When your child insists on listening to the "Everything Is Awesome" song from The LEGO Movie for the 28th time in a single morning, it's probably time to plug in the headphones. But chances are you don't want to hand over your Marshall Monitors. HeadFoams are child-friendly, child-proof headphones which offer a limited volume level and are tough enough to survive in the hands of a three-year-old.
At first glance HeadFoams, from MarBlue, look like any other chunky over-ear headphones being worn on the street, and are available in a number of bright colors. However, they are actually designed for kids aged three and over, and are claimed to be nearly indestructible.
Rather than the traditional headphone design of moving plastic and metal parts and mechanisms, HeadFoams feature a mono-body made from EVA foam. That's the same material used in synthetic wine corks and Crocs shoes. This makes them soft, bendy, shatterproof and capable of surviving almost anything your child is likely to throw at them.
In addition to being strong enough to survive a three-year-old throwing a tantrum, HeadFoams are said to be comfortable so they won't constantly be removed by a child who says they're hurting their ears. The ear pads are made from soft foam-filled eco-leather fabric, and snap-on extension pads mean they should fit smaller children.
Because children's ears are sensitive and still developing, the headphones are limited to volume levels of 85 decibels, which is said to be similar to the sound level inside a busy restaurant. Despite this limit, sound quality is still claimed to be crisp, clear and deep.
While the 3.5-mm jack means the HeadFoams can be used with most devices, it also means there's a cord attached which could be a choking hazard for younger listeners – which is why the headphones are not recommended for those under three years old.
HeadFoams start shipping this month priced at US$40, and will initially come in three colors: purple, blue and orange.
Check out the video below to see the sort of abuse that HeadFoams can withstand.
Source: HeadFoams