Kids today have access to technology we could only dream about when we were their age. From cameras to headphones, the count is infinite. This isn’t really a healthy trend if you consider that by the time these kids are our age, they will have had a much longer exposure to the technology than us. And excessive use of it can lead to hearing loss!
The answer to this problem? Headphones for kids! There are plenty of them out there that have been designed specifically for children. In this article we will be looking at 7 of the best headphones for kids available in the market today.
Without further ado, lets get going!
| Headphone Name | Volume Control | Check Price |
|---|---|---|
| Jlab Audio Jbuddies Kids Headphones | 90 dB limit | Check Price |
| CozyPhones Kids Headphones Headband | 85 dB limit | Check Price |
| Puro Sound Labs kids Wireless Headphones | 85 dB limit | Check Price |
| LilGadgets Connect+ | 93 dB limit | Check Price |
| Kidz Gear Wired Headphones | 80-90 dB limit | Check Price |
| Artix Headphones for Kids | None | Check Price |
| Sony MDR-222KD Children’s Headphones | Volume-Limiting Resistor Cable | Check Price |
Table of Contents:
- Jlab Audio Jbuddies – Overall Best
- CozyPhones Headband – Fun Design
- Puro Sound Labs – Best Bluetooth
- LilGadgets Connect+ – A Reinvented Buddy System
- Kidz Gear Wired – For Traveling Kids
- Artix for Kids – For Kids and Teenagers
- Sony MDR-222KD – The Perfect Backup
- Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)
- Closing Thoughts
Jlab Audio Jbuddies – Overall Best
The Jlab Audio Jbuddies Kids are a great pair of wired ones available in several color options. They also come in two different designs, folding and non-folding. The folding design is a great choice for traveling given its size (14 cm x 10 cm, when folded).
The sound is pretty good and while the plastic earcup and driver hinder the deeper tones, you may not even notice this. It also comes with passive noise isolation packed into it but the on-ear design does let some noise in. The volume is limited to 90 dB.
The material used are simple plastic and vinyl, meaning this headset is average in terms of durability. Also the 3.5 mm jack can feel a bit weak. The headbands however are flexible are won’t break easily. This device comes with limited lifetime warranty so in case your’s breaks down you could contact the company. The customer service is very responsive.
To summarize, the Jlab Audio Jbuddies are a great choice for your kid. It has a simple yet cool looking design and volume limiting. If you order this device, you can expect 4 different items in the box. The headset, a soft carrying pouch, some 3D stickers and a user manual.
- Has a simple wired design
- Has a large volume control dial limited at 90 dB
- Is very lightweight and easy to clean
- Comes in two varieties: folding and non-folding
- Cable is susceptible to strain
- Materials used include plastic & vinyl, that have average durability
CozyPhones Headband – Fun Design
The CozyPhones headband features one of the most interesting designs among all of the items listed here. Instead of the traditional over the head design, this headset feature actual headbands. They come in several different colors and fun designs. These include the Blue Unicorn, the Green Monster, the Panda and the Kitten among others.
The sound quality is pretty good. The ultra-thin speaker delivers a good sound, although the fabric casing kills off some of the bass. But the ear-covering design ensures that some of the ambient noise in cancelled off. These come with a volume limiter that does not let the volume exceed 85 dB.
The headband is made of soft fleece fabric and has a removable driver. It could actually be pulled down and used as a sleep mask. The design also makes this one of the most comfortable headphones listed here. Also, the headband is easy to clean and the braided audio cable is incredibly durable.
To summarize, the CozyPhones Kids headband is a fun take. The design is attractive to kids and it gets the job done with decent sound and volume limiting. If you order a pair of this device, you will get 2 items in the box. The Headband and the ultra-thin speaker with braided audio cables that are 52 inches long.
- Has a compact speaker design
- The headbands are made of soft fleece, for extra comfort
- The headbands are easily adjustable & even washable
- Comes in several lot of fun designs
- The audio cables are braided, making them extra strong.
- Comes in two varieties: folding and non-folding
- The speakers tend to move around the headband
Puro Sound Labs – Best Bluetooth
The Puro Sound Labs kids is a great headset for your kids. The design makes these suitable for both young children and teenagers. It can be used in two different modes, Wired and Wireless and are available in a wide range of colors which include white/silver, blue, black, purple and gold/tan.
They offer excellent sound quality both in wired mode and Bluetooth mode. They feature Puro’s Balanced Response tuning technology that can result in a richer bass and a smoother treble. The volume is limited to 85 dB, and the volume limiting works in both wired and wireless mode. In terms of the overall sound quality this headset performs almost as well as those made for adults.
Both the headband and the earcups are made of aluminum, making this a rather durable device. The padding is soft and made of a good quality material. The earcups can rotate 90 degrees, making a flat fold which can be stored in the provided low-profile hard case. Comfort wise, these feel soft and are very comfortable, making them ideal choices for kids. They come with a one year warranty.
