Vaccines at 4 to 6 Years

Elementary kids

Vaccinations are safe and effective for children to receive at the recommended ages.

CDC recommends COVID-19 vaccination for everyone aged 6 months and older. If your child has not gotten vaccinated yet, talk to his or her doctor about getting it as soon as possible.

Vaccines your child should get

Growing up means more school days and playdates, which also means more opportunities for spreading germs and getting sick. As your child enters school age and interacts with more kids, help protect them from diseases by staying up to date on vaccinations.

At 4-6 years of age, your child should receive vaccines to protect them from the following diseases:

Care for your child after vaccinations

Call 911 if you think your child might be having a severe allergic reaction after leaving the vaccination site.

Give your child extra care and attention

  • Pay extra attention to your child for a few days. If you see something that concerns you, call your child’s doctor.
  • Read the Vaccine Information Sheet(s) your child’s doctor gave you to learn about side effects your child may experience.

Treat mild reactions

Sometimes children have mild reactions from vaccines, such as pain at the injection site or a rash. These reactions, also called side effects, are normal and will soon go away.

  • Use a cool, damp cloth to help reduce redness, soreness, and/or swelling at the injection site.
  • Reduce fever with a cool sponge bath.
  • Ask your child’s doctor if you can give your child a non-aspirin pain reliever.

Vaccines before school

Your child will typically need a certificate of immunization to enroll in school. Your state may also require children entering school to be vaccinated against certain diseases, such as whooping cough (pertussis). If you’re unsure of your state’s school immunization requirements, check with your child’s doctor, your child’s school, or your state’s health department.

Your doctor’s office or healthcare clinic should be able to give you a record of your child’s immunizations. You can also ask if your doctor has recorded the vaccines your child has received in your state’s immunization registry.

What vaccines does my child need?
Follow the vaccine schedule

See which vaccines your child needs to stay on-track with routine vaccinations.

Birth to 6 years

7 to 18 years

Get a personalized list

Take a short quiz to get a list of vaccines your child may need based on their age, health conditions, and other factors.

Child vaccine quiz