5 Best Kids Headphones for Travel

Whether you are looking for an inexpensive pair of kids’ headphones for travel, a pair to leave at school, or a lightweight pair to take on a road trip, we’ve got the best kids’ headphones for your needs.

We started researching kids’ headphones when our oldest entered Kindergarten. Several years later, our kids have been full-time travelers, homeschoolers, traditional schoolers, expats, and just plain travelers.

We are always looking for budget-friendly options (so we don’t cry if the kids break them or lose them) with volume-limiting, durability, and comfort. And a little style doesn’t hurt, because if the kids don’t actually like them, they don’t do us much good.

Here are our top picks for the best kids’ headphones on the market. In this article, we’ll cover the pros and cons of each set of headphones as well as some earbuds for older kids and adapters for which headphones you choose.

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Are the Headphones for Travel, School, or More?

How your kids will be using the headphones affects which elements are most important to you. If they are only using them for watching videos on road trips, then you may not need a microphone. If remote schooling or chatting with friends and family while on the road is part of your plan, a microphone is essential.

For our kids, headphones often fill a lot of roles- they have used them for remote learning, travel, catching up with family on Facetime, and in venues with live music to protect their ears. We’ve even used them when watching fireworks!

Note: Most of these headphones will need an adapter to transition between devices and airplane entertainment systems.

What Age Are These Kids Headphones For? Can I Use Them for My Toddler?

These recommendations are generally aimed at grade school-age children. However, we’ve used headphones since our youngest was 3, including for remote classes with her preschool. Most kid’s headphones have a volume limiter that makes them safe even for young kids, but you’ll want to prioritize that feature for toddlers.

These headphones are for on-ear and over-ear models. There are a few in-ear headphones that include volume-limiting features, but they are not common and are generally recommended for ages 7 or older. As our oldest child reaches 9, we are exploring these options.

1. Our Top Pick: JBuddies Pro Wireless Over-Ear Kids Headphones

🏆 Best Overall Kids Headphones for Travel and Remote Learning

When choosing headphones that must work for remote learning and travel, you need the holy grail of comfort, functionality, durability, and collapsibility. We have tried a lot of pairs of headphones to find one that we feel hits the mark for all of these qualities.

These are the headphones both of our kids are using on our Family Year Out. (What’s a Family Year Out?) They have survived over two years of full-time travel- repeatedly being stuffed into backpacks and pulled out on trains, planes, and more. We are just starting to see wear in them.

The JBuddies Pro Wireless Headphones by JLabs are the headsets we are currently using.

I was worried initially how they would fit, as they are targeted for 8 years and older, but they fit comfortably on our 4-year-old at their shorter setting and have plenty of room to grow for our almost 7-year-old.

We are using them with the cords to keep things simple, but you also have the option to use them wirelessly with Bluetooth.

These are the headphones we include in our detailed packing list for full-time travel.

Buy Now: JBuddies Pro Wireless Headphones

Pros of JBuddies Pro

-Volume Limiting

Built-in volume switch toggles between the max volume of 85dB (recommended) – or 95dB for louder environments. The switch is hidden behind the fabric in the earcup to be accessed by parents only.

-Ergonomic Over-Ear Design

These headphones are shaped like an ear, not just round, so they fit over kids’ ears but are not overly large. And the over-ear design and soft cushions mean they stay comfortable longer.

-Wireless and Wired

With the longest playback time we have found, these Bluetooth headsets offer 35+ hours of wireless listening and only an hour for a full charge. Plus they come with a cord for when you run out of battery life.

The batteries are rechargeable with the included USB power cord that fits into a USB-C port of your computer or adapter (not included).

-Share Port

There is a second port on the left side for connecting a second pair of headphones. The sharing feature can be used while the main headset is either wireless or wired. Our kids love to connect their headphones so that they can both watch the same program at the same time on one iPad.

-Light Weight and Collapsable Design

These headphones fold up to make them more compact for travel. When headphones don’t collapse well, they take up a ton of room in the kids’ backpacks. Also, kids should only be carrying approximately 10% of their body weight, so when you have 4-5 pounds to work with, every little bit counts!

Cons of JBuddies Pro

-Only Two Colors

Currently, these headphones only come in black with blue highlights or black with pink highlights. With two girls, I bought two pink versions, so they wouldn’t argue over who got which color.

