Keep reading to find out what I discovered and why I chose the safety glasses I selected to protect my family’s small faces.
My final choice was a pair of the Sellstrom Lightweight PVC Safety Goggles as I preferred the protection that a full goggle afforded in terms of sealing the eye area.
| Safety Glass | Frames | Lenses | Safety | Fit |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| ABCD Trade | Plastic | Polycarbonate | ANSI Z87.1, UV protection | Small faces |
| Sellstrom PVC | Soft PVC | Polycarbonate | ANSI Z87.1, UV protection, Anti-fog | Adjustable Elastic strap |
| Zenni Sports Goggles | Polycarbonate | Prescription or anti-reflective clear lenses | Anti-scratch coating, UV protection | Elastic strap, Anti-slip nose bridge |
| Zenni OTG Protective Goggles A70180623 | Plastic | Plastic | Low-impact protection | Adjustable strap, OTG goggles |
| Aqulius Kids’ Safety Glasses | Plastic | Glass | ANSI Z87+ compliant | Lightweight |
| Children’s Safety Goggles | Plastic | Polycarbonate | Windproof, Waterproof, Sand proof, UV protection | Adjustable headband, Silicone nose cushion |
Why Protective Eyewear?
Numerous eye injuries could be avoided annually if children and women would wear safety glasses or goggles as protective eyewear. A chance accident can change your life permanently in a matter of seconds.
Injuries happen all the time during hobbies and sporting activities while a good pair of safety glasses can protect your health from that fatal untoward second when your vision is put at risk and perhaps permanently damaged or ruined.
If your children participate in school laboratory experiments or school workshops, safeguarding their vision needs to be a priority.
Things to Consider When Choosing
Lens Materials
When selecting safety eyewear, prioritize lens material because it matters. Polycarbonate lenses, for example, are more shatter-resistant than either glass or plastic, meaning you’ll get better protection especially during high-risk activities like sports.
Polycarbonate also tends to be more lightweight, so it’ll be more comfortable and better tolerated particularly by children.
UV Rays
UV ray protection is also another important point to factor into your choice. If you will be doing outdoor activities, with sunlight blazing, good UVA and UVB protection becomes crucial to your vision’s health.
Consider, that your eyes, like your skin, are subject to sunburn (photokeratitis) and continuous exposure to UV rays may contribute to the development of cataracts and macular degeneration.
When selecting safety goggles or glasses, look for protective eyewear that offers 99% if not 100% protection from harmful UV rays.
Safety Certification
Consider safety ratings. Search for protective eyewear that comes with an ANSI Z87.1 rating established through the American National Standards Institute.
Protective eyewear that complies with ANSI safety requirements will have passed testing for providing the necessary protection from impact, dust particles, chemical splashes, corrosion, and even radiation. Safety eyewear that has been certified will have undergone testing for both frames and lenses.
Proper Fit
The best safety glasses or goggles available will not do a good job of protection if they don’t fit right. You should try safety glasses on your child in person because they need to fit securely and comfortably on the bridge of the nose. They should not be the cause of any skin irritation or be uncomfortable during wear.
Comfort
If your child will be wearing safety glasses for long periods without a break, their comfort is important. Children will not hesitate to remove anything whether clothes, shoes, or glasses if it makes them uncomfortable and irritable.
Tight glasses can cause headaches or pinching. Loose glasses may not protect your child adequately. Rubber or soft plastic flexible temple pieces or nose pieces cab cushion the head and face area and prevent pressure that causes pain.
Adjustable features, like headbands on goggles, are a good choice because they can be fitted to various head sizes permitting a kind of customization.
Choosing
Evaluate the activities your children will be involved in and look for safety eyewear that specifically protects from hazards connected to those activities.
Look for the ANSI certification marks on safety glasses or goggles.
Look for specific features like tinted lenses, anti-fog or anti-scratch coatings, built-in ventilation, adjustable headbands, wraparound designs, styles, colors, or anything that will protect and inspire your child to keep those glasses on during activities.
Safety Eyewear vs. Regular Eyewear
Regular eyewear cannot substitute good safety eyewear. Safety goggles and glasses offer more resistance to impact, should something fly into your child’s face.
