Kids' Earrings: A Parent's Guide to Choosing Earrings for Girls

Buying earrings for a little girl should be a treat, not a worry. Whether she has just had her ears pierced or has a drawer full of studs already, this guide covers what to look for in kids' earrings – metal, fastenings, size and care – and finishes with our favourite picks for Christmas.

The short version

• Choose sterling silver (925) rather than plated or fashion metal – it is kinder to young ears and lasts.
• For everyday wear, butterfly backs are easy for small hands; for toddlers or school sports, screw backs stay put.
• Look for studs around 6–10mm – small enough to sit neatly on a child's lobe, big enough to show the design.
• Keep them away from swimming pools and perfume, and polish with a soft cloth.
• A set of three pairs is the best-value gift if you are not sure which design she will love.

Why sterling silver matters for kids' earrings

Children's ears are more sensitive than adults', especially in the months after piercing. Cheap fashion earrings are often base metal with a thin coating, and once that coating wears through the metal underneath can irritate the skin. Sterling silver is 92.5% pure silver and, unlike many plated alloys, is not nickel-based, which is why it is the metal most parents and piercers are comfortable with.

Every pair of children's earrings at Liberty Charms is made from 925 sterling silver, with the designs picked out in coloured epoxy or crystal. They are stamped 925 and supplied in a velvet pouch and gift box.

If your daughter has reacted to earrings before, start with a plain silver stud for a week or two before moving on to the fun designs, and take earrings out at night to let the ears breathe.

Butterfly backs or screw backs?

This is the question we get asked most, and the answer depends on the child.

Most of our girls' stud earrings have butterfly backs. If you want the security of a threaded post, our children's screw back earrings come in the same hearts, flowers and sparkle designs. Older girls who want something a little different can try children's hoop earrings – small, lightweight hinged hoops that are a long way from the oversized adult versions – or lever back earrings, which close with a hinge behind the lobe.

What size earrings suit a child?

Adult studs are often 10–15mm; on a child's lobe they look oversized and feel heavy. Our children's studs are typically 6–10mm across – a Santa stud, for example, is about 9mm – which sits comfortably on a lobe from around age three up to the early teens. Weight matters as much as width: a pair that is light enough to forget about is a pair that stays in.

Choosing a design she'll actually wear

The safest bets are the things she already loves. These are the themes that keep coming back:

• Hearts and sparkle – the classic, in pink, blue, multicolour and clear crystal.
• Animals – unicorns, bunnies, butterflies, cats and dogs (animal earrings).
• Initials – a letter earring feels personal and works for sisters and best friends.
• Birthstones – birthstone earrings make a birthday present that means something.
• Hobbies – football, ballet, horses and music from our sports and hobbies range.

If you are buying for a niece or granddaughter and can't ask, a set of three pairs covers your bases and costs less than buying three separately.

Christmas earrings for girls

December is the one month when the whole class wears earrings on the same day. Christmas jumper day, the school disco, carol concerts and Christmas Day lunch all call for a pair of festive studs, and they are the perfect size for a stocking.

Our children's Christmas earrings run to more than fifty designs in sterling silver, from £10.99 a pair. The ones that go first each year:

• Rudolph – the red-nosed reindeer stud that every little girl seems to want in December.
• Santa – a jolly Santa face, Santa hat or Santa with his sack.
• Candy canes in red and white or red, white and green.
• Christmas trees with a crystal star or diamante baubles.
• Snowmen, gingerbread men and stockings for the full advent calendar of designs.

For a gift that lasts beyond Christmas, pair a festive stud with an everyday heart or a birthstone from the main collection, or choose a three-pair Christmas set so she can change them through advent. Order early for delivery before Christmas – UK delivery starts from £1.59.

Looking after kids' earrings

Sterling silver tarnishes slowly when it meets air, chlorine and cosmetics, but it cleans up in seconds. Three habits keep earrings looking new:

1. Take them out for swimming, baths and bedtime.
2. Put perfume, hairspray and suncream on first and earrings on last.
3. Wipe with a soft dry cloth and keep them in the pouch when they're not being worn.

If a pair has dulled, a silver polishing cloth brings the shine back without any liquid cleaner. Our care guide has the full details.

Frequently asked questions

Are your kids' earrings hypoallergenic?
They are 925 sterling silver, which most children with sensitive ears wear without any problem. If your child has a known allergy to silver alloys, check with your piercer first.

What age are they suitable for?
The studs suit any child with pierced ears, usually from around three upwards. For under-fives, or in the first few months after piercing, we recommend screw backs.

Can she wear them to school?
Many schools allow a single pair of small plain studs; check the uniform policy. Our smallest hearts and crystal studs are the ones usually chosen for school.

Do they come gift wrapped?
Yes – every pair arrives in tissue in a velvet pouch inside a gift box, ready to wrap or post straight to the recipient.

How much are they?
Pairs start at £10.99, three-pair sets offer the best value, and UK delivery starts from £1.59.

Browse the full range of kids' earrings for girls, or jump straight to Christmas earrings.