Ear Defenders for Babies and Young Children – Festival must have

After having to sit with my hands over Betsy’s ears at the tame volumes of Giffords Circus I knew we would not be going to festivals without some proper ear protection for her. From festivals to air shows to fireworks (or even noisy wedding discos) they will come in handy year round.

There are three brands dominating the children’s ear defender market at the moment: Peltor, Edz Kidz and Baby Banz. They are all pretty similar in design and feature a sprung headband which keeps the ear muffs in place.

Having tried both Peltors and Baby Banz versions I can confirm the fit both babies and adults. The fit is designed to be snug to keep the padded seal firmly in place. I see from Amazon reviews that quite a few people have found the Edz Kidz version too tight for their liking (but could be down to one reviewer putting the idea in everyone’s head of course!).

The ear defenders block out loud noise but still allow you to hear what is going on around you, including people speaking to you making them ideal for allowing children to enjoy loud events without damaging their hearing.

We bought the Baby Banz Hearing Protection ear defenders for Betsy. At five months she was a little under their age range but fit her just fine. When we first put them on they bothered her a little (as would anything unusual) but she soon settled down. She wore them happily and didn’t startle at loud or sudden sounds – she even managed to breast feed happily. Be sure you’re in a quiet spot when you take them off as the increase in sound can be a bit of a surprise.

I’m adding ear defenders as a must have. Prices are around £12 – £17 but given they adjust to fit for many years I think they’re good value. I will be investing in a pair each for Milla and Monty before November 5th and perhaps we can have tear free fireworks!

If your little one is too small for the over head ear defenders, you need to get Em’s 4 Bubs. Em’s 4 Bubs earmuffs are made specifically for very young children and babies. Em’s 4 Buds earmuffs use an adjustable headband to hold them in place, which help disperse pressure more evenly around the skull of your baby. Finn was wearing these as a tiny baby (5 weeks old!) at Camp Bestival and 8 weeks old at Victorious Festival and wasn’t disturbed by the noise at all. They’re initially a little fiddly to get in place but with a little practice, super easy.

Image copyright
Kat – Betsy at Just So Festival 2011
Claire – Victorious Festival 2013