Essential Oils For Kids

The Essential Oils that are considered to be gentle or “light” and which are thus most commonly-used for children are the oils in the following chart, due to the belief that they are more comfortably endured by vulnerable body systems.

Citrus Essential Oils

Grapefruit Pink Essential Oil (avoid topical application)

Botanical name: Citrus paradisi

• Boosts circulation
• Encourages a positive mood
• Supports digestive function
• This oil is phototoxic; use only the distilled variety.

Lime Essential Oil (avoid topical application)

Botanical name: Citrus aurantifolia

• Uplifts mood and energy
• Refreshes
• Strengthens and supports nervous system
• Promotes better focus
• Strengthens sense of emotional security
• Helps reduce congestion
• This oil is phototoxic; use only the distilled variety.

Lemon Essential Oil (avoid topical application)

Botanical name: Citrus limon

• Uplifts mood and energy
• Refreshes
• Promotes better focus
• Strengthens sense of emotional security
• This oil is phototoxic; use only the distilled variety.

Mandarin Essential Oil

Botanical name: Citrus reticulata

• Calms the mind and body
• Makes an ideal substitute for Lavender Oil
• Uplifts the mood
• Is not phototoxic
• Promotes restful sleep

Neroli Essential Oil

Botanical name: Citrus aurantium L.

• Balances mood for emotional upliftment
• Supports digestive function

Sweet Orange Essential Oil

Botanical name: Citrus sinensis

• Has relaxing effect
• Promotes restful sleep
• Encourages positive mood

Tangerine Essential Oil

Botanical name: Citrus reticulata blanco var tangerine

• Supports digestive function
• Soothes, reduces, or prevents spasms
• Helps to relax body and ease mind

Floral Essential Oils

Chamomile Essential Oil (Roman)

Botanical names: Matricaria chamomilla, Chamaemelum nobile

• Soothing effect on mind and body
• Promotes better sleep for sleepless babies
• Eases discomfort of colic
• Uplifts mood
• Strengthens sense of emotional security

Clary Sage Essential Oil

Botanical name: Salvia sclarea

• Soothes, reduces, or prevents spasms
• Uplifts mood
• Supports digestive function
• Promotes easier breathing

Jasmine Absolute

Botanical name: Jasminum grandiflorum

• Uplifts energy and mood
• Strengthens sense of emotional security
• Enhances alertness
• Relaxes the body and calms the mind

Lavender Essential Oil

Botanical name: Lavandula angustifolia

• Sedative property helps to relax the body and calm the mind
• Encourages sleep
• Soothes itchy skin
• Eases discomfort of colic

Marjoram (Sweet)

Botanical name: Marjorana hortensis

• Supports respiratory and digestive function
• Promotes restful sleep
• Strengthens immune function
• Strengthens sense of emotional security

Rose Absolute/Rose Otto

Botanical name: Rosa damascena

• Sedative quality helps to calm the mind and relax the body
• Strengthens sense of emotional security and resilience
• Uplifts the mood

Yarrow Essential Oil (Blue)

Botanical name: Achillea millefolium

• Calms inflammation
• Promotes mental clarity to reduce feelings of confusion
• Reassuring scent strengthens sense of emotional security

Leaf Essential Oils

Basil, Sweet Essential Oil

Botanical name: Ocimum basilicum

• Refreshing scent
• Helps to eliminate or reduce airborne bacteria
• Relaxes the body
• Eases discomfort of cold and flu symptoms

Hyssop Essential Oil

Botanical name: Hyssopus officinalis

• Relaxes body
• Soothes cough and other cold and flu symptoms
• Promotes easier breathing
• Supports digestive function

Marjoram (Sweet)

Botanical name: Marjorana hortensis L.

• Supports digestive and respiratory function
• Encourages restful sleep
• Strengthens immunity

Patchouli Essential Oil

Botanical name: Pogostemon cablin

• Uplifts mood
• Supports immune function
• Calms inflammation
• Eases discomfort of dry, irritated skin

Petitgrain Essential Oil

Botanical name: Citrus aurantium L. var amara

• Encourages sleep
• Strengthens sense of emotional security
• Calms inflammation and spasms
• Relaxes the body

Tea Tree Lemon Essential Oil (avoid topical application)

Botanical name: Leptospermum petersonii

• Helps to reduce or eliminate airborne bacteria
• Promotes easier breathing by helping to clear or reduce mucus that causes congestion

Resin Essential Oils

Copaiba Balsam Essential Oil

Botanical name: Copaiba spp

• Calms inflammation
• Reduces likelihood of developing infections
• Strengthens respiratory function

Frankincense Essential Oil

Botanical name: Boswellia carterii

• Uplifts mood and promotes positive sentiments
• Strengthens immune function
• Helps to clear or reduce congestion
• Calms the mind and helps to relax the body

Myrrh Essential Oil/Resinoid

Botanical name: Commiphora myrrha

• Strengthens sense of emotional security
• Uplifts mood
• Increases alertness
• Eases digestive discomfort

Root Essential Oils

Turmeric Essential Oil

Botanical name: Curcuma longa

• Helps to relax the body
• Encourages positive feelings and emotional balance
• Calms inflammation
• Helps to reduce or eliminate airborne bacteria
• Clears or reduces congestion

Vetiver Essential Oil

Botanical name: Vetiveria zizanoides

• Uplifts energy
• Promotes a sense of tranquility
• Helps to keep the body cool when experiencing high temperatures
• Strengthens sense of emotional security

Wood Essential Oils

Sandalwood Essential Oil

Botanical name: Santalum spicatum

• Promotes a sense of calm in times of distress
• Can improve an upset mood
• Beneficial for helping kids relax and sleep

Cedarwood Essential Oil

Botanical name: Cedrus atlantica

• Alleviates congestion
• Warm, comforting, and sedative
• Naturally helps ease distress

Despite the generalizations that are made about the relative safeness of many Essential Oils mentioned in this article, it is important to keep in mind that every individual’s biological makeup is unique and products will interact differently from person to person; accordingly, the physical response will depend on the specific user. Parents who are uncertain or reluctant to use a “safe” oil on or near their children, should disregard the safe lists and follow their own instincts.

