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As you age, you are likely to experience some level of hearing loss either because of quick, intense bursts of loud sound or sustained exposure to audio at high volumes. It should come as no surprise that headphones and earphones are often the culprits. In the smartphone and tablet era, kids start listening via headphones from an early age, so the risks of hearing damage apply to them as well. If you want your kid to keep their hearing pristine for as long as possible, you need to make sure they listen at reasonable volumes throughout their childhood.PCMag’s audio analysts have independently tested dozens of kids’ headphones over the past six years, so you can trust that we know what to look for in this category: mainly, volume limiting and a quality design. Our current Editors’ Choice, the EarFun K2 Kids, offers both of those features and impressive bass response for an affordable price. Check out our full review of them and all our other top picks in the list below; each earns its spot for good reason. And if you want to know more before you buy, scroll past the list for some helpful guidance.
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Deeper Dive: Our Top Tested Picks
EarFun K2 Kids
Best Value
Why We Picked ItThe EarFun K2 Kids headphones look a little more grown-up than most others we test in this category and sound better too thanks to their commendable bass response. They offer two volume limiting modes (85dB and 94dB), sport an over-ear design that helps passively reduce surrounding noise, last up to 40 hours per charge, and use up-to-date Bluetooth standards. Best of all, they cost less than $30.Who It’s ForFor kids who care about sound quality, the K2 Kids headphones offers the AAC codec for better-than-basic streaming fidelity on Apple devices. Parents on a strict budget should also like the affordable price.
PROS
Affordable
Impressive bass
Comfortable earpads and headband
CONS
The 94dB listening mode is too loud and too easy to access
Weak mic signal
SPECS
Name
Value
Type
Circumaural (over-ear)
Wireless
True Wireless
Connection Type
Bluetooth, Stereo 3.5mm, USB-C
Water/Sweat-Resistant
Active Noise Cancellation
Learn More
EarFun K2 Kids Review
Happy Plugs Play
Most Grown-Up Design
Why We Picked ItThe Happy Plugs Play offer two main benefits: They sport a stylish Swedish design and don’t get louder than 85dB. That means your kids won’t suddenly outgrow the look and can’t be tempted by a louder listening mode. They also sound balanced, with a focus on the mids and highs. Who It’s ForIf your kid has minimalist design tastes, the Happy Plugs are a great option. They are also particularly suitable for use with Android devices since they support the AptX codec. Just keep in mind that you pay a premium for all these features.
PROS
Balanced, detailed sound signature with a focus on mids and highs
Volume limited to 85dB
Stylish design
CONS
Buttons are difficult to operate
Less bass depth than some kids might want
SPECS
Name
Value
Type
Supra-aural (on-ear)
Wireless
True Wireless
Connection Type
Bluetooth, Stereo 3.5mm, USB-C
Water/Sweat-Resistant
Active Noise Cancellation
Learn More
Happy Plugs Play Review
Onanoff BuddyPhones PlayEars+
Best for Animal Lovers
Why We Picked ItLook at those ears! These are among the few animal-themed headphones we’ve tested. They also ship with various creature stickers that add a level of personalization. All that aside, they reliably limit volume (to either 75, 85, or 94dB) and sound quite good with robust bass depth. Who It’s ForWhether your child likes to dress up or simply enjoys animals, you can’t go wrong with these. A Study mode that prioritizes speech and filters out bass can also be helpful if your kid needs to focus on an instructor during a virtual class session.
