Baby pram sunshades and covers

Baby pram sunshades and covers

by Emily Gilbert |
Updated on

Other than kids' sunscreen, adding a pram sunshade onto your baby's pushchair or pram is the perfect way to protect your baby's delicate skin from the brightness of the sun and strong rays while on a lovely sunny walk. While some prams, compact strollers and travel systems have a long enough hood, others don't, so a pram sunshade or cover is a must.

Available for a range of prices, pram sunshades and parasols clip easily onto the side or frame of your buggy or pushchair and are generally universal. They also come in a variety of different colours, so you can find the most stylish option for their pushchair.

The best baby pram sunshades at a glance:
Best for style: Dreambaby StrollerBuddy Extenda-Shade - Buy now from Amazon
Best for manoeuvrability: My Buggy Buddy Sunshade - Buy now from Amazon
Best for wind protection: LittleLife Buggy Blackout Pack 2 Sun Screen - Buy now from mamasandpapas
Best for sleeping: SnoozeShade Buggy Sun Shade - Buy now from Amazon

A buggy cover is another popular option as they also create a quiet and peaceful environment for your child to have a snooze without being bothered by bright light or even wind while in an umbrella stroller. These tend to cover your baby completely, which understandably, some parents don't like. Check out our favourites below.

Baby pram sunshades, parasols and covers to buy

Best for style

Dreambaby-StrollerBuddy-Extenda-Shade-Baby-Sun-Shade
Price: £29.00

Available in a fun Aussie animal print design, this pram sunshade cover comes in its own bag as a small circle which pops open to fit over the canopy of your stroller. The fabric has UPF 50+ UV protection and mesh sides.

Review: "Such a useful purchase! I use it all the time for sun protection and to take distractions away at sleep time if I am out and about. The good thing about it is that it has an SPF50 which you don't get with using just fabric/muslins. I really like this as it still lets air circulates underneath. I have used this easily on carrycot and pushchair."

Pros

  • Mesh sides for extra airflow
  • Affordable price

Cons

  • Limited design options (mainly dark colours)
Size:‎26 x 26 x 15 cm
Material:360g
Weight:‎100 per cent Polyester

Best for easy use

This universal sunshade from Dooky will fit any infant carrier, stroller or pushchair. It's easy to adjust - simply roll up or down using the Velcro strips. Made out of 100 per cent breathable cotton, it offers UPF40+ sun protection. Strings on the bottom ensure it won't be moved by strong winds.

One reviewer said: "This is a really easy to use fabric shade for your baby. This shade clips onto the hood of your pram/pushchair/car seat and then ties onto the handles to create a rigid shade instead of a floppy one. This allows the important and needed airflow beneath whilst providing shade from both sun and wind. We found this to be more practical as it provided better coverage than the parasol we purchased."

Pros

  • Many colour and pattern options
  • Velcro strips

Cons

  • May be too big for smaller prams
Size:‎51 x 1 x 51 cm
Material:Cotton
Weight:110g

Best for wind protection

Blocking 99 per cent of UV rays, this LittleLife blackout cover will also protect your child from flying insects and wind-chill while providing them with the darkness to sleep. It's made of double-layer air-permeable mesh and has a double door opening for keeping a close eye on your baby.

One reviewer said: "Purchased from another retailer. This shade is great for keeping our little one out of the sun. It's a bit fiddly to get on so we just keep it on all the time now until the seasons change. It does get warm under the shade but no wonder when it's almost 30 outside!"

Pros

  • Double door opening
  • Comes with a compact storage sack

Cons

  • Not the lightest option
Size:220 x 150 x 40 mm
Material:Nylon / polyester
Weight:2.45kg

Best for sleeping

This Mother and Baby award-winning product is loved by mums everywhere. Mum-invented, it fits all single prams, carrycots and pushchairs. Blocking 97.5 per cent of the sun's UV rays, the SnoozeShade Buggy Sun Shade is made from scientifically tested air-permeable mesh that allows air to pass easily through and has a zip for peeking on your child.

