9 Best Probiotics For Kids In 2025 (Reviewed)
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I tested the best pre- and probiotics for kids with my daughter. These are our picks that are gentle yet effective, use quality ingredients, and are easy for parents to get their kids to take.
At this point, you probably know all about the health benefits of probiotics. Naturally occurring in fermented foods like yogurt, sauerkraut, miso, pickles, and sourdough bread, probiotics refer to the many live bacteria and yeasts that live in our body and help keep us healthy — especially our gut microbiome. Prebiotics are high-fiber compounds that feed these bacteria and keep the microflora happy.
If you’re a parent, you may have even heard about pre- and probiotics for kids. The human body contains roughly 38 trillion bacteria. Wild, I know, but these microorganisms make up the ecology of our body, helping us digest food and protect against infection. Much of this ecosystem is already in place in infancy!
We’ve done some digging on kids’ pro- and prebiotics, what the science says about how effective they really are, and tried some of the top brands on the market. 🤲
What do prebiotics and probiotics do for kids?
So, do you really need probiotic or prebiotic supplements for kids? In general, a healthy child with no GI issues probably doesn’t need a pre- or probiotic, especially if they’re eating a balanced diet with probiotic foods. (Good thing most kids love yogurt!)
But if your child struggles with any GI problems like constipation, IBS, or diarrhea, some doctors say that probiotics can help. Make sure you talk to your pediatrician when addressing any health concerns first especially if your child is taking any other medications or has a compromised immune system.
Research on kids’ probiotics is mixed, but promising — while some studies indicate they might be passed through the digestive tract with little absorption, others show they could be helpful for not only improving digestive issues but also reducing side effects from antibiotics, improving the immune system, and protecting against asthma and allergies.
By the way, prebiotics refers to certain fibers that help healthy bacteria grow, which is why they get along great with probiotics. Common prebiotic sources include garlic, onions, bananas, asparagus, and apples. It’s even found in breast milk and formula, too.
Why are clean, third-party tested supplements important?
Since the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) does not approve supplements before they are sold, third-party testing provides independent verification that the product contains what its label claims and is free from harmful contaminants. Clean, third-party tested supplements are important for ensuring consumer safety, accuracy, and trust in a largely unregulated industry.
For kids especially, testing offers peace of mind that the products are free from harmful contaminants like heavy metals, pesticides, microbes, or banned substances.
How to choose the right probiotic for your kid:
First things first: talk to your pediatrician. There is no one-size-fits-all here because different probiotic strains address different health issues. It’s ideal to find products that list the specific strain (e.g., Lactobacillus rhamnosus GG), not just the species (Lactobacillus). Some of the most studied and beneficial strains for children include: Bifidobacterium lactis, Lactobacillus rhamnosus GG, and Saccharomyces boulardii.
And don’t discount texture, taste, and convenince. Because let’s be real: The best pre- and probiotic for your child is the one they are going to actually take. Unless it tastes good (or is easy to disguise in their food!), most children are going to pass on something they consider yucky.
Everyone is different, but we tried to be comprehensive enough on the experience of taking each supplement so that you could get a clearer idea of which brand might be the best fit for your family’s lifestyle, preferences, and needs.
Our methodology and criteria:
Our team has tested and researched the top kids’ multivitamins and read thousands of customer reviews to find clean prebiotics and probiotics that support digestion and immune health, and are easy to take for the little ones in your life.
My daughter is not what I’d call a picky eater, but she certainly has her preferances — and she was definitive about the flavor and texture experiences with these products. Some were, in her words “Not for me,” while others were frankly difficult to get her to stop trying to eat as if they were candy. Because we were trying a large number of products, we had to be slow and deliberate in order to avoid wreaking havoc on her gut — so our reviews are centered primarily on taste and convenience. Our brand write ups also focus on:
- CLEAN INGREDIENTS | We prioritized brands that use few or no artificial ingredients — so most of the supplements on this list have no artificial dyes, preservatives, or flavorings.
- DIGESTION SUPPORT | The most important reason folks buy probiotics is digestion support. We parsed through reviews to make sure the prebiotics and probiotics featured below have all been shown to help kids’ digestion.
