Technologies
Best Headphones for Kids of 2025
Looking for an affordable pair of headphones for a younger child? Here are our top picks.
Our Experts
- Maggie Award for Best Regularly Featured Web Column/Consumer
What to consider
Budget
The quality of value-priced headphones continues to improve, so you can find good affordable kids’ headphones for less than $50, but there are some premium models that cost $100 or more.
Fit
It’s key that the headphones you buy fit your child’s ears well. They should offer a comfortable fit that’s snug yet not too snug. A lot of kids’ headphones are on-ear models, which are more compact.
Durability
You want headphones that hold up well over time, so look for models that we note have sturdy build quality.
Wireless or wired?
Wireless headphones are the way to go, but if you’re traveling on a plane and want your child to be able to plug into an in-flight entertainment, look for a model that also has a cord you can plug into the headphone for wired use.
Return policy
It’s critical to buy your headphones at a retailer that has a good return policy, in case you have buyer’s remorse.
I’ve tested hundreds of headphones over the years, and most of them work just fine for kids. But when you’re looking for headphones for your children, especially for kids who are under 11, you tend to look for more compact models that don’t cost too much. Additionally, some folks want headphones that have a volume limiter to protect their child’s hearing (you can also set volume restrictions in the settings of a smartphone or tablet, but not everybody wants to fiddle with those settings). Some of the wireless models on this list also have a wired option in case you want your child to be able to tap into an in-flight entertainment system, but not all do. I’ve also included one headphone that is wired-only. Recently added: The 1More HQ20 SonoFlow Mini Kids.
What are the best kids’ headphones overall?
The iClever HTH20 currently sits at the top of this list and is a safe bet as far as kids headphones go. But all the models on this list are appealing headphones for children. If you’re looking for more headphones options, check out our lists for best noise-canceling headphones and best noise-canceling budget headphones under $100.
Best kids’ headphones of 2025
Best new kids’ headphones with active noise canceling
Pros
- Comfortable, sturdy design
- Decent enough sound quality
- Active noise canceling
- Volume limiter
- Simple controls
- Good battery life
Cons
- Headband adjustment is a little stiff
- Should have used native English speaker for voice prompts
The iClever BTH20 headphones check a lot boxes for a top kids headphone: They feature a comfortable, sturdy design (the headband is quite bendable and the ear pads are nicely cushioned), decent enough sound (it lacks a bit of clarity, but it’s not bad), cost less than $40 (for Amazon Prime members), have active noise canceling (there are two levels to choose from, as well as off), a volume limiter, simple controls and good battery life (35 hours with ANC on). Also, along with Bluetooth 5.4, they come with a cable for wired listening, so your child can use them on a plane. And last but no least, they come with a very basic carrying pouch that’s eco-friendly. Designed for younger kids with small to medium-sized heads, I can’t guarantee they’ll fit youngsters with bigger heads, but most kids shouldn’t have a problem getting a good fit.
Top affordable kids headphones from 1More
Pros
- Inexpensive
- Comfortable fit with nicely padded ear cups and headband
- Headphones fold up and fold flat
- Volume limiter
Cons
- No carrying case included
- No wired option
1More is a value audio brand that tends to deliver a good bang for your buck, and its new 1More HQ20 SonoFlow Mini Kids on-ear headphones check that box. In terms of styling, they aren’t so different from the Soundcore by Anker H30i headphones, but they do feature feature nicely padded ear cups and good padding on the top of the headband, so they should fit most kids’ heads comfortably. (They don’t have active noise canceling but the ear pads passively seal out a good amount of ambient sound.) With 40mm drivers, they’re capable of outputting pretty big sound — they offer decent bass and clarity — but the key «kids feature» is a volume limiter that has three settings in the 1More companion app for iOS and Android. (Be sure to install the 1More app, not 1More Music.) No carry pouch is included nor is there a wired option, but the headphones are easy to operate and are rated for up to an impressive 65 hours of battery life.
Best budget on-ear headphones for less than $40
Pros
- Inexpensive
- Attractive design
- Decent sound
- Excellent battery life
Cons
- Voice-calling performance could be a little better
The Soundcore H30i are inexpensive on-ear wireless headphones that compete with the Sony CH-520 and JBL Tube 510BT (the Tune 520BT is its new-for-2024 successor). There’s no active noise-canceling and the headphones are pretty no frills, but they do feature decent sound quality with ample bass for their low price, and you can pair them to two devices simultaneously (multipoint Bluetooth). I’m slightly more partial to the Sony CH-520, which are slightly more comfortable and sound slightly better (they have a tad more clarity). That said, the H30i have a folding design, and while they don’t come with a carrying pouch, they do include a headphone cord for wired listening (the Sonys are wireless only).
