JBL’s new open earbuds for kids will keep them aware of their surroundings, should still fit them as they grow, and let parents set safe volume levels to protect their hearing

• JBL Junior Free earbuds launch for £69.99 (about $90 / AU$140)
• WHO-recommended volume limit plus your own time and volume settings
• Open-ear design means they can still hear what's around them

JBL has launched a new set of open-ear headphones designed specifically for children, the JBL Junior Free headphones. As you'd expect, they're designed for smaller ears – and they're also designed to protect those ears from overly loud sounds.

The choice of open-ears is deliberate: unlike over-ear headphones and in-ear earbuds, the JBL Junior Free headphones don't isolate the child from the world around them by obstructing their ear canal. This aspect of them is a big part of why adults often choose the best open earbuds for running, since being more aware of what's happening around you helps you stay safer – and kids often need help with awareness even at the best of times.

And, of course, it means they can enjoy their music, their app soundtrack or their video while still hearing you and your requests.

The headphones also include features designed to ensure that their wearers don't accidentally damage their hearing.

JBL Junior Free headphones: key features and pricing

As we've come to expect from child-focused headphones, the JBL Junior Free come with a volume limiter – JBL calls it Safe Sound – that ensures the headphones don't go beyond the World Health Organization's recommendation of 85dB.

That's important, because sustained exposure to sounds above that level can cause hearing damage that can't be reversed. The WHO says that at 80dB, the safe listening time is up to 40 hours per week – but at 90dB it drops to just four.

JBL takes that idea further in these headphones by also enabling you to set time limits for their use as well as your own custom volume limits, and to get activity reports so you can see how long the headphones are being worn for and how loud they're getting.

The Junior Free are lightweight with soft silicone materials, controls designed for smaller fingers, multipoint Bluetooth for two simultaneous device connections and a flexible neckband that keeps them in place and is flexible enough to grow as they do, so they won't become usefless after a growth spurt.

Battery life is 10 hours with a 10-minute fast charge delivering three hours from flat, and the headphones are rated IPX4 for splash resistance. And in a nice touch, the packaging can be turned into a phone stand and comes with some decorative stickers to customize the headphones.

The JBL Junior Free will be available in the UK and Europe from this month, November, in a choice of purple, teal or peach and with a recommended price of £69.99 / €79.99 (about $90 / AU$140). US pricing and availability haven't been announced just yet.

The best wireless earbuds for all ages (and budgets)

➡️ Read our full guide to the best earbuds
1. Best overall:
Technics EAH-AZ100
2. Best mid-range:
Cambridge Audio A100
3. Best budget:
Nothing Ear (a)
4. Best for noise-cancelling:
Bose QuietComfort Earbuds Ultra 2nd Gen

Follow TechRadar on Google News and add us as a preferred source to get our expert news, reviews, and opinion in your feeds. Make sure to click the Follow button!

And of course you can also follow TechRadar on TikTok for news, reviews, unboxings in video form, and get regular updates from us on WhatsApp too.