Animalz Retractable, Volume-Limiting Headphones ~ Christmas Gift Guide for Kids

I really must begin with a confession. We have included this product in our Christmas Gift Guide for Kids, but I'm thinking it may wind up being one of those gifts that the momma benefits from way more than the kiddos!

If your life is anything like mine you can sing along with almost any children's song. Not because you have purposely set about memorizing said songs, but more because you hear them over and over and over again about a million times a day.

When we go on car trips with our family my kids like to play games on their tablets to pass the time. If you aren't the one playing the game the music and sound effects can drive you batty! Now there is the perfect solution. Say goodbye to long, boring hours and squabbles in the backseat and say hello to Animalz headphones for kids!

Whether at home or on-the-go, Animalz by ReTrak retractable headphones are designed for little ears and feature volume-limiting technology in six lovable soft fabric animal designs: Biker Bearz, DJ Panda, Jam Bunneez, Scuba Shark, Skate Monkeez and Surf Dawgz. Kids can now enjoy listening to their own music, playing games or watching movies all with their favorite Animalz!

Little H is wearing the Biker Bearz headphones.

Another great place to use these adorable headphones is at my parents' house. My dad introduced my boys to videos on YouTube. They love to crawl up into his lap and ask for a video. Being the indulgent Poppy that he is he always obliges. The nice thing about the Animalz headphones is that they can watch all their silly videos while the rest of us continue having a conversation!

One of my worries with headphones has always been the side effect of hearing loss. According to the Journal of Pediatrics, more than 10 percent of children ages 9 to 19 have noise-induced hearing loss. Prolonged exposure to sound louder than 85 decibels can damage a child’s ears, causing permanent hearing impairment. With Animalz’s volume-limiting technology you don’t have to worry about overexposure for developing, sensitive ears. Animalz volume limiter sets 85 decibels as the maximum volume for optimal ear protection.

Little M is wearing Surf Dawgz headphones.

Since the headphones won't hurt my boys' hearing we have also been using them for Little M's daily lessons. We choose to homeschool our children and some of Little M's work is done on the computer. Before we started using the Animalz headphones it was a battle to keep his attention focused on the work at hand instead of the antics of his little brother.

With the headphones he is able to stay more focused on his work. While these headphones are volume-limiting they aren't noise cancelling. So, when I need to get Little M's attention he can still hear me.

On a side note . . . the headphones are so soft. If you look at my boys when they have them on you will often see them petting the Animalz while they are listening. So cute! These things are built for years of fun, Animalz are backed by a lifetime warranty!

I have one last benefit to tell you about. It's the cord and it's retractable. Yes I said retractable! Nothing is worse than having to constantly untangle cords but with the Animalz headphones you don't have to. With just a gentle tug the cord snugs right up into the headphones. Perfect for storage.

So your next question is Where Can I Buy Them? Animalz are available at more than 15 U.S. retailers including Amazon.com®, Best Buy® and Toys“R”Us®. Go here for a full list of retailers. The Panda and Shark designs are available exclusively at Best Buy until March 2015.