Most kids will require headphones at some point, whether for school, travel, or simply to save an adult’s sanity. It’s tempting to hand down a pair of adult headphones to children, but this isn’t the best option: Not only are the bigger size and weight of most adult headphones inconvenient for younger children, but the unregulated noise levels of most adult headphones can cause irreversible hearing damage. Instead, we recommend investing in a nice pair of volume-limiting children’s headphones, of which we have various options.
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Puro Sound Labs BT2200s Volume Limited Kids’ Bluetooth Headphones – Safer Headphones for Kids
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The Puro BT2200 is wireless, which is ideal if you’ve had too many cords destroyed by a child dragging them around or are concerned about the line wrapping around a small neck. The maximum volume is 85dBA, which we found to be more than enough. Volume limiting based on DSP implies that the electronics actively monitor volume levels, with the limiter only kicking in when the sound level hits 85dBA.
With a simple on/off switch and volume settings, the Puro Sound Labs BT2200 set connects wirelessly to any Bluetooth-enabled source device. This pair provides a lot of listening time between charges, with a battery life of at least 20 hours. A cable is included in case the headphones run out of power or if you need to use them with a non-Bluetooth device, and the daisy-chain functionality allows you to connect numerous pairs of BT2200 headphones so that multiple children can listen to the same device. This is especially useful when there is just one iPad available.
The BT2200 surpassed all of the other children’s headphones in terms of sound quality. The sound quality of these headphones was significantly superior to that of most competitors, which sounded muddy, muffled, and unpleasant at best. The BT2200 has a pleasant and clean sound, with a good balance of low and high notes. Although younger children may not be as picky about sound quality, the BT2200’s superior audio performance implies that older children are less inclined to covet your headphones.
These headphones do more than just keep the sound down. They also reduce background noise, with 82 percent attenuation at 1kHz. Even in a noisy environment like an airplane, this eliminates the urge to turn them up to a dangerous level. Outside noise is also blocked by the comfy ear cushions. The headband and ear cups are composed of sturdy aluminum, while the ear cushion and band cover are made of leather. Purple, Blue, Pink, and Grey are the colors available.
They use Bluetooth, they must be charged, although the “up to 18 hours” of battery life should be sufficient for most journeys. A detachable cable is available in case the battery runs out. The left earpiece houses the volume controls. The Puro Sound Labs BT2200 headphones are more expensive than typical children’s headphones, but their superior audio quality, build quality, and wireless capability make them viable competitors for our top pick.
JLab JBuddies Play Gaming Wireless Kids Headset
- Volume Safe: Built-in volume regulator ensures kids never listen past 85db...
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The JLab JBuddies Studio Wireless’ plush cushioning, full controls, and more grown-up design should appeal to style-conscious elementary and tween-age youngsters if you’re wanting to spend a little less money on headphones for your 5- to 12-year-old. The buttons are wide and easy to press, and the 24-hour battery should last most kids several days of listening. This variant also comes with a detachable wire that may be used to connect to non-Bluetooth devices or to connect two pairs of JBuddies headphones for device sharing. In our tests, the sound wasn’t our favorite, but this pair was still fun to listen to. The JBuddies Studio Wireless is tough and comes with a two-year JLab warranty.
The JLab Audio JBuddies are high-quality wireless children’s headphones with an 85dB volume restriction. They have foam cushions for added comfort, and they fold up to conserve room and keep them safe when not in use. They’d be more appropriate for children aged 8 and up, and the design is gender and age neutral.
The JLab JBuddies Play’s retractable boom mic is brilliant. Putting a microphone on a small stick aimed at a child’s face is one of the most cost-effective ways to reduce background noise and improve voice clarity—but not every child wants to look like a telemarketer when they’re not using the microphone, such as when they’re watching streaming TV shows or listening to music. When that happens, the JBuddies Play’s microphone retracts into the earcup, reverting this set to regular Bluetooth headphones. (The microphone is still operational in this position.)
For the price, the audio quality is adequate. Bluetooth is fantastic because it eliminates any chord safety concerns, but you must remember to keep them charged because they don’t come with a detachable cable for wired listening (unlike some of the others reviewed here). The battery life is claimed to be 13 hours, which is long enough for a long-haul travel, though we advocate sleeping instead!
