Vitamins and Minerals for Children’s Growth and Development: A Parent’s Guide

A food-first guide to the nutrients that help children's bodies, bones and brains develop, without turning every meal into a nutrition calculation.

Parent and school-age child preparing a colourful balanced meal together — Variety across the week matters more than making every plate perfect.

Children do an extraordinary amount of growing. Their bones lengthen, muscles develop, blood carries oxygen around increasingly active bodies, and the brain keeps building connections. It is understandable that parents want to know whether dinner is providing everything that work requires.

The reassuring answer is that most healthy children can obtain what they need from a varied diet. No single ingredient, vitamin or supplement controls height, intelligence or development. Genes, overall nutrition, sleep, movement, health and the timing of puberty all play a part.

Think in patterns, not perfect plates: regular meals, foods from different groups and variety across the week provide a strong foundation for growth.

Some nutrients deserve particular attention because they have recognised roles in normal development or can be harder to obtain in certain diets. Here are the main vitamins and minerals for children's growth and development, together with practical ways to serve them.

Seven Nutrient Groups Growing Children Need

Calcium and vitamin D for developing bones

Calcium is a major building block for bones and teeth, while vitamin D helps the body absorb and use calcium. Useful calcium sources include milk, yoghurt, cheese, calcium-set tofu, fortified dairy alternatives and fish with edible bones.

Vitamin D occurs naturally in relatively few foods, including oily fish and egg yolk, and is added to some cereals and spreads. Sunlight also contributes, although safe sun habits remain important.
Iron for healthy blood and oxygen transport

Iron is needed to make haemoglobin, the protein in red blood cells that transports oxygen. Sources include red meat, poultry, beans, lentils, eggs, dark-green vegetables and fortified breakfast cereals.

The body absorbs iron from animal foods more readily. Pairing plant sources with vitamin C can help: try lentil pasta with tomato sauce, beans with peppers, or fortified cereal with berries.
Iodine for normal growth and thyroid function

Iodine contributes to the normal growth of children and the production of thyroid hormones. Dairy foods and fish are common UK sources; eggs also contribute. Iodine levels in plant drinks vary, so families using dairy alternatives should check whether the product is fortified.

Seaweed can contain highly variable amounts and is not a dependable everyday source for children. Ask a dietitian for individual advice if your family follows a vegan diet.
Zinc for growth, cognition and immune function

Zinc contributes to normal cognitive function and supports normal immune function. Meat, shellfish, dairy foods, beans, nuts, seeds and wholegrains can provide it.

For younger children, serve nuts only in safe forms such as smooth nut butter or finely ground nuts, while considering allergies. Soaking beans and offering varied protein foods can make plant-based meals more useful nutritionally.
B vitamins and folate for everyday cell and energy processes

The B-vitamin family helps the body release energy from food and supports normal nervous-system function. Folate, also called vitamin B9, contributes to normal blood formation and cell division.

A varied menu usually supplies these nutrients through wholegrains, meat, fish, eggs, dairy foods, leafy vegetables, beans and fortified cereals. Vitamin B12 needs special attention in vegan diets because reliable natural plant sources are limited.
Vitamins A and C for tissues and immune function

Vitamin A supports normal vision, skin and immune function. Find it in eggs, dairy foods, fortified spreads and orange or dark-green vegetables such as carrots, sweet potatoes and spinach.

Vitamin C supports normal immune function and helps the body absorb iron. Berries, oranges, kiwi, tomatoes, broccoli and peppers are useful sources. Fruit and vegetables do not have to be fresh: frozen and canned options can be convenient and nutritious too.
Omega-3 fats for normal brain function

Long-chain omega-3 fats include DHA and EPA. DHA contributes to the maintenance of normal brain function and vision. Oily fish such as salmon, sardines, trout and mackerel are the richest food sources.

Walnuts, chia seeds and rapeseed oil contain a different omega-3 fat called ALA, which the body converts only partly into DHA and EPA. Families who avoid fish can ask a healthcare professional whether an algae-based option is appropriate.

Colourful nutrient-rich foods arranged for family meals — Different foods contribute different nutrients, which is why variety across the week is so useful.

What Does a Growth-Supporting Day of Food Look Like?

You do not need to serve all seven nutrient groups at every meal. A simple rhythm of starch, protein, fruit or vegetables, and a calcium-rich food can create variety naturally.

Meal	Simple example	Nutrients represented
Breakfast	Fortified porridge with milk and berries	Calcium, iron, B vitamins and vitamin C
Lunch	Egg and spinach wrap with tomato	Protein, iron, folate, iodine and vitamins A and C
Snack	Yoghurt with smooth nut butter	Calcium, protein and zinc
Dinner	Salmon, potatoes and peas	Omega-3, vitamin D, protein and vitamin C

Portion sizes and appetite change with age and from day to day. Offer an appropriate amount, let your child ask for more, and avoid measuring a child's success by a clean plate.

Remember the wider picture: adequate energy and protein matter just as much as micronutrients. Starchy foods, healthy fats, dairy or alternatives, beans, pulses, eggs, fish and meat all help build a satisfying diet that supports activity and growth.

Does My Child Need a Vitamin Supplement?