Battery life is impressive — the H30i are rated for up to 70 hours of listening at moderate volume levels. And while you shouldn’t expect great voice-calling performance, it is acceptable in quieter environments. I also appreciated that you can tweak the sound profile in the companion Soundcore app for iOS and Android.
Well-designed wireless kids’ headphones with volume limiter
Pros
- Inexpensive
- Comfortable
- Decent enough sound for the price
- Volume limiter
- Shared headphone port
Cons
- Only available in black
Skullcandy’s Grom Wireless over-ear headphones are being targeted at kids, and they’re a good choice for the 12-and-under set. They have basically everything you’d want in a kids’ headphone, including a comfortable fit, decent enough sound, a volume limiter, a shared headphone port and a wired option in case you need it for an in-flight entertainment system. Battery life is rated at 45 hours, which is also good.
Note that this headphone also comes in a wired-only version for around $25 in white and blue.
Best cheap wireless on-ear headphones from Sony
Pros
- Affordable
- Lightweight and relatively comfortable for on-ear headphones
- Excellent battery life
- Good sound for their price
Cons
- Entry-level look and feel
- Limited feature set with no wired option
Sony released its new entry-level CH-720N noise-canceling headphones in 2023. They’re quite good, but if you can’t afford them (they list for $150), the company’s new budget on-ear CH-520 headphones are an intriguing option for only around $50.
They lack noise canceling and are pretty no-frills, but they feature good sound for their price, are lightweight, and pretty comfortable for on-ear headphones, and also have excellent battery life (they’re rated for up to 50 hours at moderate volume levels). Additionally, they have multipoint Bluetooth pairing, so you can pair them with two devices simultaneously, such as a smartphone and computer, and switch audio. Voice-calling performance is decent, though not up to the level of what you get with the CH-720N.
Note that there’s no wired option — this is a wireless Bluetooth-only headphone. The CH-520 offers overall balanced sound with decent clarity. The bass has some punch to it but doesn’t pack a wallop, and you’re not going to get quite as wide a soundstage as you get from Sony’s more expensive over-ear headphones. But these definitely sound better than Sony’s previous entry-level on-ear headphones and sound better than I thought they would. I tried the white color, but they also come in blue and black.
Budget ANC on-ear headphones for kids
Pros
- Inexpensive
- Relatively comfortable for on-ear headphones
- Decent enough sound for the price
- ANC
Cons
- Only available in black
- No wired option
JLab is known for its value headphones, and the JLab Studio ANC is one of the few on-ear inexpensive on-ear headphones to have active noise-canceling. The ANC is fairly middle-of-the-road, and while these aren’t the greatest sounding headphones, they sound better than you’d expect pretty decent given their low price. Note that only the black model has ANC; the other colors don’t (they cost $30 instead of $33). Also, these are wireless-only headphones, so they won’t plug into an in-flight entertainment system.
Best cheap kids’ headphones for plane travel
Pros
- Inexpensive and lightweight
- Comfortable
- Sound good
Cons
- They do look and feel a little cheap
While the JVC Flats may not be terribly durable, you’ll be hard pressed to find a better sounding set of wired on-ear headphones for their low price. They’re available in multiple color options, all of which cost around $13. If you’re just looking for a compact set of kids’ headphones for plugging into an in-flight entertainment system, these are easy to recommend.
Budget on-ear multipoint headphones
Pros
- Affordable
- Lightweight and compact
- Good sound
- Multipoint Bluetooth pairing
Cons
- No wired option
I was a fan of Creative’s original Sound Blaster Jam headphones that came out in 2015 and had a decidedly retro look and feel, with good sound for the money. Now they’re available in a 2.0 version that has some key upgrades, including Bluetooth 5.0, USB-C charging, improved call quality and multipoint Bluetooth pairing that allows you to pair it to two devices simultaneously. Battery life is rated at up to 22 hours.
I was able to pair this wireless headphone set with a Mac Mini and an iPhone 12 Pro and then switch audio between them. Often when pairing Bluetooth headphones with Mac and Windows PCs, one can encounter some issues, but once I got the headphones paired with both my PC and phone, they made a good pair of work-from-home headphones. Also, the price is right for parents looking for a decent set of kids’ headphones for remote learning and everyday use.
