Best Kids Headphones 2022 - Tech Advisor

Choosing the best headphones for your children is important because using the wrong ones could cause life-long damage to their hearing.

Headphones for kids are essential tech kit for parents as none of us want to hear Spongebob for more than ten minutes or be subjected to either blam-blam action gaming or the high-pitched whine of Alvin the Chipmunk. And maybe we can listen to something else while the kids are amused on the computer, tablet, phone or TV.

With remote-learning and home-schooling, a decent set of kids’ headphones is even more important these days, and look out for pairs with a microphone for virtual-classroom interaction.

Another good reason for investing in child-specific headphones is for use on long-haul flights or longe train journeys—well, any length journeys when you think about it… Getting your child to watch a couple of movies during a boring flight is a big bonus for parents. The trouble is that airline-supplied headphones aren’t designed for small heads and so often slip off. These kids headphones shouldn’t do that.

You should also consider fit, comfort and design, but also limit the amount of time a child uses headphones whatever the volume. We tested each model for sound quality, volume limitation, comfort and safety.

The maximum noise level recommended by many auditory health organizations is 85 decibels (dB), and to get our recommendation a child’s set of headphones shouldn’t, we believe, go any louder than that.

Adult headphones usually peak at 115 decibels (equivalent to a loud train), and experts warn that you could experience severe hearing loss after just 15 minutes of listening at that level every day.

Think about your child’s audio health is they are a gamer–this is vitally important as players can be listening to loud explosions and other ear killers for hours on end.

What we are looking for in a great set of kids headphones is an effective volume limiter to protect those sensitive ears, a good, comfortable fit for smaller heads, minimum noise leakage (the sound that others can hear outside of the headphones), and some kid-friendly fun in the design.

Don’t buy earbuds or any in-ear model for children–as the closer the sound source is to the delicate working of the inner ear, the more damage loud sound can do.

And just because your chosen headphones are volume limited, don’t let children wear them for hours on end. Even at 85dB prolonged headphone usage is not recommended.

Always remember that corded headphones pose a strangulation risk to young children, and as such most warn against under-threes wearing them unsupervised. One solution is wireless headphones, although these cost more and require regular battery charging. If you can afford it, Bluetooth kids headphones are well worth consideration.

We have tested and reviewed here a couple of headphones that use bone-conduction technology that means there is no sound going into the ear at all. Such headphones rely on sound being transmitted through vibrations on the bones of the head and jaw. Sound therefore bypasses the eardrum and relays sound directly to the inner ear.

More data on the dangers to kids hearing are listed below the recommended kids headphones below.

Best headphones for kids 2024

iClever BTH22 Kids Bluetooth Headphones – Best value kids wireless headphones

Pros

• Wireless
• Sound quality
• Volume limited (74/85dB)
• Lower volume at higher frequencies
• Long battery life
• Fold and swivel

Best Prices Today: $21.99 at Amazon

The iClever BTH22 Kids Wireless Headphones are great value for money, offer an excellent battery life for Bluetooth headphones, and are light and comfortable with an adjustable headband.

Sound quality is fine (with a tendency to bassiness) for a pair of headphones in this price range, and there are two volume settings: the standard 85dB still sounded quite loud in our tests; we preferred the 74dB volume setting. Note that these volume settings are set by holding two of the buttons together, and could be switched by a savvy child.

iClever claims that the BTH22 also lowers the volume of high frequencies (2-4KHz) that are prone to cause hearing damage. We didn’t test these in an audio lab so can’t confirm or deny this feature but anything that can help reduce ear damage is a plus. We’ve tested quieter, but these often raised complaints from our helpful child testers, so if you can trust your child not to wear these at full volume for hours on end, you should be ok.

Pairing via Bluetooth 5.4 was easy after fully charging the headphones, and they also come with a detachable cable for those times when you’ve forgotten to charge the headphones up beforehand. A microphone is included, too. Battery life is claimed at 60 hours on wireless (longer than the BTH12, reviewed below), and they charge via the included USB-C cable.

There are easy-to-use basic controls on the earpiece: volume, play/pause, next/previous track, answer/end phone calls, and reject call.

Conveniently, they fold into a small and robust shape, although exactly how robust they are depends on your child, of course! They can also swivel round to face the front when hanging from the neck, which apparently kids think is cool.

