Can toddlers use earphones or earbuds? The answer depends on several factors, including high volume, listening duration, ear canal size, etc.
Although one song or video played at high volumes isn’t likely to damage your toddler’s hearing, it’s better to be safe than sorry. With the right kind of earphones, you can eliminate the high volume risk while allowing your children to enjoy videos and listen to music.
We’ve reviewed the best earphones for toddlers that you can acquire today. All products mentioned below are considered safe to use at any age. This post includes Amazon affiliate links; should you purchase through any of them Bounceback Parenting will receive a small percentage of the sale at no additional cost to you.
Quick Pick for Toddler Earphones – Although all of the toddler headphones mentioned below are high-quality, our favorite is the the BuddyPhones Play model. These are great for toddlers and have a good long term value due to the volume mode that can be adjusted to “kid mode” once kids get older.
Best Earphones for Toddlers Reviews
The BuddyPhones Play earphones have received awards for their innovative design. To ensure that your child’s hearing is protected, you can cap them at 85dB (a safe volume for kids, according to the World Health Organization). They also feature a built-in microphone that your little one can use for language lessons or Skype calls.
As your child grows, their ear canal will get bigger and they will be able to tolerate higher volumes. The manufacturers have added buttons which you can use to fit the sound levels to your kid’s age. You can choose between Toddler Mode (75dB) and Kid Mode (85dB), and there are also Travel and Study Modes (94dB).
All of the materials used in the engineering process are safe, super durable, hypoallergenic, and very comfortable for kids to wear. The BuddyPhones are wireless earphones, and they can last up to 14 hours after just one charge. You can connect them to your devices via Bluetooth. If you run out of batteries, you can use the backup BuddyCable, so your little one can still listen to music.
These earphones are easily foldable, so you won’t have a problem storing them. Each model arrives with 100 custom-designed stickers for your child to choose from.
Pros
- Sound level control – different modes
- Background noise reduction
- Foldable
- Built-in microphone
- Free stickers
Cons
- Could be hard for kids to turn the volume up and down
- Bluetooth connectivity might malfunction occasionally
The BuddyPhones Explore earphones feature a built-in circuitry that limits the volume of the audio your kid is listening to. No matter what your child does, the volume won’t go above the World Health Organization’s standard, which is 85dB.
These earphones are very comfortable, and you can easily adjust the headband so that the earphones perfectly fit your child. The headband is also foldable, so you can store them anywhere. They even come with a free storage bag, as well as decorative stickers.
The BuddyPhones Explore allow your kid to connect with their friends using the BuddyCable system. Your kid can easily share the BuddyCable audio splitter with up to four friends due to the stackable audio jack. These earphones feature a built-in microphone too.
Pros
- Excellent design
- Capped at 85dB
- Allow your kid to connect with their friends – microphone and audio splitter
- Adjustable headband
Cons
Not as durable as the manufacturers claim
The Kidz Gear earphones won the Product of the Year award at the 2015 Creative Child Awards, as well as the Smart Media Academic’s Choice award. They combine comfort, durability, and fantastic sound quality.
They are quite versatile. You can transform them from wireless to wired earphones by using the included interconnection cable. You can also connect these earphones to almost every device that supports Bluetooth. They can be used for learning foreign languages, phonics, and reading due to their removable boom microphone.
Maybe the most important feature is that these earphones won’t hurt your child’s hearing as they are volume-limited.
At the moment, there are only two color options (blue and pink) but this might change with future models.
Pros
- Volume-limited
- Removable microphone
- Can be used wireless and wired
Cons
Its plastic parts are easily breakable
These earphones are made of high-quality cloth that not only ensures comfort and durability, but makes them almost impossible to tangle. They are stereo bass earphones, and they feature a 3.5mm plug which is compatible with all 3.5mm jacks.
The Elecder i37 can fit kids of all ages. Going from toddlers to even teenagers, the Elecder i37 has got you covered. The adjustable headband allows you to find the perfect fit for your child’s head shape.
These earphones have soft cushion pads, which serve to block loud ambient noises and provide more comfort. You can easily take the Elecder i37 with you on trips due to its foldable design (which also makes it easy to store).
The Elecder i37 is currently available in 7 different colors and it has a one-year warranty.
Pros
- High-quality material
- Foldable
- Can be used for kids of all ages
- 1-year warranty
Cons
No wireless mode
Keep Your Toddler’s Hearing Safe
There are lots of earphones on the market that claim to protect your kid’s hearing, however, many of them are a poor purchase due to their low-quality materials and, not great at keeping your toddler’s hearing safe due to lack of volume limitations.
The models mentioned in this article are considered to be the best earphones for toddlers because of their safe design. You won’t make a mistake buying any of them.