To summarize, the Puro Sound Labs are an attractive pair of headset that offer great sound, volume limiting and a wireless Bluetooth mode. If you order this device, you will get 5 items in the box. The headset, a hard carrying case, a USB charging cable, a 5mm Puro limiter cable and a user manual.
- Comes in several different colors and has a stylish design
- The headband is made of aluminum for added durability
- Has an good noise cancelling system
- The sound quality is surprisingly good
- The controls are conveniently placed in one of the earcups.
- Wired mode doesn’t have volume limiting by default. (A special cable is needed)
- The on-the-ear design tends to leave pressure marks
LilGadgets Connect+ – A Reinvented Buddy System
The LilGadgets Connect+ has been designed specifically for kids under 6 years of age. For those over 6 years, the company offers a variant known as the Connect+ PRO. The Connect+ comes with a SharePort. This makes it possible to connect multiple headsets to one device without the use of a splitters. The Connect+ is available in five fun colors: pink, blue, purple, green and black.
The sound quality on this headset is pretty good. They come with a 40mm driver, that makes a full-range of frequency responses including bass available. The volume is limited to 93 dB, unlike with the other headphones listed here, that limit it to 85 or 90 dB. And it offers 13dB of ambient noise isolation.
The Connect+ has been designed to fit the small heads of children, so are incredibly comfortable. The hinged headband makes these very compact but it can also act as a weak point. Other than that, durability wise, they perform great. They come with a 1-year warranty.
To summarize, the LilGadgets Connect+ are a perfect pair of headphones for kids under 6, featuring an interesting design and a re-imagined buddy system. If you order this device, you can expect 4 items in the box. The headset, a soft carrying pouch, a 52 inch 3.5mm nylon audio cable and a user manual.
- Has a compact folding design
- Comes with a long 52 inch nylon coated cable
- Comes with a SharePort, thus making audio sharing possible without a splitter
- Doesn’t have the best noise isolation system and may not be very effective in loud environments such as during air travel.
Kidz Gear Wired – For Traveling Kids
Kidz Gear are a great pair of headphones perfect for traveling kids. These are an over-the-ear that are incredibly lightweight. And they offer a good passive noise isolation system. They are available in seven different colors, including blue, orange, pink, purple, green, grey, and white.
Given its price, this headset features a great sound quality. The passive noise isolation system makes it possible to enjoy a good sound without overdoing the volume. Also, the large earcups and their soft paddings help block out more ambient noise. It also feature an in-built volume limiter, which restricts the volume to the 80-90 dB range. It achieves this by reducing the overall volume by 20%.
These are flexible and tough, making them ideal for travel or for kids who are rough with their toys. The wires enter the bottom of the earcup which prevents pinching. And the earcups are attached to a plastic slider that can be used to adjust the size. The soft padding of the earcups and the overall light weight of this headset makes it one of the most comfortable headphones listed here.
To summarize, the Kidz Gear are a great pair with passive noise isolation and volume controlling. The light weight of these devices make them ideal for kids who travel. If you order this device, you can expect 2 items in the box. The headset, and a limited lifetime warranty card.
Pros:
- Very lightweight and has a split-headband design
- Has very good noise isolation system
- The cable adapter allows for wired volume limiting
- The audio jack isn’t very durable and the Y-cable design is prone to tangling.
Artix for Kids – For Kids and Teenagers
The Artix Headphones for Kids is a headset suitable both for young children and teenagers. These look, sound and feel like a pair of premium ones and they are available in six different color combinations, including blue/green, purple/pink and light turquoise among others.
The sound quality on this headset is simply incredible, considering the price range. It outperforms most others on this list in terms of both the bass and the highs. One little problem with it is that it has no built-in volume control system. But since the padding in the earcups do a pretty good job isolating ambient noise, your child won’t have to turn the volume very high.
The design is stylish. The hinge design is robust and durable. And the earcups are large and comfortable. The braided audio cable comes with strain relief at both ends. And the 3.5mm plug is angled, making them more durable. This device come with a one-year warranty.
To summarize, the Artix are suitable both for kids and teenagers. If you’re not that worried about volume limiting, this is the headset to get. It sounds great, is durable and looks stunning. If you order this device, you can expect 3 items. The device, the Quick Start guide and the warranty card.
- Has a great folding design perfect for portability
- Has great ambient noise cancelling system
- The headband cushion and the earcups are incredibly comfortable
- Is suitable for kids and teenagers
- Has no volume limiting feature (this could be a big deal but given the quality of these, ultimately the choice is up to you)
Sony MDR-222KD – The Perfect Backup
The Sony MDR-222KD are the last pair we will be looking at. These are an incredibly light pair of wired headphones with a volume-limiting resistor cable. They are available in two different colors, black and pink.
The sound quality is decent in everyday scenarios. But for noisy environments the MDR-222KD doesn’t perform well. This headset features small drivers and an in-built volume limiting feature, which results in a low volume. But it could still work great for a kid, specially if they don’t care too much about a full audio range or bass.