Belkin SoundForm Mini – Great value kids wireless headphones

Pros

• Wireless
• Sound quality
• Volume limited (85dB)
• Simple button controls
• 4 color options

Cons

• Not foldable

Best Prices Today: $27.35 at Amazon

These popular wireless kids headphones are from premium accessory maker Belkin, and are available in pink, blue, white and black.

In terms of sound quality, they are as good as the iClever BTH22, reviewed above. They are a little smaller in size and don’t have the fancy RGB lighting effects found on the iClever BTH12 reviewed below, but they are very smart in appearance. They aren’t foldable, which makes them a little vulnerable in storage compared to others.

The SoundForm Mini headphones feature large, simple and easy-to-use control buttons: volume, play/pause, next/previous track, answer/end phone calls, and reject call.

Maximum volume is limited to 85dB. We’d have preferred a lower option, like the 74dB possible with some of the iClever kids headphones—although that option is quite easily circumvented with some button pushing. The 85dB is not super loud and as long as your child isn’t wearing for hours, little long-term harm should be done.

The headphones are comfortable and not overly childish in appearance—although they do come with some stickers for fun customization.

Battery life is claimed at 30 hours. An audio cable is included for when the battery gives up. Charging is thankfully via USB-C and not MicroUSB still found on some headphones.

There’s a built-in microphone that means can talk to friends or teachers when in a remote learning situation.

iClever BTH12 Kids Bluetooth Headphones – Three volume settings and lightshow

Pros

• Wireless
• Sound quality
• Volume limited (74/85/94dB)
• Long battery life
• Foldable
• 8 color options
• LED lights

Best Prices Today: $36.99 at Amazon

Like the slightly cheaper BTH12, the iClever BTH12 Kids Wireless Headphones offer great value for money, comfort, and long battery life, with the added feature of multicolored LEDs on the earcups.

Sound quality, controls and comfort are very similar to the BTH22, but these are slightly heavier at 200g compared to the 160g BTH22 and have a 55-hour rather than 60-hour battery life.

The BTH12 offers a special 94dB (“Travel”) volume setting alongside the 74dB and 85dB volume limits. At 94dB we found them too loud but older kids might demand the extra volume and we understand that on a plane or in the car, you might need more volume to drown out the background noise. We still prefer to keep volume to a minimum to protect hearing but the option is there if you find 85dB is too low.

If you want to run the battery down a little quicker or just look the coolest kid at the party, then turn on the multicolored LEDs on each earpiece—there are four light settings. You can turn them off again with the press of a button.

Puro Sound BT2200 Plus – Best non-kiddy kids headphones

Pros

• Wireless
• Sound quality
• Volume limited (85dB)
• 6 color options

Cons

• Louder than some
• Not foldable
• Pricey

Best Prices Today: $99 at Amazon

While many kids headphones are quite plastic-y the Puro Sound Labs BT2200 headphones look more like a high-end adult audio product, and the cost reflects this, too. These are a big step up from most of the cheaper headphones listed here.

The BT2200 were one of our favorite kids headphones and they have now been updated to the BT2200 Plus.

You don’t get just a more stylish, less kiddy look. The audio quality of these headphones is also noticeably higher, even when using Bluetooth.

Wireless headphones are great if you’ve had too many cables damaged by a child yanking them around, or you’re worried about the cable wrapping around a small neck.

Volume is limited to 85dB, and we found that this was more than sufficient. DSP-based volume-limiting means that the electronics actively monitor volume levels, with the limiter kicking in only when the sound reaches 85dB.

These headphones go further than just limiting the volume. They also block background noise, attenuating 83 percent of sound at 1kHz. This reduces the need to turn them up to a dangerous level even when in a noisy environment such as an airplane.

The comfortable ear cushions also help block outside noise. You can change between on-ear and over-ear cushions depending on preference. The ear cups and headband are made of durable aluminum, while the ear cushion and band cover are made from protein leather.

There are available in black, blue, green, purple, teal and pink.

Using Bluetooth means that these headphones need to be charged, and the “up to 20 hours” of battery life should be enough for most journeys. They charge via USB-C cable rather than fiddly microUSB, which is often found on kids headphones.