They are usually lightweight and durable. Regular eyewear will improve vision, but they are not designed or produced to protect from hazards connected to specific activities.
The Reviews
Best Overall Safety Glasses for Small Faces
1.) ABCD Trade 12-Pack Safety Glasses for Kids
- FREE GIFT AMMO HOLDER OR 10 NERF BULLETS
- Safety Glasses for Kids War party / Nerf Guns / Airsoft Darts / Scout Troops
- Chemistry / Biology Class Safety Glasses
- Scratch resistant polycarbonate lens provides 99% UVA/B/C protection.
Prices pulled from the Amazon Product Advertising API on:
Product prices and availability are accurate as of the date/time indicated and are subject to change. Any price and availability information displayed on [relevant Amazon Site(s), as applicable] at the time of purchase will apply to the purchase of this product.
Manufacturer ABCD offers a 12-pack of kid’s safety glasses in a variety of colors that come individually wrapped. Very reasonably priced, the clear polycarbonate lenses give 99% protection from harmful UVA/UVB and UVC rays when used outdoors and are scratch-resistant.
While these are perfect for school science classes and science laboratories, they are perfect for outdoor games including nerf ball battles, airsoft darts, or even boy and girl scouting events.
Each child can select his own color. And even if the price may lead you to think they are disposable, they come with a lifetime guarantee for breakage during normal use conditions.
What’s best is they boast ANSI Z87 certification and are OSHA-approved as safety glasses. Colors include purple, black, red, blue, orange, and green.
Pros
-
-
- Multi-colored frames for party themes
- Polycarbonate lenses
- 99% UVA/UVB/UVC protection
- Scratch-resistant
- ANSI Z87 certified
- Perfect for science courses and science laboratories
- Great for nerf ball games and more
- Sold in a convenient 12-Pack
- Wrapped individually
-
Cons
-
-
- Not anti-fog if needed
-
Best Overall Safety Goggles for Small Faces
2.) Sellstrom PVC Child Safety Goggle S83010
- Lightweight direct vent mini economy goggle; ideal for children or individuals with smaller faces; includes 18 green adjustable band
- Lightweight, green tinted PVC body gently conforms to face for a secure, comfortable fit
- May not fit well on adult faces; hinged to fit over a childs prescription glasses, if needed
Prices pulled from the Amazon Product Advertising API on:
Product prices and availability are accurate as of the date/time indicated and are subject to change. Any price and availability information displayed on [relevant Amazon Site(s), as applicable] at the time of purchase will apply to the purchase of this product.
Manufacturer Sellstrom is known for its professional safety goggles, and these safety goggles for children or small faces are no exception to Sellstrom quality.
Frames are made in polyvinyl chloride for a soft snug fit and feature a clear polycarbonate lens with an anti-fog coating. Lightweight the design features vets to increase airflow.
The polycarbonate lens offers full UV protection. Hinged to fit over children’s prescription glasses, they comply with ANSI Z87.1 safety certification requirements. An 18-inch elastic headband is adjustable for comfort during wear. They are available in an uncoated version.
Pros
-
-
- PVC soft frame
- Polycarbonate lens
- Adjustable headband
- UV protection
- Ventilation
- Anti-fog
- Fits over prescription glasses
-
Cons
-
-
- Not high impact
- No carrying case
-
Best Sport Prescription Safety Goggles for Small Faces
3.) Zenni Sports Goggles for Kids 743212
These are durable goggles that are particularly indicated for sporting activities where you work up a sweat.
An elastic strap keeps them firmly in place and thanks to an anti-slip nose bridge with silicone nose pads, they stay comfortably in place while your children compete and play.
These are ideal for children that wear prescription eyewear as they can be fitted with prescription lenses that are treated with an anti-scratch coating and offer UV protection.
For non-prescription eye protection, clear lenses can be inserted that protect from blue light and come with a coating that is anti-reflective. The rims and bridge are made with polycarbonate.
