Kids these days are very much engaged in different forms of media, from music, video games, and movies. One of the accessories that will make them enjoy listening to music, watching movies, and playing video games is a headphone. Buying headphones for kids has its pros and cons. Having a headphone helps keeps children entertained and engaged especially during long-haul flights or road trips. For some parents, using toddler headphones make it easier for their children to fall asleep because they can listen to their favorite tunes.
To protect children’s hearing, while also letting them listen to their favorite music or shows without further fraying what’s left of parental patience. In choosing a headphone for your child, remember that these are the most important factors—size, noise cancellation, comfort, and design. You should also opt for a wireless type of headphone since cords can hamper the movement of your child. That’s purely an issue of preference. This article discusses the various factors to consider in choosing the best headphone for kids. It also explains various other doubts parents usually face when buying a pair of headphones keeping in mind their child’s safety and health. Let us See!
Are Headphones good for children?
It can be safe for a child to use headphones or earbuds, depending on a combination of volume, listening duration, and the size of the ear canal. One song played at high volume will not likely damage a child’s hearing. But prolonged listening at high volumes can damage hearing over time. Of course, some will argue that headphones may also affect their hearing. This is why parents should limit the amount of time that their children use headphones. According to experts, children should not use their headphones for more than two hours per day.
What is the Best Type of Headphone for Children?
There are five headphone types that parents can choose from. These are circumaural, supra-aural, semi-open, closed/sealed, open air, and earbuds.
- Circumaural headphones are also called the around-the-ear variety. While this type delivers excellent audio quality, it does not cancel the background noise.
- On the other hand, the supra-aural type is very much similar to the circumaural kind although the former is lighter and rests on the head of the wearer.
- Semi-open headphones have a design which is not completely closed. While it offers good audio quality, this is typically used for recording and hence may not be appropriate for children.
- There’s also the closed or sealed headphone which has its back sealed off to prevent the audio from ‘escaping’ making it ideal for noisy environments.
- Another type is the open-air headphone that had the circumaural style, although its back is open which makes the sound escape.
- The last type is the earbud earphone which is the most ideal for children because it is portable, lightweight, and fits well into the ear of the wearer.
How Can You Distinguish Children’s Headphones?
Headphones for children are easily distinguishable. The size is smaller compared to headphones for adults. The design is also geared at children, with bright colors and cartoon characters often adorning the earbuds.
Is the Design of the Headphone Important?
The design of the headphone is not important to a parent, but for a child, it is perhaps the only reason why he’d choose a particular headset over another. Although not the most important feature, the design of the headphone could make you buy it instead of another model. Children would want their headphones to come in bright and colorful designs, and it helps if the design incorporates their favorite cartoon characters. For instance, girls would more likely choose Hello Kitty headphones than Kidz Gear Headphones. Boys would prefer Kidz Gear wired headphones for kids.
Should You Go for Wireless or Wired?
Wireless headphones for kids are recommended especially because kids are quite active. As the name suggests, this kind of headphone does not have any cord or wire so your child can move more freely. Wireless headphones are ideal for use in cars and similar vehicles. The only problem with wireless headphones is that the audio quality suffers a bit when the headphone is far from the audio device.
Bluetooth headphones for kids are classified as wireless headphones. This is an emerging type of headphone for children and appeals to parents because Bluetooth technology is available in most gadgets that kids love to use such as the iPad.
What to look for when buying Kids Headphones?
- The best headphones for kids have a volume limiter. This is perhaps the most important feature of kids’ headphones as it would protect children against hearing loss. The ideal headphone for children should limit the volume level, one that would not exceed 80 decibels. Any headphone that allows more than 85 decibels can cause hearing loss or damage chiefly when used for a long time.
- Noise cancelation is another important function of kids’ headphones. Noise-canceling headphones for kids eliminate background noise so that the wearer would be able to more clearly hear the audio.
- The best kids’ headphones are lightweight enough to suit the active lifestyles of children. Compact headphones are also easier to pack and thus ideal for traveling.
- A good headphone for children should fit the wearer. Children’s headphones are way, way smaller than those marketed for adults. The average width of a headphone for children is 13 centimeter and the average height is 16 cm, so that is something you have to keep in mind in case you are shopping online. Of course, you’d like to have your child try on it first before buying.
- Here’s one tip: when shopping for headphones, give emphasis on those with flexible headbands because it fits easier and permits refitting. Headphones with flexible head pads are ideal for children growing up.
- The ideal kid’s headphones should also have soft padding around the cups so that the wearer would be able to wear it for several hours when needed. This applies to long-haul flights or during sleep.
