Dad Hacks: Books on Tape

There is a meme that goes something like this: being quarantined with a talkative child is like having an insane parrot superglued to your shoulder. Driving around in a car with a talkative child isn’t all that different, except with more danger. If this is you, we wouldn’t blame you for giving in to the temptation of sticking an iPad to the back of the front seats. However, given that kids get plenty of screen time these days, may we suggest this little pro tip: books on tape. They work wonders to hold the attention of kids of all ages, and are great for their imagination. More importantly, this ought to buy you at least an hour of peaceful driving time. (For longer road trips, break out the old iPad if you must; we won’t judge).

EQUIPMENT

Unlike with adult headphones, which is all about the sound quality, the key is to find the safest headphones that protect your kiddo’s ears by limiting volume levels. For this, you will need a pair that is designed strictly for children.

We also recommend going for Bluetooth headphones that you can then sync to your own phone. You will be able to control the playlist and won’t have to worry about them getting all tangled up back there.

After extensive research, we found that Puro Sound Labs makes by far the safest, best quality headphones on the market. They have different models but our favorite is the Junior Jams.

PURO SOUND LABS JUNIOR JAMS

SHOP $70

Delivers a bass-forward audio experience without going above 85dB. Has wireless Bluetooth v4.0 technology with a 30-ft. Range. Also “daisy chaining” technology—which means is you can pair up multiple Junior Jams to one device. So if you have two kids, they can both watch a movie on the same device, each with their own headphones. Great for plane travel because of the lithium-ion 22-hour battery life. And kids will love the colors. Best for kids 2 to 13 years.