If the battery does run out there’s a detachable cable included. Volume controls are situated on the left earpiece.

The Puro Sound Labs BT2200 Plus headphones certainly cost more than most kids headphones but the higher audio quality, build and wireless function make them serious contenders as our favorites.

Belkin SoundForm Inspire Wireless Over-Ear Headset for Kids – Best kids wireless headphones with boom microphone

Pros

• Wireless
• Sound quality
• Volume limited (85dB)
• Boom mic
• Foldable
• 2 color options

Cons

• Boom mic not detachable

Best Prices Today: $34.99 at Amazon

Belkin is a trusted name in the world of audio, and its SoundForm range of headphones and earbuds now has a set made specially for children. Its SoundForm Inspire, connecting via Bluetooth 5.2, are our choice headphones for older kids.

Reasonably priced, well made and comfortable the SoundForm Inspire headphones sound great. They also have a flip-up boom microphone—sadly not detachable—that can be useful in online lessons or just chatting to their friends. if using the microphone is important for video calls or online learning, a boom mic is advisable.

Volume is limited to 85dB. if you want a similar set with lower volume limiting, check out the BuddyPhones Cosmos+, reviewed below, which also boast premium sound quality.

Fast USB-C charging withs up to 35 hours of playtime on a full charge means you should have time to power them up. But if the battery has faded you can use the included 3.5mm audio cable to plug directly into the audio source. The cable can also be used in “RockStar Mode” to share audio with another SoundForm user.

We appreciate that they are made with recycled plastic products, and 100% plastic-free packaging.

They might not have the cute stickers that some kids’ headphones offer and they look quite conventional, but that may well appeal to older kids who don’t want to their cool cans to have princess or animal themes.

ONANOFF BuddyPhones School+ – Best kids budget wired headphones with boom microphone

Pros

• Sound quality
• Volume limited (85dB)
• Detachable boom mic
• Foldable
• 4 color options

Cons

• Not wireless

Best Prices Today: $17.99 at Amazon

These excellent kids headphones are built for home-schooling and remote learning, with a quality boom microphone built into the BuddyJackCable, which also allows another headset to be added to the one source.

It also comes with a mic-less cable if you don’t need the microphone.

Audio quality is great for both wearer and listener. The kid-safe volume-limiting (85dB) works a treat, and isn’t either too loud or too quiet, and it features effective passive noise cancellation.

The over-ear headphones are comfortable and adjustable, and come with a bunch of stickers for customization. There are color options from Blue, Pink and Green to Yellow, and a carry bag is included.

The headphones aren’t wireless, so you may need an adapter for modern phones or tablets that don’t come with a headphone jack.

PuroBasics – Best wired kids headphones

Pros

• Sound quality
• Volume limited (85dB)
• Foldable
• 6 color options

Cons

• Not wireless

Best Prices Today: $29 at Amazon

Another set of winners from Puro Labs, which has several different models of kids headphones, are the PuroBasic—which we have to presume is the entry-level for this quality brand.

The sound is good for an inexpensive pair of headphones. Volume is limited—not so much that you can’t hear much (a common complaint) but enough that I’d count these as fairly loud.

They are comfortable and adjustable, with the soft ear cups made from vegan leather in a lightweight, flexible plastic frame.

PuroBasic are wired headphones (with 3.5mm jack), so you’ll need an adapter if you want to use these with a phone or tablet without a headphone jack.

They are available in Red, Blue, Pink, Black, Purple and Green.

iClever Meow Cookie Wireless Kids Headphones

Pros

• Wireless
• Sound quality
• Volume limited (74/85dB)
• Fun lighted cat ears
• 2 color options

Best Prices Today: $29.99 at Amazon

These fun kids headphones are similar in sound and audio specs to the iClever BTH22 reviewed above but feature peaky cats ears on the top of the band, and these can be set to various static or flashing light patterns. They are definitely more “kiddy” than the BTH22 but most of the nice things we say about the BTH22 are relevant with the Meow Cookie, technically the BTH21.

We actually like that the volume limiter don’t include the BTH12’s 94dB setting, which we think is too loud for kids. Even the 85dB setting is too loud in our book, so the 74dB setting is appreciated.

