did your child us a full suit?

we are getting ready to start beekeeping in the spring & we have a 3 year old and a 5 year old. Trying to decide how much protection they need. My husband is inclined to just get them veils and gloves and light colored sweat suits. I am leaning towards full bee suits as I will feel bad when they get stung :) Any advice out there? I want them to be comfortable and have a positive experience, but we are on a budget. Did you buy a full beesuit and feel that it was worth the money for your child's experience? Does anyone know of anyone selling used children's bee suits?

I also am having trouble finding a child's size hat/veil only--I only seem to be able to locate the jackets with hat and full size suits.

Thanks again!

I would get only one suit with veil and gloves. Have one kid look, go back to the other parent and then lend the other kid the suit and gloves. A kids attention span is short, buying two suits is not worth the money in my opinion.

My 5 year old goes out with me checking the bees but only wears a standard veil - he usually doesn't stick his fingers in the hives and so he never got stung. But on the other hand I only wear a veil and usually work the bees with a T-shirt and shorts.
So I guess I would gear up my children the same way you do yourself - no difference.

I got my 7 year old the Wee Bee veil from Brushy Mountain, and then took some Tyvek coveralls and cut them down to size. You can fold or cut the material the put it back together with clear packing tape on the new seams. Brushy also sells the coveralls, but I got mine at a local farm store for about $9.00. I think they are also sold in the paint section of big home improvement stores. For gloves use either the nitrile disposables or get kids gloves in the garden section of the home improvement store. I also think your idea of thick sweats would work great too. My kid is an observer only, he does not want to be hands on so the suit does not get any real wear. It has lasted now for over a year.

I got a Pigeon Mountain youth jacket that my kids share. I really don't want more than one around an open hive anyway. The others will usually come in for a look without anything though. Each kid has been stung once with no ill affects.

My wife made our son a suit when he was 3. Just bought a coverall pattern and used heavier material ( I think it was called 'duck cloth', or something like that). We had an extra veil and bought a small helmet and he just wears youth sized jersey gloves. I think we had less than $20-$30 into the whole set up. He has used it the last 4 years, this year he will need a new suit because he out grew it, so my wife is going to make another this winter. It's nothing fancy but he has yet to be stung while working with me in the yards, and he gets right in there with me. Every year he picks out "his" hive to take care of and really enjoys working with them and watching them .

I have a couple of suits for kids that are a pant and jacket separate. This allows more adjustment for size as you can overlap more or less as they grow. But probably just a jacket would do...

We also use the separate top and bottom. I also agree with Michael that the jacket is all that is needed.

I bought one jacket, pants and a pair of gloves for my 4-6 year old to share. My kids never want to go out to the hives at the same time. I bought it from Beeworks. With shipping, it was just under $100. Pricey but I bought it with years of allowed growth. It is a quality set up. This year was their first year. They haven't been stung while in the suit. Keeps them interested and wanting to go to the hives. I looked for used and really didn't find anything on Ebay or Craigslist.

I bought my daughter a Blue Sky suit last year (see above and to the right for advertisement). Pricey but good quality, I think the extra protection is worth it as they are more excited to work the hive with me when fully covered.

Funny I just posted a new thread about this.... Anyway great info!

I'm an uncle to two very keep explorer type boys (2.5 and 4.5yo) who love visiting my "farm" (ok 1 acre garden), but they really do want to know what's going on in those white boxes the bees live in. And I'd love to be able to show them knowing they were as safe as I can make it. Their not mine so breakages are not an option after all :-P

Thanks so much for all of the great info! We are so excited our bees are coming next week--can't wait to get them settled in their new home. We have put together outfits--we have 2 bought veils and my mom made 2 veils for us. The kids have "outfits" that I put together, so hopefully that will get us started. They are just observers too--so we might invest in something more after we figure out what the heck we are doing. The tyvek & the painters coveralls are great ideas. I also really like the idea of seperate pants/jacket--smart! thanks for all of the great ideas. Wish us luck--as we start this adventure!

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Originally Posted by Adrian Quiney WI

I would get only one suit with veil and gloves. Have one kid look, go back to the other parent and then lend the other kid the suit and gloves. A kids attention span is short, buying two suits is not worth the money in my opinion.

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I always absoloutely hated those ideas like that adults had when i was a child.

I cant believe the price of these things. I bought a pair of cover alls from brushy mountain for $75 they also sell those rubber suits for alot less. Im 17 ive been keeping since i was twelve, and i do everything by myself, i always wear a full suit cuz its easier than always getting stung, and im allergic to bee stings so it helps alot there too.