It's that magical time when your sweet baby starts their journey toward being an independent kid, with a developing mind and body to match. While puberty is the gift that will not stop giving, one of the joys can be growing breasts for the first time. Every child who develops breasts is different, and will have breasts that vary in shape and size, as well as the timeframe of when they begin to grow.
What to Consider
Bras aren't as big of a deal as many of us make them out to be.
“There is no medical or physiological reason to wear a training bra other than the social and psychological reasons,” says Brenda Kronborg, D.O., a pediatrician with Banner Children's — Banner Health Clinic in Mesa, Arizona. What does this mean? The only reason your developing child needs a bra is if they want to wear one, or because not wearing one might result in inadvertent embarrassment if the areolas become visible through a light shirt.
Therefore, there are only two things you need to consider when buying your child their first bra: style and material. By and large, training bras aren't pricey. They're machine-washable and generally easy to deal with. Yes, you'll need to size up every few months until they transition to a traditional cup bra, but that's pretty much it.
Style: Training bras come in three basic styles: sports bras, traditional bras, and light bralettes. We recommend trying a range of these if your child is comfortable with it. Bra clasps are a huge pain, but just like chores, it's good to learn how to deal with them early on.
Material: Stretchy materials like elastane and spandex, combined with either poly or cotton, is the most common combination. But there are also majority cotton bras and 100% moisture-wicking synthetics that are great for sports.
One thing's for certain, though: Your growing sweetie will need a training bra to get them used to wearing one. Their training bra should be comfortable enough that they want to wear it every day, while also offering enough coverage and support so that they feel secure and confident.
We've researched the market and found the best training bras for your tween and teen.
When your growing kid is getting used to incorporating a bra into their wardrobe, finding the right one to wear can be tricky. Add these seamless racerback training bras to their budding bra collection for them to wear under racerback tops and dresses with confidence.
In the very beginning, your tween’s breasts may feel awkward and annoying, as they don’t typically grow in perfect symmetry. The Hanes Big Girl’s Foam Bra has removable foam cups that add shape, while still maintaining an age-appropriate level of modesty.
Comfortable and supportive, this Maidenform Girl Big Girls' Slim Seamless V-Neck Bra will look great under all of their clothes. If they're still getting used to the idea of wearing a bra, the seamless and wireless design will make them feel like they aren't even wearing one at all.
Who says that training bras have to be all business?
These seamless bras from Alyce Intimates are soft and comfortable, with a stretchy band that won't dig into their skin or roll up all day long. The removable foam adds a flattering shape that's totally appropriate for your tween's age.
Whipping out a bra with underwire, cups, and a thousand straps going every which way can be far too intimidating for your little beginner.
These Fruit of the Loom bras are perfect for cases like these. The ribbed band adds support and comfort, while the thick straps and breathable cotton offer freedom to move and play without restrictions.
A true “first bra,” the Maidenform bralette is exactly the sort of bra that'll get your tween comfortable with the idea of wearing a bra every day. These have a soft texture, and they provide only the easiest support for newly forming breasts — which often ache as they grow.
These bras are especially helpful for kids with sensitivity issues to clothing, as the “barely there” feel won’t tug or squeeze their skin.
If you have a young Brandi Chastain on your hands, this is the bra for them. This fun sports bra from Adidas is designed to be both cute and with enough coverage that young teens and tweens feel comfortable wearing it alone on the field.
The model is your standard spandex-blend sports bra, but the full coverage and fun, rainbow pattern are what set it apart.
In a perfect world, tweens wouldn't lose their stuff all the time, but alas, we do not live in a perfect world. So, it makes sense for us to buy our sometimes scatterbrained tweens a multipack of bras.
This 12-pack of soft, seamless cotton bralettes is only $23, so if your kid loses one (or five), it's not the end of the world.
There are those kids who seem to develop at lightning speed. If your child is developing faster than they know what to do with (or are prepared for), this bra is their best friend. Wireless but still very supportive, this ultra soft, molded-cup bra will help keep your child's breasts contained comfortably, no matter whether they're playing soccer or studying for a math test.
And unlike many sculpted bras for tweens, this set has tons of room for adjustment — both at the back and at the straps. Your child will be able to maneuver it to fit their body perfectly.
You might as well introduce your tween now to this bra, since they’ll be buying it over and over again throughout their life — it’s only fair. Nike sports bras are cute enough to wear on their own (no body-shaming here), they last through a million washes, and they have great support. It’s no wonder so many adults are partial to the brand.
Sometimes, you just need a cheerful bra in a fun color to get you excited about getting dressed. Calvin Klein has achieved that with this sunny yellow set made of a soft cotton-modal blend. It includes a comfortable elastic band around the chest and adjustable straps.
A breathable sports bra is essential for anyone who needs a bra, and if it's also cute, all the better. Maidenform uses nylon and spandex to make this bra supremely comfortable for tweens who mostly want to forget they're wearing one at all.
You're never too old for unicorns — so, why not have them on your bra? These bras are simply constructed out of cotton and spandex, with no underwire or anything else that might bother young skin. They're sweet and fun, and the youngest tweens will absolutely adore these.
Cat BowenParenting EditorCat Bowen is the parenting editor at BestProducts.com where she researches all of the best products for families from pre-conception through their teen years, focusing on matching scientific evidence with real-life needs.
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