Best kids' ear protection for shooting: muffs that fit your child

If you're taking a child to the range for the first time, whether to shoot or just to watch, their ear protection needs as much thought as yours. The National Institute on Deafness and Other Communication Disorders (NIDCD) lists target shooting and hunting among the recreational activities that can cause noise-induced hearing loss, notes that "people of all ages, including children, teens, young adults, and older people, can develop NIHL," and gives parents a simple instruction: "Protect the ears of children who are too young to protect their own" (NIDCD, Noise-Induced Hearing Loss).

This page ranks the best kids' ear protection for shooting: seven youth and children's muffs, each with an NRR (Noise Reduction Rating, the number on the package) published by its maker. For the rest of a family trip, from range age rules to what to pack, see taking kids to the shooting range.

How we picked

We haven't fitted these muffs on children or measured them; we compiled what each maker publishes and scored the muffs on the rubrics on our How we pick page (passive muffs on published NRR, fit, folding and comfort; electronic muffs add amplification, shut-off and battery). Every pick had to publish an NRR. 3M's Peltor kids' muff didn't make it, because we couldn't confirm a US NRR for it.

For kids, one more thing drove the ranking: a stated age. Most makers only say "youth" or "smaller head sizes," which leaves a parent guessing. Only two makers we found state an age, so they rank first and second. Allen ranks first because its stated range (3 and above) covers the most children and it states ANSI S3.19 compliance; Walker's is second as the only pick for a child under 3. The rest are ranked by what a parent is likely to need next: the highest-rated passive muff for older kids, then electronic muffs for young shooters.

Why kids need ear protection at the range

Children aren't just smaller adults when it comes to noise limits. A 2017 review by hearing researchers, including a NIOSH scientist, notes that "the World Health Organization recommends peak SPLs not exceed 140 dB for adults and 120 dB for youth," and that every rifle, pistol and shotgun it lists "exceed[s] these peak SPL limits for both adults and children" (Meinke et al., 2017). The same review reports firearm peaks of roughly 140 to 175 dB. Our how loud is a gunshot guide lays out those figures.

A child who is only watching still needs protection. ASHA (the American Speech-Language-Hearing Association) says to use hearing protection "any time you fire a gun or are around someone firing a gun" (ASHA, Recreational Firearm Noise Exposure), and the 2017 review says spectators should stand far enough back to bring peak levels below 140 dB "and below 120 dB if children are present." It also notes that "shorter barrel lengths found in both youth firearms" increase the level at the shooter's ear, so a youth-sized firearm isn't a reason to relax about hearing.

What the makers say about age and size

We only print an age when the maker states one. Here's exactly what each maker says:

Sources: Allen, Walker's Baby & Kid's, Walker's Razor Junior Passive, Howard Leight Youth/Adult Small, Walker's Razor Junior Electronic, Caldwell Youth E-Max Pro, and Caldwell's Youth Passive product page and safety-gear listing. When there's no age, go by fit, not by the birthday on the calendar.

The fit check to do at home

ASHA's advice for everyone applies double to kids: "Practice wearing your HPDs before being exposed to loud sounds." A living-room fitting also tells you whether the muff is comfortable enough that your child will leave it on. Before the range:

1. Read the maker's instructions. The EPA label tells you to "consult the enclosed instructions for proper fit," and the NRR assumes the muff is used "as directed."
2. Adjust the headband so both cushions sit fully around the ears, not on top of them.
3. Clear the seal. Hair pulled back from the cushions, and no cap strap or hood underneath: the 2017 review found that "eyeglass temples, hats/caps, hoods that interfere with the seal reduce mean attenuation across test frequencies by 5 to 15 dB."
4. Add their safety glasses and check the cushions still close around the temples. Thin temples help.
5. Have them wear it for a while doing something normal, like watching a show. If they keep adjusting or pulling at it, try a different muff before the range, not during.
6. Agree on a hand signal for "something's wrong," so they don't lift a cup to tell you.

Electronic or passive for a child?

It depends on what your child is doing at the range.

