Headphones are essential for every family holiday because the little ones will have more fun if they can watch YouTube videos or play games on their iPads and Android tablets instead of getting bored on the road. The best kids’ headphones differ from adult options with a volume limit to protect their hearing, and most have tangle-free wireless designs to give them more freedom.

We’ve reviewed countless headphones this year, including many kids’ options, to see how they stack up. For this guide, we’ve selected the best children’s headphones for every budget to help you find the best options for busy malls or long trips.

Our picks for best headphones for kids:

The Puro Junior Jams get it right in all areas and particularly with an attractive wireless design in Blue, Black, Green, Pink, and Teal to appeal to most kids. There’s ample padding on the adjustable headband, and the plush earpads offer enough comfort while enhancing the sound of the 40mm drivers. The earcups have big, user-friendly buttons and allow you to use a 3.5mm audio cable as a secondary connection option, or daisy-chain two headphones together via the Micro-USB to hear music from a single source.

Sound performance is an often-overlooked feature on headphones for kids, but the Junior Jams provide a punchy and lively sound, considering their 85dB volume limit. Battery life is around 22 hours, depending on the volume and connection type.

The Junior Jams keep things simple, providing great sound for children in a durable and comfortable package without unnecessary extras like active noise cancellation (ANC) or flashy lighting. We think they’re the best option because they work great, and offer solid build quality and value for the price.

You can try the PuroQuiets, also by Puro Sound Labs, if you want to go more upmarket with an eye-catching design and ANC. These headphones have a premium look and feel with squarish Red, Blue, Pink, Teal, and Dark Blue earcups with tactile silver buttons. Like its cheaper sibling, there’s a 3.5mm audio port for wired connection, and it can daisy chain with similar headphones via the Micro-USB port.

It performs well in the audio department with impressive depth and bass to bring out the best in music. The ANC can reduce background noise by around 22dB when you need to calm things down and balance out overwhelming sounds. Volume is limited to 85dB across the different connections, and you’ll get around 35 hours of battery life that drops to around 23 with the ANC on.

The PuroQuiets have a premium price tag and the quality to go with it, thanks to a classy design without the plasticky look and feel of many rivals. Their sound quality is also a step-up with excellent clarity and ANC to make plane and road trips a pleasant experience.

Onanoff’s Cosmos+ headphones offer superb value because of their all-around performance at a great price. Comfort is amazing with ample cushioning on the adjustable headband and plush folding and rotating earcups, although they are slightly big for younger kids. Not only do the Cosmos+ headphones come in exciting colours like DeepBlue and Rosepink, but they include images of cartoon pirates, princesses and unicorns to make them more appealing to kids.

Sound quality is great for the price, and the Cosmos+ headphones are packed with features like ANC and three listening limits, so parents can choose between 75, 85, and 94dB depending on their children’s ages. There’s also a detachable boom mic for clear conversations and a Study Mode to reduce the bass during online lectures. Battery life is fine at around 24 hours with the ANC on, so kids can watch their movies or shows on long plane rides without interruption.

The Onanoff Cosmos+ headphones are bulky for younger kids and don’t have an IPX rating for moisture and dust resistance. They still offer impressive value because of their comfortable design, advanced features, attractive colour options and practicality for a realistic price.

Teenagers and older kids who don’t need limited volume can try the Razer Kraken BT Kitty Edition if they want high-end headphones that stand out with a unique design. You can forget about subtlety with a bright pink design that would make Barbie proud, vivid RGB lighting in any colour on the earcups, and cat ears. Like most Razer products, it features top-notch construction with a lightweight 298-gram design, gel cushioning to absorb heat, and two internal beamforming mics for online lessons or gaming.

The 40mm drivers provide great sound with booming bass and THX spatial audio to bring out the best in games and movies. Unfortunately, Bluetooth is the only connectivity option with no wireless 2.4Ghz or 3.5mm available. At least the battery life is impressive at around 50 hours but drops to around half at 20 to 25 hours, depending on the lighting.

The Razer Kraken BT Kitty Edition is best if you like attention and want to wow people with bright pink and dazzling lighting. Its single connection option and high price might put off some buyers, but others will appreciate its solid construction and gaming and music performance.

The LilGadgets Untangled Pro makes choosing a great pair of headphones for kids easy with its wide colour selection. There are ten colours to choose from like Purple, Green or Pink, or you can try something more adventurous like Green Camo or Rainbow Cat. All models have the same solid construction with a metal headband covered on both sides by soft, perforated padding to keep kids cool and comfortable.

