Buying guide for best bluetooth speakers for kids
Bluetooth speakers are perfect for listening to music from your smartphone in hi-fi — and they’re not just for grown-ups anymore. Bluetooth speakers for kids are all the rage now, and children all over the world are discovering the fun of streaming music and even learning with built-in digital assistants like Amazon’s Alexa.
Whether you’re shopping for an early learner who loves songs and games or a teenager who is just discovering her favorite counter-culture music, you can now find a Bluetooth speaker that’s designed for the younger person — and leaves behind the complicated interfaces and unfiltered content found on models geared toward adults.
Here’s everything you need to know about buying a Bluetooth speaker for the child in your life — from the must-have conveniences you’ll need to the privacy-protecting features you’ll want to be aware of.
Key considerations
Before you start comparing different models of Bluetooth speakers for kids, consider these three key questions.
What age group are you shopping for? The most important thing to consider first is who is going to be using the Bluetooth speaker the most. If you’re buying one for a child between five and eight years old, look for models that are especially durable. Something with only a few buttons will be easier to use. If you’re shopping for an older child, you’ll find a lot more appropriate models, but you’ll need to spend a little more.
How loud do you need it to be? Bluetooth speakers for kids come in a wide variety of shapes and sizes — and some are loud enough to fill a bedroom, while others are loud enough to fill a ballroom. Consider the child who will be using the speaker and how much amplification you want him to have. If you’re not sure if a specific model is the right volume for you, search video reviews for real-world examples of what different models can do.
- Do you want to stream music to your speaker from a device or play music from a microSD card? All Bluetooth speakers for kids can stream music from a smartphone or tablet, but there are times when Bluetooth isn’t ideal — especially when you consider that your phone needs to be in range whenever you want to use the speaker. If you want a Bluetooth speaker for kids that can play music on its own without requiring an additional device, find one that has the option to play music from a microSD card.
Features
Once you’ve determined the general size of Bluetooth speaker that you want, consider what additional features you want. Here are our favorite bonus features that we’ve seen on Bluetooth speakers.
Voice control: Using voice commands to ask for music or control a music player definitely takes some getting used to, but once you’ve adapted to the convenience of it, you may never want to go back. Parents love being able to control a speaker when their hands are full; kids love playing talking-based games that are fun and educational. If you’re ready to help your youngster get hip to Artificial Intelligence, get her a Bluetooth speaker with a digital assistant.
A built-in camera: Many speakers include cameras for security … and selfies. If you’re preparing your child to be the next Instagram lifestyle model — or if you just want to teach him to take pictures to share with relatives — get a kids’ Bluetooth speaker with a built-in camera.
- Water resistance: If your kids spend time at the pool or beach, make sure the speaker you buy is water-resistant, so it can survive the summer.
Price
Bluetooth speakers for kids start at about $30, but the cheapest models typically don’t sound very good. If you’re buying a Bluetooth speaker for limited use, like a beach trip, you can get away with spending $30 or $40, but in most cases, it’s a better idea to spend a little more to get one that will last longer and sound better.
The best Bluetooth speakers for kids typically cost about $50. Models in this price range are moderately loud (without being too loud), sound decent, and can last on a battery for about four hours while playing music. If you’re looking for a basic kids’ Bluetooth speaker that will last a few years but won’t break the bank, you’ll find the perfect one in this range.
Tips
Before you buy a Bluetooth speaker for your kids, keep these tips in mind.
If your child is learning to talk, get a Bluetooth speaker with a built-in digital assistant. Most digital assistants like Google Home or Amazon’s Alexa are great for learning language because they can repeat words or phrases back to you, and they can even run kid-oriented apps that make fun out of learning games. Digital assistants are incredibly convenient for adults, but for kids, they can be an endless source of learning and entertainment — so if you have a young learner in your home, make sure to get a speaker that can help them grow.
If you buy a Bluetooth speaker with a built-in digital assistant, enable parental controls to avoid any unwanted or accidental purchases. One thing that digital assistants are particularly good at is shopping for us. In some cases, all you have to do is ask to buy something, and the purchase gets made for you. That’s great for grown-ups, but it can make life with a child challenging, especially if they’re prone to asking for things. Don’t let your kid shop unsupervised: make sure you’ve enabled parental controls and disabled any on-the-fly purchasing.
- If you’re taking your Bluetooth speaker with you on a trip, pack a spare USB power bank. Many Bluetooth speakers for kids are portable, and they use built-in batteries to keep music going wherever you go. But all batteries run out, so if you’re going on a long trip with your young one, bring a USB power bank, plug in your speaker when the battery is low, and never miss a beat.
Other products we considered
The DOSS SoundBox Pro isn’t marketed as a kids’ Bluetooth speaker, but it’s so simple to use that it might as well be. It’s got great bass, which can be hard to find in portable speakers, and perhaps best of all, it can be paired with a second DOSS Soundbox Pro to play music in stereo, with each speaker playing one of the two stereo channels. Don’t get put off by the loud colors and crazy lights. This speaker is an incredible value, and it’s one of the best-sounding models in its price range.
We also love the POECES Portable Bluetooth Speaker, which is half LED lamp, half portable speaker, and all fun. It lights up in multiple selectable colors, and changing colors is as easy as tapping the top of the speaker, which is perfect for toddlers and preschoolers. Our favorite part: it’s got a built-in battery, so you can take anywhere you want your music (or more light), and listen to music for hours without having to plug it in to the wall.
FAQ
Q. How long do batteries last on portable Bluetooth speakers for kids?
A. It depends on how actively they’re being used, but most portable Bluetooth kids’ speakers last anywhere between four and 12 hours on a single charge. In general, you can count on most portable Bluetooth speakers to last at least four hours on a single charge — but if it’s got other features that use battery power, like a built-in LED light, the battery won’t last as long.
Q. Can I use a wired connection to connect my audio source to a Bluetooth speaker?
A. Yes, as long as you buy a Bluetooth speaker with a 3.5mm auxiliary headphone jack. Using a wired connection allows you to hear your music in full fidelity (instead of compressed Bluetooth audio) and eliminates the potential for any wireless interference problems.
Q. Do I need a paid subscription to use digital assistant services like Amazon’s Alexa?
A. No, but in the case of Amazon’s Alexa, the benefits of having a subscription to Amazon Prime are worth it. Most digital assistants can handle the basics of their job without a paid subscription — so they can tell you about the weather and local traffic, make internet phone calls, and answer questions about anything they can search the web for. That said, most of the fun of having a digital assistant comes with streaming music and shopping, neither of which are free. If you have a subscription to Amazon Prime, for example, you can use Alexa to stream from Prime Music’s robust catalog of artists, and you can ask Alexa to purchase items for you.