Because of the ears they don’t fold, but the ear cups can swivel. You also get some cute kitten stickers thrown in for free.

An alternative cat-ear headphone series is the ONANOFF BuddyPhones PlayEars+, reviewed further down.

Puro Sound Labs PuroQuiet – Best noise-cancelling kids headphones

Pros

• Wireless
• Sound quality
• Volume limited (85dB)
• Noise cancelling
• 4 color options

Cons

• Louder than some
• Not foldable
• Fiddly MicroUSB charging
• Pricey

Also from Puro are the PuroQuiet kids headphones, which are a class apart from most of the cheaper headphones reviewed here.

They are not just volume-limited (to the standard 85dB) but offer active noise-cancelling (up to 22dB). Just flick the ANC switch on the right ear cup, and background noise is filtered out, and the audio quality improves significantly.

There are volume buttons on the left cup, with the power on/off switch. The volume did sound a little higher than some of the other headphones—not excessively so, but still noticeable. If you can trust your child not to keep pushing volume up, then you shouldn’t have any problems.

Using Bluetooth, the PuroQuiet do away with a cable, which also reduces risks of injury by entanglement. The wireless pairing was simple. In case you forget to charge the headphones (via the included microUSB cable), there’s a detachable cable included, as well as a nice carry case to protect them when not in use.

Available in Blue, Pink, Red and Teal, PuroQuiet is at the higher end of the price scale but warranted for the build quality, which is excellent. These headphones seem built to last compared to some of the cheaper plastic sets. If you can afford the extra you get your money’s worth.

Puro JuniorJams – Excellent sound but quite loud

Pros

• Wireless
• Sound quality
• Volume limited (85dB)
• Foldable
• 6 color options

Cons

• Louder than some

Best Prices Today: $79 at Amazon

At the less expensive end of the Puro Sound Labs wireless range are the JuniorJams Plus, which have recently been updated to swap to a superior USB-C charger away from fiddly MicroUSB. If you want much-cheaper Puro headphones, look for the PuroBasic wired headphones.

These wireless, lightweight foldable on-ear headphones feature volume limiting (to the standard 85dB) are look as good as their pricier siblings, the BT2200 and PuroQuiet.

Sound quality is excellent—possibly the best we’ve heard on a kids product, and these look and feel like quality products.

That said, we found the maximum volume to be much higher than others tested here—this may be no bad thing as some find the volume limiters too quiet, but these headphones can go louder than others tested here.

As such, you need to trust your child to not pump the volume up when you’re not around, and definitely not for the very young.

A cable is included so you can connect two headsets and then share via Bluetooth to a single phone or other music-giving devices.

That cable can also be used to connect to a phone (with a headphone jack or adapter, of course) if the batteries run out of juice for wireless play—which Puro claims is 22 hours.

Control buttons are located at the bottom of the right ear cup to play music, answer/reject calls and volume up/down.

They come in a durable soft carrying bag, plus all the cables you need to connect and charge.

PowerLocus Bobo Kids Wireless Headphones – Well-designed kids headphones

Pros

• Wireless
• Volume limited (74/85/94dB)
• Long battery life
• Foldable
• Bold case
• LED lights

Best Prices Today: $21.99 at Amazon

This is a good-looking, comfortable pair of headphones, available in two bold colors, boosted with RGB LED lights. They are not overly kiddy but probably not for older teens.

There are three volume limits: a quiet 74dB that is fine for spoken word or music in low-level environments, then louder 85dB and 94dB. The upper limit is meant for noisy airplane use when some extra volume is required. It’s reasonably easy to bump up to this higher volume so you’ll need to trust your kids to stick to the lower decibels if volume limiting is a must-have for you.

The audio quality is a little too bassy for my liking but the audio quality is on a par with the iClever and Belkin kids headphones, reviewed above.

You can connect two sets of headphone to two devices at the same time using the included Y Share Plug adapter. There’s also a cable for wired connection if the batteries have run down.

ONANOFF BuddyPhones Cosmos+ – Great for range of volume limiting

Pros

• Wireless
• Sound quality
• Volume limited (75/85/94dB)
• Detachable boom mic
• Foldable
• 6 color options

Cons

• Too childish for older kids

Best Prices Today: $79.99 at Amazon

The quality wireless Cosmos+ sound as good as we’ve heard for a set of kids headphones, and they’ve got everything you need, including a detachable boom microphone for video calls.