-No Storage Bag

With two cables to keep track of, having a protective case or even a bag would go a long way toward not losing parts and keeping them organized.

-Moving Parts and Collapsable Design

Moving parts means more to wear out or break. These are sturdy and well-built, we are really happy with how long they have lasted under tough conditions.

Buy Now: JBuddies Pro Wireless Headphones

2. LilGadgets Connect+ Wired Headphones

🌱 Best Beginner Set of Kids Headphones:

If you have young kids and you are looking for a good pair of basic headphones, this is where we’d recommend starting. The LilGadgets Connect+ Wired headphones have an on-ear foldable design that is very well-made, durable, and comfortable.

These are simple wired headphones, with two headphone 3.5 jacks. You can plug the included cord into either and the second jack is a share-port, so another pair of headphones can be added to listen. The included cord has a built-in mic for calls or video chats.

We love that the cord is not attached, making it easier to travel with or replace as the cords are always the weakest link.

They have all the features we look for: they are very affordable, and have volume limiting, a microphone, a share-port, and lots of colors to choose from.

This is what we got when our oldest daughter needed to bring a pair of headphones to leave at Kindergarten. Since they were going to live at school (in the classroom), we wanted something inexpensive that we wouldn’t worry about. This is also what we used when remote learning first started.

Buy Now: LilGadgets Connect+ Wired Headphones

Pros of LilGadgets

-Affordable

These were the most affordable of the headphones we tried. Our oldest needed a pair at home and a pair for school, but we did not want to worry about them or stress about whether the kids were being too rough with them.

-Volume Limiting

These have a max volume of 85dB, which is standard for kids’ headphones and is considered safe for young ears.

-Wired but Detachable

These headsets have a detachable cord with a built-in mic. So when we misplaced a cord, it was easy to swap in another.

-Includes a Share Port

These headphones taught us the benefits of a shared port. At the time, the girls would share an iPad to watch a show or video. With the shared port, they could both be on headphones and we would not have to listen.

-Fun Colors

These headsets come in lots of fun colors, so the girls got to pick out the color they wanted and it was easy to tell them apart.

Cons of LilGadgets

-3.5 mm Headphone Jack

These are basic headphones and only have a traditional 3.5 mm audio plug. If your device does not have an audio jack, you will need to get an adapter.

Buy Now: LilGadgets Connect+ Wired Headphones

3. JBuddies Studio On-Ear Wired Headphones

🌱 Best Alternative Beginner Set of Kids Headphones

These wired on-ear headphones from Jlab are slightly cheaper than the headphones above and have a fixed cord. The JBuddies Studio Wired headphones are light and well-made.

If you are looking for a comfortable basic set of headphones or need a pair to send with your child to school, this is a great option. With volume-limiting, plug-and-play ease, very durable, and a built-in mic on the cord for school learning or audio and video chats, this is still one of the best affordable headsets for kids.

This is what we got when our daughter needed to bring a pair of headphones to leave at Kindergarten. Since they were going to live at school (in the classroom), we wanted something inexpensive that we wouldn’t worry about. This is also what we used when remote learning first started.

Buy Now: JBuddies Studio On-Ear Wired Headphones

Pros of JBuddies Studio

-Volume Limiting

You do not have to worry about your child’s hearing with the built-in volume limiting to 85dB.

-Light and Comfortable Design

These headphones are lightweight without feeling flimsy and are quite durable. We have had ours for several years now and they are still going strong.

-Fun Colors

They are available in a wide array of fun colors.

Cons of JBuddies Studio

-Connected Cord

Cords are typically what break first, especially with little kids plugging and unplugging them roughly. If the cord breaks or the jack stops working, you need to buy a new pair. If your device does not have a 3.5 mm audio jack, you will need to get an adapter.

Buy Now: JBuddies Studio On-Ear Wired Headphones

4. iClever BTH22 Kids Wireless Headphones

✈️ Best Travel Headphones for Younger Kids

These on-ear Bluetooth headphones from iClever are one of their new offerings for young ears. They sent us a free pair to review. Here is our honest opinion.

The iClever BTH22 headphones are great for travel, with 60 hours of wireless playback time, rugged construction, and easy-to-use controls. With volume limiting to 85 dBA, these headphones can be reduced to 74 dBA for even more protection (though on airplanes we found we needed the volume up to hear over the engines). 

