Comfort, safety, and durability are key when shopping for your kids, and these impressive headphones tick all of those boxes.
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 better 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.
Should I get wired or wireless headphones for my kid?
Some of this 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 wireless headphones listed in this roundup 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 organisations recommend that the ideal noise level for a child is about 70 decibels, and that volumes should never exceed 85 decibels. 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 fibers 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.
What are the best headphones for kids?
This is a difficult question to answer because there are so many options out there, but we’ve tried to give you a clear picture of the best headphones for your kids.
We have tracked down a strong selection of devices from leading brands like Kidrox, Kidz Gear, and Maxell. We recommend checking out everything on this list, because there really is something for everyone and every budget right here.
These are the best headphones for kids in 2020.
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, these headphones 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.
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.
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.
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.