UK guidance is age-specific. The NHS states that children aged six months to five years should receive daily supplements containing vitamins A, C and D. Babies having more than 500 ml of infant formula a day are an exception because formula is already fortified. Breastfed babies should receive vitamin D from birth, and children aged one to four should receive 10 micrograms of vitamin D daily.

Guidance may differ for children over five. A healthcare professional might suggest a multivitamin or a specific nutrient when a child excludes whole food groups, follows a restricted diet, has a diagnosed deficiency or medical condition, or cannot meet needs through food.

More is not better. Vitamins A and D, iron, zinc and iodine can overlap across multivitamins, fortified foods and single-nutrient products. Do not combine supplements unless a pharmacist, GP or dietitian has checked the total amounts.

Choosing a Children's Supplement Carefully

Choose a product labelled for your child's exact age.
Compare ingredients with anything else your child takes.
Follow the stated serving and never exceed it.
Check allergens, dietary suitability and storage directions.
Keep supplements securely out of children's reach.
Treat the product as support for the diet, not a replacement for meals or food learning.

Nutrigen offers several formats within its Growth & Development collection. The right choice depends on age, diet and the nutrients already being consumed.

Multivitamin & mineral liquid · Ages 4–12

Nutrigen Supra Liquid

A multivitamin and multimineral liquid whose listed nutrients include calcium, vitamin D, iodine, zinc and B vitamins.

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Toddler multivitamin liquid · Ages 1–3

Nutrigen Supra Toddlers

A toddler-specific liquid with 13 vitamins and eight minerals listed on the product page, including iron, vitamin D, iodine and zinc.

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Multivitamin liquid with lysine · Ages 4–12

Nutrigen Supra Plus

A liquid formula combining 13 vitamins and 10 minerals with the essential amino acid L-lysine.

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Nutrigen Vitamixin unflavoured multivitamin food sprinkles

Unflavoured food sprinkles · Ages 2–12

Nutrigen Vitamixin Sprinkles

An unflavoured vitamin and mineral powder designed to be mixed into a serving of cooked, semi-solid food once it is cool enough to eat.

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Nutrigen Instamixin unflavoured multivitamin drink powder

Unflavoured drink powder · Ages 1+

Nutrigen Instamixin Drink Powder

A multivitamin and mineral powder designed to dissolve in hot or cold drinks without adding sugar, sweeteners, preservatives or colourants.

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Nutrigen Growmega fish oil and bone nutrient liquid

Fish oil & bone nutrients · Ages 4–12

Nutrigen Growmega Liquid

A fish-oil liquid that also lists calcium, phosphorus, zinc, iodine and vitamins including D and K.

Shop Nutrigen Growmega →

High-strength omega liquid · Ages 4–13

Nutrigen Omega Oil Mix

A strawberry-flavoured fish-oil liquid providing DHA and EPA, with different labelled servings for ages 4–8 and 9–13.

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Nutrigen Zinc pomegranate-flavoured syrup

Single-mineral zinc liquid · Ages 4–11

Nutrigen Zinc Syrup

A pomegranate-flavoured liquid providing zinc, which contributes to normal cognitive and immune function.

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Folic acid liquid · Ages 1–11

Nutrigen Folic Acid Syrup

A single-nutrient vitamin B9 liquid with different labelled servings for ages 1–6 and 7–11.

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Nutrigen Kids raspberry-flavoured multivitamin gummies

Multivitamin gummies · Ages 3+

Nutrigen Kids Multivitamin Gummies

Raspberry-flavoured gummies containing vitamins A, C, D and E, selected B vitamins, zinc and iodine.

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DHA & probiotic gummies · Ages 3+

Nutrigen Kids Omega 3 and Probiotic Gummies

Individually wrapped orange-flavoured gummies combining fish-derived DHA with Bacillus coagulans.

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Parent checking the age and ingredients on a children's supplement label — Check the age range, ingredients and serving directions every time you choose a children's supplement.

Important: a supplement cannot make a healthy child taller or guarantee faster development. If your child's growth is slowing, weight is falling, appetite has changed significantly or you suspect a deficiency, contact a GP, health visitor, school nurse or paediatric dietitian for an individual assessment.

Children's Growth and Vitamins: FAQs

Which vitamin is most important for children's height?

No vitamin determines height by itself. Vitamin D and calcium have recognised roles in normal bone growth, but height is influenced strongly by genetics, overall nutrition, health and puberty. Concerns about growth should be assessed using a child's growth pattern, not a supplement claim.

Can my child take a multivitamin and omega-3 together?

Sometimes, but products may share vitamins A, D or other nutrients. Ask a pharmacist or healthcare professional to compare both labels before combining them, especially when one product contains fish oil or your child has allergies.

Are vitamins from food better than supplements?

Food provides energy, protein, fibre and many beneficial compounds alongside vitamins and minerals. Supplements can be useful in specific situations, but they do not replace a varied diet. Think of them as targeted support when guidance or individual need justifies them.

What should I do if my child refuses nutrient-rich foods?

Keep portions small, include familiar foods and repeat exposure without pressure. Try the same nutrient in different forms, such as yoghurt, cheese or fortified alternatives for calcium. Seek professional advice if the accepted range keeps shrinking or whole food groups are missing.