They come with a 3.5 mm headphone jack so you can use them if you run out of battery power or want to plug them in on an airplane or other non-Buetooth-enabled device. 

Pairing the headphones is easy, but remember to disconnect them from the device you are using, before pairing them with a second.

These headphones feel really well made and our youngest liked how comfortable they were, even for extended periods of time. On-ear headphones are not for everyone, our nine-year-old has her ears pierced and found the on-ear style less uncomfortable than over-ear or in-ear options.

Pros of iClever

-Long Battery life 

With 60 hours of wireless playback time, these have the best battery life of any kid’s wireless headphones we have tried.

-Comfortable Rugged Design

With a winning combination of style, comfort, and durability, these headphones are great for little kids who can be rough on their devices and at a price that is hard to beat.

-Volume Limiting

These headphones have a max volume of 85dB, so you do not have to worry about damaging young ears. 

Cons of iClever

-Volume Limiting

We needed to use the higher volume setting when on a plane in powered mode. Without the Bluetooth power on, hearing on a plane was all but impossible, which meant you could not use them with the inflight serves offered.

-No Microphone

There is no mic on the included cord, so it cannot be used for calls or video chats when not powered. We also prefer “L” shaped cord ends as they are easier for little kids to plug in without damaging them over time. And the cords are tight-fitting and hard to get in all the way. The cord is the weakest part of this product.

-No Bag or Case

These headphones come with a USB-C power cord and a 3.5 mm headphone jack. We wish they came with a travel bag or case that included a pocket for cords.

Buy Now: iClever Kids Wireless Headphones

5. Sony MDREX110AP In-Ear Headphones

✈️ ✈️ Best Travel Headphones for Older Kids

We use a variety of devices when we travel, iPads, laptops, MP3 players, and entertainment systems on planes. The Sony MDREX110AP is a great wired in-ear headset to go between all of them. 

After traveling for three years with over-ear headphones for our kids, we really appreciate how little in-ear headphones are. These are some of the few we found with an SS size for smaller ears. 

The headphones have a built-in mic and can be used for calls or video chats. The “L” shaped 3.5 mm jack is well made and easier to use than the straight versions. 

At a great price point, it is not the end of the world if they are lost or damaged. 

Pros of Sony

-Wired and Mic

With a built-in mic for voice or video calls, these headphones can be used on just about any device.

-Comfort and Fit

With four different sizes of soft silicone earbuds, you are sure to find the right fit for your ears. Plus the in-ear style helps to isolate sound and keeps more of the environmental sounds out.

-Small Size

These in-ear headphones wrap up nicely with the provided cord management and will fit in a pocket in your clothes or pack for easy travel.

Cons of Sony

-Not Volume Limiting

These headphones are not volume-limiting and are not good for very young ears. We also do not recommend using in-ear headphones for younger kids.

-Not Wireless

These are simple plug-and-play headphones. They can get tangled and do not come with a protective case.

Buy Now: Sony In-Ear Headphones

Bonus: Belkin SoundForm Nano 2 Bluetooth Earbuds

🛜 Best In-Ear Wireless Headphones for Kids

These children’s wireless earbuds by Belkin are great for kids who are ready for the next level of headphones, without a huge investment.

With 8 hours of playtime and an additional 20 hours in the charging case, the Nano 2 Bluetooth Earbuds have a longer battery life than AirPods for a quarter of the cost.

The Nano 2 is built for kids, with an IPX5 rating for sweat and water resistance, 85 dBA volume limiting, and five different sizes of silicone ear tips, including XS and XXS for smaller ears.

They come with a case to store and protect them which also charges them.. Ten minutes of change will provide 90 minutes of playtime.

With kid-friendly touch controls, you can change the volume, play, pause, and skip a song, or answer and end a call. Pairing the headphones is easy, but remember to disconnect them from the device you are using, before pairing them with a second.

Pros of Belkin

-Long Battery life 

With 8 hours of wireless playback time, plus an additional 20 hours in the case, these have the best battery life of any kid’s wireless headphones we have tried.

-Affordable Wireless Design

Small in price and compact form, these earbuds fit nicely into their charging case, these earbuds are easy to use and pack for travel.

-Volume Limiting

These headphones have a max volume of 85dB, so you do not have to worry about damaging young ears. 