Comfortable for on-ear headphones, the Jam V2s are lightweight and have nicely balanced sound with good detail and bass that’s ample but not overpowering. Call quality was good in my tests with callers saying they could hear me well even on the noisy streets of New York. No carry pouch is included, but you do get an extra set of foam ear pads, which is good, because they will wear out over time.
The headphones have physical buttons for controlling volume and playback, and there’s aptX support for devices that support the wireless streaming codec.
Factors to consider when choosing kids’ headphones
Budget
Before anything else, you’ll want to figure out how much you’re willing to spend on new kids’ headphones. The quality of value-priced headphones continues to improve, so you can find good affordable kids’ headphones for less than $50. The premium models, which offer better build quality and sometimes extra features such as noise canceling, tend to cost $100 or more.
Fit (comfort)
It’s key that the headphones you buy fit your child’s ears well. They should offer a comfortable fit that’s snug yet not too snug. A lot of kids’ headphones are on-ear models, which are more compact.
Durability
You want headphones that hold up well over time, so look for models that we note have sturdy build quality.
Wireless or wired?
Wireless headphones are the way to go, but if you’re traveling on a plane and want your child to be able to plug into an in-flight entertainment, look for a model that also has a cord you can plug into the headphone jack for wired use.
Return policy
It’s critical to buy your headphones at a retailer that has a good return policy, in case you have buyer’s remorse.
How we test headphones and earbuds
We test headphones and earbuds based on six key criteria. These criteria include design, sound quality, noise-canceling performance, voice-calling performance, features and value.
- Design: Evaluating design, we assess not only how comfortable the headphones and earbuds fit (their ergonomics) but their build quality and how well the controls are implemented. When it comes to earbuds, we also look at water- and dust-resistance ratings.
- Sound quality: We evaluate sound quality by listening to a set playlist of music tracks and comparing the earbuds to top competing products in their price range. Sonic traits such as bass definition, clarity, dynamic range and how natural the headphones sound are key factors in our assessment.
- Noise-canceling performance: If the headphones we’re testing feature active noise canceling (ANC), we evaluate ANC performance by wearing the headphones in the same spot indoors near a noisy HVAC unit to see how well they do at muffling lower frequencies. Then we head out to the streets of New York to test the headphones in a real-world environment, where we see how they muffle not only street noise but people’s voices.
- Extra features: Some great-sounding noise-canceling headphones and earbuds aren’t loaded with features, but we do take into account what extra features are on board. These include everything from quick-access awareness to transparency modes (your music pauses and the headphones open up to the outside world so you can have a conversation) to special sound modes to ear-detection sensors that automatically pause your music when you take the headphones off your ears. We also take a look at the companion app for the headphones if there is one and how user-friendly it is.
- Voice-calling: When we test voice-calling performance, we make calls in the noisy streets of New York and evaluate how well the headphones or earbuds reduce background noise and how clearly callers can hear our voices.
- Value: We determine value after evaluating the strength of the headphones and earbuds against all these criteria and what they’re able to deliver compared to other models in their price class.
Other kids’ headphones we tested
Puro Sound Labs BT2200: Puro Labs has long been a leader in kids’ headphones as all its kids’ headphones include a volume limiter. While the BT2200s have a somewhat generic design, they’re built sturdily and offer decent performance and sound. They’re just a little bulky and a tad expensive at $99. The company also sells a $30 on-ear model with a volume limiter that isn’t as durable.
Belkin SoundForm Mini: Available in four color options, the SoundForm Mini are in many ways your typical pair of budget on-ear headphones for kids. But they’re decent-enough looking, reasonably comfortable (don’t expect supersoft ear pads, however) and sound OK. While they charge via Micro-USB instead of USB-C (that’s less than ideal), they have good battery life — up to 30 hours — and their volume is capped at 85db to protect your youngster’s ears. A charging cable and headphone cord are included for wired listening.
Best kids’ headphones FAQ
Technologies
How Sonic Rumble Spins Away From Mario Party With Its Own Multiplayer Style
Sonic Rumble producer Takashi Iizuka explains how the team built a party game suiting the blue hedgehog’s style.
For decades now, the Mario Party franchise has dominated the niche of the best multiplayer party games you can play with friends on your couch — or now, online. Despite challenges from games like Fuzion Frenzy, Super Monkey Ball, Rayman Raving Rabbids and more, none have stolen Nintendo’s crown.
But now, Sega is making a play for the casual party game space with Sonic Rumble, a new title featuring the company’s iconic hedgehog and his friends. The free-to-play game is now available on PC, as well as on mobile for iOS and Android phones, allowing up to 32 players to join in on matches.
