The 10 Best Ear Protectors For Kids

Editor's Notes

June 17, 2020:

When evaluating hearing protection for kids, it's important to keep in mind that there are different models made for different age ranges, and that can significantly affect the safety of your purchase. For example, if you have a four year old and you're looking at two pairs of muffs, one for ages two-four and the other for ages four-eight, you might be tempted to go for the older set. But there's a chance that those protectors will be a little too big for them considering they go all the way up to eight, and if you end up with a pair that's too big, they can let sound leak in. Conversely, if you reach for the smaller pair, you might find them to be too small and potentially uncomfortable enough that you'll have to fight your little one to wear them when they need to.

That's all to say that finding a pair that's made for a range in which your child is currently in the middle would be ideal. That doesn't really apply to newborn models like the Baby Banz Earmuffs or the Lucid Audio HearMuffs, as they're intended to be comfortable on small babies' heads.

Style can be another determining factor here, and it's best to know to what degree your kids will want to imitate you or do their own thing. If your child sees you wearing a sleek black pair of protectors when working with power tools or heading out to the firing range, they might prefer something like the 3M Peltor Sport. A child who's more independently expressive might prefer one of the wacky styles of the Snug Defenders Kids Earmuffs instead.