The best kids' headphones
Volume-limited headphones for car journeys, flights and school: the pairs children will actually keep on.
Kids' headphones cap the volume so young ears aren't blasted, and they're sized for small heads. They make long journeys quieter for everyone, and many schools ask for a pair.
A limiter is only half the job. The WHO's safe-listening standard allows children less than adults: it's based on 75dB for 40 hours a week, against 80dB for grown-ups. So keep the lower setting for everyday use and watch how long they listen, too.
What matters
- A volume limit of 85dB or lower (ideally switchable).
- Wireless for travel, wired for school.
- A mic for calls and online lessons.
- A headband that adjusts as they grow.
#1 of 5
Best overall
iClever BTH18 Kids Wireless Headphones with LED Lights
£10–£20 Price range
Two volume limits (74 and 85dBA) you can switch between, light-up ear cups that kids love, and 43 hours of battery with the lights off: enough for a week of car journeys and bedtime stories.
What owners say: Owners find them great for children from about three upwards, easy to pair and comfortable, and like that they don't get too loud.
Heads up: The lights are the fun part but they eat the battery: iClever says about 11 hours with them on, so turn them off for long trips.
A closer look: Use the 74dBA setting at home for younger children and save 85dBA for noisy trains and planes. The cable in the box means they still work on a plane's seat-back screen.
- Switchable 74/85dBA volume limit
- Up to 43 hours (lights off)
- Bluetooth 5.3, plus a cable for wired use
- Built-in mic
- 158g, foldable
Best for: Most children, most trips
- Connection
- Bluetooth or cable
- Volume limit
- 74 or 85dBA
- Battery
- Up to 43 hours
- Microphone
- Yes
- Weight
- 158g
#2 of 5
Best from a big name
JBL Junior 320BT Kids Wireless On-Ear Headphones
£39.99 RRP
JBL's kids' pair, capped at 85dB, with the JBL Headphones app letting parents set a lower limit and a daily listening time. Fifty hours of battery, and five minutes' charge gives three more.
What owners say: Owners find them good quality with decent sound and battery, though some say they're fiddly for little ones to put back on.
A closer look: Set the volume and time limits in the app before handing them over, then there's nothing to argue about later. The stickers let them make the plain headband their own.
- 85dB limit, lower via the app
- Parents can limit daily use in the app
- Up to 50 hours, USB-C
- Built-in mic
- 124.5g, with a sticker sheet
Best for: Parents who want controls
- Connection
- Bluetooth
- Volume limit
- 85dB (lower via app)
- Battery
- Up to 50 hours
- Microphone
- Yes
- Weight
- 124.5g
#3 of 5
EarFun K2 Kids Wireless Headphones (85/94dB)
£10–£20 Price range
Soft, well-padded over-ear cups on a headband with eight size settings, so they grow with the child, and Bluetooth 5.4 for a steady connection to tablets.
What owners say: Owners find them comfortable and well cushioned, with good sound, reliable Bluetooth and long battery life.
Heads up: Keep them on the 85dB setting day to day: the 94dB mode is for planes and cars, and when used with the cable they only offer the louder limit.
A closer look: The headband stretches over eight steps, so the same pair fits a five-year-old and a ten-year-old. They fold flat enough to slip in a school bag.
- 85dB and 94dB volume modes
- Up to 45 hours (listing)
- Bluetooth 5.4, detachable cable
- Built-in mic
- 8-step adjustable headband
Best for: Comfort on long journeys
- Connection
- Bluetooth or cable
- Volume limit
- 85 or 94dB
- Battery
- Up to 45 hours
- Microphone
- Yes
- Weight
- 176g
#4 of 5
Best for school
Candy Bila Wired Kids Headphones with Mic (BH03)
£10–£20 Price range
Wired, so there's no battery to forget to charge and no pairing in the classroom, with a braided cable that resists tangles and a mic for online lessons.
What owners say: Owners find them reliable for everyday school use and comfortable, and like the volume limit and the look.
Heads up: Newer iPads and many phones have no headphone socket, so check the device has a 3.5mm jack (or buy a USB-C adapter).
A closer look: Write the child's name on the inside of the headband: schools often ask for their own pair, and they all look alike in the box. The 85dB setting is the one for class.
- 85dB / 94dB switch
- 3.5mm plug, braided cable
- Mic with one-button inline control
- 40mm drivers
- Adjustable, fits ages 3–16
Best for: School and Chromebooks
- Connection
- Cable (3.5mm)
- Volume limit
- 85 or 94dB
- Battery
- None needed (wired)
- Microphone
- Yes
- Weight
- 190g
#5 of 5
Best for toddlers
Kidrox Toddler Headphones, Tiger (ages 1–7, 85dB)
£20–£30 Price range
Small, light and bendy enough to survive being pulled about, with a cable built to take a toddler's tug and an 85dB cap. The tiger print helps get them on in the first place.
What owners say: Owners find them a good fit even for toddlers under two and soft enough to wear for a whole film, though some find the sound quiet.
A closer look: Made for a tablet on a long car or plane journey. A quiet cartoon at 85dB is plenty, so don't worry if it seems soft to adult ears; that's the point.
- 85dB volume limit
- Wired, 3.5mm
- Flexible, tear-resistant band
- 159g, sized for ages 1–7
- Soft on-ear cushions
Best for: Under-fives
- Connection
- Cable (3.5mm)
- Volume limit
- 85dB
- Battery
- None needed (wired)
- Microphone
- –
- Weight
- 159g
How they compare
| Feature | #1iClever BTH18 | #2JBL Junior 320BT | #3EarFun K2 | #4Candy Bila BH03 | #5Kidrox Tiger |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Best overall | Best from a big name | Best for school | Best for toddlers | ||
| Picked Rating | 9.3 | 9.2 | 9.1 | 8.9 | 8.8 |
| Price | £10–£20 Price range | £39.99 RRP | £10–£20 Price range | £10–£20 Price range | £20–£30 Price range |
| Connection | Bluetooth or cable | Bluetooth | Bluetooth or cable | Cable (3.5mm) | Cable (3.5mm) |
| Volume limit | 74 or 85dBA | 85dB (lower via app) | 85 or 94dB | 85 or 94dB | 85dB |
| Battery | Up to 43 hours | Up to 50 hours | Up to 45 hours | None needed (wired) | None needed (wired) |
| Microphone | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | – |
| Weight | 158g | 124.5g | 176g | 190g | 159g |
| Best for | Most children, most trips | Parents who want controls | Comfort on long journeys | School and Chromebooks | Under-fives |
| Check price | View on Amazon | View on Amazon | View on Amazon | View on Amazon | View on Amazon |
Swipe sideways to see all 5.
Photos are illustrative. As an Amazon Associate we earn from qualifying purchases, at no extra cost to you. How we pick · How this works.