Your toddler finally settles in with a show, and then the engine noise drowns it out. You turn the tablet up and the whole row hears it. The grown-up headphones you packed slide right off a small head.
Cheap kids headphones let you down in three ways. Many are sized for school-age kids and never say they fit a 2-year-old. Some have no volume cap, or a cap of 90 dB or more. And a wireless pair that dies halfway through the flight leaves you with nothing, unless a cable came in the box.
We compared five options for toddlers on planes. One is listed for kids from age 2, keeps the volume under 85 dBA with an even lower toddler mode, and runs 60 hours on a charge, with a cable for when it runs out.
Not sure? Let us pick for you
Who's flying, and what do they need?
Our pick for you: #1iClever BTH22 Toddler Headphones
Its listing says it fits kids aged 2 and up. It limits volume to under 85 dBA with a 74 dBA toddler mode, and it runs 60 hours with a cable for backup.
How we compared the toddler headphones for airplanes
Checked the age range on each Amazon listing, since many kids headphones start at 3 or give no age at all
Compared the volume limit each listing states, and whether a mode switch can raise it
Compared battery life per charge, and whether a 3.5 mm cable comes in the box for the seat-back screen or a dead battery
Read parent roundups, family-travel blogs and parent forum threads about fit, volume and toddlers who won't keep headphones on, then compared each product's own Amazon listing; we did not test these on flights ourselves
Toddler headphones for airplanes compared at a glance
Bluetooth headphones made for small heads: the listing says they fit kids aged 2 and up, with a 10-level headband and rotating ear cups. Volume stays under 85 dBA, there's a 74 dBA mode for toddlers, and the battery is rated at 60 hours, with a 3.5 mm cable for backup.
Listed to fit kids aged 2 and up, with a 10-level headband and rotating ear cups
Limits volume to under 85 dBA per the listing; press + and - together for a 74 dBA toddler mode
60-hour battery; when it runs out, plug in the included 3.5 mm cable and keep listening
Listed at 0.33 lb, with soft protein leather ear pads
No active noise cancelling; the listing says passive noise reduction only
Kids headphones with active noise cancelling and two modes: a gentle one for kids who feel ear pressure, and a high one built to block most engine noise. Volume is limited to 80 dBA, and the battery is rated at 60 hours with noise cancelling off or 35 hours with it on.
Two noise reduction modes, up to 40 dB (active plus passive) per the listing; the high mode is built to block most engine noise
Limits volume to 80 dBA per the listing
60 hours with noise cancelling off, 35 hours with it on; a 10-minute charge gives 5 hours
3.5 mm cable included, plus a 10-level headband and ear cups that turn 90 degrees
Listed for kids aged 3 and up
Noise cancelling doesn't work when you use the cable, so not on the seat-back screen
No hard band and no ear cups: flat speakers sit in a pocket inside a stretchy fabric headband, so a child can lean back or nap on a flight. It plays over Bluetooth for up to 16 hours, takes the included cable when the battery runs low, and can be pulled down as a sleep mask.
Flat speakers in a soft fabric headband, with nothing to pinch when your child leans back or naps
Share Mode links two CozyPhones 4.0 headsets to one tablet (each sold separately)
Included cable plugs into any 3.5 mm jack when the battery runs low
Machine-washable headband (take the electronics out first), mesh travel bag, 3.2 oz
Listed for 3 years and up
Kids Mode is volume limited, with a 90 dB maximum listed; Normal Mode switches to normal volume for noisy places
Bluetooth kids headphones that limit volume to 85 dB and come with a protective hard case for the carry-on. A daisy chain cable connects two headphones to one device, and you can switch between on-ear and over-ear cushions.
Limits volume to 85 dB per the listing
Protective hard case included for travel
Daisy chain cable connects two headphones to one tablet
Up to 20 hours of Bluetooth play, plus a 3.5 mm cable for wired listening
Illustrative photo. Photo: Andrew Lorien, CC BY-SA 2.0
7.9/10
BANZ Baby Earmuffs
Listed to fit a 2-year-old
Earmuffs for babies and young toddlers, not headphones: there are no speakers. The listing gives a noise reduction rating of NRR 26 dB, a headband that adjusts from newborn to 36 months, and names a plane ride as one place to use them.
Noise reduction rating of NRR 26 dB per the listing
Headband adjusts to fit from newborns to 36 months
Plush foam cups and a soft headband cover; listed at 135 g
Compact and foldable, per the listing
Earmuffs only: no speakers, so no sound from a tablet or the seat-back screen and no battery
The iClever BTH22 is a light Bluetooth headphone sized for toddlers, with a volume cap and a long battery. On a plane, it plays your tablet over Bluetooth for hours, then plugs into the seat-back screen or a dead-battery tablet with its 3.5 mm cable.