Pros
-
-
- Polycarbonate frame and bridge
- Perfect for prescription eyewear
- Elastic strap for fit
- Anti-slip silicone nose pads
- Anti-scratch
- UV protection
-
Cons
-
-
- Not waterproof
-
Best OTG Safety Goggles for Small Faces
4.) Zenni OTG Protective Goggles A70180623
If you don’t wish to invest in prescription safety glasses or goggles due to your child’s growth or need to change prescription eyewear often, this is the perfect solution.
These translucent safety goggles are designed to fit over prescription eyewear and protect both your child’s eyes as well as their prescription glasses.
These goggles offer low-impact protection and block dust particles and others from entering your child’s eyes.
An adjustable elastic strap contributes to a customized fit. They also feature indirect ventilation in the design to impede fogging during use.
Pros
-
-
- Affordable
- Low-impact protection
- Adjustable strap
- Indirect ventilation to prevent fogging
- Fit over prescription glasses
-
Cons
-
-
- No storage case
- No UV protection
- Not anti-scratch
-
Best Value Safety Glasses for Small Faces
5.) Aqulius Kids’ Safety Glasses – 24-Pack
- Protective Glasses Exceed ANSI Z87+ Standards.
- CRYSTAL CLEAR & SCRATCH RESISTANT
- LIGHTWEIGHT AND COMFORTABLE
Prices pulled from the Amazon Product Advertising API on:
Product prices and availability are accurate as of the date/time indicated and are subject to change. Any price and availability information displayed on [relevant Amazon Site(s), as applicable] at the time of purchase will apply to the purchase of this product.
Safety glasses, these protective glasses from Aqulius may last you the entire school year. Comfortable and lightweight, they feature glass lenses with an impact-resistant coating.
Packaged individually they come in six different colors: black, blue, green, grey, orange, and red. Both impact and ballistic resistant, these glasses are ANSI Z87+ compliant guaranteeing solid protection.
The transparent lenses are scratch-resistant. Ideal for science class, lab work, parties, nerf ball, and much more, they are exceptionally durable.
Pros
-
-
- 24 convenience pack
- 6 colors individually wrapped
- ANSI Z87+ certified
- Lightweight
- Comfortable
-
Cons
-
-
- Not anti-fog
-
Best Value Safety Goggles for Small Faces
6.) Children’s Safety Goggles – 4-Pack
- ♥ Safety Goggles：Safety glasses for child Built for all-around visibility and a high level of direct and peripheral eye protection from flying particles or debris.
- ♥ Comfortable：Arc design to make the glasses more in line with the kids’ face profile.
- ♥ Material：PC polycarbonate lens, size: 5.90*2.36(14.5*6cm), weight: 0.11lb/50g.
Prices pulled from the Amazon Product Advertising API on:
Product prices and availability are accurate as of the date/time indicated and are subject to change. Any price and availability information displayed on [relevant Amazon Site(s), as applicable] at the time of purchase will apply to the purchase of this product.
These Yihaixingwei Safety Kids’ Goggles come in a convenient 4-pack and are multicolored: black, clear, pink, and blue. Plastic frames feature a polycarbonate lens offering UV protection.
They are wind-proof, anti-fog, and prevent dust particulates, spatter, and droplets from entering your child’s eyes.
The arc design allows for a better fit together a nose cushion in soft silicone and ventilation slots. The adjustable headband improves fit eliminating pressure points that cause discomfort.
Perfect for the science lab, nerf ball, water guns, or any sport or outdoor activity. The design also allows for good clear peripheral vision.
Pros
-
-
- Polycarbonate lens
- Plastic frame
- Durable
- Anti-fog coating
- UV protection
- Adjustable headband
- Silicone nose cushion
- Ventilation
-
Cons
-
-
- No carrying case
-
Conclusion
Whether you need safety glasses for hazardous conditions, sports activities, science classes or laboratories, school workshops, or outdoor adventures, it’s important that your children have adequate eye protection.
Here I have provided a selection of quality safety glasses and goggles for your consideration. Included are glasses and goggles appropriate for those who wear prescription eyeglasses with the possibility of inserting lenses directly into the safety eyewear.
With various colors and styles available, your children are sure to find a pair that they will enjoy wearing.