• Watching, or very young: passive. There's nothing to switch on, nothing to break, and nothing to fiddle with. The Allen, Walker's Baby & Kid's and Razor Junior Passive are all passive.
• Learning to shoot: electronic. A new shooter needs to hear an instructor and range commands without lifting a cup. Walker's says its Razor Junior Electronic is "ideal for young shooters," and the Howard Leight Youth/Adult Small has the best-documented power of the youth electronics: about 350 hours from two AAAs and a 4-hour auto shut-off, so a switch a child forgets doesn't drain the batteries. Caldwell's Youth E-Max Pro ships with three AAA batteries.

One trade-off to know: in this group, the electronic youth muffs rate NRR 22 to 23, while Walker's passive Razor Junior rates 25. For more on how electronics work, and what protects the ear when a shot goes off, see our best electronic ear muffs guide.

What about earplugs under a child's muffs?

For adults, plugs under muffs is standard advice at indoor ranges. For young children, we haven't found a public-health source we can cite that addresses earplugs, so we're not going to recommend them here. The advice we can source on doubling up is written for shooters in general, not for small children.

If you want more protection for your child than a muff gives, ask your pediatrician or an audiologist. ASHA says people "should consult an audiologist to determine which HPDs are best for them." Meanwhile, the sources do support two things you control: the 2017 review says recreational shooters "should be encouraged to shoot outdoors," and that spectators should be far enough back to keep peaks "below 120 dB if children are present." So for a first family trip, an outdoor range, with non-shooting children well back from the firing line, keeps the exposure down. Our indoor vs outdoor range guide helps you choose.

Range rules for kids vary

Every range sets its own age and supervision rules, and many require eye and ear protection for everyone present. A few examples from state-run ranges, quoted as published:

• Georgia DNR: "All children (16 years old or younger) must be accompanied and directly supervised by an adult 18 years old or older" (Georgia DNR firearm range rules).
• Mississippi MDWFP: "eye and ear protection must be worn by everyone on the entire range facility, at any time during which firearms are being discharged," unless you're inside a building or vehicle (MDWFP rules).
• Louisiana LDWF: "Children under the age of 16 must be under immediate and direct supervision by an adult at all times" (LDWF shooting ranges).

These are examples, not a summary of the law where you live. Call the range you plan to visit and ask about its age rules before you go.

Don't forget their eyes

Kids need safety glasses sized for them, too. Our best kids' shooting glasses covers youth frames with a high-impact rating. If you're tempted by a youth eye-and-ear combo, check the glasses' rating: Allen's ULTRX Sound Blocker Youth combo lists an NRR 25 muff, but its page doesn't state a Z87 rating for the glasses (Allen), so look for a Z87+ mark on the packaging. Our ear and eye protection combos compares the kits.

What to look for in kids' ear protection

1. A published NRR. Every muff here has one, from 22 to 25. Skip listings that give only an SNR, which is a European rating on a different scale.
2. A stated age or size you can match. Walker's (6 months to 8 years) and Allen (3 and above) state ages. Everyone else says "youth" or "smaller head sizes," so you judge by fit.
3. Passive for watchers, electronic for learners. A spectator needs nothing to switch on; a new shooter needs to hear instruction.
4. Batteries, if electronic. Howard Leight's youth muff publishes battery life and a 4-hour auto shut-off; Walker's and Caldwell include batteries but don't publish either figure.
5. Folding, for the bag. The Walker's Baby & Kid's and Allen ULTRX both fold.
6. A color they'll recognize. Walker's Baby & Kid's comes in many colors and Caldwell's youth muffs in bright ones, which helps siblings keep theirs straight.

Mistakes parents make

• Putting an adult muff on a small head. If it slides or gaps, it isn't sealing.
• Skipping protection for a child who's only watching. ASHA's advice covers anyone "around someone firing a gun."
• Letting a cap or hood sit under the cushions. It can cost 5 to 15 dB of attenuation, per the 2017 review.
• Buying by age when the maker gives none. "Youth" isn't an age range; try the fit.
• Standing a non-shooting child right behind the line. Distance lowers what reaches them.
• Forgetting your own ear pro. Children copy what they see. Our best hearing protection for shooting covers the adults.
• Skipping the eye protection. Kids need impact-rated glasses sized for them as well as muffs.