Protect Those Headphones
Even durable headphones are easy to damage. We have lost pairs to folks standing on them, cats and robot vacuums attacking the cables, and chairs rolling over them. I have learned that a stand or holder is worth the investment if it keeps those cans off the floor. Even if your kids only sometimes remember to use it, that could extend the likely lifespan of their headphones.
We use the Satechi 2-in-1 Headphone Stand with Wireless Charger ($56), which also has a spot for charging your phone on the base, but there’s no need to spend that much. This New Bee Headphone Stand ($7) will do the trick. My PC gaming eldest has a Hanger Mount ($8) clamped to the desk, and it works great for keeping that headset out of the way when it’s not in use.
Other Headphones We Like
These headphones didn’t quite earn a place above, but we still liked them.
Photograph: Simon Hill
Heyday Kids’ Wired Headphones for $10: Target’s new Heyday headphones for kids are very affordable and limit volume to 85 decibels. We tried the wired, super-fun, unicorn horn headphones (there’s a dinosaur pair too). We also tested the slightly more expensive wireless, active noise-cancelling headphones ($25). Both sounded OK for the money.
Photograph: Simon Hill
Juice Pro Wireless Headphones for £35: For the 10-year-old kids in one of my wife’s classes, these headphones were singled out as the best because they are very comfy, they are wireless, and they offer decent active noise cancellation. Sound quality is decent, the headphones are hard-wearing, and they are made from 100 percent recycled plastics. They are also cheap for folks in the UK (sadly, unavailable in the US).
BuddyPhones Cosmos Fun for $60: These headphones by Onanoff offer three volume-limiting options at 75, 85, or 94 decibels, but that top limit should only ever be used for short periods (50 minutes or less). There are stickers to customize the cans, and they are well-padded, but the verdict from the kids was just “OK.” The presence of ANC and 42-hour battery life is welcome. The 3.5-mm audio port allows for plugging in, and we love that you can also use it to link two pairs of Buddyphones and share audio (handy if your kids are sharing a tablet to watch a movie).
Headphones We Didn’t Like
These headphones did not pass muster, for either us or our kids.
Photograph: Simon Hill
Juice Animals Wired Headphones: Simon really wanted to like these headphones as they are made entirely from recycled plastic, 20 percent of the profits go to The Born Free Foundation, and they come in fun panda or tiger designs. They are also very affordable. But, sadly, both pairs we tested developed faults within the first week.
StoryPhones: While the idea of headphones that play stories based on “StoryShields” you attach is clever, enabling kids to switch stories easily, the StoryPhones are too expensive for the build and sound quality, extra stories are pricey, and the shields are easily lost.
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