Many kids headphones start at 3 and slip off a smaller head
Volume
Under 85 dBA; 74 dBA toddler mode (press + and - together)
A cap you can count on when the cabin is loud
Battery
60 hours per charge; USB-C; 3.5 mm cable included
Charge once before the trip; the cable is the backup
Fit and weight
10-level headband, rotating ear cups, protein leather pads, 0.33 lb
Light on a small head for a long flight
1. Made for a 2-year-old's head
Most kids headphones on Amazon start at age 3 or give no age at all. The BTH22's listing says it fits kids aged 2 and up, with a 10-level headband and ear cups that rotate to follow the shape of a small head.
2. A volume cap, plus a lower toddler mode
The BTH22 limits volume to under 85 dBA, per the listing. Press + and - together and it switches to 74 dBA, a mode iClever describes as made for toddlers.
3. Lasts the trip, with a cable for backup
It's rated at 60 hours per charge, so a full day of travel won't drain it. If it does run out, the included 3.5 mm cable keeps the show going, and the same cable plugs into the seat-back screen.
Who it's for
Parents of 2-year-olds on a long flight with a tablet
Families who want a volume cap they don't have to watch
Anyone who wants Bluetooth with a cable backup for the seat-back screen
The honest trade-off
No active noise cancelling; the listing says passive noise reduction only
How it did on what we compared
Listed to fit a 2-year-old
Volume capped at 85 dB or lower
35+ hours of play per charge
Bottom line
If your toddler is 2 or older and you want one pair that fits, caps the volume and outlasts the flight, the BTH22 is the one to pack. If your child is 3 or older and the engine noise is the problem, choose the BTH20 with noise cancelling.
What to look for in toddler headphones for airplanes
Check the age on the listing
Kids headphones aren't all sized for toddlers. Look for a listing that names an age range that includes your child. Many start at 3, and some only say "kids." Under 2, most parents use earmuffs that block noise instead of headphones.
Look for a stated volume cap
A good listing gives a number, like 85 dB. Some offer a lower toddler mode. Others have a mode that raises the cap for noisy places, so know which mode the headphones ship in.
Count the hours, then check for a cable
Travel days run long once you add the airport and delays. A battery rated at 35 hours or more covers a long trip. A 3.5 mm cable in the box is your backup, and it's how you plug into most seat-back screens.
Decide if noise cancelling matters
Active noise cancelling lowers the engine hum, so your child doesn't need to turn the show up. Kids models with it tend to be listed for age 3 and up, and it may switch off when you use the cable.
Questions about toddler headphones for airplanes
Can a 1-year-old wear headphones on a plane?
None of the headphones we compared list an age under 2; the iClever BTH22 starts at 2. For babies, earmuffs such as the BANZ are listed from newborn to 36 months. They lower noise but play no sound.
Will kids headphones work with the seat-back screen?
Most seat-back screens need a wired plug. The four headphones here with speakers all come with a 3.5 mm cable. Some older planes have a two-hole jack, which needs a small airplane adapter.
Are noise cancelling headphones worth it for a toddler?
They can help a child hear a show without turning it up. The iClever BTH20 has noise cancelling, but its listing says ages 3 and up, and noise cancelling doesn't work when you use the cable.
What if my toddler won't keep headphones on?
Practice at home for a week or two before the trip, during a favorite show. A light pair or a soft headband style like the CozyPhones is easier for some kids to accept.
Bottom line: the best toddler headphones for airplanes
For a toddler on a plane, the iClever BTH22 is the headphone to buy: it's listed for kids from age 2, limits volume to under 85 dBA with a 74 dBA toddler mode, and runs 60 hours with a cable for backup. Choose the BTH20 for noise cancelling at age 3 and up, the CozyPhones for napping in a soft headband, the Puro BT2200 Plus for its hard travel case, and the BANZ earmuffs for a baby who just needs it quieter.
When Can a Toddler Wear Headphones on a Plane? — Most kids headphones are listed from age 2 or 3. How to tell if your toddler is ready, get a small-head fit, and get them to keep headphones on in flight.
Wired vs Bluetooth Headphones for Kids on a Plane — Wired or Bluetooth headphones for your child on a flight? The trade-offs with cords, batteries and the seat-back screen, and why a pair that does both wins.
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