- TASTE & EASY TO SWALLOW | Most kids are picky eaters, so every supplement on the list is kid-friendly — they’re all either a tasty gummy or chewable, or a flavorless powder you can mix into anything.
Read on for our top picks for prebiotics and probiotics for kids. While you’re at it, check out our editor’s review for this at-home gut test, our kids multivitamin guide, and our favorite probiotics for women, too.
Table of contents:
Best gummies: MaryRuth’s, $30/60-day supply
Best for all ages: Culturelle, $16+/30-day supply
Best sugar-free chewable: Hiya, $30/30-day supply
Best powdered prebiotic: Begin Health, $33/28-day supply
Best for plant-based formulas: Llama Naturals, $30/30-day supply
Best for meltaway tablets: Wink Well, $34/30-day supply
Best for picky eaters: Nordic Naturals, $20/60-day supply
Best for allergy-free powder: Seed, $40/30-day-supply
Best for widely available, budget-friendly powder: Florastor Kids, $19/20-day supply
1. MaryRuth’s
Best For | Probiotic gummies
Features | Kid-formulated, pectin based
Price | $30/60-day supply
Designed for kids ages two and older, MaryRuth’s Organic kids probiotic gummies are made with 2.5 billion CFUs of the Bacillus subtilis DE111 strain, and pectin instead of gelatin so they’re vegan. The strawberry-flavored gummies are perfect for picky eaters, and are designed to support both gut and digestive health and immune function. They’re cost-effective, too — one bottle has a 60-day supply, so they only come out to $.50 per serving. Founded by nutritional consultant and culinary chef MaryRuth Ghiyam in 2013, the brand has some great certifications, too. They’re B Corp, non-GMO, and USDA Organic certified, and they carry over a hundred different types of vitamins and supplements.
Our Editor’s Review | “For taste, texture, and convenience, MaryRuth’s won us over handily. My daughter is a strawberry lover — both for flavor and aesthetics — so the strawberry-shaped gummies were a very easy sell right off the bat. She loves them so much, it’s actually hard to keep her from trying to sneak an extra! With a subscription, the cost is only $26.96 ever two months, which is a downright steal compared to some of the other brands on the market. I also like that it has minimal sugar and no artificial dyes, plus a very common and well-studied commercial strain of bacterium.”
2. Culturelle
Best For | Wide variety of forms for all ages
Features | No sugar, no dyes
Price | $16+/30-day supply
The number one pediatrician-recommended probiotic brand, Culturelle makes all sorts of adult probiotics, too, so they’re experts in this. They carry two kinds of kids chewable probiotics — one is just a probiotic and goes for $21, while the other has probiotics along with other immune-boosting nutrients like vitamins C and D, plus zinc and elderberry, and goes for $24. Both supplements contain 5 billion colony-forming units (CFUs) of Lactobacillus rhamnosus GG, the most clinically studied probiotic strain, and they’re both free of sugar, dairy, eggs, peanuts, and dyes.
Our Editor’s Review | “Culturelle gets a big thumbs up for convenience as it’s available at a number of our local retail and grocery stores and is only $16 for a month’s supply, and just $19.50 for two! These are super soft, very easy-to-chew gummies and come in a yummy berry flavor that my daughter said was ‘Extra delicious.’ Culturelle has tons of third-party testing and pediatrician backing that makes them feel like a safe option for anyone with research-fatigue. Plus, you can choose from chewables, gummies, or dissolving powder, and even get a product that combines the probiotic with a multivitamin. We tried the gummy that included veggie fiber, but I think we’ll try the multivitamin next!”
3. Hiya
Best For | Sugar-free chewable
Features | No sugar, 10 billion live cultures, prebiotics
Price | $30/30-day supply
Hiya specializes in children’s supplements free of added sugars and dyes, and their kids probiotic is one of the top options in the market. Started by new dads who wanted to make a new kind of kids vitamin that wasn’t full of added sugars, Hiya started in the daily vitamin space before launching their probiotic. Their gluten free, dairy free, and vegan probiotic has 10 billion live cultures (wow!), along with prebiotic fibers, too, for optimal absorption. Its probiotic strains include Lactobacillus rhamnosus, Lactobacillus paracasei, and Bacillus lactis, and they even come in a reusable glass container with cute stickers to decorate.