The improved audio quality is down to the active noise cancellation, which works excellently.

There are three safe-audio modes: “Toddler Mode” is set to an ear-protecting 75dB; “Kids Mode” goes up to 85db; and “Travel Mode” ups the volume to 94db to block out background noise. Ignore the “toddler” label and try to stick to the lower levels for all ages if possible.

A Study Mode isolates voices from other sounds, producing clearer vocals to help when studying during online learning.

The Cosmos+ are comfortable and suitable for all but the youngest heads. The audio controls are easy to use, and pairing is simple to setup.

They come in a sturdy travel case, and charge via USB-C rather than fiddly microUSB. There’s a separate audio cable when you want to use them wired if the 24-hour battery runs out.

One thing we didn’t like was the childish and rather gender-specific outer earpiece graphics, which might put off older children, but there’s plenty of color choices as they are available in Cool Blue (DJ graphics), Rose Pink (Princess), Sun Yellow (Lion), Grey Matter (Scientist), Deep Blue (Pirate), and Snow White (Unicorn).

For a more subdued but similar premium option, consider teh Belkin SoundForm Inspire, reviewed above, which are also significantly cheaper.

myFirst Headphones BC Wireless Lite – Best off-ear headset

Pros

• Wireless
• Protects eardrums
• 2 color options

Best Prices Today: $19.99 at Amazon

Another set of Bluetooth open-ear headphones that transmit sound via the cheekbones using bone-conduction technology is myFirst’s BC Wireless Lite. Don’t worry about decibel levels affecting the eardrums as these headphones don’t actually site in the ear.

This clever tech means you are not firing noise into your child’s eardrum, and kids can listen to music while remaining more alert outside than with cans covering their ears.

The sound is surprisingly good considering your are listening to vibrations through your bone rather than having the sound played right into your ears. As with other such headphones, they do lack some bass but for kids use they work and sound just fine.

They also include a microphone.

They feel comfortable but if your child is used to over-ear headphones it might take a little getting used to. At 26g, they are super lightweight. They ship with a USB-C charging cable (yay, no microUSB!) and some earplugs and stickers. Available in rather gender-based Pink or Blue.

Available direct and also via Amazon in the US, UK shipping does push the cost up.

Snuggly Rascals – Best alternative kids headphones

Pros

• Volume limited (85dB)
• Seem quieter than others
• Keeps head warm
• 6 color options

Best Prices Today: $19.99 at Amazon

We like a product that tries something different, and that’s the case with Snuggly Rascals over-ear children headphones. These wrap around the child’s head and are adjustable with Velcro. It will even keep little ones’ ears warm, and they won’t fall off or break as easily as normal headphones.

They’re super comfortable, and you can’t feel the flat speakers through the material.

The sound quality was good, even through the fleece and a child’s long hair. Although specified as a maximum of 85 decibels it’s at the quieter end of the audio spectrum in reality, which will please many parents keen to protect their kids’ hearing.

The speakers can be removed and the headband popped into the washing machine.

There’s a range of great designs: Monster, Unicorn, Plane, Giraffe, Penguin, Piggy, Chicken, and Cat.

At the time of writing, Snuggly Rascals were sadly no longer available in the U.K.

ONANOFF BuddyPhones Play+ – Best kids headphones controls

Pros

• Wireless
• Volume limited (75dB/85/94dB)
• Foldable
• 5 color options

Cons

• Might be too childish for older kids

Best Prices Today: $37.88 at Amazon

ONANOFF make a wide range of kids headphones, with Play+ standing out with its excellent manual controls.

These wireless headphones are easy to pair over Bluetooth and are volume-limited to 85db. But they go further, with a quieter 75dB limit in Toddler Mode (recommended), and a Travel Mode that does go louder at 94dB.

There’s also a Study Mode that noticeably enhances spoken voice for online learning purposes, but is also great for audiobooks.

They are comfortable, lightweight, adjustable and foldable, and come with a light store-away bag.

Audio quality is good for kids’ headphones, and there are side-mounted controls for volume, pause/play, back and forwards, etc. A microphone is built-in.