Uses & Tips For Kid-Friendly Essential Oil Application

Essential Oils should be handled in the same manner as other products that can pose potential dangers if mistreated. They should be stored in an area that is cool, dark, and out of the reach of children, and they should be used in accordance with their instructions and expiry dates.

Oil Massage

How to Use

• Make sure that oil removal products are easily accessible. These include a Carrier Oil, lotion or cream, any other product that can help dilute the Essential Oil without further causing the oil to irritate the skin, and a soft cloth.
• The parent should rub the diluted Essential Oil between the palms in order to gently warm it before massaging the child.
• When massaging the oil into a child’s skin, do so lightly – applying only enough pressure to gently stimulate the skin.
• When massaging a child, begin with the legs. When massaging the chest and belly, use light outward strokes that start at the center and spread gently toward the sides or the shoulders. Further research on child massage techniques is highly recommended.

Benefits

• Reputed to encourage and help advance child’s development, such as weight gain, emotional balance, and emotional connection with the parent.
• Reputed to reduce irritability
• Reputed to encourage deep, sound, quality sleep and to reduce minimize sleeplessness

Cautions

• Never apply Essential Oils to a child’s face; if the goal is to clear congestion, simply apply a diluted Essential Oil to the soles of the congested child’s feet or diffuse briefly
• Always select Essential Oils that are 100% pure and, whenever possible, select ones that are Certified Organic to avoid exposure to harmful chemicals that could sometimes be used in the cultivation of the source botanical.
• A generally effective massage method is to apply a diluted Essential Oil on to the child’s feet rather than directly into the skin of the rest of the body.

Warm Bath

How to Use

• Blend Essential Oils with Carrier Oils, salts, or Glycerin before incorporating them in a bath (Carrier Oils dilute the Essential Oils, bath salts disperse them in water, and Glycerin solubilizes them in water).

Benefits

• A bath with Essential Oils that are known to have soothing and comforting effects can help children fall asleep, if they are used near naptime/bedtime.

Cautions

• Always select Essential Oils that are 100% pure and, whenever possible, select ones that are Certified Organic to avoid exposure to harmful chemicals that could sometimes be used in the cultivation of the source botanical.
• Dilute the Essential Oil well and use only those that are considered to be comparatively safe to use on a child’s skin.
• Do not apply Essential Oil-infused bathwater to the face of a child.

Diffuser

How to Use

• Use a water-based vaporizer
• Use 1-3 drops of Essential Oil or the amount suggested by the diffuser manufacturer and diffuse intermittently – diffusing for 10 minutes then turning it off for 30 minutes
• Alternatively, parents can apply an oil to their own hands or to a tissue or cloth and allow the scent to waft to the child.
• Diffuse on the side of the room that is opposite the child.

Benefits

• Does not require skin contact with or long-term exposure to Essential Oils
• Depending on oil used, can help to eliminate harmful airborne bacteria

Cautions

• Never use adult doses for children
• Avoid using Essential Oils with strong, cooling, hot, or spicy aromas (e.g. Cinnamon, Eucalyptus, Peppermint, Oregano, etc.) around children.
• Ensure that the room remains well-ventilated and that there is an easy way out for a child that does not enjoy the smell or does not feel comfortable with the diffused oil.
• Avoid diffusing Essential Oils inside a child’s bedroom and ensure that diffused oils are properly diluted.
• Do not allow the diffuser to run non-stop or leave it on overnight.
• If using Essential Oils near a child with or at risk of developing breathing difficulties, take extra precaution in the manner of application.
• When introducing an Essential Oil to a child through diffusion, begin by testing a small amount of one oil at a time for a short amount of time to check for potential reactions; be aware that this trial period also poses potential harm for children with respiratory difficulties/ailments.
• If Essential Oils are applied to any part of a child’s body that can end up in his/her mouth (e.g. foot, hand), ensure that this body part remains covered after application.
• If a child states that he/she does not enjoy the scent of an oil, immediately stop using this oil.
• Immediately turn off a diffuser and seek medical attention at the first sign of a stronger side effect, such as breathing difficulties, coughing, headache, nausea, vomiting, seizures, or unconsciousness

Room Spray

How to Use

• Spray only diluted Essential Oils
• Spray only around an open, well-ventilated room
• Avoid spraying it in a child’s room

Benefits

• Helps to create a calming environment scent before rest period (depending on oil)
• Helps to keep child alert and awake after a rest period (depending on oil)

Cautions

• Avoid spraying on pillows, other fabrics, or on toys and objects that the child could put in the mouth and inadvertently ingest

Inhaler

How to Use

• Apply essential oil or blend to cotton pad
• Insert the cotton pad into the inhaler
• Attach seal cap at bottom of inhaler
• At the top of the inhaler, there is a small opening where one can inhale/breath in the aroma of the oils
• When not in use, simply insert inhaler into the container. Screw together tightly to prevent loss of scent

Benefits

• Allows kids to reap the benefits of aromatherapy safely
• Essential Oil(s) are not exposed and are unable to transfer onto the skin