After researching headsets for my 5.5 yr old, I bought this set and the Griffin myphones. I thought we could compare them, and if we liked both, one set could be for my 17 month old, too. After two weeks, my 5 yr old and I both prefer this set. It has a wider adjustment range, (fits the toddler AND fits me, an avg.-headed woman, but doesn't fit larger-headed husband) The sound quality is excellent, the plastic seems durable and flexible, and should withstand moderately rough use.
The options for two ways of controlling volume is particularly nice, b/c my son mostly listens to audio books, but also listens to music sometimes. The flexibility is great, b/c other headsets "volume limiters" just lower the overall volume, thus causing the spoken word or quieter songs, soft music (esp. lullaby style music) to not get loud enough to hear.
Before purchasing this headset, I called Kidz Gear on the phone to ask specifically about the decibel restriction issue above. I was promptly answered by a friendly, polite man with plenty of good information and the willingness to explain it all. Customer service seemed excellent, should I need help in the future.
I am a research-nut and not very easy to please. Despite these qualities, I would buy this again and would recommend it to others. Kidz Gear Wired Headphones For Kids
This set is wonderful--best I've seen for little heads. It really does fit 2 year-olds (unlike most other "kid" headphones), and my 5 year-old loves them, as well (we are going to order a second pair). They are sturdy and comfortable, with padding around the ears. They could also fit older children until their ears started being closer to adult size (the padding is the only thing stopping these for working for an adult since the padding doesn't sit around the ear for adults, but ON parts of the ear--the headphones themselves are plenty big enough when you adjust them). Definitely worth $15-20 to not have headphones for trips that fall off or have to be fiddled with every 2 minutes.
I purchased these headphones for my 15 month old for plane trips since we travel quite a bit. They work perfectly for him to watch videos on my Ipod Nano, and he actually leaves them on! They're soft for his little ears, and they adjust to fit him perfectly. I also appreciate the volume control that prevents the sound from getting too loud (although I just adjust the sound on the ipod, and lock it so my toddler can't adjust the volume).
I would highly recommend these headphones to anyone looking for something to fit a young child. As far as durability goes, they have held together well, however, I've only had them for a couple of months, so I don't know the long-term durability.
My four year old needed headphones for his DVD player. Kid sized head phones seemed like the perfect thing.
They look great and are comfortable. The plush ear pads help block out ambient noise. The size is good.
My biggest problem is that the cords are so thin. For something designed for kids, they should have thicker, more durable cords. My son broke two sets of cords in a year. (I tried soldering it back together, but the wires are so thin, it didn't last long).
Bought this for my 4 (now 5) year old, fit and sound quality are excellent, only problem is the headset lost sound on left side after 4 months of use, looks like the contacts near the plug were worn out. I would expect a product for kids (specially so young) to be more durable.
Won't buy this again.
Edit:
Editing this post about a week after the original post, I have downgraded to one star just because I tried calling kidz gear (used their phone number on their website), there was no answer, I left a message, but I never got a call back.
Edit (November 2011):
Got a call back from Kidz gear, they were really great, they are sending a replacement. They said they have a lifetime warranty, and if it ever brakes again they will replace it at no cost.
Upgrading back to 5 stars :-)
These are wonderful because they adjust to fit a kids head but there is nothing small about the quality or sound. I love these things. They have lasted longer than any pair of headphones my kids have used.
These headphones were perfect for our 3-year old on a long airplane trip. They were easy to adjust and fit perfectly. They were not uncomfortable at all, and the the individual volume adjustment is perfect for watching DVDs when more than one headset is used to ensure their volume is not too high (as these headphones do a great job of blocking out external noise). Pair this up with the Sony DVPFX-930 9" DVD player and Case Logic PDVK-9 DVD case and you have a great travel set for the kids.
Only cons: be careful as the wire leaving the headset could be a little more sturdy.
** UPDATE BELOW REVIEW **
After watching my toddler struggle to keep adult headphones on their teeny little noggin', I decided a pair of headphones geared for children would be a wise investment. The Kidz Gear headphones were really only one of a few choices available on Amazon. I think I made the right choice, but beware of high volumes.
FIT & COMFORT
The most important feature of the Kidz Gear headphones is fit. It fits over my toddler's head and ears comfortably so that they can focus on the audio, rather than adjusting the headphones constantly. The fact that they fold up is very nice for storage and travel. The cord length is reasonable at 1.5 meters (just under 5 feet) but a coiled one may have been even more convenient. The headphones are easily adjustable for different size heads, though it won't fit mine.
AUDIO QUALITY
I'm sure most parents, like me, aren't concerned with the actual fidelity of the headphones but just to be thorough, these headphones don't sound that great. They sound about as good, or bad, depending on your point of view, as most headphones that are included with audio/video devices. The frequency range is 20 - 20K Hz, which is the audible range for most people. The inline volume control is convenient, but I am slightly concerned that my child will accidentally increase the volume at a much higher level than is safe. I just make sure that the device volume is set low enough that even at the highest level setting on the headphones won't be that high. From what I can gather, the maximum volume output is between 100dB-110dB. I've read that sustained exposure to sounds above 85db can lead to permanent hearing loss. As a comparison, an ambulance siren is rated at 120db. Basically, it just means that at full volume, these headphones can get loud enough to damage hearing, so be responsible and make sure that it is set low enough for safe usage. If you are overly concerned about this, then you may want to take a look at the Califone First Stereo Headphone Lightweight for Young Children.
SUMMARY
The Kidz Gear headphone is one of the best purchases I made for my toddler. They can now listen without fussing with them and as long as we are mindful of the volume, we know that they won't damage their precious little ears. I'd give them 5 stars if there was a volume limiter switch of some sort but for the price, it is a very good value.
** UPDATE 11/02/2010 **
Well it has been about a year and a half now and the Kidz Gear Wired Headphones are still going strong. We also graduated to using these in the car with a portable DVD player and they have held up nicely. It also appears now that some type of volume limiting cable is offered with the headphones, addressing the only concern I had. I'm not sure what this cable is or how it works, but I'm pleased that there is something to help keep our child's ears healthy. I can now confidently give them 5 stars.'
Detail Products
Detail Reviews
Click here for more information
