There can be a wide variety of reasons that you’re looking to buy earbuds for kids.
Your son or daughter may be old enough to request a set in order to listen to their music.
Maybe you’ve got their safety in mind! You want to focus on this by buying earbuds which reduce the sound your child is exposed to when visiting a noisy environment.
As we observe the advances made by technology in recent years, even school work is being carried out on computers and iPads. Whether this is done at home or at school, it’d be highly beneficial if your son or daughter had their own set of in-ear headphones.
Buying the best earbuds certainly means one thing. You won’t be disturbed by playful nursery tunes your children will be listening to!
Safe In-Ear Headphones for Kids
At some point you’ve probably thought of lending your child a pair of your old earbuds. However, you probably realised that adult models aren’t made to be used by young children. This is because the sound and bass capacity of these sets can have a detrimental effect on the hearing of a child.
Due to this, you’ll need to develop a strategy to find a product that’s not only safe but also provides a great value. While you’ll obviously need to find a set that incorporates an attractive look, you also need the product to combine a range of safe and essential features.
Best Safe-Listening EarBuds & Headphones For Kids
[table id=29 responsive=flip /]The Best Earbuds for Children
Etymotic Research EREK-5-BLACK EtyKids – Great for the whole family!
When you first have a look at the Etymotics, they definitely don’t look like a pair of earbuds suited for children. Therefore, if you’re expecting a fancy cool design with lots of colours then this won’t be your first choice. However, the design shouldn’t be the only thing you should look at. This is because these Etymotics are definitely the best in the in-ear style.
They’ll definitely maximize safety by limiting the sound output. This means that you won’t constantly have to check up on the volume as it’ll never go over the safety limits but some monitoring is always advisable. However, one point worth mentioning is that this set is designed for children over 4 years old. On top of this, if your child is sensitive to loud noise, then this would be perfectly suitable to use.
When you test out the music, you’ll find that the sound quality is fantastic. Adults as well as children can use this without issues. However, you might need a little more volume to be able to fully enjoy your music. Blocking out external sound is another essential feature when you’re looking at these products. While this style is known to have below-par sound cancellation, these Etymotics will do well to block sufficient sound to ensure that your children remain protected in noisy areas.
The plug-like design can be a bit tricky to insert into the ear and this will be one feature which may prove to be a drawback of this model. However, there are different sizes of tips included and once you find the right fit, your child would experience great comfort while wearing this model.
In overview, the price associated with this set is relatively inexpensive and with all the features that we get, it’s definitely worth buying. We’re offered a range of colours which can also be an advantage.
EKids Noise Isolating Earphones MC-M152 – Clean sound. Great isolation. Low durability
EKids is a very popular brand when it comes to kids headphones. They often create sets which are themed around a variety of cartoon characters and TV shows. These MC-M152s are no different as they can be bought in a variety of themes including Hulk, Iron Man and Minnie Mouse. When you try to picture such a product, you’ll probably have a negative opinion already. However, the usual cheap looking design can’t be seen here. In fact, I actually thought that every themed set looked unique and extremely well made.
The inclusion of 3 sizes of buds is useful but may not be enough to fit every ear size. However, if you do manage to find the right fit for your child then the comfort levels are excellent. This is due to the soft material the buds are made of.
While the sound quality is quite average, the noise blocking feature works quite well. This is something that really impressed me especially when I looked at the price. You also get a pouch which will be helpful when travelling. Costing around 10 bucks, this product is definitely a bargain and I’d have no problems with spending that little amount of money if I’m getting a pair of good safe in-ear headphones.
iFrogz IF-ANE-WAL Animatones – Perfect for protecting your children’s hearing
You can probably guess what the design of the Animatones will be based on.
You guessed right!
The design and colour is based on a variety of animals including deer, snake and walrus. While this may not be a factor in your decision to choose the best product, the design does look simple yet quite attractive.
The built-in volume limiting feature is very effective and the sound won’t be able to go over 85 dB. This ensures that the Animatones stay within the safe limits to use by children when it comes to the sound volume. However, the sound quality is below average though this might not matter as your child will be using these in-ear headphones.
The main disadvantage of this model is the price which makes it more costly than the eKids. Despite the high price, the build quality does seem a little bit fragile. It’ll all depend on how your child takes care of these earbuds.
In my opinion, I’d probably avoid this product due to the high price unless your children really like the animal design.
Earbuds for Kids Buyer’s Guide
Are you ready to buy headphones for your kids? Here are some things to look for before purchasing.
Toughness – The first thing to consider when buying headphones for children is their durability. Kids tend to damage things more rapidly than grown people, so durable headphones are a must.
Comfort – This is an important consideration when buying headphones for children as kids get frustrated quickly when they are distressed. Kids tend to break their stuff when they are frustrated, and so they should be as comfortable as possible with their headsets.
Sound level – The right volume level is vital because it helps keep your children comfortable while they use their headsets. An earpiece that is too loud may lead to hearing loss if it goes unnoticed for a long time. Meanwhile, something that is too soft may only irritate the child.
Sound quality – The quality of sound also contributes to the kids’ comfort level. Although it may not be as big of a deal for these little ones as they usually don’t think of such things yet.
Compatibility – Make sure that the headphones you purchase are compatible with the mobile device your child is using. Kids should be able to use the earpieces in as simple a way as possible to avoid any accidents.
Durability – They’re children, and things they own can easily get damaged. So you want to get something nice but still rugged enough to stand the rough handling the headphones might have to live with. Buying headphones not durable enough translates to having to replace them severally.
Features – You should look to getting something that comes with features both you and your child desire. Yours might be volume limiter switch, so as to prevent your child from taking in sounds too loud for their little ears, and of course, Bluetooth. Features your child might love could include noise cancellation, control buttons, adjustable and fold-able bands, bright colors, etc.
Recommended Age – Children’s headphones come with the manufacturer’s age recommendation. Check to confirm if that pair of headphones you and your child love is perfect for your child’s age. You don’t want to buy a Maxwell Safe Soundz, for example, which is for kids aged 6-9 for a teenager.
Budget – Children naturally play a little too hard sometimes, and that makes some of their toys and gadgets break often. It’s reasonable to expect that most parents wouldn’t have a budget that includes replacing expensive children headphones several times a year. If your budget can, then why not!
However, there are cheap but great headphones for children that you wouldn’t have to break the bank to buy.
Final Words about the Best In-Ear Headphones
So you’ve decided to go out and buy a particular set?
Before you actually buy it, let me just say that there’s inconclusive evidence linking the use of these accessories to hearing loss in children. While the evidence isn’t concrete, it certainly would be a cause of concern.
The volume limiting feature does tend to improve things but that can’t be guaranteed. However, if you teach your child to keep the volume low there shouldn’t be any concerns. Some sound leakage is also advisable as this minimizes the true sound exposure to your child.
Taking all of these points into consideration, I’d definitely recommend that you go with the Etymotics. This is a set which has a bit more seriousness about it as everything is straight to the point. There are no cartoon themes or fancy designs but rather a very simple look.
The sound quality is great while the comfort is also pretty good. In conclusion, it can be difficult to find the right set of safe earbuds for kids but choosing any one of the three would be well worth the money.
