Kids’ MP3 music players are perfect for young music lovers who are always groovin’ to a beat. Love it or hate it, digital devices are a part of your kids’ lives — they’re using tablets in school, fitness trackers for everyday life, and likely stealing your cell phone every chance they get (that is, if they don’t have their own). If you’re not ready to get your kid a phone but still want something that can keep them entertained for a few hours (read: out of your hair and/or trouble), a kids’ music player is a great option. You can upload songs, plug in a pair of earphones, and let them shuffle through or play their favorite tunes on their own, which means you no longer have to be the world’s most boring DJ by playing the same Disney tune 100 consecutive times.
MP3 players for kids are also a great way to give your little ones their own device, but one that can’t accidentally call a random contact in your phone book or buy something on your credit card. Plus, who — no matter what age they are — doesn’t feel happier listening to music? Ahead are 8 MP3 players for kids that will help them jam out so you can hopefully get some peace and quiet.
Best MP3 Players
The Mighty Vibe music player is pocket-sized and durable enough for little hands — it’s water, sweat, and drop-resistant and doesn’t have a glass screen to break. You can clip it onto a jacket, seatbelt, or backpack, and play up to 1,000 stored songs (or about 5+ hours) without a phone, WiFi, or an internet connection. It has Bluetooth connectivity and is compatible with Spotfiy and Amazon Music.
One reviewer said, “Yes! I just bought this for my 10-year-old. I wanted a screen free device for her to use. This is PERFECT! I can make her playlists with her throughout the day as I listen to my music and then sync them to her player and then she’s good to go! It doesn’t need WiFi or my phone to work once it’s synced. Connects great with Bluetooth speakers and ear buds. We made pop, worship, sleep and silly playlists and she can shuffle through them. This is great! So impressed with this product.”
The Apple iTouch is basically an iPhone without the “phone” and is a good option if you’re looking for something a little more high-tech than a simple MP3 player. It can store and play music but it also has a big touch screen, room for apps, camera, and WiFi capability. There are three sizes (32 Gb, 64 GB, and 128GB) and it comes in four different colors.
One reviewer said, “I bought this for my 14-year-old son because I want him to be able to listen to music but I didn’t want to buy him a smartphone. Because its only function is to play music, the battery life is really long. He can go 2 days or more without charging it.”
The bulky Sony walkman of your childhood has gotten a sleek, digital upgrade. The Sony MP3 player comes in black or red, has up to 35 hours of audio playback, an FM radio, and an easy-to-use drag and drop feature to load music and photos from your computer.
One reviewer said, “We bought these for our two boys. We didn’t want them to have any internet access/WiFi capabilities, just the ability to play music and radio. This is perfect! It’s small, durable, loooong battery life, good sound, and fits TONS of songs! Easy to plug into your computer and transfer music onto. The FM radio is great. It’s easy to use and navigate. My 12-year-old has had his for 3 years now and it’s still in great condition. My 10-year-old is harder on his, but after a year it’s still perfect. They listen to them every day! Came on to buy a third for the next son!”
Best MP3 Players for Kids
This MP3 player with a cute cartoon case will make a great music companion for your kids. It not only plays their favorite saved tunes, but it also has an FM radio, eBook, voice recording feature, alarm clock, and games. It has a bright color display and up to 26 hours of playback when used with earphones and up to 17 hours when using the built-in loudspeaker.
One reviewer said, “I got this for my niece for a birthday present and she loves it! It’s easy for her to use and I love the old school games that are loaded on it. It’s smaller than it looks in the picture so it fits easily into her hands (she is 5) and it is very light weight. We were able to easily load some Moana and Trolls songs onto it so she is in heaven and her parents are thrilled they don’t have to hear the kids music as much!”
This simple, thin MP3 player has an impressive 80-hour battery life, so your kid can listen to their favorite few songs on repeat all day long. It has no WiFi but has a big screen, FM radio, and simple button interface on the front. You can choose between 8 and 18GB of memory and four different colors.
One reviewer said, “I bought this MP3 for my eight-year-old who wanted to listen to music on the go. I didn’t want to spend a lot of money in case it was lost or damaged, but wanted something that was easy to use and still looked ‘cool.’ Purchased the MP3 in blue and it looks great! Adding music was EXTREMELY easy. just clicked on music files and dragged them to the MP3 folder. It works just like when you have a USB flash drive connected. Came already fully charged, which was awesome.”
This compact, lightweight MP3 player has an FM radio and 8GB of storage so your kid can save up to 2,000 songs of audiobooks. It has a bright display screen and up to 18 hours of battery life. The clip can be easily used to attach to bags, clothes, or pockets, and the player comes in seven fun colors.
One reviewer said, “I have a kid who wanted an MP3 player who I’m not giving a smart phone to. San Disk solved that need with this player. It’s tiny so it’s not in the way when clipped to a small child. 8GB is more than enough storage for 2000 songs (especially for a kid who only likes 12 songs). It turns on pretty quick. You don’t have to wait a minute for it to boot up like you would with a smartphone. The sound quality is pretty decent with the right headphones/ear buds/speakers. The menu navigation is simple and customizable. You can remove the categories you don’t use like Audiobooks so you don’t have to scroll through them. So easy a small child can use it.”
Best Toddler Music Players
Your tots will tell you to keep your paws off their kids’ music player, which has a fun bear paw design for the buttons on the front. It also has an FM radio, video player, voice recorder, lock screen function, and three built-in puzzle games to keep them entertained. It has a clear LCD screen, up to 25 hours of play time, and it comes in two different colors.
One reviewer said, “Got this for my 6yo so she could listen to ‘her music’ on long trips since we travel a lot (it doesn’t matter that it’s the same music we are listening to, haha). She loves it! We have had it for almost a year now and it has gotten lots of use. It can hold plenty of music for her and she even enjoys the few games that come on it. Battery life is awesome and it charges quickly.”
This kids’ music player also doubles as a mini sound machine, and it has 10 relaxing sounds including white noise, waves, and lullabies to help your tots drift off to sleep. It has a 2.4 inch screen, FM radio, alarm, equalizer, and can play video and record voices. It’s also Bluetooth compatible and comes with a lanyard to put around the wrist. The player has a life of up to 50 hours, more than enough time to keep your little ones out of (too much) trouble.
One reviewer said, “Got for my seven-year-old daughter and she loves it. It has a little speaker that she can use, but she uses her earphones. Bluetooth works well and she really enjoys the small lanyard that came with. Appears very sturdy and well made.”
For other ways to keep your kids entertained (read: out of trouble), check out our Kid Gear picks.