PROS
Impressive bass, crisp highs
Includes voice-focused Study mode
Three different volume limit settings
CONS
94dB volume mode is loo loud
Supports only the SBC Bluetooth codec
SPECS
Name
Value
Type
Supra-aural (on-ear)
Wireless
True Wireless
Connection Type
Bluetooth, Stereo 3.5mm, USB-C
Water/Sweat-Resistant
Active Noise Cancellation
Learn More
Onanoff BuddyPhones PlayEars+ Review
JLab JBuddies Pro Wireless
Best for Bass Response
Why We Picked ItThe JLab JBuddies Pro Wireless get 35 hours of battery life and deliver a surprisingly rich bass response at safe volumes. They also hide their volume limiter switch behind the fabric of the right earcup, a slight deterrent to your kid increasing the volume limit from 85 to 95dB. Build quality isn’t top-notch, but they still feel comfortable.Who It’s ForThese are a good value for kids who prefer an over-ear design and parents who don’t want to spend a lot. They are easy to travel with too, thanks to their collapsible, exceptionally lightweight design.
PROS
Affordable
Quality audio performance with rich bass depth
Can be used without or without wires
Solid battery life
CONS
Volume limiter switch makes it possible to raise levels
Build quality feels a bit cheap
SPECS
Name
Value
Type
Circumaural (over-ear)
Wireless
True Wireless
Connection Type
Bluetooth, Stereo 3.5mm, USB-C
Water/Sweat-Resistant
Active Noise Cancellation
Learn More
JLab JBuddies Pro Wireless Review
Onanoff BuddyPhones School+
Best Mic Quality
Why We Picked ItMost kids’ headphones we test have lousy built-in mics, but the wired BuddyPhones School+ come with a boom mic that produces a loud, clear signal. They opt for a balanced sound signature with distortion-free bass and plenty of detail in the mids and highs. And you don’t have to worry about recharging these.Who It’s ForIf your kid does a lot of computer-based studying, the wired design and quality mic array of the BuddyPhones School+ make them a smart choice. They also lock the maximum volume to 85dB for safe listening.
PROS
Affordable
Volume limited to 85dB, can’t be disabled
Excellent mic clarity
CONS
No Bluetooth
Audio sounds thin
SPECS
Name
Value
Type
Supra-aural (on-ear)
Wireless
True Wireless
Connection Type
Stereo 3.5mm
Water/Sweat-Resistant
Active Noise Cancellation
Learn More
Onanoff BuddyPhones School+ Review
Onanoff BuddyPhones Pop Fun
Best for Personalization
Why We Picked ItThe Onanoff BuddyPhone Pop Fun don’t compete with other models on sound quality, but they earn a spot on this list because of their customizable design. They ship with color-matched stickers your kid can apply to the earcups and you can preview which ones come with each color variation before you buy. As for volume limiting, they offer 85db and 94dB listening modes.Who It’s ForThese budget-friendly headphones should appeal to kids who want to change how their headphones look every once in a while; it’s possible to remove the stickers without leaving much residue at least once.
PROS
Relatively affordable
Customizable with stickers
Included audio cable allows for wired playback
CONS
94dB volume mode is too loud for kids
Supports just the SBC Bluetooth codec
SPECS
Name
Value
Type
Supra-aural (on-ear)
Wireless
True Wireless
Connection Type
Bluetooth, Stereo 3.5mm, USB-C
Water/Sweat-Resistant
Active Noise Cancellation
Learn More
Onanoff BuddyPhones Pop Fun Review
Skullcandy Grom Wireless
Best for Adjustable Fit
Why We Picked ItThe Skullcandy Grom Wireless headphones look a lot cooler than most kids’ headphones we’ve tested and have an adjustable inner canvas headband strap that accommodates a variety of head sizes and shapes. The on-ear controls work reliably, too, and we like the neat audio sharing feature that works via the right earcup’s 3.5mm input. Finally, they match surprisingly deep bass with sculpted highs for a mostly balanced audio response. Who It’s ForIf your kid is sensitive to how headphones fit or look, this set from Skullcandy should solve both issues. They back up their slick design with quality audio and up to 45 hours of battery life.