Let us see some best headphones for kids dominating the list.
Puro Sound Labs – Safer Headphones for Kids
- The default 85 dB volume-limiting prevents kids and teens from suffering the gradual but permanent hearing damage by cranking the sound too loud unintentionally.
- The maximum 85 dB is recommended by Hearing Health Foundation, OSHA, and World Health Organization as the safe listening level.
- Our patent-pending Puro Balanced Response Curve provides your kids or teens with the finest genuine studio sound, including clear, crisp vocals and full dynamic bass.
- The one-touch Bluetooth pairing with iPhone, Android, and other compatible devices makes for hassle-free listening.
- All controls are right at fingertips via a Bluetooth button, on/off switch, volume + and volume –.
- The multi-functional Bluetooth control button pauses/resumes playback, answers/reject a call and transfers the call back to the handset.
- Plus, you get 18 hours of battery life for music playback and 200 hours standby.
- This product features a fully passive design that blocks 82% of the ambient noise (@ 1 kHz).
- The Puro Sound Labs BT2200 are the perfect lightweight noise isolating safer headphones for kids.
- The warranty period for our products is 1 full year.
ONANOFF BuddyPhones Explore Foldable, Volume-Limiting Kids Foldable Headphones
- All BuddyPhones have built-in volume-limiting circuitry that protects kids’ hearing.
- Capped at the WHO-recommended level of 85dB so they don’t damage hearing.
- For those that have more than one child at home and they have trouble sharing the ingenious BuddyCable audio splitter allows up to four kids to share one device. Up to 4 headphones can plug into 1 device thanks to this stackable audio jack.
- BuddyPhones are designed to meet the everyday challenges an ordinary family member faces and make life a little easier.
- Engineered with certified safe materials that are hypoallergenic, super durable, and custom-made to be comfortable for kids to wear. Built-in Safe Audio volume control protects kids’ hearing.
- Space-saving foldable headband.
- Soft travel bag with a drawstring to pack away headphones for easy storage.
- Shareable audio cable with a built-in microphone for Skype calls with Grandma or fun language lessons.
- Great for girls, boys, toddlers, and all the kids, recommended for ages 3-10.
- Bright colorful designs.
- Custom designed sticker illustrations from the world-famous artist. Kids can listen with friends using the BuddyCable system.
- BuddyPhones have been granted the coveted Bronze A’Design Award in the Baby, Kids’ and Children’s Products category — given to the top 10% that exhibit excellence in design.
- The A’ Design Award and Competition is the world’s largest design competition, awarding only the very best designs, concepts, products, and services.
Noot Foldable Stereo Tangle-Free Kids Headphones
- Designed for kids, girls, boys, children, toddlers, school.
- Perfect for music, movies, games, and educational time.
- High-quality 40mm drivers deliver deep rich clean audio.
- Foldable design for more compact storage.
- Cushioned ear cups block out ambient noise along with lasting comfort.
- Adjustable headband to ensure a perfect fit, and a lightweight design for kids age 3 and up.
- The cord is a 5 feet long nylon braided cable.
- Also, this Premium nylon fabric prevents tangling and adds another layer of durability.
- Please note that there is NO microphone, remote, or volume control on these headphones.
- Compatible with all smartphones and tablets with 3.5mm jack devices.
- Ensure a perfect fit and lightweight design for long-lasting comfort.
- 24-Month Hassle-Free Warranty, Easy to Reach Customer Service.
JLab Audio JBuddies Studio Bluetooth Over-Ear Kids Headphones
- JLab Audio award-winning designer of personal audio including Bluetooth earbuds, headphones, and speakers.
- Standard headphones are designed for adults and are too big for kids.
- JBuddies over-ear headphones were specifically designed for children so that the headphones fit comfortably and don’t fall off.
- Over-ear design with comfy Eco Leather Cushions and padded headband offer all-day comfort for all ages, from grade school tykes to teens.
- The adjustable headband is also made of plush leather material to so it’s comfortable to wear, so much so you might forget you are wearing headphones.
- The JBuddies Studio Bluetooth has a 13 hours battery life of Bluetooth 5 playtime.
- and provide all-day comfort for school or home with JLab’s over-ear Cloud Foam cushions.
- JBuddies offer safe volume control through vigorous testing and built-in volume regulators to ensure kids never rock out past 85db. Trust that young, sensitive ears aren’t damaged.
- Keep your music hassle-free by wirelessly linking your Bluetooth enabled device and streaming from up to 30 feet away.