Our Editor’s Review | “My daughter is very picky about the chewable vitamins out there, rejecting anything that’s chalky in flavor or texture. But Hiya has always been a hit with her, and I think it’s because they taste more like a SweetTart than a vitamin-y Necco Wafer. The probiotics are more concentrated in color and taste than the multivitamins too, so that’s an easy sell! These are a great option for anyone trying to steer clear of gummies — the sugar-free formula doesn’t get stuck in between little teeth!”
4. Begin Health
Best For | Prebiotic powder with HMOs
Features | Powder form, prebiotics, human milk oligosaccharides (HMOs)
Price | $33/28-day supply
Begin Health’s “Daily Growing Up Prebiotics” helps toddlers and kids ages 1 year and up have easier, more regular potty times. The prebiotic packets are textureless and flavorless, mixing easily into water, juice, or yogurt to make nutrition convenient even for the pickiest eater. This kid’s formula is made with only two ingredients: Chicory root fiber and HMOs, a prebiotic that’s identical to the leading one found in human breast milk (!) to provide 3 grams of gut and immune-boosting fiber per serving. It’s even recommended by pediatricians, and is an ideal alternative to laxatives.
Our Editor’s Review | “The powder form was something I have to admit I was skeptical about, as my child seems to have a superhuman ability to sniff out even the slightest variations between seemingly identical brands of all her favorite foods and beverages. But Begin Health was easy to slip in to her drinks and even some foods without lighting up her little detective radar. Though I mixed it into water to show how well it actually dissolved, I served it to her most successfully in dairy products, where the taste went completely undetected. That’s a win in my book!”
5. Llama Naturals
Best For | Real fruit-based formula
Features | Made from organic fruit and vegetables, pre- and probiotic formula, vegan, sugar- and dye-free, allergen-free, third-party tested
Price | $30/30-day supply
Llama Naturals’ Kids Prebiotic & Probiotic is a unicorn gummy: Vegan, sugar-free, and made from real, organic fruits and vegetables contain two research-backed probiotics Bacillus Coagulans (LactoSpore) and Bacillus Subtilis DE111, plus the plant-derived prebiotic xylo-oligosaccharides (XOS). Safe for kids starting at two years of age — these gummies are a little dense but easy to chew, and flavored with fruit pectin instead of artificial sweeteners. The third-party tested formula clears it from heavy metals and contaminants, and verifies the potency of its ingredients to support kids’ digestion and immunity.
Our Editor’s Review | “The Llama Naturals Prebiotic & Probiotic real fruit gummies offer a gentle digestive support that is ideal for kids who aren’t struggling with constipation. My daughter is pretty regular, so I was interested in a supplement that might support her gut without hitting it too hard. While the flavor of these were not her favorite of the gummies because they aren’t quite as sweet, she liked that they were “the good kind of chewy,” and also looked liked llama poop, which was a source of endless giggles. I personally thought they tasted delicious, but full disclosure, I am a dried fruit fanatic, and these remind me of fruit leather.”
6. Wink Well
Best For | Meltaway texture
Features | Sugar-free, prebiotics, pectin-based, adult-friendly
Price | $35/30-day supply
These supplements from Wink Well have a quick-melt texture that dissolves almost instantly, and they contain both prebiotics and probiotics — 2 billion CFUs of two different types of probiotics, Bifidobacterium Breve and Lactobacillus Plantarum, to promote both digestive and immune health. The supplement’s prebiotics, in the form of apple pectin, help with bowel movements and the efficacy of the probiotics, too. They can even be used by adults — adults can take up to two melts daily, while kids between 4 and 12 can take one daily and kids under 4 can take half of a melt.
Our Editor’s Review | “Wink Well’s quick melt pre- and probiotics gets the most points for being small and easy to take, dissolving very quickly after hitting the tongue. Plus, they’re both kid- and adult-friendly, which is ideal for larger families who might want to streamline their options. I thought the huckleberry flavor was a fun novelty, but my daughter took awhile to warm up to both the unfamiliar taste and texture. For a sugar-free option that can be used by all ages, from babies to adults, this is a versatile option!”