Sega’s hedgehog mascot is no stranger to party games, but entries like Sonic Shuffle on Dreamcast and Sega Superstars on the PlayStation 2 came out decades ago. For the publisher’s newest take on Sonic multiplayer, Sonic Rumble producer Takashi Iizuka answered questions over email, from adapting Sonic’s «gotta go fast» action to party multiplayer and whether other iconic Sega stars will make cameo appearances.
Q: There are some party games that have cemented the genre, like Mario Party. Aside from a cast of Sonic characters, how does Sonic Rumble distinguish itself from other party games?
Iizuka: While many other party games have their charm, our vision for Sonic Rumble was to combine the speed of classic arcade games with the competitive, high-stakes energy of a battle royale game. We call this mix an «Arcade Royale.»
Each stage is designed to keep the mayhem on full blast, whether players are dashing through obstacle courses or scrambling to collect rings before time runs out. What really sets Sonic Rumble apart is how it blends approachability with intensity. We wanted it to be easy for anyone to jump in and play, while still maintaining the intensity that fans have come to know and love from the Sonic franchise.
With the live service aspect of Sonic Rumble, we plan to consistently introduce new elements, from surprising collaborations to limited-time events, keeping the game fresh and fun for years to come.
When designing Sonic Rumble, what guidelines did the team/studio abide by to ensure it feels like a Sonic game?
Iizuka: We wanted to create a game that both new and longtime fans would love, and that could be played on the go or at home on their PC.
Sonic Rumble needed to embody what makes Sonic special, not just through the characters, but through the gameplay itself. That meant focusing on movement, momentum and control of the characters within the environment, so even in this new multiplayer format, gameplay still feels authentic to the Sonic experience. We also wanted to ensure that Toy World itself captured that Sonic spirit, with bright arenas, upbeat music and plenty of personality. Even if Sonic Rumble is an entirely new kind of Sonic game, players will instantly recognize the spirit and rhythm of the franchise in every match and mode.
The gameplay shown in the trailer has a distinctly Sonic feel — racing along tracks, jumping on bumpers, collecting rings and so on. How did the team adapt this to party gameplay?
Iizuka: We didn’t just place Sonic characters in a stereotypical party environment; we made Sonic mechanics and gameplay the foundation of Sonic Rumble. We achieved this adaptation through strategic twists on familiar elements.
In Sonic Rumble, rings are the high-stakes resource, rather than protection like in previous Sonic titles. We’ve made the Ring collection central to victory, allowing players to steal them from each other. The Dashing mechanic is another example, something usually used for speed can now also be used for attacking. By updating these core movements and abilities, we’ve added another layer of strategy and skill to the competition.
The recently released Sonic Racing: CrossWorlds had a deep roster of Sonic characters along with several from other Sega franchises, like Yakuza and Super Monkey Ball. Will Sonic Rumble also have crossover characters? What about characters from Sonic lore (like the Chaotix or Sonic the Werehog)?
Iizuka: Our immediate priority is to ensure Sonic Rumble is both fun and fulfilling for our core fan base as well as for players new to the Sonic franchise. That means focusing on the incredible depth of the Sonic Universe. We know how necessary customization is and are heavily committed to allowing players to fully personalize Sonic, Tails, Knuckles, Amy, Shadow, and Dr. Eggman with unique skins, in-game skills, and emotes.
As Sonic Rumble is a live-service title, it has the potential to evolve and expand over time. At launch, fans can look forward to the Sonic the Hedgehog 3 Movie Crossover Event, which brings in elements like the Movie Shadow skin and epic battles in the iconic Shibuya Crossing arena. We’ve also integrated characters and skins from a SEGA Stars Crossover Event, featuring beloved icons like Opa-Opa and Upa-Upa from Fantasy Zone, AiAi and MeeMee from Monkey Ball, and characters from Altered Beast, Bonanza Bros, Pengo, and Phantasy Star.
Sonic Rumble is available now on PC, iOS App Store and Google Play Store.
Technologies
Today’s NYT Mini Crossword Answers for Friday, Nov. 7
Here are the answers for The New York Times Mini Crossword for Nov. 7.
Looking for the most recent Mini Crossword answer? Click here for today’s Mini Crossword hints, as well as our daily answers and hints for The New York Times Wordle, Strands, Connections and Connections: Sports Edition puzzles.
Need some help with today’s Mini Crossword? Hope you don’t have a cold — although two of the clues are related to the sounds you might make if you do have one. If you need the answers, read on. And if you could use some hints and guidance for daily solving, check out our Mini Crossword tips.