Puro Sound Labs JuniorJams Volume Limiting Headphones for Kids 3+ Protect Hearing
- HEAR TO PROTECT: Ordinary headphones let kids jam out at any volume...
The JuniorJams are at the lower end of the Puro Sound Labs wireless range. PuroBasic wired headphones are a great way to save money on Puro headphones. These wireless, foldable on-ear headphones are as good as their more expensive brothers, the BT2200 and PuroQuiet, and offer volume limiting (to the typical 85dB).
The sound quality is superb – maybe the finest we’ve heard on a children’s device – and these products appear to be of high quality. However, we found the maximum level to be significantly greater than the other headphones we tested here – this may not be a negative thing because some people find the volume limiters to be too low, but these headphones can go louder than we’d want on our heads, let alone a child’s. As a result, you must trust your child not to turn up the volume when you are not present, especially for the very young. A cable is available to connect two headsets and then share music with a single phone or other music-playing device through Bluetooth.
If the batteries run out of juice for wireless play – which Puro estimates is 22 hours – that cable may be used to connect to a phone (with a headphone jack or adaptor, of course). To play music, answer/reject calls, and adjust the volume, use the control buttons on the bottom of the right ear cup. They come with a nice carrying bag and all of the necessary wires to connect and charge them.
Onanoff BuddyPhones Explore+
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- KEY FEATURES: Added comfort and convenience for little explorers that...
- SLEEK, NEW LOOK: Redesigned with a sleek, new look, our bestselling...
The Onanoff BuddyPhones Explore+ is a low-cost corded headphone set with a lot of intelligent features that’s sized for the tiniest kids (up to roughly age 5) and developed with a lot of considerate features. The chassis is comprised of a thicker, more flexible plastic that seems less fragile than that of many similarly priced competitors. The BuddyPhones Explore+ proved to be durable enough to withstand a respectable amount of abuse in our tests, which is critical when dealing with toddler headphones. The earcups are lined with a soft fabric and high-quality foam, making them comfortable for children who are sensitive to sensory overload.
The chord is detachable, reducing the possibility of snagging (or snagging something else) for a child, and it has an analog headphone jack-style splitter for device sharing. Although the microphone picks up more background noise than a boom mic, the single-button remote and microphone on the cord can be used for calls or online learning. The Onanoff BuddyPhones School+ is essentially identical to the Explore+ except the cord has a permanently attached boom mic if your child requires one.
The BuddyPhones Explore+ pair folds up and comes with a carrying bag for convenience, and artsy youngsters will adore the five color options and included fun decals that let them customise the design. Manufacturing flaws are covered by a one-year warranty.
iClever TransNova Kids Bluetooth Headphones Light Up with Replaceable Plate
- 【TransNova Kids Headphones】: Why settle for headphones that look the...
- 【3 Safe Volume Limiter】: Protect your child's hearing thanks to the...
- 【Stereo Sound & Built-in Mic】: Kids need high-quality sound too. These...
The iClever TransNova (BTH16) Kids Wireless Headphones provide outstanding value for money, have a long battery life for Bluetooth headphones, are light and comfy with an adjustable headband, and have multicolored LEDs and different removable earcup plates.
For a pair of headphones in this price category, the sound quality is excellent (with a propensity toward bassiness), and the volume is limited to 85dB, which sounded pretty loud. After completely charging the headphones, pairing through Bluetooth 5.0 was simple, and they also come with a detachable wire for those times when you forget to charge them.
Play, pause, next/previous music, answer/end phone calls, and activate Siri are all available on the earpiece. Turn on the multicolored LEDs on each earpiece if you want to drain the battery faster or just appear like the coolest kid at the party. With the click of a button, you can turn them off again.
They fold up into a small and sturdy shape to fit into the durable but colorful travel/storage container, albeit how sturdy they are varies entirely on your child! The BTH12 or BTH03 are less expensive, but the newer BTH16 has nearly double the battery life and comes with more exciting attachments.