The sight of children in face masks isn’t as common as it was at the height of the pandemic, but there are still some scenarios where kids might want or need to mask up. Masks remain important in doctors’ offices (some may require them for sick patients), for families who choose to wear them while traveling, and if you or your child is diagnosed with COVID-19.We’ve looked at more than 100 cloth and disposable masks for kids, pored over scientific studies, talked with health experts and researchers, assessed filtration efficiency in independent lab tests, and tested finalists with a panel of 10 kids, ages 2 to 11.The best mask is the one that fits your child securely and comfortably, that offers strong filtration, and that they will wear, experts say. This means that no single mask will work for all kids, and finding the right one for your child may involve a lot of trial and error.Fortunately, there are now many mask options for kids, including high-performing cloth masks with built-in filters as well as disposable KN95 and surgical-style masks.If you’re looking for a mask for yourself, see our guide to buying N95, KN95, and surgical-style masks. We also have advice on reusing medical masks and how to tell if you have a fake N95, KN95, or KF94 mask.