Your kids don’t have to be preschoolers, just learning how to use the computer, to benefit from specialized headphones that moderate volume. They are a valuable tool regardless of age.
My kids are 9 and 12. The boy, age 9, often listens to things much too loudly for my taste and for the health of his ears. We had a set of volume-limiting headphones for a couple of years, but they broke. So I was in the market for a new pair.
KidzSafe My Design headphones (they also make earbuds), made by SMS Audio, were a great option. Designed for kids ages three and up, these audiologist-recommended headphones let your kids experience music, websites, and other audio things without distracting anyone, or being distracted by anyone.
According to KidzSafe, the volume range of a typical mp3 player is from 60 decibels to 130 decibels. Anything above about 85 decibels will likely cause some hearing damage over time, so KidzSafe’s headphones only go up to 85 decibels (they don’t go to 11).
Volume-limiting headphones are important for all kids (and adults, frankly). The KidzSafe My Design headphones are a solid choice. They come in “girl” colors and “boy” colors (don’t get me started about stereotypes—I’d pick the “boy” colors any day), but within that choice, you can also very easily change out the color of the ear pads and the tangle-free cord. The blue headphones also come with orange ear pads and cord, and the pink headphones also come with purple. They also come with a slightly cushioned, high quality drawstring bag for ease of travel, or to just keep all of the bits organized. If you want even more customization, the sets also include over 50 removable stickers with which to decorate your headphones. There is also a place on the headphones, and on the carrying bag, to put the owner’s name.
On the more technical side, the headband of the headphones is fully adjustable, allowing for different sized heads. I adjusted them to the largest size and tried them on. I don’t have a tiny head, and they were too big at that setting. So their size should accommodate almost any adult as well. The connector is of the 3.5mm gold plated variety, and its cords are 60 inches long. For audiophiles, here are some more specs:
Driver: Custom 40mm
Impedance: 32 Ohms
Frequency Response: 20Hz – 22kHz
Sensitivity: 85 +/- 3dB
But how do they sound? The cushioned ear pads help keep you immersed in your sound and are very comfortable to wear. The sound quality may not rival high end headphones for adults, you hear every bit of what you need to hear, and are quite good enough for me. Television shows are clear, music is sharp, and games are definitely loud enough to be enjoyable. The maximum volume is high enough for a room full of conversation, but still quiet enough to not hurt your ears.
KidzSafe My Design headphones retail for $29.95 and the earbuds are $19.95. This is a very small price to pay to save your children’s hearing, or your own, and the quality doesn’t suffer from the affordable price. I highly recommend these to anyone who has children, or has the care of people who are unable to make responsible volume choices. They are also great for adults who don’t want to worry if their volume is too loud to be safe. I found myself using them long after I was done with my review assessment.
A pair of the headphones were provided for review purposes.
Nice review, Jenny. Been looking for something for my 5 year old.
Thanks, Steve! They’re a good choice.