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Sep 20, 2023

9 Best Speakers for Kids: Smart, Bluetooth, and Offline Speakers

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Simon Hill

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Giving a speaker to your child opens up a world of exploration through music and audiobooks. They can listen to tunes while playing, share their favorites with friends, and hold dance parties in their bedrooms. Stories and podcasts will take them to new worlds, both real and imagined. And when it's time for bed, they can drift off to soothing sleep sounds, lullabies, or sleep stories. I've tried a string of different speakers with my kids over the years and found them fun, helpful, and a great way to cut down on screen time. These are our favorites.

Check out our guides to the Best Bluetooth Speakers, Best Smart Speakers, Best Kids' Headphones, Best Wireless Headphones, and Best Headphones for $100 or Less for more.

Updated February 2023: We added the Amazon Echo Dot Kids Edition (5th Gen), Timio, Voxblock, JBL Clip 4, Zenimal Kids+, a new advice section on staying safe, and updated all prices and links.

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This Alexa-powered smart speaker covers all the bases, with support for music and audiobooks alongside a world of kid-friendly extras included in the free year of Amazon Kids+ (usually $3 per month). Sound quality is solid, Alexa is responsive, and you can connect your music streaming service. This Kids version comes painted as a tiger or panda, and Kids+ provides age-appropriate games, Audible books, and educational skills. The parental controls are great, and I appreciate extras, like the ability to broadcast when it's dinnertime. You can configure everything by visiting the Amazon Parent Dashboard in your web browser or the Amazon Kids+ app (you must sign in using your Amazon account details).

There's a physical button to turn the microphone off, but you still might be uncomfortable with the idea of letting kids loose with a smart speaker. The content filters worked just fine, but if you want to be certain your kids won't access something you don't approve of, you must micromanage. If you’re a Prime subscriber and your kids have Fire tablets, this speaker is easy to recommend, but you can also use it as a regular Bluetooth speaker and stream any content from your phone. Older kids will be better served by the standard fourth-generation Echo (8/10, WIRED Recommends), which offers superior sound quality and still supports parental controls.

Designed for ages 3 to 7, the durable Toniebox is a squishy cube with ears that double as volume controls. It's built to withstand tumbles, spills, and hugs, and you can leave your kids alone with it without worry. The Toniebox plays stories and songs connected to different characters or "Tonies," triggered when your child places the relevant figurine on top of the speaker. There are many Tonies to choose from and tie-ins with familiar favorites like Paddington Bear, Disney, and Pixar movies like The Lion King and Cars, and many popular kids characters.

It is Wi-Fi–connected, with content downloaded to the speaker when a character is placed on top, but there's no danger of your child accessing anything they shouldn't, and there is an offline mode. You can also buy Creative Tonies to record up to 90 minutes of your own audio or have grandparents read stories to your kids. The hand-painted figurines are super cute, but they’re expensive, and you can expect tears if any go missing. Kids have the capacity to listen to the same thing over and over, and Tonies don't offer a great deal of content. They are generally less than an hour and can be as short as 16 minutes. The lack of additional content or Bluetooth connectivity limits the appeal.

The Yoto Player (7/10, WIRED Recommends) is similar to the Toniebox, but some important differences make it more suitable for older kids (it's aimed at ages 3 to 12). It has a cute pixelated clock display on the front, with a day or night image that tells kids at a glance whether it's time to get up yet. Content is a bit more mixed, and kids can play different books by inserting cards into the slot on the top. There are audiobooks from popular authors like Julia Donaldson and Roald Dahl, and prices are similar to Audible. You can also buy a pack of 10 blank cards and record your own content.

What elevates the Yoto Player is the inclusion of kid-friendly radio stations and a daily podcast. There's even a sleep mode that plays a mix of lullabies, classical music, and sleep sounds, and it's easy enough to use that your child can switch it on themselves if they wake in the night. It does need an internet connection, though you can play any content that has been downloaded (it has 16 GB of storage) when the Yoto Player is offline. The speaker comes with a circular wireless charging base, so there's no need to fiddle with cables. The additional Bluetooth support gives the Yoto Player a little more versatility. The newer Yoto Mini ($70) is a smaller, more portable version that offers all the same features, but we have not tried it yet.

With a lovely mix of music, stories, and sounds, all available in eight languages, this speaker successfully combines fun and education. It is durable, has its own handle, and is simple enough for toddlers to operate. Timio is for kids aged two years and up. There's no need for a screen, app, or internet connection, as your child can play content by selecting one of the plastic discs and slotting it on top. You get five discs in the box covering classical music, farm animals, vehicles, lullabies, and bedtime stories. Each disc looks like a clock face with pictures at each hour, and kids simply press the one they want. Additional sets of discs are $22 (£15) and cover all sorts of topics, from dinosaurs to learning colors.

The speaker sounds surprisingly good, and there's a 3.5-mm audio port for kids’ headphones. Timio is a great way to introduce your kids to other languages or for multilingual households (you can press and hold the language button to switch between English, Spanish, French, German, Dutch, Chinese, Italian, and Portuguese). There's also a quiz mode, with prompts like find the police car, identify numbers, or select a specific shape. Timio does require three AA batteries, and when you screw open the back panel, you will also find the SD card that holds the content. We recommend rechargeable batteries, as you will change them often if Timio proves popular with your kids. Although they are large and you get a bag to keep them in, there is a risk that discs will go missing.

