How loud is too loud for kids' headphones?
Kids’ ears are more sensitive than ours, and headphones put the sound right next to them. Here’s what the experts recommend, and a few rules that are easy to stick to.
This is general information, not medical advice. If you’re worried about your child’s hearing, talk to your GP or an audiologist.
The short answer
75 dB, 40 hours a week
The World Health Organization recommends kids listen at no more than 75 decibels, for no more than 40 hours a week.
Half volume
Keep the volume around halfway, and take a break every hour or so.
Arm's length
If you can hear their music from an arm’s length away, it’s too loud.
What 75 dB sounds like
Roughly the level of a vacuum cleaner in the next room or a busy restaurant. Many earbuds, headphones and devices can go to 100 dB or more, which is far louder.
About "85 dB kid-safe" headphones
Lots of kids’ headphones are sold as volume-limited to 85 dB. That’s better than nothing, but it’s above the 75 dB the WHO recommends for children, and paediatric audiologists say the limits on some headphones aren’t reliable. Treat them as a backstop, not the whole plan.
How long matters as much as how loud
Hearing damage depends on loudness and time together. An hour at a moderate level is very different from all day at a high one. Regular breaks help, and so does keeping the volume down on long trips.
Tips that work
- Set the volume together at a comfortable level, then agree that’s the top.
- Try noise-cancelling headphones in loud places like planes and cars, so they don’t turn the music up to drown out the noise.
- Use speakers at home. No headphones needed in the bedroom.
- Check your device for a volume warning or limit in its sound settings, and turn it on if it has one.
- Do it yourself too. Kids copy what we do.
On the Bilby
The Bilby has a 3.5 mm headphone jack and Bluetooth, so you can use whichever headphones you trust. It also has two built-in speakers, which is an easy way to give their ears a rest at home.
Questions parents ask
What volume is safe for kids' headphones?
The World Health Organization recommends no more than 75 dB, for up to 40 hours a week. In practice, about half volume on most devices.
Are 85 dB volume-limited headphones safe?
They’re safer than unlimited ones, but 85 dB is above the WHO’s 75 dB guideline for children. Keep the device volume down as well.
How long can kids wear headphones each day?
The WHO guideline works out to under six hours a day at 75 dB. Less if it’s louder. Breaks every hour or so help.
Are earbuds worse than over-ear headphones?
What matters most is the volume and the time. Over-ear headphones are often easier to keep at a sensible level, and they’re easier for small kids to put on properly.
Music first? Get the Bilby.
player, USB-C cable and case included. 90-day free returns.
Sources, checked 1 October 2026: WHO-ITU safe listening devices and systems standard; Stanford Medicine Children’s Health; Children’s Mercy Kansas City.
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