What's a good first music player for an 8-year-old?
By eight, most kids have music they care about, and a toy player with story cards stops cutting it. Here is what to look for, and the options worth a look.
We sell the Bilby, so keep that in mind. We have tried to be fair about when something else is the better buy.
The short answer
An Android music player
Something like the Bilby. Spotify, Apple Music and the rest, a headphone jack, and parental controls you set once.
A basic MP3 player
Cheap, simple, long battery, nothing to lock down. No streaming.
Yoto
Still great at eight. The card library goes up to older kids too, though each card costs extra.
What matters at eight
- Their music, not yours. Either it runs the streaming app you already pay for, or loading songs from a computer is easy.
- A headphone jack. Cheap wired headphones are easy to replace and never need charging.
- A battery that lasts a car trip. Eight hours or more with the WiFi off.
- Controls you set once. You decide what it can open, then stop thinking about it.
- Tough enough for a school bag. A case helps.
- No ongoing cost. Watch out for players where the content is sold one piece at a time.
What matters less
Hi-res audio specs, huge storage and a big screen. 16 GB holds thousands of songs, and a bigger screen mostly means more video.
Questions to ask before you buy
- Does it run the streaming app we already pay for?
- Can I lock it to music only, and how long does that take?
- Does it have a headphone jack, speakers, or both?
- What happens if it breaks in the first few months?
Where the Bilby fits
The Bilby is built for this age. A 2.8-inch touchscreen they can drive, the streaming apps they will ask for, a headphone jack and two speakers, and 10 to 16 hours of battery offline. It runs Android, so you lock it down with a free app like AppBlock, and our setup guide takes about ten minutes. US$100 with shipping included, and 90 days to send it back.
Questions parents ask
Is 8 too young for a music player?
No. Most eight-year-olds can manage a simple touchscreen menu. The bigger question is what else the device can do, which is why parental controls matter.
Should an 8-year-old have Spotify?
Plenty do. If you are on Spotify Premium Family, you can turn off explicit content for their account. The music player itself just needs to run the app.
Wired or Bluetooth headphones for kids?
Either works. Wired ones are cheaper to replace and never need charging, which is why a headphone jack is worth having.
How much storage does a kid need?
Less than you think. 16 GB holds thousands of songs. If they download a lot of playlists for offline listening, a microSD card adds more.
Music first? Get the Bilby.
player, USB-C cable and case included. 90-day free returns.
More comparisons and guides: Bilby vs Yoto vs Toniebox · Bilby vs an old iPod vs a cheap MP3 player · Bilby vs handing over a phone · A first music player for an 8-year-old · Music without a smartphone · Setup guide