You can attach an audio cable for those times when the battery runs out. A matching USB-C cable is also included for charging.

Choose from a range of course including gray, light and dark blue, yellow and pink. There are even a few stickers to personalize the ear cans.

ONANOFF BuddyPhones PlayEars+ – Cute kids headphones

Pros

• Wireless
• Volume limited (75/85/94dB)
• Foldable
• 4 color options

Cons

• Might be too childish for older kids

Best Prices Today: $59.99 at Amazon

This four-model range of kids headphones is based on the BuddyPhones Play+ range reviewed above, but with the addition of pretend animal ears. Everything else is the same, with 85dB volume-limiting and different modes for various environments.

Choose from Cat, Dog, Fox or Bear ears and colors. Each box also includes four embossed animal-themed stickers.

JLab Audio Jbuddies

Pros

• Wireless
• Volume limited (85dB)
• Foldable
• 2 color options

Cons

• Fiddly MicroUSB charging

Best Prices Today: $24.99 at Amazon

The JLab Audio JBuddies are well-made wireless kids headphones that limit volume to 85dB.

They are comfortable with foam cushions, and they fold to save space and keep them safe when not in use. They would suit ages 8 and up more than tiny tots, and the design is pretty gender and age neutral.

Audio quality is fine for the price.

Bluetooth is great as it removes any cord safety issues, although you must remember to keep them charged as they don’t (unlike some others tested here) come with a detachable cable for wired listening.

Battery life is stated as 13 hours—long enough for even a long-haul flight, although we’d recommend some sleep instead! Other kids headphones we’ve tested boast longer battery life. We also prefer charging via USB-C rather than old-fashioned and fiddly MicroUSB as used here.

One annoyance was the instructions that didn’t explain the “automatic” Bluetooth connection adequately—the secret is to hold the power button for 30 or so seconds until it flashed blue and red.

BuddyPhones POP – can go quite loud

Pros

• Wireless
• Volume limited (85/94dB)
• Foldable
• 4 color options

Cons

• May be too childish for older kids
• Louder than some

Best Prices Today: $29.99 at Amazon

These wireless headphones have two “safe-sound” settings: Safe Mode at 85dB and Pop Mode at 94dB. While volume-limited headphones can sometimes be too quiet, in our opinion, 94dB is too loud for sensitive ears—indeed it really should be regarded as too loud for older ears too. The user or, we hope, parent can switch between modes by holding the + and – volume buttons at the same time—maybe not the most-difficult safeguard to get round.

The audio quality is very good for such an affordable pair of wireless headphones. A microphone is built in, and a charging cable is included. If the battery runs out, you can switch to wired mode with the adapter cable.

The design is more for younger rather than older kids, and each of the four color models comes with a set of four quality stickers. The headphones fold up for easy storage and travel.

JVC HA-KD5 Tiny Phones – Kids headphones you can decorate

Pros

• Volume limited (85dB)
• 2 color options

Cons

• Not wireless
• Not foldable

Best Prices Today: $16.11 at Amazon

The JVC Tiny Phones (HA-KD5) are well made, and feature comfortable soft padding, which also restricts noise leakage. The headband is wide and seems robust.

They are available in two vivid models (pink/purple and yellow/blue) with obvious girl/boy choices. They are built for ages 4 and up. Again, they’d expand to fit most (even adult) heads.

The volume limiter (85dB) is good—slightly louder than the Griffin MyPhones but much more acceptable than others on test.

The cord is 0.8m, which is about right for laptop/tablet/phone use but might require an extender for TV viewing.

You need to have these headphones on the right way round for comfort. There’s an R and L to show the correct side, but if your kid doesn’t know his or her left from right you may get a complaint every other time they’re put on incorrectly. Hey, maybe it’ll teach them their left from their right!

A bonus with the JVC kids headphones is customisability. The child can decorate the headphones using the supplied stickers that include letters and pictures. We had the purple/pink set in for the test and the stickers included hearts, wands, teddies and bunnies—so I’d hope the blue/yellow pair come with some less cutesy stickers!

To be fair you could slap any old stickers on these or any of the headphones on test here, but it’s a gimmick that will attract some parents—and most kids!

