12 of the Best: Brilliant Age Appropriate Bikinis for teens and tweens

As a Mum to a teenage girl, finding suitable, age appropriate bikinis for teen girls is becoming an annual palaver. 

Like many girls her age, Flea loves swimming, and being on the beach. But it’s increasingly important to Flea that her swimwear looks just right.

My girl used to be happy with board shorts and a rash vest I’d choose from somewhere like Boden. Once she hit the age of 12, it had got to be a bikini, and she became ridiculously particular about designs. But then – so am I.

Flea is still in her teens, she’s not 20. She doesn’t need teeny triangles or something that makes her look five years older than she is. She needs strong straps and decent coverage. Something that will allow her to be the young person she is, and play, and swim and lark around on the beach or at the pool.

I think when you’re a young girl, nothing’s more inhibiting than worrying you might inadvertently flash some strangers on the beach. And when you’re still at school, your swimwear shouldn’t involve the need to shave your bikini line (imho).

Last summer, after a lot (seriously, a LOT) of hunting we found the crop top bikini Flea is wearing at the top of this page. It was in the girls’ range at River Island. Flea thought it was really cute, and I was also happy with the coverage. There are loads of designs available in this year’s collection.

But River Island only provides these suits in sizes up to age 12. Newsflash, River Island: just because my girl is over 12, doesn’t mean I want her wearing these items…

Honestly, it’s a similar story at a lot of my go-to retailers. Either the girls’ swimwear stops at age 12, or is too revealing, or it goes too far the other way.  No 13-year-old that I know wants to be wearing the same as the 5-year-old who’s building a sandcastle down the beach.

Okay, enough complaining.

We’ve put in the hard work so you don’t have to. Here are 12 fab bikinis for our younger teen girls. I’ve noted where we have bought from a particular retailer and put the products through their paces. We reckon all of these are cool enough for the most discerning teen. But they’re practical and modest enough to please parents, too. Please note that some of these links are affiliate links, meaning I’ll make a small commission if you click through and buy.

12 of the Best Age Appropriate Bikinis

for Teen Girls & Tweens

Charmleaks High Neck Bikini, £25.99

Looking for a sporty bikini for a teen girl?

This cute high neck bikini from Charmleaks has many 5* reviews on Amazon and is available in a huge range of colours and patterns. It combines a high waist pant with a high neck bikini top. It is super comfortable for teens and won’t mean they need to be re-adjusting their swimwear every time they get out of the pool. It’s a women’s design so best for older girls in their teens, probably 13+.

H&M, Sports Bikini, £15.99

H&M has a range of what they call ‘sports bikinis’ that offer great coverage plus modern styling that will meet the approval of teens. This bikini top costs £15 and offers great coverage. It’s also available in multiple colours, so you could get a couple to mix and match over a longer holiday. There is also a choice of bikini bottoms to match.

Puma Racerback Bikini Top (various colours), £20

This sports top from Puma is a great fit for tweens and teens if you’re looking for a more sporty design. The racerback style is going to stay put no matter what your kids get up to! Personally, I think the only downside is the potentially weird tan lines you get with this sort of back, but if you’re using SPF that shouldn’t be a problem. Available in multiple colours, at just £20 this one won’t break the bank. It’s available from Amazon here.

Puma Longline Bikini Top for Teens, £25

Another Puma option, this one offers more body coverage and a recycled, soft fabric with narrow straps. I think it’s more of a tankini style top. It’s available in two pretty patterns, one black/multi and the other blue/multi. I think this one’s a great options for tweens and young teens as it’s not too sophisticated but still gives them the two-piece style Flea wanted at this age. Sizes run from XS (6-8) upwards in adult sizing and you can buy on Amazon here. 

Superdry, Swim Sport Bikini Top, £18 (currently half price)

In our family, Superdry is considered officially ‘cool’ by the teenager, so I was thrilled to find a really decent range of bikinis for tween and teen girls in stock this summer. I’ve bought two bikinis from Flea now and they were both exceptionally good quality fabric, and met with her discerning approval.