- With young ones in mind – and a hassle-free study session or long car ride – we nixed the wires
- Built-in controls located on the bottom left earcup and microphones help kids go from wired to wireless quick and simple.
- Simply connect through any Bluetooth device and they’ll stay focused or entertained for hours on end.
- Their little fingers will be able to play, pause, volume up or down, track forward, and trackback without any frustration.
- The plush circular cups fit perfectly on your ears and provide a comfortable listening experience you can use all day.
- Pinch-free hinges keep your little one’s fingers safe.
- They offer a “30-Day Money-Back Guarantee” to ensure customer satisfaction with JLab products.
- Also included is a 2-year limited warranty.
LilGadgets Untangled PRO Kids Wireless Headphones with SharePort and Microphone
- LilGadgets’ mission is to provide kids with a premium product they can love and an experience they can enjoy.
- As the first, original Bluetooth headphones for kids, the Untangled Pro is a beautifully designed, high-quality, children’s wireless headphone for children aged 4 and up.
- Compatible with nearly all Bluetooth devices and offered in six wonderful colors.
- Connect multiple headphones to one device, no splitters, or special cables needed. All LilGadgets headphones come with an integrated SharePort, so you can easily share media, even if you own different headphone models!
- Earpads and headbands are covered with our specially designed SoftTouch breathable mesh material for your child’s comfort.
- And also these ear pads are manufactured with children in mind, to make sure the ear pads won’t fall off.
- The Untangled Pro is reinforced with metal extenders for the variable.
- Developed, designed, and tested with kids of all ages to ensure the durability of the final product while maintaining style and comfort. Every headphone comes with a 100% Satisfaction Guarantee.
- With 12 hours of battery life and 180-hour standby, the Untangled Pro is perfect for traveling.
- A USB charging cable is included to rejoice. Also, we include a 3.5mm USB cable for wired listening when Bluetooth is not available or when the battery is drained.
- . Every headphone also comes with a micro-fiber travel bag to make transporting easy and so you have something to clean your device screens.
- Hence, the Untangled Pro is a beautifully crafted wireless headphone for kids, offering crisp sound while being volume limited.
iClever Kids Headphones, Wired Headphones for Kids
- Children’s ears are sensitive to loud sounds and you don’t want them turning the volume up and ruining their hearing!
- iClever headphones for kids also have a built-in microphone.
- iClever headphones for kids automatically cap the volume at a maximum of 94dB, which better reduces harmful noise exposure and minimizes the risk of damaging children’s hearing.
- The adjustable headband saves a lot of space for your go-out plan with your child.
- Whether you are ready to take a bus or travel, just drag it into your bag.
- Cushioned with plush, vegan leather, the lightweight plastic frame is flexible to fit a variety of head sizes while also being tough to break.
- They fit kids 4-12 years comfortably.
- As you can see, our headphone wires are made of premium nylon fabric.
- The shining features of this material are that it won’t knot in a mess and it is sturdy enough to withstand a certain extent of pulling, dragging, and rubbing.
- With the standard 3.5mm headphone jack, it works with virtually all smartphones, tablets, such as Apple iPhone, iPad Mini, Samsung Galaxy Phones, Lenovo, Android Cellphones, Tablets, and more.
Conclusion
There are a huge number of headsets and headphones out there for kids these days, with most manufacturers offering multiple products with only small variations.
But, The Puro Sound Labs is our pick for the best kids’ headphones overall. These headphones remain within safe listening levels when used properly. The wireless design is also handy for avoiding tangles, a favorite feature of our big-kid panelists. The size and weight fit kids from 2½ to 11 years comfortably.85 dB volume-limiting prevents kids and teens from suffering the gradual but permanent hearing damage. They are sturdy enough that they should last a long time, too. The Puro set connects easily over Bluetooth and has a simple on/off switch and volume controls. And with at least 18 hours of battery life, it offers a lot of listening time between charges. If it does run out of power, or if you just need a cord for use with a particular device, one is provided.
At the other end of the price spectrum, if you want a budget-friendly option and don’t want to invest so much there’s also the ONANOFF BuddyPhones, which usually retails for $50 or less. Also, four kids can share these and have fun around them. Comes with great sticker illustrations your kids will definitely love them! Go for it!
Nevertheless, you could go for any options but see that you are not neglecting your child’s safety concerns. Any feedback you can give me on this would be greatly appreciated. If we can be of any further assistance, please let us know. If we can be of any further assistance, please let us know. Do like, comment, and share. Best Regards!
*Price was correct as on 2nd June,2020.