Tea
Not for babies or young children. Water and plain milk are the drinks they need.
Checked against official guidance on October 18, 2026 · How we review
Quick answer
Wait until your child is at least 5 years old before offering tea. Until then, offer the safer swaps below.
How to serve tea by age
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6 months+
Not yet: breast milk, formula and sips of water
Tea isn't suitable for babies. Most tea has caffeine, and the NHS says tea and coffee are not suitable for babies or young children. Herbal and 'baby' teas aren't recommended either: the NHS says they usually contain sugars. Breast milk or formula stays the main drink, with sips of water from an open or free-flow cup at mealtimes.
- Size
- Instead of tea, small sips of water from a cup with meals, up to 4–8 oz (120–240 ml) a day in total.
- Check before serving
- Check the cup holds only breast milk, formula or water, with nothing added.
US and UK advice differ here. The AAP suggests mashed food or soft pieces no larger than ½ inch; the NHS suggests soft finger-sized pieces your baby can hold in their fist. Both agree the food must squash easily.
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9 months+
Not yet: water from a cup
Still no tea, including decaf, iced and herbal tea. Decaf tea still has some caffeine (FDA). Keep offering plain water with meals, so your baby gets used to its taste.
- Size
- Small sips of water with meals, instead of tea.
- Check before serving
- Check what's in the cup before you hand it over, especially if other people's drinks are on the table.
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12 months+
Not yet: water and plain milk
Toddlers still shouldn't have tea. The CDC says children under 2 should avoid caffeinated drinks, such as tea, coffee and soft drinks, and that there's no established safe limit of caffeine for young children. Sweet iced tea and bottled tea drinks also have added sugar. Offer water and plain milk in an open cup instead.
- Size
- Water between meals, and about 16 oz (480 ml) of plain whole milk a day in total (AAP), instead of tea.
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18 months+
Not yet: keep hot drinks out of reach
Keep tea off the menu until at least age 5: a consensus of US health groups, including the AAP, advises no caffeinated drinks for children aged 5 and under, and the NHS says tea isn't suitable for young children. If your toddler wants to join in at teatime, pour water or milk into their own cup. Keep your hot drinks well out of reach: the NHS says a hot drink can still scald 15 minutes after it was made.
- Size
- Water or plain milk in their own cup, instead of tea.
- Check before serving
- Before you sit down, check that hot mugs and teapots are pushed back from the table edge, out of your child's reach.
Always have your child sit upright in a high chair or at the table, and stay with them the whole time they eat. Keep to the size and texture for their stage. Every baby develops on their own timeline.
How to prepare tea
- 1
Don't give your baby or toddler tea, including black, green, decaf, iced or herbal tea, or 'baby' teas.
- 2
Don't put tea, or anything other than breast milk, formula or water, in a bottle or trainer cup (NHS).
- 3
Offer water with meals from about 6 months, and plain whole milk from 12 months.
- 4
Put your own hot drink down well out of reach before you hold your baby, and keep it away from table edges (NHS).
How much to offer
None for now. Tea waits until at least age 5 because of its caffeine: US expert groups, including the AAP, advise no caffeinated drinks for children aged 5 and under, and the NHS says tea isn't suitable for babies or young children. Offer water and plain milk instead, and let your child decide how much to drink.
Common mistakes
A few sips of milky tea
Even a small cup has caffeine: brewed black tea has about 20 mg per 100 g (FoodData Central). The CDC says there's no established safe limit of caffeine for young children, and the AAP says caffeine raises their risk of poor sleep, irritability, nervousness, headaches and trouble concentrating.
Switching to decaf or herbal tea
Decaf tea still has some caffeine (FDA). The NHS says herbal and 'baby' drinks usually contain sugars and aren't recommended, and that herbal remedies for colic aren't recommended, with no evidence that they help.
Sweet iced tea or bottled tea drinks
These have added sugar. The AAP says to avoid sweet tea, and US and UK advice is to avoid added sugar up to age 4.
Tea with meals
The NHS says large amounts of tea and coffee make it harder for the body to absorb iron. Young children need plenty of iron, so offer water with meals instead.
Where US and UK guidance differ on tea
United States(AAP and CDC)Your setting
The CDC says children under 2 should avoid caffeinated drinks such as tea, coffee and soft drinks, and that there's no established safe limit of caffeine for young children. A 2019 consensus from US health groups, including the AAP, goes further: no caffeinated drinks for children aged 5 and under. Sweetened tea has added sugar, which the 2025–2030 Dietary Guidelines say to avoid for children aged 4 and under.
United Kingdom(NHS)Your setting
The NHS says tea and coffee are not suitable for babies or young children, that 'baby' and herbal drinks usually contain sugars and aren't recommended, and to avoid food and drink with sugar for children aged 4 and under.
We cover US and UK guidance in detail. Elsewhere, check your national health service's advice too.
Questions parents ask
Can tea be a choking hazard for babies?
Tea is a low choking risk. The bigger danger is scalds: the NHS says to keep hot drinks well away from young children, and that a hot drink can still scald 15 minutes after it was made. Have your child sit down to drink, and stay with your child during meals.