Cons of Belkin

-Small Parts

Like any small thing, these can be lost or misplaced. These should only be used by kids who can keep track of them. Fortunately, you can get three-year accident protection for less than ten dollars.

-No Physical Cord

There is no cable to plug into these to have them work with a plane’s entertainment system unless you get a third-party product.

Buy Now: Belkin SoundForm Nano 2 Bluetooth Earbuds

Connection Cables and Bluetooth Adapters

It is important to remember that if you are using newer products like iPads or iPhones, they no longer have a 3.5 mm headphone port.

If you want to use a wired set of headphones, or even a wireless set with the included cord, you can still use all the above headphones, you just need the right adapter.

Lightning Adapter

For iPhones and iPads with a Lightning port, use this Lightning to 3.5 mm jack connector.

USB-C Adaptor

For newer iPhones and iPads, as well as other smartphones with USB-C ports, use this USB-C to 3.5 mm jack connector.

Bluetooth Transmitter with 3.5 mm Jack

If you have wireless headphones and you want to use them with an airplane’s media console, you can use this entry-level Bluetooth Transmitter.

Premium Bluetooth 5.3 with 3.5 mm Jack

Or for the next level up, try this Premium Bluetooth adapter that supports two headsets and low latency for airplanes and TVs.

Top Features to Consider

Here are some of the top features you’ll want to consider when choosing the best pair of kids’ headphones for your family.

Volume Limiting

This is perhaps the most important feature for young ears. It can also be confusing to know what is the safest way for little kids and toddlers to use headphones. There are two main factors that contribute to hearing loss with headphones- loud volumes and loud volumes for extended periods of time.

The industry standard for volume limiting is 85dB, but this is also based on a listening time of eight hours. It is continuous high volumes that can damage little ears. It is also important to take the background noise into account.

If you are traveling, whether in a car, train, or plane, there can be a lot of background noise that will easily exceed the 85dB max volume of a headset.

Some headphones give you the option of switching between 85dB and 95dB so that you can adjust the sound for the current environment. This is best if it is controlled by the parent, meaning the parent knows how to change it, but the kid doesn’t.

Also, if you are on a long trip, with lots of headphone time, it is best to take breaks, at least every two hours, of ten minutes or more.

Microphone

If your child is doing home learning, talking to friends in school chats, or FaceTiming with family, having a headset with a microphone is key. Bluetooth headphones will have a built-in mic.

If you have a corded headset, the mic and on/off button will be on the cord, closer to one side. It is important that the microphone is at the end nearest the headset to work properly.

Durability

This is important for any product, but especially for kid’s products. Kids can be rough on their belongings- they often do not know their own strength. Durability is often hard to judge when online shopping, where images are curated and limited.

Comfort

Headphone comfort is important for heavy daily use or long trips. Headset padding at the ears makes extended use more comfortable, and quality materials will also help with noise isolation.

Over-ear tends to be more comfortable than on-ear headsets for long hours of use. Padding at the top of the headset where it sits on the child’s head is also important. Lighter products will alleviate some of the need for padding, but not all.

Size, Weight & Collapsibility

If you are using headphones for travel, all three of these are important. The right balance of these will depend on the individual. For travel, we went with the over-ear headset (slightly larger) that was light and collapsable. Our favorite headset for home learning does not collapse and is on-ear, but has lots of great padding.

Wired or Wireless

The advantage to wired headphones is their simplicity- you don’t have to worry about losing the cord, or charging the headphones. However, many headsets actually have detachable cords, which can be a blessing or a curse. If you have a younger child, you may want to choose a wired pair for ease of use and affordability.

Wireless headphones offer a cordless experience that many kids prefer. We also love that we can leave the cord at home if we use the headphones in a live music venue to protect the kids’ hearing.

Battery Life

If you are choosing a wireless headset, find one with good battery life and fast charging. Battery life can range from 6 to 35 hours, with 12 hours being typical. Full charging can take an hour to three, but most have a fast charge, where 10 minutes will get you an hour or more of listening.

There You Have It

Our list of the best kids’ headphones for learning and travel is based on a lot of time buying and trying! These are headphones our kids have used, and we can personally recommend them.

Are there other headphones for kids out there that you think should make our list? We would love to hear from you!

Kids headphones are one of our top road trip supplies, check out our list of what you should consider packing! Don’t miss our tips for enjoying a road trip with kids!