The headband is made of plastic. This makes the MDR-222KD one of the lightest featured on our list. The build is flexible but quality is only okay. These could easily break when children engage in play. So the MDR-222KD isn’t really that great for the outdoors. Other than that, these are a decent pair. Sony offers a 90-day warranty on this device.
To summarize, the Sony MDR-222KD are a decent pair of headphones that are cheap and comfortable. It may not compare to the others on our list but it can serve as a great pair of backup headphones. If you choose to order the Sony MDR-222KD, you can expect just the device in the box.
- It is incredibly lightweight and comfortable. (Can wear for hours without feeling uncomfortable)
- Has a built-in volume control system (Volume-limiting resistor cable)
- The sound quality isn’t the best and these aren’t suitable for loud environments.
- Cable is susceptible to strain
- The foams in the earpads can tear off
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)
Why do Kids need headphones?
By the time we are in our thirties, most of us start showing the early signs of hearing loss. And this problem is only magnified if you’re someone who excessively uses headphones at loud volumes. One of the reasons you might have noticed that kids have much better hearing than adults is exactly this. It’s not only the lack of headphones but also the fact that they haven’t been exposed to loud elements of the world and of life as much as we have. But that’s slowly changing.
Kids today use them a lot more than we did when we were their age. And there are quite a few companies offering it made specifically for kids. But many of them offer nothing more than bright colors and fun designs that will appeal to children.
What exactly is Volume Limiting and why is it so important?
One of the most important factors to consider when buying a child’s headphones is and will always be its volume limiting feature. You don’t find this feature on every device however, and if you don’t consider that, it could lead to your child suffering hearing loss.
Not every pair limits the volume in the same way. But there appears to be some sort of a consensus among manufacturers about the volume limit for children. Most keep their volumes limited to 85dB. In most Bluetooth headphones, the device will not exceed this advertised limit, at least not in its wireless mode. But many of these also ship with an audio cable for wired listening and the volume could be significantly higher when wired. The reason behind this is that with Bluetooth, the device has more control over the sound. With wired connections, the sound is derived from the internal amplifier of the device that these are being connected to (your phone, tablet or computer).
While this may not be a factor worth considering for most adults, it is an important one for children. So in case you’re considering wired for your kids, you may want to think of an alternative solution. You could simply limit the volume from the settings in your child’s device. And you could keep these settings password-protected so that the kids won’t be able to access it.
Who chose the number 85dB?
The limit of 85dB isn’t some kind of a universal constant. It’s simply an accepted norm among manufactures. They believe that the the limit for 85dB is safe for continuous listening. This means that a child can safely listen to his/her headphones at 85dB for eight continuous hours. But this is rarely the case. Not even adults will have their headphones on or that long. So for shorter listening span, a limit that is a bit higher is also acceptable. Some intentionally put this limit up at 93dB. They argue that as long as your child doesn’t have it for a longs span of time, a slightly higher limit will offer a better listening experience.
So if you think you could monitor and limit your child’s headphone use to shorter spans of time, you could choose a pair with volume limited to 93dB. But 85dB would still be a pretty wise place to stop, just in case.
What about Mics?
Another question that might be circling in your mind is whether or not a pair of kids’ headphones needs a mic. Most designed for adults come with a built-in mic. On wired, the mic is usually built into the cable. And in wireless ones it is built inside the headphones. If there are any one without mics, they are usually intended for recording studios or other professional purposes.
While an adult may need a mic in their headphones for communication purposes, there appears to be little to no use of a mic for a kid. If you are unsure whether or not your kid will have a proper use for a mic, it is wise to stick to an option without one. You wouldn’t want your children communicating over the internet, would you? There are all sorts of creeps out there.
What is an acceptable budget for a pair of headphones for kids?
Now this is a question most of you have probably asked. If you’ve been listening to music on headsets for some time you probably have a rough idea on how much you should be spending on a new pair for yourself. You could either go through multiple iterations of the cheaper options or you could invest in an expensive pair that will last longer. If you’re an audiophile you wouldn’t mind dropping at least $100 on a decent pair. But what exactly is the acceptable budget for a pair of kids’ headphones?
Most of these that we’ve reviewed here are within the $20 range, with some going a bit higher. And we believe this to be the acceptable budget for a kids. There’s no point getting a pair of expensive one for a kid. Chances are they’ll break them within months if not sooner. Furthermore, with the necessity of volume limiting in mind, there is little to nothing that a pair of expensive headphones will do.
And if you want to make your Kid’s childhood even more fun, check out our article on Best Electric Cars For Kids.
Closing Thoughts
So that was our article on the best headphones for kids in 2020. We reviewed a total of 7 headphones and we ended the article answering some of the frequently asked questions about kids headphones.
We hope this article helped you make a decision!
If you enjoy playing games, you may also want to see our list of the best gaming headsets available for under 100$.