Alongside colourful regular bikinis, there are these racer style bikini tops that offer lots of coverage for younger girls, with a range of colours and designs. The crop top style and sleeveless design means they’ll still get plenty of sun without the worry of being too exposed, or catching the sun on their chest.

New Look, Black Textured Bikini, £11.99

New Look is my go-to shop when I want age appropriate swimwear that won’t break the bank. Their swimwear tends to be a little less robust than the sports and surf brands, but it’s pretty, flattering and available in lots of more modest styles for younger girls.

This black bikini is so simple and cute, and one of my teenager’s favourite bikinis for 2024. It’s fuss free and offers decent coverage with a sporty shape and generous sized bottoms, with a pink gathered bikini top and ruching on the bottom. I personally like that both parts of this bikini offer great coverage, making them age appropriate for even younger teens.

It’s currently 25% off at New Look, making this a complete BARGAIN! Buy it here.

New Look, Halter Neck Bikini Top, £13.99

Another great teen bikini buy from New Look, this bright halter bikini has wide straps and a broad support band under the bust – meaning it offers good coverage and will stay put when girls are swimming. This is probably one of the more ‘grown up’ items on my list of age appropriate bikinis, so it may or may not be right for you. Personally, I love the green colour but being a pale person, I also think the black is gorgeous. I love this bikini for the wide straps, high waist, comfy stretch and fully lined fabric, making it ideal for tweens who want to wear a bikini, but need to be age-appropriate. It’s available from size 6 upwards in adult sizing.

New Look, Tie Dye Halter Bikini for Teens, £16.99

I don’t often see tankini designs that work well for all ages, but I think this tankini from New Look comes pretty close.The girls’ range at New Look is generally a GREAT place to look for cute, appropriate bikinis for teens and tweens. The store has women’s bikinis but also suits in a variety of styles for girls aged 11-16. This halter suit is a tankini style for girls aged 10-15, and offers a shorts style bikini bottom with a cute pattern. It offers great, modest coverage and is really age appropriate. Buy it here.

Roxy Wildness Crop Bikini Top, £36

Now, this isn’t the cheapest age appopriate bikini top on the list but if you’re losing hope at finding a bikini that your teen will want to wear and that you’ll be happy with, this bikini crop top (available in navy and ecru) from Roxy might be worth a look. It’s got that summer festival/surf vibe that my teen loves, while also offering a robust option for swimming and playing in the sea. Available from amazon here.

Tommy Hilfiger Girls Bikini, £34

This Tommy Hilfiger bikini is a modern classic, with thick cross straps that are staying put no matter what, and a dark blue design that’s offering loads of coverage.

It’s available in sizes Age 8 to 14, making this a great option for younger tweens and teen girls who want to wear a bikini while being age appropriate. Get yours on Amazon here.

Monsoon, Zebra Print Teen/Tween Bikini, £18

Honestly, I just love the design of this zebra bikini for tweens and teens from Monsoon. It’s colourful, but sophisticated. Made entirely from sustainable fabrics, it’s available in sizes from age 8 to 15, making it perfect for tweens and teens alike. Check out the Monsoon site here.

Roxy Boardshorts, £32

I’ve definitely noticed that it’s quite hard to buy a bikini set in stores these days – often the top and bottom are sold separately. That’s no bad thing if you find an age appropriate bikini top for a 12 year old, but you’re less keen on the bottoms. I love the idea of pairing a crop top with a pair of board or swim shorts and these from Roxy are perfect.

They’re available in about 20 different designs so there’s lots of choice. And they’re short enough that they won’t end up flapping around your legs when they’re wet (ugh). But still modest enough to be age appropriate for younger girls. Available in scores of sizes from XXS up at Amazon now.

There you have it! Our guide to the best bikinis including age appropriate bikinis for teens this summer. Let us know your favourites in the comments!