Headphones are an easy way for everyone to enjoy music, movies, gaming, and anything that has to do with audio privately. And more importantly, without including anyone else on what he or she may consider as a fun activity. The problem is that headphones are also complicated and expensive – more so than you may think. 

So, if you want to pick a pair of headphones that are going to serve your kids (And by extension, you) well without busting the bank, here you’ll be able to find some of the best picks and also why they are the best picks!

Things to Keep in Mind

As we mentioned above, knowing what the best headphones are is not enough. You can’t just buy the most expensive option while thinking that it’s also the best one cause that’s simply not true. Different headphones have different strengths and weaknesses. Check out some of them cause the better that you understand these things, the easier that it’ll be to choose something that suits your personal needs. 

• Build quality: This is quite possibly the most important thing when it comes to buying headphones for kids. After all, even teenagers are usually not exactly gentle with their belongings just yet. That’s why you want their headphones to be sturdy and durable

• Volume limitation: Kids are less likely to make an active effort in keeping volume levels low. That’s why many headphones for kids come with built-in volume limitation

• Modularity: Things like replaceable earpads and removable cables can make a huge difference down the line. The extra money that you spend on a headphone with a removable cable can make quite a bit of difference if you only need to replace a 3$ cable rather than a $30 pair of headphones

• Wireless operation: Speaking of wires, there is also the option of not having any at all. Just keep in mind that while wireless headphones are more convenient, they are also a bit harder to set up – especially for kids

• Noise isolation and enclosure: Open-back headphones tend to sound wider and generally more balanced but they offer zero noise isolation. The opposite applies to closed-backs, so, pick whatever fits you best (Even though finding open-backs for kids is very rare)
• Microphone: A necessity for kids who like to chat online/by phone. But whether you want to give yours the option or not is ultimately up to you

Our 5 Best Headphones for Kids

Now that you know what there is to look out for, it’s time to start checking out some headphones. 

Again, don’t forget that there is no option that can beat everything. Each pick has its own pros and cons and you simply need to find something which you think has more pros rather than cons. It’s just that each one of us have our living under different circumstances and certainly with very different kids. That’s why we don’t all share the same idea on what’s good or not. 

For example, if your kid is quite careful with his belongings but lives in a noisy environment, you may want to prioritize noise isolation over build quality. If the opposite is true, prioritize build quality over noise isolation. You get the point. 

And with that out of the way, here are some of our best picks!

1: Puro BT2200

Best Overall Headphones for Kids

While we did mention that the perfect option doesn’t exist, if money isn’t an issue, this is as close as you can get to it! There are still a couple of serious downsides – but let’s start with the positive attributes first.  

• Volume limitation: 85db

• Weight: 0.38 pounds
• Features: Wireless with a removable cable and built-in controls

One of the main reasons that we picked these headphones as quite possibly the best pick in this list is because they allow you to use them both with a cable or wirelessly while also coming with built-in volume restrictions. 

This means that even if you are away and your kid can’t figure out how to connect wirelessly, he/she can still grab the 3.5mm cable and connect it just like that. Just keep in mind that you need the “limiter” cable to stick in the 85db safe-zone. A standard 3.5mm cable will most likely just bypass any hearing protection as it would with a standard pair of headphones. Of course, the BT2200s will keep on working with volume limitation normally while in wireless mode. 

This is very important cause kids are usually not very good with cables and a fully wireless connection can be a bit too complicated for many of them. So, the Puro BT2200 gives you the best of both worlds. 

They also feel very solid and durable. However, the earpads are not exactly sealed in the best way possible. We’d say that ripping them off is quite easy with a mischievous or angry child. And while we’re on the subject, another massive downside is the lack of replaceable earpads. This is somewhat of a big deal for such an expensive pair of headphones (At least as far as kids’ headphones are concerned). 

Pros: 

• Built-in volume limitation 
• On-board controls are a welcome addition
• Removable cable (While in wired use)
• Wireless
• Battery life up to 18 hours
• Very lightweight
• Solid build
• Decent noise isolation
• Lots of padding

Cons: 

• Expensive
• The earpads feel easy to tear and are not replaceable

2: ONANOFF BuddyPhones Explore

Best for Very Young Kids

The BT2200s are a very solid pair of headphones for most ages – except maybe for very young children. After all, what’s the point of getting 80$ headphones for a 3-year-old? Chances are that he/she is not going to appreciate the audio quality anyway. Arguably, 3-year-olds don’t even know what good audio quality means in the first place. 

• Volume limitation: 85db

• Weight: 0.24 pounds
• Features: Removable cord, audio share, and an in-line microphone

Just like with most headphones that are made for kids, you get built-in volume limitation at a maximum allowed level of 85db. 

One interesting feature, however, is audio-share. You basically get a small splitter with the headphones that allows you to connect an additional pair of headphones to the same device. We assume that it should work with different headphones as well and it’s quite useful when you’ve got two kids who need to listen to the same thing in silence – also when you want to share an experience with your child. 

Other than that, the build quality is arguably a bit bad nad toy-like as the headphones are mostly made from cheap plastic. But they also come with a price to match that level of quality. A mischievous kid will definitely be able to snap these with a sideway twist, so, that’s definitely something to keep in mind. 

The removable cord is definitely a huge plus. Though, as per usual, we suppose that you can’t just use any 3.5mm cable as the included one is usually responsible for volume limitation. 

Pros: 

• Relatively cheap
• Extremely lightweight
• Very flexible
• In-line microphone
• Built-in audio share (With the splitter)
• Decent padding on the top 

Cons: 

• Audio quality could be better (Even though a young child is very unlikely to care)
• Snapping them with a sideways twist seems very plausible

3: PuroGamer

Best for Gaming and/or Chatting

Nowadays, it’s not uncommon for relatively old kids to be interested in videogames such as Minecraft and Fortnite. In fact, they are quite popular with them as not only they are fun but also a good way to pass the time with other friends. 