Available at a far lower price than the premium options listed here, the Untangled Pro don’t offer ANC, but have decent sound and voice quality for voice chats and media with a 94dB volume limiter on its 40mm drivers. Battery life is decent at around 12 hours, and you can connect multiple headsets via a 3.5mm cable.

One of the best things about the Untangled Pros is their simplicity, and they get the basics right by offering a simple and effective audio solution at a great price. Their unrivalled colour options mean you’ll find one to suit every child and their immense comfort makes them a pleasure to wear for hours.

JBL is synonymous with great sound at low prices, and the Jr460NC continue the tradition with the perfect amount of bass and clarity for kids to have an immersive experience without getting overwhelmed. Voice quality is excellent from the built-in microphone, and the ANC reduces the chances of over-stimulation from unwanted background noises. Battery life is acceptable at around 30 hours with the ANC off and 20 with it on, and it charges back to full in just two hours with a USB-C cable.

One of the only drawbacks of the Jr460NCs is that they are limited to a single white and grey design with orange accents. It’s fairly subtle on the eyes and offers decent practicality in the form of a foldable design and chunky, user-friendly buttons despite its plastic construction. The 85dB volume limiter is another standard feature across most kids’ headphones, and so is the share point ability to daisy chain them together.

JBL’s Jr460NC sit in the premium pricing echelon, but justify their cost with the best sound in the segment and a practical and user-friendly design. Their average battery life isn’t much of an issue, but the bland design might not be appealing to kids when there are so many exciting alternatives to choose from.

Battery life is critical when you’re often travelling on long trips with your kids, and just a few more hours can make a world of difference when there are no charging ports nearby. The iClever TransNova headphones have a whopping 45 hours of playtime, which should suffice for the longest plane journeys, although it drops significantly with the LED lighting turned on. The lighting shines out of the earcups and combines with the three included detachable plates to create a fun custom look kids will appreciate.

These headphones include 40mm drivers and three volume limits at 74, 85, and 94dB, making them suitable for older or younger kids. The stereo speakers offer a full listening experience, and the built-in microphone is fine for calls and gaming. There’s no ANC, but the TransNova’s make up for it with practical features like a foldable design, USB-C fast charging, and a handy travel bag.

It’s hard to believe the iClever TransNova’s affordable price tag, considering its convenience and practicality. The long battery life is a lifesaver for parents, and its lighting and custom plates make it fun for kids. You won’t get top-tier audio performance, but it isn’t an issue considering the price and does little to detract from the overall value.

The best headphones for children don’t have to be costly, and budget-friendly options like the JLab JBuddies get the job done at a price anyone can afford. They come with modern two-tone styling in Graphite with Blue or Purple trim and a foldable design for easy storage. Kids will appreciate the user-friendly tactile buttons and wireless connectivity and can also connect to the JLab JBuddies through a 3.5mm cable or share point.

At this price point, you can’t expect perfection, and while the sound quality is acceptable, the muffled microphone could be better for the price and make the JBuddies better for kids who won’t use the chat function. Its 85dB volume limiter and 24 hours of battery life are also about standard and get the job done to provide a safe all-day listening experience.

It’s hard to complain about the JBuddies’ mediocre microphone and average battery life, considering their low cost. Not many rivals can match their quality and comfort at their price, and they’re worth a look for the superb value they offer.

The bottom line: Which is the best headphone for kids?

The Puro Junior Jams are the best bet because of their fantastic build quality and sound performance at a reasonable price. The PuroQuiets have a stylish premium design, long battery life, and great ANC, making them the best premium choice. The Onanoff Cosmas+ offer the best value because of their extensive colour range, ANC, and Study Mode.

How did we choose the best headphones for kids?

Our team has tested countless headphones all year, including the best PC gaming headsets, Airpods alternatives, and bone-conduction models, to see what they offer. They have hands-on experience with many of the kids’ headphones listed here and used sound quality, construction, and value as the three main testing criteria to rank them.

The sound quality on headphones for children doesn’t need to be high-end, but it should still have enough punch and clarity to sound good for shows and movies. All the options listed here sound great for the price and have a volume limiter for younger kids.

When we look at construction, every pair of kids’ headphones must be well-padded and comfortable for hours of use while being durable enough to handle getting accidentally dropped or thrown. The headphones on this list feel solid enough for daily use and have decent adjustability options to find the perfect fit.

Value is always a critical factor when buying anything and can be the difference between getting it or not. We selected the best headphones for children from every price point, and they can justify their cost with quality sound and other handy features.

Are wired or wireless headphones better for kids?

Wireless headphones are better because children can move around freely without the risk of getting tangled.

Should kids wear earbuds or headphones?

It depends on their age. Younger kids are better off with volume-limiting headphones, and older kids can use louder earbuds.