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Vaccines for Infants, Children, and Adolescents
For children birth to 18 years of age follow the American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) schedule at HealthyChildren.org: All About the AAP Recommended Immunization Schedule and talk to your health care provider about what vaccines your child needs.
On this page:
Recommended immunization schedules
Minnesota Vaccines for Children (MnVFC) program
Child care and K-12 immunization requirements
Minnesota immunization laws
How to comfort your child during immunizations
Recommended immunization schedules
- American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) provides answers to frequently asked questions at All About the AAP Recommended Immunization Schedule. It also includes the following schedules:
- Well-child Visits and Immunization
Information on access to health care providers, clinics and health coverage options. - Teens Need Vaccines, Too! (PDF)
Fact sheet showing vaccines needed for kids starting at 9-years-old and going through the teen years, until they are up-to-date.
Minnesota Vaccines for Children (MnVFC) program
The MnVFC program offers free or low-cost vaccines for eligible children 18 years of age and younger. This helps ensure that children are vaccinated on time by not letting the cost of vaccines prevent a parent or guardian from having their child receive recommended vaccines. For more information visit Free or Low-Cost Shots for Children.
Child care and K-12 immunization requirements
Charts showing vaccines needed by age and for enrolling in child care, early childhood programs, and school in Minnesota.
Are Your Kids Ready? Child Care and Early Childhood Programs Immunization Law (PDF) Updated 12/23/24
Use this document to see what vaccines are required for your child to enroll in child care, and early childhood programs in Minnesota and to document medical and non-medical exemptions.
- Are Your Kids Ready? Child Care and Early Childhood Programs Immunization Law in Arabic (PDF)
- Are Your Kids Ready? Child Care and Early Childhood Programs Immunization Law in Haitian Creole (PDF)
- Are Your Kids Ready? Child Care and Early Childhood Programs Immunization Law in Hmong (PDF)
- Are Your Kids Ready? Child Care and Early Childhood Programs Immunization Law in Karen (PDF)
- Are Your Kids Ready? Child Care and Early Childhood Programs Immunization Law in Nepali (PDF)
- Are Your Kids Ready? Child Care and Early Childhood Programs Immunization Law in Oromo (PDF)
- Are Your Kids Ready? Child Care and Early Childhood Programs Immunization Law in Russian (PDF)
- Are Your Kids Ready? Child Care and Early Childhood Programs Immunization Law in Somali (PDF)
- Are Your Kids Ready? Child Care and Early Childhood Programs Immunization Law in Spanish (PDF)
- Are Your Kids Ready? Child Care and Early Childhood Programs Immunization Law in Vietnamese (PDF)
Are Your Kids Ready? Minnesota K-12 Immunization Law (PDF) Updated 8/16/24
Use this document to see what vaccines are required for your child to enroll in K-12 school in Minnesota and to document medical and non-medical exemptions.
- Are Your Kids Ready? Minnesota K-12 Immunization Law in Arabic (PDF)
- Are Your Kids Ready? Minnesota K-12 Immunization Law in Haitian Creole (PDF)
- Are Your Kids Ready? Minnesota K-12 Immunization Law in Hmong (PDF)
- Are Your Kids Ready? Minnesota K-12 Immunization Law in Karen (PDF)
- Are Your Kids Ready? Minnesota K-12 Immunization Law in Nepali (PDF)
- Are Your Kids Ready? Minnesota K-12 Immunization Law in Oromo (PDF)
- Are Your Kids Ready? Minnesota K-12 Immunization Law in Russian (PDF)
- Are Your Kids Ready? Minnesota K-12 Immunization Law in Somali (PDF)
- Are Your Kids Ready? Minnesota K-12 Immunization Law in Spanish (PDF)
- Are Your Kids Ready? Minnesota K-12 Immunization Law in Vietnamese (PDF)
Minnesota immunization laws
- Parent Information on Minnesota's Immunization Law for Child Care and Early Childhood Programs
Fact sheet on Minnesota's immunization law for parents with children in child care and early childhood programs. - Immunization Requirements for Homeless and Foster Children
Federal policies override our state law for children in special living situations. Children who are homeless, in foster care, or waiting to be placed in foster care are allowed to enroll without showing immunization records. - Minnesota Statutes, Section 121A.15 Health Standards; Immunizations; School Children
- Minnesota Administrative Rules, Chapter 4604, Immunization
- Minnesota's College Immunization Law
Information for Minnesota college students about the immunization law. - Minnesota Statutes, Section 135A.14 Statement of Immunization
Postsecondary or college immunization law in Minnesota.
Minnesota's Immunization Law Exemption Provision
A summary of how to obtain a medical and conscientious exemption to the Minnesota immunization law.
How to comfort your child during immunizations
- Ask any questions you or your child have about vaccination.
- Use these comfort measures to decrease your child's pain and anxiety:
- Have them sit on your lap and embrace them.
- Listen to their favorite music with headphones.
- Breathe! Take slow, deep breaths.
- Make eye contact with them.
- Close their eyes and think of a favorite place or activity.
- Focus on something in the room, like a poster.
Comfort holds
How to hold your child during a vaccination (PDF)
Fact sheet with images and instructions for different comfort holds. Created in partnership with Homeland Health Specialists.
- How to hold your child during a vaccination in Amharic (PDF)
- How to hold your child during a vaccination in Arabic (PDF)
- How to hold your child during a vaccination in Chinese (PDF)
- How to hold your child during a vaccination in French (PDF)
- How to hold your child during a vaccination in Hmong (PDF)
- How to hold your child during a vaccination in Oromo (PDF)
- How to hold your child during a vaccination in Russian (PDF)
- How to hold your child during a vaccination in Somali (PDF)
- How to hold your child during a vaccination in Spanish (PDF)
- How to hold your child during a vaccination in Vietnamese (PDF)
Front hold
Demonstration: Front Hold Transcript (PDF)
Comfort hold
Demonstration: Comfort Hold Transcript (PDF)
Straddle hold
Demonstration: Straddle Hold Transcript (PDF)
Side sit hold
- CDC: How to Hold Your Child During Vaccination
- CDC: Comfort and Restraint Techniques (YouTube)
Holding infants starts at 1:39, and holding older children start at 3:30 in the video.