We liked the JVC HA-KD5 Tiny Phones. They’re not too tiny and should fit most kids’ heads so the name might needlessly put some parents off.

FAQ

1.

Are headphones bad for children’s ears?

Medical experts have reported that 12.5% of children and adolescents aged 6–19 years have suffered permanent damage to their hearing as a result of earphones and devices turned to a high volume. And with kids spending around 5 hours a day watching or using screens, the risk to hearing is frightening to consider. Putting adult headphones on to your child’s head could endanger their hearing, as they emit sound as loud as 94-110dB. Dedicated kids headphones with volume limiting are better but not 100% safe if used for long periods of time.

Loud noise can damage the structures, hair cells and nerve fibers in the inner ear that respond to sound and transmit sound to the brain. Such hearing loss is known as Noise-Induced Hearing Loss (NIHL), and it can’t be medically corrected but it is preventable.

Less than two minutes at 110dB could damage anyone’s ears. Noise damages hearing and leads to hearing loss and tinnitus. With prolonged exposure or sudden very loud noises, the auditory nerve may degenerate.

2.

How loud should kids headphones be?

Limiting the volume on headphones you give to your kids is obviously a wise decision if you want to help protect their hearing, but some experts warn against children using any type of headphones.

While the World Health Organization (WHO) and EU state that 85dB is an effective safety limit, the US Environmental Protection Agency and US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) recommends 70dB as the average daily noise exposure level. That 85dB level is derived from occupational studies of noise exposure and hearing loss for adults, not children.

The average face-to-face conversation registers at around 60 dB.

The trouble is that 70dB is quiet and will likely not drown out ambient noise, so 85dB (equal to a lawnmower or leaf blower) becomes the norm despite it being potentially damaging to a young person’s hearing.

Children’s ears are more sensitive to noise damage, due to growth and development of nerve fibres and other cells. Also because of their smaller external auditory canals, the eardrum is closer to the sound source.

Daniel Fink MD, who serves on the Board of the American Tinnitus Association, warns: “An industrial-strength occupational noise exposure level (85dB) meant for truck drivers, factory workers and miners is far too loud for a child’s delicate ears, which have to last her or him a lifetime.”

A sensible compromise would be to invest in a decent set of headphones that limits volume, but also limit the length of time children wear them.

Many smartphones and tablets let you monitor your headphone volume. iPhones and iPads do this in the Health app, under Hearing and Headphone Audio Levels. Some Android phones let you set a volume limit, too. And the Google Play store has apps that limit volume, such as Volume Limiter.

3.

How long should children wear headphones?

Listening to one song at a high volume will probably not likely damage a child’s hearing in the long-term. But prolonged high-volume listening will damage children’s (and adult!) hearing over time.

Experts suggest that the time spent listening to headphones should be limited to two hours a day (for children and adults), even if the volume is limited at 85dB.

Encourage children to take listening breaks. The damage is cumulative, so a proper break every hour can give the inner-ear’s hair cells a rest.

4.

Are wireless headphones dangerous for children?

Wireless headphones are not inherently dangerous for children. In fact, they offer a level of safety in that there is no long cord that could get wrapped around a child’s neck and strangle then.

Children, especially the very young, like to use their mouths and new teeth, so are likely to chew on a wired headphones’ cord.

The biggest danger with wireless headphones is that, unlike wired headphones, they require charging and so may run out of battery, leaving the headphones unusable until recharged.

5.

Should children wear in-ear headphones, earbuds or AirPods?

For young children, it’s best to avoid earbuds, such as ArPods, that are inserted into the ear canal. Earbuds can seriously damage a child’s ear health. On-ear or over-ear headphones are a much better choice.

Choose on-ear or over-ear headphones with soft ear cups that comfortably fit your child’s ears and provide both cushioning and protection—choosing dedicated kids headphones should mean that they are built for smaller heads.

Look for headphones with soft ear cups, perhaps made of plush leather, so that they provide your little ones with enough cushion and protection. And chose a pair with an adjustable headband.

6.

Should a toddler wear headphones?

Toddlers can wear headphones but make sure that they fit our safety recommendation: volume-limited, wireless and comfortable. But remember that prolonged exposure to even relatively high volumes is dangerous, and the younger the ear, the most vulnerable it is.