Can babies be allergic to tea?
Tea is not a common allergen. Flavored teas and ready-made tea drinks can contain other ingredients, such as milk, so read the label.
Is tea healthy for babies?
Brewed black tea has about 20 mg of caffeine per 100 g and almost no calories, protein or minerals (FoodData Central). The FDA puts a 12 oz (355 ml) cup of black tea at about 71 mg of caffeine, and green tea at about 37 mg.
Can babies have herbal tea, like chamomile?
We don't suggest it. The NHS says herbal and 'baby' drinks usually contain sugars and aren't recommended for babies and young children, and that herbal remedies for colic aren't recommended, with no evidence that they help. Breast milk or formula, plus sips of water from about 6 months, is all your baby needs to drink.
Is decaf tea OK for toddlers?
Decaf isn't caffeine-free: the FDA says decaffeinated teas still contain some caffeine. The AAP says water and plain milk are the drinks young children need.
Does tea affect iron?
The NHS says large amounts of tea and coffee make it harder for the body to absorb iron. That's one more reason to offer young children water with meals, alongside iron-rich foods such as meat, beans, lentils and iron-fortified cereal.
My toddler drank some of my tea. What should I do?
Keep tea out of their reach from now on: the CDC says there's no established safe limit of caffeine for young children, and the AAP says caffeine can disturb their sleep. If they seem jittery or unwell, see when to call the doctor below. If the tea was hot, check for a scald. Hold any scald under cool running water for 20 minutes straight away, then get medical advice (NHS). If the scald is large or deep, or on the face, genitals or bottom, call your emergency number.
If your baby refuses tea
- Tea isn't a drink to offer yet, so there's nothing to keep trying.
- If your toddler wants to copy your cup of tea, give them water or milk in their own cup.
- Drink water with your child at meals. Children copy what they see.
- A calm 'not yet' works better than a long explanation. Keeping your mug out of sight helps too.
Never force or pressure your baby to eat. Some days they'll eat more, some days less, and that's normal.
Buying and storing tea
- Keep tea bags, loose tea and bottled tea drinks in a cupboard, out of your child's reach.
- Put hot drinks, teapots and kettles well back from table and counter edges, and never leave a hot drink where your child can reach it (NHS).
- Throw away any food left out at room temperature for more than 2 hours (1 hour if it's hotter than 90°F / 32°C).
When to talk to your doctor
Contact your pediatrician, GP or health visitor if:
- Your child has had a lot of caffeine, such as strong tea or coffee, and seems jittery, is being sick, or has a racing or pounding heart. Call your pediatrician or GP right away (the FDA lists a faster heart rate, palpitations and sleep problems among the effects of too much caffeine in children). If they have a seizure, collapse or are hard to wake, call your emergency number.
- Your child may have swallowed caffeine tablets or powder, or an energy drink or energy shot. Get help straight away: in the US, call Poison Help at 1-800-222-1222; in the UK and elsewhere, call your emergency number (the NHS says to call 999 if a child may have swallowed something harmful). If they have a seizure, are hard to wake or aren't breathing normally, call your emergency number. The FDA says pure and highly concentrated caffeine products can have serious health consequences, including death.
- Your child has been scalded by a hot drink. Hold the scald under cool running water for 20 minutes, then get advice: call your pediatrician, or in the UK call NHS 111, which the NHS advises for a child under 5. If the scald is large or deep, or on the face, genitals or bottom, call your emergency number.
- Your child drinks tea often, or seems pale and tired. Ask about iron: the NHS says large amounts of tea make it harder for the body to absorb iron.
- You notice mild signs of an allergic reaction after eating, such as a few hives or a little vomiting. See signs of a reaction.
- You're worried about how much your baby eats, their growth, or they refuse most solid food for weeks.
Call 911999your local emergency number (such as 112 in Europe or 000 in Australia) now if your baby has trouble breathing, wheezing, can't cough or cry, has lips, mouth, tongue or throat that suddenly swell, or becomes pale, bluish, floppy or unresponsive. Also call if hives come with repeated vomiting.
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Helpful guides
Sources
- CDC: Foods and drinks to avoid or limit
- AAP: Recommended drinks for children age 5 and younger
- Healthy Eating Research: Healthy beverage consumption in early childhood (consensus statement, 2019)
- NHS: Drinks and cups for babies and young children
- NHS: Foods to avoid giving babies and young children
- NHS: Iron deficiency anaemia
- NHS: Colic
- NHS: Baby and toddler safety
- NHS: Burns and scalds
- FDA: Spilling the beans: how much caffeine is too much?
- AAP: How to reduce added sugar in your child's diet
- HHS: Fact sheet on the Dietary Guidelines for Americans, 2025–2030
- USDA FoodData Central: Beverages, tea, black, brewed, prepared with tap water
- AAP: Poison prevention and treatment tips for parents
- NHS: Poisoning
- USDA FSIS: Leftovers and food safety
More first foods
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