30 of the best kids T-shirts for summer
Our pick of the trendiest tees for girls and boys this summer
We have trawled the UK high street as well as quirky independent shops to bring you a fantastic mix of cool T-shirts for kids. We might love their design, their message, or the way they are made - each one is pretty special, and a perfect item to add to your little ones’ summer wardrobe.
Here’s our selection of the coolest kids’ t-shirts for summer:
1. Uniqlo Kids Super Mario UT Graphic T-Shirt, £7.90
Sizes available: 3 to 13 years
Material: 100% cotton
Machine washable: Yes, cold, gentle cycle
It’s always worth heading over to Uniqlo for its kids' tees, as they often have super-cool collaborations and graphic designs. Whether it’s a spin on popular children’s series and characters or an ode to the Fender electric guitar, these T-shirts are always eye-catching. We particularly like the quirky, summery Super-Mario collection.
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Available from: Uniqlo
2. Frugi Sophia Slub T-shirt, £20
Sizes available: 2-3 to 9-10 years
Material: Organic cotton
Machine washable: Yes, inside out on warm
Tumble dry: Yes, medium
Frugi is a fantastic brand that uses organic cotton and produces clothes that are vibrant and fun but designed to last – no throwaway fashion here. Many of the brand’s T-shirts have lovely appliqués, either cute, quirky or cool.
We really like the design of this Sophia Slub T-shirt, with its fresh colours and summery motif. The cut is also lovely and roomy for summer excursions. Best of all, even though the tee is made from organic cotton jersey, you can stick it in your tumble dryer (on medium).
Available from: Alex and Alexa
3. Polarn O Pyret Children’s Stripe T-shirt, £14
Sizes available: 1-1.5 to 10-12 years
Material: GOTS organic cotton
Machine washable: Yes
Tumble dry: No
Who doesn’t like a good-quality, simple, stripey T-shirt? This one from Swedish brand Polarn O Pyret is an instant classic, made from the softest of cottons. We love the bold colours (also available in grey/orange), which will look good with anything during the summer months.
Available from: Polarn O. Pyret
4. H&M Superhero reversible sequin T-shirt, £8.99
Sizes available: 3-4 to 8-10 years
Machine washable: Yes, 40 degrees
Material: 100% cotton (except the sequins)
We love that sequins have undergone a bit of a groovy revival lately, with reversible designs popping up in all sorts of applications. And if you’re going to have super hero logos, you might as well have them sparkling on your tee for everyone to marvel at. H&M have Batman, Justice League, Avengers designs and more - they tick all the super-cool boxes for us.
Available from: H&M
5. Cotton Tropical Print Shirt, £10
Sizes available: 2-3 to 6-7 years
Material: 100% cotton (excluding trimmings)
Machine washable: Yes, at 40 degrees
Bring us a Hawaiian print any day – we do like their colourful exuberance. This floral T-shirt is a particularly lovely version with its nod to sun, sea and summer. It's an easy-to-wear alternative to a button-up shirt and the fresh "seafoam" colours are dreamy.
Available from: M&S
6. H&M Conscious 2 pack peplum tops, £7.99
Sizes available: 1.5 to 8-10 years
Machine washable: Yes, 40 degrees
Material: Cotton 60%, Polyester 40%
The Conscious label from H&M aims to source the most sustainable materials and use recycled fabrics where possible, so it is worth checking out.
The styles are quite understated, with muted colours, but we love the flounce of of these peplum tops.
Available from: H&M
7. Grey Palm Print T-Shirt, £5
Sizes available: 4-5 to 13-14 years
Machine washable: Yes, 40 degrees
Material: Cotton 71%, polyester 39%
This little t-shirt really caught our eyes. We love the combination of smart grey and surfer style palm print. The blue colour combination is lovely and the front pocket is handy, too.
Available from: George at Asda
8. Loud + Proud Long-sleeved T-shirt, £12.67
Sizes available: 110/116cm
Material: Organic GOTS certified cotton
Machine wash: Yes, cold
This Swiss brand specialises in organic cotton T-shirts for babies, kids and adults, and we think the designs are particularly lovely. Who knew that a flock of birds could be this cute?!
Available from: Amazon
9. H&M Nautical Printed T Shirt, £2.99
Sizes available: 4-6 to 8-10 years
Material: 100% cotton
Machine washable: Yes, at 40 degrees
Embrace the summer with this fresh nautical jersey t-shirt. Made from 100% cotton it should also be more breathable for the warmer months and it's a great price, too.
