You might think that the main benefit to buying headphones for your children is so that you don't have to hear what they're listening to, but there's actually a more important reason. Your child's ears are super sensitive while they're developing and it's possible to damage them by hearing sounds over 85 decibels. Adult headphones just aren't the best idea for them to use. At least not unless you can convince them to lower the volume, which is pretty unlikely.
Instead, you're best off purchasing a pair of headphones designed specifically for children. They tend to fit better on little heads and all of the best headphones for kids contain a volume limiter so the sound can't get too high. Here's everything you need to know about purchasing headphones for your child.
Should I get wired or wireless headphones for my kid?
Some of that decision is dependent on how much money you want to spend and whether you want to worry about needing to recharge headphones on a regular basis. Many of the headphones listed here have decent battery life, but they are typically more expensive than a wired solution.
However, if your child is particularly young, wired headphones can be a strangling risk, so always supervise them while they're using their headphones, especially if there are younger kiddos in the house.
What's the maximum recommended noise level for children?
Generally, many auditory health organizations recommend that the ideal noise level for a child is about 70 decibels, and then volumes should never exceed 85 decibels. (Anything above 85 decibels is deemed dangerous.) Most adult headphones peak at about 115 decibels, which is why it's important to use a dedicated solution for your child. The limit is a limit too, not a guide, so always aim to play music a little quieter if you can.
Can a child use earphones?
In-ear buds are great for adults, but they're not recommended for children. That's because developing ears are more sensitive to noise damage because their nerve fivers are still growing. Also, due to having smaller external auditory canals, the eardrum is always closer to the sound source, so you don't want that to be exacerbated by earbuds. Ears are too delicate to risk their safety.
How long should my child use the headphones for?
Similar to limiting screen time, it's sensible to restrict your child's use of headphones to a maximum of two hours a day. Any longer than that can damage your child's ears, even if they're using a volume limiter.
Best for Younger Kids
Image: KidRox
The Good
Cute look • Safe volume limitation • Designed for small heads
The Bad
Short cable • 3.5mm input only • Your kid will grow out of them
The Bottom Line
Cute and cheerful, these Kidrox Tiger-Ear Kids Headphones are perfect for your toddler, providing them with a safe listening experience and a fun look.
1. KidRox Tiger-Ear Kids Headphones
Cute and cheerful, these headphones provide little kids with a safe listening experience and a fun look.- Colors: Tiger Shaped
- Battery life: N/A
- Volume Limitations: 85dB
All kids love cute things and the Kidrox Tiger-Ear Kids Headphones are a very cute thing indeed. The ear cups are softly cushioned and have a tiger face on their exterior so they look super playful and charming. Your child will enjoy wearing them, feeling like they get to show off their tiger loving self. In terms of features, they have a built-in volume restrictor of 85 decibels — the absolute maximum noise level recommended by authorities for children. The only downside is that the connective cable is a little short, so your kiddo will need to be close to their music-playing device.
Best expandable headphones
Image: kidz gear
The Good
Lots of color options • Inexpensive • Expandable
The Bad
Little flimsy • Separate limiter
The Bottom Line
If you want to buy a pair of headphones that will fit any age from toddler to pre-teen, these are the headphones for you.
2. Kidz Gear Wired Headphones
An expandable design means they'll fit a wide range of ages.- Colors: Blue, Green, Orange, Pink, Purple, White
- Battery life: N/A
- Volume Limitations: 90dB
The Kidz Gear Wired Headphones are simple, yes, but ideal if you have a fast-growing child or you simply want to plan ahead. With a highly expandable headband, they can grow to accommodate ages 2 to 12 with ease. There have even been reports of them fitting on adult heads when needed, so you could even use them yourself in a pinch. They're not spectacular to look at, but they do the job well, limiting sound to recommended levels. Just be aware that the sound limiter module is actually a separate component that the headphone jack plugs into, so make sure it never gets lost.
Best for Older Kids
Image: Puro Sound Labs
The Good
Smart looks • Wireless • Active Noise Cancellation
The Bad
Expensive for kids • Little louder sounding than most • Someone will need to remember to recharge them
The Bottom Line
For preteens and older kids who just want to look cool, the Puro Sound Labs PuroQuiet headphones are a great option that still maintains safe volumes.
3. Puro Sound Labs PuroQuiet
The looks scream cool but the sound levels stay low — a winner for parents and pre-teens alike.- Colors: Blue, Grey, Pink
- Battery life: 22 hours with ANC switched on, 16 hours without
- Volume Limitations: 85dB
If your kid is desperate to look cool, but you want to keep them and their hearing safe, then look to the Puro Sound Labs PuroQuiet headphones. These on-ear wireless headphones look almost as fashionable as adult headphones, but they include useful technology to keep your child's hearing safe. They have a limited volume of 85 dB, which can be further reduced by up to 22 dB courtesy of the active noise cancellation that's built into these headphones. A steady battery life of 22 hours means you won't have to recharge them often, but you can always switch them over to the wired mode if need be.
