Flap Sun Hat UPF 50

This is a legionnaire-style hat with a fabric flap at the back covering the neck and ears, made from UPF 50-rated, recycled-polyester fabric with a soft cotton lining. It's sold across five sizes from 0-6 months through to 4-6 years, so the same style can be rebought in a bigger size each summer rather than switching designs, and it comes in enough prints that most children will tolerate wearing it.

Against a plain wide-brimmed bucket hat, the flap design is the deciding factor: a bucket hat shades the face and top of the head well but leaves the back of the neck exposed, which is a common spot for sunburn on babies being carried in a carrier or sat in a pushchair facing forward. The trade-off is that a flap hat sits closer to the head and can feel a little warmer, and some toddlers try to pull at the flap out of curiosity in a way they don't with a simple brim.

This is best for parents who want reliable neck coverage during pram walks, carrier trips or beach days, especially before a child is old enough to reliably keep sun cream topped up on that area. It's less necessary for very brief outings where a standard sun hat is enough.

The one real limitation: the chin tie needed to stop it blowing off in wind isn't tolerated by every baby, and a strongly resistant child can still pull the whole hat off regardless of the flap.