Music is meaningful, but noise annoys. Whether you are a committed audiophile or an air traveler trying to block out the sounds of a long flight, the benefits of noise-canceling headphones are obvious. But a third group could also stand to reap the rewards of sustained “quiet time.”

The PuroQuiet Children’s Over-Ear Headphones from Puro Sound Labs are taking aim at the kid demographic as a hearing and wallet-friendly option that can grow with a child, while keeping their ears safe for years to come.

How? The focus of PuroQuiet headphones is on control. Each pair features volume limiting, which caps the maximum volume at 85 decibels, and active noise canceling, which can reduce the background noise heard by a listener by up to 22 decibels. What this means is that even if your youngster attempts to blow their eardrums out by blasting “Baby Shark” for the umpteenth time, the PuroQuiet headphones will stay at a safe listening level, and the ability to listen in a quieter overall environment may lead your child to pump up the volume less often, equating to safer habits for the future and healthier hearing all around.

But don’t take this old fuddy-duddy of a critic’s word for it. After receiving a pair of PuroQuiet headphones, I enlisted a very helpful 5-year-old to run them through a true torture test: cross-country air travel entertainment during summer vacation.

“I like these better than the old ones,” replied the novice reviewer when asked for a first impression of the PuroQuiet headphones. “They don’t hurt my ears.”

When pressed, my young colleague explained that the PuroQuiet’s leather ear cushions felt “softer” and more “comfortable” than those of a less expensive set they had previously used for playing on a tablet. For an adult, the same words hold true. The PuroQuiet’s cushions are smooth and soft, and noticeably dampen background sounds even without using noise canceling or listening to entertainment.

Additional highlights for the 5-year-old included the color of the headphones (either pink or blue metallic hues), and the easily identifiable “L” and “R” marked on the cushions which allert my co-reviewer to which side should align with which ear. The ear cups also lay flat—another plus—for both easy storage as well as restless hand play.

When it comes to battery life and sound, the PuroQuiet headphones are no slouch, with 22 hours of play time on a full charge, and 16 hours with active noise canceling engaged. The PuroQuiet is also able to produce full-bodied tones and an impactful low end, while still providing adequate audio for cartoons and computer games. With active noise canceling turned on, voices appear crisper and overall cleaner audio results for an enjoyable listening experience, even in a crowded airport or soaring through the clouds.

PuroQuiet headphones also come equipped with Bluetooth for pairing with preferred devices and the ability to answer phone calls through a built-in microphone. Though not essential for very young users, the feature adds to the capability of the product. One down note, the headphones’ volume controls (located on one of the ear cups) only work when the set is paired to a device with Bluetooth, leaving wired users reaching for the device they’re plugged into.

Packaged with a handy carrying case as well as a 3.5mm audio cable and USB charging cable, the PuroQuiet Children’s Over-Ear headphones provide a nice starting point for young users who want to immerse themselves in entertainment, while protecting their hearing at the same time—even if they don’t know how safe they are.

—Michael Cimaomo