Available from: H&M
10. Zara Kids Sequin Print T-shirt, £9.99 (£3.99 in summer sale)
Sizes available: 3-6 months to 4-5 years
Material: 100% cotton (excluding decoration)
Machine washable: Yes, at 30 degrees
This print is so gorgeous, sunny and summery that we want one in adult size!
It has appliquéd sequins on the cherry design and gorgeous frill detailed sleeves, so it’s the perfect summer tee in our book.
Available from: Zara UK
11. George White Crocostyle Slogan T-Shirt, £3
Sizes available: 1-1.5 to 5-6 years
Material: Cotton
Machine washable: Yes, cold/delicate wash
Tumble dry: No
We love the cute and colourful crocodile illustration on this slogan T-shirt, perfect to pair with some blue jeans or black leggings.
Available from: George at Asda
12. Organic Kids T-Shirt with Bee Aware Slogan, £12
Sizes available: 6-8 years to 10-12 years
Material: 100% GOTS organic cotton
Machine washable: Yes, at 40 degrees
Swedish brand Polarn O Pyret is built on an ethos of offering kids' clothes that allow them to play outside whatever the weather.
This nature themed tee is a bright and sunny yellow, perfect for the season. The environmental message is also very timely, with kids becoming increasingly interested in preserving our resources – let them wear their heart on their tee!
Available from: Polarn O Pyret
13. Girls' ruffle tank in painted pineapples, £55
Sizes available: 2 to 12 years
Material: Cotton
Machine washable: Yes
We love this playful top from J Crew. The pineapple print screams summer while the asymmetrical frill design is stylish and looser fitting, so more comfortable for hot afternoons. A pricier brand, but one which you may want to splash out on for something truly unique.
Available from: J Crew
14. J. Crew Kids' Best Friends T Shirts, £41
Sizes available: 2 to 14 years
Material: Cotton
Machine washable: Yes
We love the fun – and sometimes downright bonkers – kids' designs from J. Crew. These two-part t-shirts are perfect for your little one and their closest friend, or even twins. The sequin rainbows are joyful and tactile and any two in these tees are guaranteed to bring a smile.
"Best" available from: J Crew UK
"Friend" available from: J Crew UK
15. Mini Boden Girls' Flutter T-Shirt, Red Strawberry, £12.80
Sizes available: 3-4 to 11-12 years
Material: 100% cotton
Machine washable: Yes, at 30 degrees
Tumble dry: No
We love the popping colours of this adorable top, with its quirky strawberry design. Sometimes, a sleeveless tunic is a nice alternative to a simple T-shirt, so this is a great way for kids to stay cool and cute in summer.
Available from: John Lewis
16. John Lewis & Partners Boys' Reversible Sequin Shark Stripe T-Shirt, £12
Sizes available: 3 years to 12 years
Material: 100% cotton
Machine washable: Yes
Sharks are always popular on T-shirts, but this version is made super-cool by the addition of sequins. The stripes soften the shark look with a more nautical feel to the soft, 100% cotton t-shirt,
Available from: John Lewis
17. Mini Boden Boys' Friendly Animal Applique T-Shirt, £14.40
Sizes available: 2-3 to 11-12 years
Material: 100% cotton
Machine washable: Yes, at 40 degrees
Mini Boden are well-known for their kid-friendly, stylish gear and this striped animal tee ticks all the cool boxes. Besides, what could say summer more than zoo animals in sunglasses?
Available from: John Lewis
18. babyGap + Pride Graphic T-shirt, £12.95
Sizes available: 12-18 months to 5 years
Material: Cotton
Machine washable: Yes, 30 degrees
Part of Gap’s special collection to celebrate inclusivity, this white T-shirt has accents of rainbow and a lovely, simple illustration.
Available from: Gap and Alex and Alexa
19. Pokemon Reversible sequin T-shirt, £8.99
Sizes available: 3-4 to 8-10 years
Material: 100% jersey cotton
This is the perfect choice for Pokemon fans. The t-shirt features 3 of favourite characters beneath the Pokemon slogan in reversible sequins. It's also firmly unisex, so a great choice for any child.