Jeremy White

WIRED Staff

Lauren Goode

Lauren Goode

If you’re uncomfortable with the idea of an internet-connected device for your child, this incredibly cute, wooden speaker is styled like a radio but doesn't connect to anything. It has two dials on the front: One has animals painted around it (like a lion, elephant, and koala bear), and the other has environments (like the jungle, castle, or desert). The idea is that your kids can turn the dials and get a matching story. There are 128 "meditative journeys" in all, alongside some gentle music tracks and nature sounds. It's designed for kids 3 to 10.

The focus here is on relaxation, and these meditations are suitable for falling asleep or just for a calming break. The battery life is around three hours. Sadly, you have to plug in the Micro-USB cable to charge it, which isn't as versatile as the reversible USB-C port for young kids. Aside from charging, it's easy enough to for kids to operate, and it's a nice option for kids who wake at night and need a little soothing to drift off again.

This party speaker pumps out 360-degree sound and is surprisingly powerful. The LED rings around the top and bottom provide a multicolored light show for dancing but can also serve as a versatile night light. Battery life is excellent at up to 12 hours, and the IPX7 rating means there's no need to worry about spills. My wife and I tested an earlier version of this Bluetooth speaker for years to play music, audiobooks, and sleep stories from our phones for my daughter. The only issue was the Micro-USB port, which meant the charging cable had to be plugged in the right way, which can be tricky for young kids. Thankfully, this upgraded version has a USB-C port and is much easier for our kids to use. It also offers a few new lighting options through the Soundcore app. If you like the idea of a bedtime speaker, some of the best night-lights are also speakers.

Small but tough, this mini speaker delivers a surprisingly punchy sound, making it one of our favorite Bluetooth speakers. The carabiner clip is easy to attach to a backpack strap or a car seat, making it a great choice for kids. It's also durable and waterproof (IP67 rated), so there's no need to worry about spills. Battery life is solid (up to 10 hours from a single charge), and the JBL Clip 4 has more controls (volume, play, Bluetooth, power) than other micro speakers. Our previous pick here, the JBL Jr. Pop Speaker ($40) may still be a better option for younger kids, as it comes in bright colors and lights up, but the Clip 4 sounds better.

Jeremy White

WIRED Staff

Lauren Goode

Lauren Goode

Parents seeking a safe way for their kids to listen to audiobooks might consider Voxblock. Refreshingly, there's no need for a screen, app, or internet connection. Each audiobook (sold separately) resembles a real book and contains the audio. Your kids simply select the title they want and slot it into the speaker to play. There are controls to play or pause, change the volume, and skip chapters. Pause or remove a book, and it remembers your place. You can also plug in headphones via the 3.5-mm audio port and recharge the Voxblock via the USB-C port (cable included, but you need your own wall charger).

Recommended for kids aged 3 to 12 years, Voxblock is very easy to use. The wee books, made from recycled card, are super cute. My daughter also loves how portable Voxblock is. On the downside, the battery life is limited (we had to charge every couple of days). There's a handy bedtime mode that automatically turns off after 20 minutes, but it's a shame it can't run for longer. You get three audiobooks and a protective bumper with the starter pack. There are more than 100 audiobooks available, with prices ranging from £6 to £14 each, but they are relatively expensive. For example, Kensuke's Kingdom is £14 on Voxblock, but costs half that on Audible. Sadly, Voxblock is only available in the UK right now, but the makers plan to sell in the US in the future (we'll keep you posted). US-based customers looking for an audiobook alternative might want to consider the Kindle Kids ($160), which, along with the Echo Dot, can access books via Audible on Amazon Kids+.

For kids who struggle to relax or drop off to sleep at night, this cute turtle-shaped speaker can help. The Zenimal Kids+ is one of our favorite sleep gadgets because it contains nine guided audio meditations to calm your child and three sleep soundtracks to play as they nod off. It's shaped like a turtle, covered in soft and durable silicone in teal or purple, and is small enough for kids to hold or place next to their pillow. Recommended for kids aged between 5 and 12 years, the Zenimal Kids+ does not require an internet connection, app, or screen.

Even young kids can press the buttons to trigger meditations and sleep sounds. The meditations come on removable SD memory cards, and you can buy different collections at $20 a pop. The speaker isn't powerful, but that fits with the intention, and there is an audio port for plugging in kids’ headphones. Battery life is around seven hours, and you must charge via microUSB (you get a cable but no wall charger in the box).

There's an element of risk with any device that can connect to the internet, so take the time to configure your child's speaker and ensure any related accounts are secure.

Discuss Rules: Talk with your children to agree on rules about what they can use their speaker for, and, for smart speakers, how they should speak to it.

Secure Your Accounts and Network: Make sure you select strong unique passwords for your devices and Wi-Fi network, using a mix of lowercase, uppercase, numbers, and special characters. Always use two-factor authentication (2FA) where available (here's how to activate 2FA on your Amazon account).

Use Parental Controls: You can set up parental controls with Apple, Google, and Microsoft accounts, and use them to lock down various devices, including speakers. You may also have parental controls on your router or mesh that enable you to schedule downtime for your child's devices, so they can't access the internet in the middle of the night, for example.

Consider Privacy: You might want to limit how voice recordings from your child's speaker can be used. We have guides on how to keep your recordings private, how to delete stored voice recordings and activity, and how to make smart speakers as private as possible.

Brenda Stolyar

Lauren Goode

Gear Team

Julian Chokkattu

Lauren Goode

WIRED Staff

Brenda Stolyar

Michael Calore

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