PROS
Affordable
Deep bass and sculpted highs
85dB max volume in normal use
Cool design
Adjustable headband strap
CONS
Volume limiter is simple to circumvent
SPECS
Name
Value
Type
Circumaural (over-ear)
Wireless
True Wireless
Connection Type
Stereo 3.5mm, Bluetooth, USB-C
Water/Sweat-Resistant
Active Noise Cancellation
Learn More
Skullcandy Grom Wireless Review
Buying Guide: The Best Kids’ Headphones for 2024
Why Are Wireless Headphones Better for Kids?First off, avoid headphones that don’t offer volume limiting no matter what colorful patterns or popular characters are on the headband. It’s a requirement to make our list due to the hearing problems continuous loud listening can cause.
Onanoff BuddyPhone Pop Fun (Credit: Tim Gideon)
Not every model limits volume in the same way, but our most straightforward advice is to go with Bluetooth headphones. They offer more control, whereas wired headphones partially rely on the internal amplifier of the connected computer, phone, or tablet. In the latter case, the advertised volume limit is more likely a goal rather than a completely accurate specification. Some primarily wireless models ship with audio cables for wired listening that can unlock higher volume levels, but you don’t have to use them.Of course, you can always institute a volume limit directly on your child’s mobile device. In most cases, you can even password-protect these settings so your child can’t change them back. We highly recommend this step for the wired models. Keep in mind that most volume-monitoring apps, like the Health app on iOS devices, merely measure the phone’s volume output, not the output of the headphones themselves. In other words, you can max out the volume on an iPhone and get warnings that the levels are too loud despite the headphones limiting the levels on their end. Since there are several variables at play here, we still recommend keeping the phone’s volume shy of the maximum levels.
4 ways you’re using your headphones totally wrong — Clarification Please
Otherwise, Bluetooth headphones are easier to take around than wired models because they don’t require a cable. And nearly all the devices your kid uses have some sort of Bluetooth support, meaning you don’t have to worry much about compatibility. Some headphones support newer versions of Bluetooth or offer higher-quality codecs than others.The one advantage wired models have is that you don’t have to worry about charging them. That said, most recent headphones we’ve tested can last upward of 20 hours per charge. To make charging easier, make sure to get a product with a USB-C port.Most of the child-friendly models we test have an on-ear or over-ear design since in-ear models aren’t popular with kids. We would like to see some earphones in this space eventually, as different listeners have different comfort preferences. For reference, over-ear models (circumaural) tend to fit more securely and passively block out more surrounding noise than their on-ear counterparts (supra-aural).Why Should Volume Max Out at 85dB for Kids’ Headphones?A volume level of 85dB is a good benchmark because it’s safe to listen to audio at that level for as long as eight hours continuously per The National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH). Ostensibly, kids can listen to headphones at louder levels for shorter periods. Many models include a 94dB mode, for example, that can compensate for airplane cabin rumble or highway noise on a car trip. Be sure your kid takes a break after about an hour since that’s the NIOSH-recommended cutoff. Although we can understand why these high-volume modes exist, we don’t like how easy some are to activate (usually they are just a simultaneous button press or dial turn away). Why leave their discovery up to chance or create opportunities for kids to figure out the way to listen at higher volumes? They might not yet fully understand the consequences of prolonged exposure to loud sound, after all.
Recommended by Our Editors
Skullcandy Grom Wireless (Credit: Tim Gideon)
How Much Should You Spend on Kids’ Headphones?Finally, price is another major factor to consider. Most parents likely don’t want to drop $100 on headphones for themselves, much less their kids, often in fear that those headphones won’t last long. Your kid might quickly outgrow a model with childish stickers or animal ears, for example, or suddenly need something with a better mic array for virtual classes. The good news is that there are plenty of options for under $50. It’s worth noting that some headphones and earphones for adults use apps that allow you to institute volume limits, too. These options are only appropriate for older, more responsible kids since they cost more and might not stand up as well to rough handling. Most kids’ headphones lack an app and thus don’t allow you to adjust the sound with an EQ or otherwise customize the experience.Once you choose the right kids’ headphones, check out our tips on taking care of them and using them the right way.
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