One reviewer said: "Brilliant product. Bought it when my baby was 5 weeks old during the hot summer plus she was struggling to sleep in her pram. I used it as a canopy on very hot date to shade her from the sun but it was a complete game changer when it came to naps - she settled within 5/10 mins and would stay asleep! No more being nosey!"

Pros

  • Machine washable
  • Tested for CO2 rebreathing

Cons

  • Doesn't fit all brands of buggy
Size:25 x 6 x 16 cm
Material:‎Polyester
Weight:208.65g

Best for its rubber material

 
This stunning pushchair sunshade comes with the highest UV protection with 50+ UV and will help keep your baby calm and safe away from harmful UVA and UVB rays. It's also extendible sliding function permits a 360° sun protection and easy fitting.  With its breathable material made of wear-resistant Lycra fabric, this sunshade will help protect little bubba even on those rainy days. Suitable for all kinds of strollers, making it perfect for outdoor activities, this easy and lightweight sunshade can also help resist pollen, dust and insect bites.  

One reviewer said: "Having tried a parasol, which hardly ever cast shade on baby and a cover which completely covered the baby. This works perfectly. This sun shade is excellent for keeping sun out and also for naps."

Pros

  • Offers the highest UV protection with 50+ UV 
  • Extendable with a sliding function that allows for 360° sun protection and easy installation 

Cons

  • Not many colours to choose from

Best for waterproof 

 

This amazing mesh skylight on the top and adjustable rollable flap allows you to easily monitor and interact with your, awake and asleep. With its rainproof stroller sunshade, this sun protector UPF50+, will help shield your little one from being exposed to so much sun. it can also be used as an umbrella to protect your baby's eyes and not block your baby's vision, encouraging a peaceful nap and safety from those windy days. 
One reviewer said: "Very useful thing for the summer to create shade to the baby. Light and comes with a little bag to store. Good quality."

Pros

  • Water resistant
  • The mesh skylight on the top and adjustable rollable flap allows you to check baby’s condition easily

Cons

  • Only two colours available: black and grey

Are buggy covers safe?

The Lullaby Trust - which advises on safer sleeping for babies - advises that "Prams should not be covered with blankets, cloths or any cover that prevents the air from circulating." This is because these items can cause the temperature to rise, leading to overheating and risking your baby's life.

Instead, they recommend sticking to a clip-on sunshade or a baby parasol. Every product included in our round-up ensures good ventilation, but you should still check regularly on your baby.

Things to think about

Will it fit my buggy? While many of these products are universal, some aren't. It's also worth checking if the manufacturer of your chosen pushchair sells a specific sunshade too.

Does it have UV protection? One of the most important parts, double-check if and how much UV protection the product you are looking to buy is offering. This is especially vital for babies under six months who can't wear suncream. Older babies should still be wearing sunscreen even with the use of one of these products. Try adding a baby sunhat or cap too for extra protection.

• What is it made from? You'll want to be on the lookout for fabrics that offer ventilation or mesh panels to make sure that air can flow through. This is especially important for buggy covers as they cover the entire area while parasols and sunshades don't, so your baby still has plenty of air.

How we test and choose recommended products

Our product recommendations are based on a combination of real-world testing from our burgeoning army of mum testers and the extensive knowledge of our experienced editorial team and product specialists. Where we can, we also consult experts who specialise in that field to ensure you get the right advice along with the right product, and we listen to what you say as well.

Our thriving mum community on our Facebook group #mumtribe consistently provides great insights into which products mums like best and why, helping us highlight the products that will meet your needs.

For essential products, our annual Mother&Baby Awards shortlist the top products tested. Full reviews from our mum testers can be found on our product pages. The winners and runners-up for each category will also appear in our top picks article for that product, along with other products that were rated highly by our team.

Emily Gilbert is the Features & Reviews Editor for Mother&Baby and has written for the website and previously the magazine for six years. Specialising in product reviews, Emily is the first to know about all the exciting new releases in the parenting industry.

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