The Best Kids Headphones Of 2024—With Features To Protect Your Kids Hearing

As writers and testers for WIRED, we spend all day immersed in personal technology of all kinds. It’s probably no surprise that if we work on a computer during the day and enjoy gaming in our downtime, our kids do, too. Reviewer Adrienne So has a 7-year-old and a 9-year-old who attended school remotely and play video games. Reviewer Simon Hill has an 11- and a 14-year-old. Between us, we—well, our kids—have tested most of the kid headphones on the market, including everything we’re recommending here.

These are our top picks, along with some advice—such as why you might want a pair of child-specific headphones. Don’t forget to check out our other parenting guides, such as the Best Kid Tablets and the Best Kid Podcasts. Looking for a pair for yourself? Check out our list of the Best Headphones.

Updated June 2024: We added headphones from Skullcandy, Puro Sound Labs, Razer, and iClever, updated our existing picks, removed some discontinued models, and added a headphone stands section.

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Photograph: Belkin

Best Kids Headphones OverallBelkin Soundform Mini

These have an all-important option for Adrienne’s 9-year-old—they come in pink! They fit her really well, and I was shocked that the wired version costs only $25. You can spend a bit more for Bluetooth compatibility, although that’s more than I want to fiddle with. The build quality is sturdy, and the ear cups have padding.

They also have 30 hours of battery life and are water-resistant. I can just barely squeeze my own head into these, and they sound pretty good, even if they are noticeably stiffer and less comfortable than some of our other picks. If you want a sturdy, affordable, durable pair at a price that’s not completely outrageous, this is probably your best bet.

Ages: 2+. Volume limited to 85 decibels.

Photograph: Simon Hill

Also GreatSkullcandy Grom Wireless

With an understated design and a cool skull logo, these wireless headphones are a winner with most kids. They feel solid, with a large volume dial behind the left ear, and the cans fold in for easy travel. The adjustable Velcro strap inside the headband makes adjusting for different-sized heads easy. You can use them wirelessly with Bluetooth for up to 40 hours in our testing, and they are quick to recharge via the USB-C port. The sound quality is better than average for this price.

Although wireless, you get a 3.5-mm cable in the box, and these headphones also have a nifty sharing trick. You can plug another pair into the 3.5-mm port to share sound (perfect for watching movies on road trips). While these headphones are volume-limited, there is an override designed for noisy environments like flights. We have concerns about kids accidentally activating it since you simply click the volume dial further. I like that this makes a wee red skull visible on the volume dial, so at least you know at a glance.

Ages: 6+. Volume limited to 85 decibels (override function for loud environments).