Best for Gamer Kids
Image: puro sound labs
The Good
Microphone included • Perfect for gaming • Breathable vegan leather covering
The Bad
Sound quality could be better
The Bottom Line
For the avid junior gamer in your life, the PuroGamer Gaming Headset is perfect for helping them hear everything, but not excessively loudly.
4. PuroGamer Gaming Headset
Gaming is so much better with headphones, and this pair is perfect for young ears.- Colors: Black
- Battery life: N/A
- Volume Limitations: 85 dB
For those with children who adore gaming, the PuroGamer Gaming Headset is a great option. There's a microphone for easy communication with their buddies online while they go nuts on Minecraft, and they can hear every sound possible through the volume limited ear cups. Sound is limited to 85 dB but it won't get in the way of hearing what's going on. It'll just protect your child's ears. You can hook them up via 3.5mm or USB, which is perfect for different gaming systems — from PCs to consoles to tablets.
Best Sound Quality
Image: puro sound labs
The Good
Great sound quality • Wireless interface • Stylish looks
The Bad
Only passive noise cancellation • Battery life could be better
The Bottom Line
Stylish and offering great sound quality, the Puro Sound Labs BT2200s have a few minor issues, but they're mostly great for junior audiophiles.
5. Puro Sound Labs BT2200 Volume Limited Headphones
Great audio and you can't beat those looks.- Colors: Black, Blue, Gray, Pink, Purple, Red, Teal
- Battery life: 18 hours
- Volume Limitation: 85dB
The Puro Sound Labs BT2200 Headphones look like something that you might wear, so your older child will love them. They sound great too, providing some of the best audio quality out of any set of headphones for kids. There's an 85 dB limiter tied into them, so your kids won't have to risk their hearing being damaged while they listen. With an 18-hour battery life, they're not quite as great as you might like, but that's more than respectable enough. Ambient noise isolation makes up for their lack of active noise cancellation, too.
Best for Comfort
Image: CozyPhones
The Good
Comfortable design • Very cute • Easy to store
The Bad
Volume Limiter could be lower • Your child will grow out of them
The Bottom Line
Ideal for the child who hates the feeling of headphones, the CozyPhones Kids Headphone Headband is adorable, super comfortable, and offers volume limiting facilities.
6. CozyPhones Kids Headphone Headband
Can keep headphones on your kid? Try these — just keep the volume low.- Colors: Blue, Green, Purple, White, Donatello, Lion, Michelangelo, Multicolor, Mystic Unicorn, Paw Patrol, Pink Bunny, Pink Kitty, Pink Unicorn, Pirate, Purple Unicorn, Whatif Monster, White Bunny, White Unicorn
- Battery life: N/A
- Volume Limitation: 90dB
If your child hates wearing conventional headphones, no matter how cute the ear cups may look, then the CozyPhones Kids Headphone Headband is for them. It works like a regular headband but it contains ultra thin speakers for listening to music. Soft and stretchy, it's easy for your child to wear and just as easy for them to store safely afterwards. It's even washable. The only real downside here is that the volume limiter is set to a maximum of 90 dB, which is a little high for our liking. Other than that, it's a good solution to a common issue.
Best Wallet-Friendly Headphones
Image: MAXELL
The Good
Lightweight • Adult looks • Wallet-friendly
The Bad
Volume Limiter could be lower • Flimsy
The Bottom Line
For families with kids prone to throwing around expensive headphones, stick with the Maxell Children Headphones for most of the benefits and less of a price tag.
7. Maxell Children Headphones
Don't sweat it if your kid loses or breaks these — they're easy on your wallet.- Colors: Blue
- Battery life: N/A
- Volume Limitation`: 90dB
The Maxell Children Headphones won't win prizes for looks or style. However, they're super lightweight, which your kids will appreciate. They also sound pretty good thanks to a 30mm driver, and they contain a volume limiter so things can't get too loud for your child. Granted, the limiter is set to 90 dB, which is less than ideal, but it's a promising start for very inexpensive headphones. If you want to keep costs down or your child is likely to break them easily so you want something easily replaceable, these are the best option to pursue.
Topics: Tech, Amazon Echo, Headphones, Google Home, Maxell children headphones, CozyPhones kids headphone headband, KidRox Tiger-Ear kids headphones, Puro Sound Labs PuroQuiet, Puro Sound Labs BT2200 Volume Limited headphones, PuroGamer gaming headset, Puro Sound Labs Junior Jams
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