The only problem is that with “normal” headsets, cranking up the volume to unsafe levels is extremely easy. That’s where headsets like the PuroGamer come in with volume limiting. 

• Volume limitation: 85db

• Weight: 0.81 pounds
• Features: Removable microphone and noise cancelation

One of the biggest strengths of this headset compared to the rest that we’ve checked out so far is noise cancelation. Unlike noise isolation which relies on the raw build materials to block out external noises, noise cancelation uses the microphone to re-produce the external noises out of phase, thus, canceling any noises. 

This can be extremely helpful if you are all a noisy family as it won’t bother the kid who is using the headset and you can all co-exist more peacefully. And when you don’t want it to be a gaming headset, simply remove the microphone and you’ve got a solid pair of headphones. 

Just like our previous Puro pick, the biggest downside of the PuroGamer is its price. At about 90 bucks, this headset competes almost directly with the HyperX Cloud 2s – one of the best gaming headsets that we’ve ever seen. Except, it doesn’t really compete at all. It’s inferior in pretty much every way except for the fact that it offers noise canceling that gamers don’t really need anyway.

The only reason that we recommend the PuroGamer over the “actual” gaming headsets like the Clouds is because it comes with built-in volume limitation and a smaller frame that’s suitable for smaller kids. Nothing more. 

Pros: 

• Solid build quality
• Dedicated microphone
• Decent noise isolation thanks to noise cancelation
• One of the few gaming-oriented headphones for kids that also offer volume limitation
• Compatible with all popular platforms

Cons: 

• Expensive
• Non-removable earpads
• A bit heavy

4: Baby Banz

Best Noise Isolation for Toddlers

Headphones for kids are usually made to be small and cute – which makes sense since kids do indeed like those attributes. The only problem with this kind of design is that you sacrifice a bit of comfort, sound isolation, and even audio quality. 

The Baby Banz, on the other hand, is quite frankly huge and uses an over-ear design instead of the on-ear one that we are so accustomed to seeing in kids’ headphones. This is much better for both noise isolation and comfort. 

• Volume limitation: 75db

• Weight: 0.41 pounds
• Features: Wireless (Only for this specific, pink variant)

The link above will lead you to the models that are made for toddlers aged 0 to 2 years old. If you need something for older children, there is also this version that’s made for slightly older kids. 

Unlike our other picks, the Baby Banz limit their volume to 75db instead of 85. This is important for toddlers because their ears are even more sensitive. 

You may think that the lower volume is going to be a downside in terms of blocking outside noises. But, thanks to the noise isolation (Not noise-cancelation) properties of their build, these are quite possibly the best headphones for toddlers in terms of blocking outside noises. 

They also feel rather sturdy and you can stretch them quite a bit without breaking them (Which is something that toddlers usually like doing). 

Another thing to keep in mind is that the pink variant that we picked is much more expensive than the others – but it’s also wireless. So, if you’re afraid that cables may ruin the fun in any way, it’s better to stick with the wireless version. 

Pros: 

• Great noise isolation properties
• Sturdy build
• Over-ear design
• Very comfortable
• Relatively good value
• Wireless
• 75db volume restriction is great for toddlers

Cons: 

• The build quality of the 3+ models seems to be inferior to the smaller ones (At least according to numerous reviewers who’ve tried both)
• Arguably not as fashionable and cute as our other picks

5: Elecder i42

Best Budget Headphones for Kids

Many people will understandably not want to spend a lot of money just to get a working set of headphones for their child. If you find yourself in that category, maybe check out the Elecder i42s. The i37s are one of the best-selling pairs in Amazon and the i42 is generally an improved version with volume limitations. So, it’s hard to go wrong with it. 

• Volume limitation: 85db

• Weight: 0.33 pounds
• Features: Foldable

At $13, they are obviously not the most feature-rich headphones you’ll ever find and they are definitely not the most sturdy either. But, hey, they are at least foldable, lightweight, and they get the job done. 

Other than that, there’s not much else to say about them. Everything about them is mediocre – which is to be expected of $13 headphones. 

So, if you’re after something that simply gets the job done, these will do the trick. But, if you also need extra features such as removable cables, wireless connectivity, extra noise isolation properties, or anything like that, you’ll have to spend a bit more. 

Pros: 

• Cheap
• Greate value
• Relatively comfy
• Foldable
• Built-in volume protection is a huge plus at this price range

Cons: 

• No extra features
• Build quality and noise isolation are mediocre

Wrapping Up

These are our top 5 picks of the best headphones for kids. If that’s too much information to take in at once, here’s everything that we mentioned as quickly as possible: 

1. Puro BT2200: Offers a little bit of everything and is your best bet if money isn’t an issue and if you don’t need a dedicated microphone
2. ONANOFF BuddyPhones Explore: All-around a decent option for younger children. They offer a great value and a couple of interesting features like an in-line microphone and audio share. In terms of downsides, we’d say that their build quality could be better
3. PuroGamer: Your best bet for a kid’s gaming headset with the only downside that they are relatively heavy and expensive
4. Baby Banz: Ideal for toddlers in very noisy environments. They are not the most beautiful pair of headphones you’ll ever find – but they provide superb noise isolation
5. Elecder i42: The cheapest headphones in this list – but also the most mediocre. Ideal if you want something that “just works” without spending too much

That’s all for now. If you have any further questions, feel free to let us know about them in the comments section down below!