Available from: H&M
20. Burberry Chain Print Cotton T-shirt, £95
Sizes available: 3 to 14 years
Material: Cotton, trim is 97% cotton, 3% elastane
Machine washable: Yes
If you like to splash out on a bit of British designer gear, head to Burberry which offers a number of quirky T-shirts for children. We thought this one added a bit of kid-friendly fun with the unicorn design. A great choice for the most fashion conscious of kids.
Available from: Burberry UK
21. Twisted Envy Girl's Rock and Roll Cat Printed Cotton T-shirt, £11.99
Sizes available: 3-4 to 12-14
Material: Cotton
Machine wash: Yes
Twisted Envy produce some lovely cotton T-shirts with eye-catching illustrations – from cute animal prints to funky sports-inspired designs. They use bright colours and their T-shirts are a hit with our style-savvy offspring.
Available from: Amazon
22. Tom and Jerry 2-pack printed T-shirts, £9.99
Sizes available: 1.5-2 to 8-10 years
Material: 100% cotton
Machine washable: Yes
H&M do great value, fun clothing for kids and these tees are no exception. The pastel tones are perfect for summer and there's a choice of two energetic character prints to choose from. The collectible t-shirt labels also double as playing cards across the rest of the clothing collection.
Available from: H&M
23. Roald Dahl & Natural History Museum Monkey & Giraffe T-Shirt, £9
Sizes available: 2-3 to 6-7 years
Material: 100% cotton
Machine washable: Yes, at 40 degrees
This charming Roald Dahl t-shirt is great for fans of the authors' books and popular characters. Designed with the Natural History Museum, the fabric is sustainably sourced and slightly raised for added texture.
Available from: M&S
24. Pure Cotton Star Wars T-Shirt, £12
Sizes available: 6-7 to 15-16 years
Material: Cotton
Machine washable: Yes, at 40 degrees
These wonderful tees are ideal for any holiday wardrobe, the perfect choice for pool or beach trips.
They are made from pure cotton for extra comfort and M&S also supports the Better Cotton Initiative, sourcing more responsibly grown cotton. This design is perfect for any mini Skywalkers you might have at home.
Available from: M&S
25. White Bunny With Floral Appliqué Top, from £5.50
Sizes available: 9 months to 7 years
Material: 100% cotton
Machine washable: Yes
This charming, loose-fitting t-shirt is perfect for warm summer months and the floral bunny design is adorably charming. The applique detail and ruched neckline and sleeves dress up an otherwise simple tee.
Available from: Sainsburys
26. Gap Kids Graphic Short Sleeve T-Shirt, £14.95 (£5.99 in sale)
Sizes available: XS to XXL
Material: Cotton jersey knit
Machine washable: Yes
There are quite a few inspirational slogan tees for kids out there, but Gap has got the combination of slogan (“stay sharp”, “team optimism”, “courage”, “use the force”…) and design just right.
We found this khaki/pink combo particularly fetching and also appreciate the sentiment. Certainly a message that will stand out!
Available from: Gap UK
27. Zara Kids Contrast T-Shirt with Patches, £9.99
Sizes available: 9-12 months to 5-6 years
Material: 100% cotton (excluding trims)
Machine washable: Yes
Let your little one transform into their favourite Toy Story hero with this Woody design t-shirt. It's detailed enough to double as a last minute fancy dress costume, complete with even Woody's ring pull catch-phrase on the back.
Available from: Sainsburys
28. Joules Raymond Navy Jellyfish Glow in the Dark T-shirt, from £16.95
Sizes available: 1 to 11-12 years
Material: Cotton
Machine washable: Yes
Tumble dry: Yes, on low heat
Joules has been going for 30 years, and the brand does a good T-shirt. It has a great mix, from classic Polos to bold designs.
We like the Raymond t-shirt not just because it glows in the dark, but for its super fun jelly fish facts.
Available from: Joules
29. We Are England OD SS Polo Replica, £40
Sizes available: 12 and 14 years
Material: Polyester
Machine washable: Yes
Get your kids excited about summer games in the garden with their very own replica England shirt. A perfect choice for sports mad kids and a great gift idea, too.
Available from: New Balance
30. Sainsbury’s Tu Green Epic Graphic T-shirt, from £5
Sizes available: 6 to 13-14 years
Material: Cotton
Machine washable: Yes, at 30 degrees
These watermelon-hue tees are dripping in summer vibes. The breezy frill sleeves are great for warm afternoons and the "aloha" slogan in particular really welcomes in the sunshine. Or, go for an empowering and inspirational message with the charming pink design.
Available from: Zara
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