7. Nordic Naturals
Best For | Picky eaters
Features | No dye, prebiotics
Price | $20/60-day supply
Another 60-day supply for around $20, the Nordic Naturals gummies kids’ probiotics contain 1.5 billion CFUs of probiotics (the Bacillus coagulans strain, to be precise), along with prebiotic fiber. Designed for ages three and older, the gummies have a berry punch flavor that’s great for picky eaters. Note that the serving size is one gummy for three-year-olds, and two gummies for kids four and older. They’re certified vegan and have no artificial dyes or preservatives, and they even ship for free.
Our Editor’s Review | “The Nordic Naturals gummies look like a traditional gum drop, but don’t let it fool you! These cute gummies are packed with research-backed prebiotic fiber and probiotic strains that support kids’ gut health ages 3 and up. The berry flavor is very mild and the texture of these gummies are softer than a gum drop, but they do require more thorough chewing (and we did find bits still stuck in our daughter’s teeth hours later!). They have a little more sugar in (and on) them, which makes them friendlier to the really reluctant kids. They weren’t my daughter’s favorite flavor, but she ate them without too much trouble.”
8. Seed
Best For | Allergen-free formula
Features | Science-backed, gentle formula, sugar-free, vegan, free from over 20 allergens
Price |$40/30-day supply
Looking for an effective and well-studied probiotic supplement for your kid and teen? Seed’s PDS-08 Pediatric Daily Synbiotic is an impressive choice, with a clinically studied 2-in-1 powdered synbiotic, plus nine probiotic strains and a fiber-based prebiotic. The first month’s shipment is a “Welcome Kit” that includes a reusable jar containing that first month’s supply, reading materials, and a children’s book that introduces kids to the science behind the microbiome and good gut health. And for families dealing with extensive allergies, Seed is rigorously monitored for over 20 total allergens — including the 14 classes defined by the European Food and Safety Authority (EFSA). Their double-blind, 12-week trial also showed that their formula didn’t cause GI issues common to introducing probiotics, and that kids and teens generally tolerated the formula extremely well while having better BMs with more regularity.
Our Editor’s Review | “The Seed PDS-08 Pediatric Daily Synbiotic would probably be my top choice if I didn’t have to consult my little editor. The formula and scientific backing is hard to beat! We both loved the children’s book, too, and it started so many interesting conversations around the body and digestion. However, the first time we tried it mixed into one of her drinks was a disaster — it never fully dissolved, and she swore she could taste it. So it was hard to convince her to try it again! We had more luck mixing it in applesauce, yogurt, and oatmeal, but I wasn’t ever able to get it to totally disappear in a drink.”
9. Florastor Kids
Best For | Convenient, budget-friendly powder
Features | Powder, no dyes, suitable for lactose intolerance
Price | $19/20-day supply
Another mixable powder, Florastor’s probiotic supplement for kids contains the strain Saccharomyces boulardii CNCM I-745 which they say is designed to both boost the gut’s good bacteria while flushing out the bad bacteria. The flavorless, easy-to-use powder can be mixed into any drink (as long as it’s not carbonated or very hot — over 122 degrees) or soft food like applesauce or yogurt. The packets of powder have no added dyes or preservatives, and you can find them at so many different retailers near you — Target, Walmart, CVS, Amazon, Walgreens, and Costco are just a few.
Our Editor’s Review | “Florastor Kids is a supplement that can be found virtually at any store, and so it gets points for convenience and availability. However, the gritty texture of this formula made it very tricky to add to anything without my daughter noticing. The only time it went unnoticed was in a strawberry or chocolate milk — something dairy with a powder already mixed in. Also it’s important to note that this formula contains corn, so anyone with allergies might want to steer clear!”
Stephanie H. Fallon is a Contributing Editor at The Good Trade. She is a writer originally from Houston, Texas and holds an MFA from the Jackson Center of Creative Writing at Hollins University. She lives with her family in the Blue Ridge Mountains of Virginia, and she is the author of Finishing Lines, where she writes about her fear of finishing, living a creative life, and (medical) motherhood. Since 2022, she has been reviewing sustainable home and lifestyle brands, fact-checking sustainability claims, and bringing her sharp editorial skills to every product review. Say hi on Instagram or on her website.