If you’re looking for today’s Wordle, Connections, Connections: Sports Edition and Strands answers, you can visit CNET’s NYT puzzle hints page.
Read more: Tips and Tricks for Solving The New York Times Mini Crossword
Let’s get to those Mini Crossword clues and answers.
Mini across clues and answers
1A clue: Toddler’s go-to question
Answer: WHY
4A clue: Sound heard during cold season
Answer: ACHOO
6A clue: Move stealthily, like a cat
Answer: SLINK
7A clue: Breadcrumb coating in Japanese cuisine
Answer: PANKO
8A clue: Conduct surveillance
Answer: SPY
Mini down clues and answers
1D clue: Prone to complaining
Answer: WHINY
2D clue: Sound heard during cold season
Answer: HONK
3D clue: Artist/musician Ono
Answer: YOKO
4D clue: Egyptian vipers
Answer: ASPS
5D clue: Show appreciation for a performance
Answer: CLAP
Technologies
Be Sure to Back Up Your iPhone the Right Way Before Installing iOS 26
If you’re upgrading to a new iPhone 17 or installing the latest operating system, you’ll save yourself a lot of trouble by making a good backup first. Here’s how to do it.
Now that iOS 26.1 is out, you might be more comfortable updating to Apple’s latest iPhone operating system. Or maybe it’s time for a bigger upgrade to a new iPhone 17, iPhone Air or iPhone 17 Pro? Before you do, take a little time to ensure you’ve made a good backup you can fall back on just in case something goes sideways.
I’m not talking about any regular backup, though. Hopefully, you already have your Apple Account settings configured to automatically back up the phone to iCloud, which is invaluable for everyday peace of mind. I’m talking about creating an archive that can save your hide in the unlikely event something goes wrong with the iOS 26 update.
Why an archive is essential before installing a new version of iOS
You’re probably accustomed to using iCloud Backup to maintain a regular fallback for your data. It works in the background (when you’re asleep and charging your device) and involves the least amount of backup friction, as long as you have sufficient iCloud storage space available. Go to Settings > [your name] > iCloud > iCloud Backup and turn on Back Up This iPhone if it’s not already active.
However, when it comes to moving to a full release version of iOS, such as from iOS 18 to iOS 26, an iCloud Backup introduces a problem: You cannot restore from that cloud backup if you revert back to iOS 18. And unfortunately, iCloud keeps just the most recent backup — you can’t pick and choose from previous backup iterations. If you try to use an iOS 26 cloud backup to restore back to iOS 18, you’ll get an error. (Making an archive is also an important step when you install iOS betas.)
This is why you need to archive a backup on your computer.
Should you encrypt the local backup?
Before you create this archived backup, you should decide if you want to enable one of the options, Encrypt local backup. For security, this feature scrambles the data to prevent someone with access to your computer from accessing it. This option also preserves sensitive information in the backup such as saved passwords and personal data in the Health and Fitness apps.
The downside is that it requires you to create a separate password for the backup. If you forget or lose that password, the entire backup is useless. And so you should write this password down somewhere you can easily retrieve it. In the context of creating an iOS 18 backup as a fallback for installing iOS 26, you’ll have to decide if that’s an acceptable trade-off.
Create a local iPhone archive on your Mac
Making this type of backup requires only disk space and some patience:
- Plug the iPhone into your Mac.
- Open a new Finder window (choose File > New Finder Window, or press Command-N).
- In the sidebar at left, select your iPhone under Locations.
- If you want to encrypt the data, click the Encrypt local backup checkbox and set a password.
- In the General tab, click Back Up Now.
- When the backup completes, click Manage Backups.
- Right-click (or Control-click) the backup you made and choose Archive.
Taking the extra step of marking the backup as an archive protects it from being overwritten by the next local backup or automatically deleted if the Mac is low on space.
Create a local iPhone archive on Windows
The iTunes app is still the main conduit for working with a connected iPhone under Windows. Open iTunes and do the following:
- Plug the iPhone into your Windows computer.
- Open the Apple Devices app and click the iPhone button at the top left.
- Click General.
- If you want to encrypt the data, click the Encrypt local backup option and set a password.
- Click Back Up Now.
- Click Manage Backups.
- Right-click the backup you made and choose Archive. Taking this extra step protects the backup from being overwritten by the next local backup or automatically deleted if the computer is low on space.
With an archive in place, you can start using the iOS 26 beta secure in the knowledge that should anything warrant a retreat to iOS 18, you can quickly get your iPhone back into service.
For more, here is your reminder to clear your iPhone cache. And if you are moving to a new iPhone, here are the ways to transfer your data safely.
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