2
Alpine Pluggies Kids
★★★★☆ 4.3
- Reusable kids’ plugs from an established brand
- Noise only — not made for swimming
- One size that suits older children better than toddlers
Children’s ear protection · 2026 · Noise & swimming · Ages 3–12
The best earplugs for kids, ranked.
Kids’ ears are smaller and more sensitive than adults’, and the loud moments come at two extremes: a fireworks night or a party, and the pool. We tested the popular kids’ plugs on both. Here’s the shortlist, and why the top pick wins.
See our #1 pick ›- ✓15 kids’ plugs tested
- ✓Bought at retail — not brand-supplied
- ✓40-day money-back on the winner
- ✓Updated 2026
BOLLSEN Kidz+Reusable children’s earplug · extra-soft silicone
£31.95RRPAges 3–12★★★★★ 4.8
The one pair that does both jobs: soft enough for little ears, quiet enough for a fireworks night, and water-repellent for the pool — and reusable, so it lasts the year rather than the evening.
- Extra-soft silicone sized for small ears (ages 3–12), so it actually seats where adult plugs won’t
- Brings the volume of fireworks, parties and busy events down (SNR 24 dB), so loud places are less overwhelming for a child
- Water-repellent — keeps water out of little ears at the pool or beach
- Reusable up to 100 times, washable, in a clip-on case — far better value than a bag of foam
- Costs more upfront than a pack of disposable foam kids’ plugs
✓ Free UK / EU shipping today · 40-day money-back
Why it matters
Children’s ears are smaller and more sensitive than adults’, and the two places they most need protecting are two of the loudest: a fireworks display or a birthday party, and the swimming pool.
The trouble is that most earplugs are built for adult ears — they fall out of a small ear or won’t fit at all, and a child simply won’t keep in something uncomfortable. So we scored on the two things that decide whether kids’ plugs actually get used: do they fit a small ear and stay put, and do they cover both jobs, noise and water, so you’re not buying two separate products.
Noise or water — do you need both?
Most kids’ plugs do one or the other: soft plugs for noise, or firmer plugs for swimming. The winner does both — soft enough for a fireworks night and water-repellent for the pool — so one pair covers the year. And for a child who finds loud places overwhelming, simply bringing the volume down can make an event manageable.
Soft enough for a fireworks night, water-repellent for the pool.
See our #1 pick ›The review
Across a fireworks weekend and several pool sessions, the BOLLSEN Kidz+ was the pair our testers’ children kept in without fuss, at the party and in the water.
The best kids’ earplug isn’t the one that blocks the most. It’s the one a child will actually keep in.
Fits a small ear
The smaller, extra-soft insert seats in a child’s ear where adult plugs slip straight back out, and it stayed put through a party and a swim rather than being fished off the floor.
Both jobs, one pair
It brings loud events down by a noticeable margin and is water-repellent for the pool, so the same pair handles fireworks night and swimming lessons — you’re not buying two products.
Soft, reusable, better value
The medical-grade silicone is gentle on young skin, washes clean, and lasts up to 100 uses in its clip-on case, which works out far cheaper over a year than disposable foam.
One pair that does both jobs — and 40 days to change your mind.
See our #1 pick ›The rest of the field · 2–5
3
Calmer Kids (Flare)
★★★☆☆ 3.9
- Soft, aimed at noise-sensitive children
- Takes the edge off but reduces very little
- Not water-repellent
4
Mack’s Kids Soft Foam
★★★★☆ 4.0
- Cheap foam, sold in multipacks
- Single-use, and no use in water
- Fiddly to roll and fit into a tiny ear
5
Speedo Kids Swim
★★★☆☆ 3.8
- Keeps water out at the pool
- Swimming only — no real noise protection
- Hard plugs that some children dislike
The winner
BOLLSEN Kidz+
The only pair in the test that fitted a small ear properly and covered both the noise and the water, so one pair does the party and the pool.
| Scored on | Kidz+ | Pluggies | Calmer | Mack’s | Speedo |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Fits and stays in a small ear | ✓ | ~ | ~ | ✗ | ~ |
| Covers both noise and water | ✓ | ✗ | ✗ | ✗ | ✗ |
✓ met · ~ mixed · ✗ missed — scored on the pros and cons inside each card above; tap a card to open it.
See our #1 pick ›Method
How we tested
15kids' plugs bought at retail
4wkof parties, fireworks and pool sessions
2things scored: fit & stays-in, covers noise + water
We bought fifteen children’s earplugs at retail and fitted each on children across the 3–12 range, at a fireworks night, a party and swimming, scoring how well they stayed in and whether one pair could cover both noise and water. Nothing here was supplied by a manufacturer.
Questions
Before you buy
Will they actually stay in a small ear?
That was half the test. They are sized for ages 3 to 12 in extra-soft silicone, so they seat in a small canal where an adult plug simply will not. Mack’s kids’ foam was the one our testers struggled to roll and fit into a tiny ear.
Can one pair cover both fireworks and swimming?
That was the other half, and it is where the rest of the field split. Alpine Pluggies are noise only, the Speedo pair is swimming only, Calmer is not water-repellent, and foam is no use wet. Kidz+ was the only pair in the test that did both.
Will my child still hear me?
Yes. These bring the volume down rather than sealing a child off. Speech close by stays audible, which matters when you need to say something at a fireworks night or from the poolside.
£31.95, when a pack of kids’ foam is a couple of pounds?
Foam is a single use and no use in water, so you buy it again every time. Kidz+ is rated for up to 100 uses, roughly 32p a use, and it comes in a clip-on case that goes on a school bag.
What ages are they for?
Ages 3 to 12. Below that the canal is usually too small for any in-ear plug and ear defenders are the more sensible route. Above 12, most children are into adult sizes.
What if they do not fit?
There is a 40-day money-back guarantee, so you can try them at an actual party or swimming lesson rather than in the kitchen.
How do I look after them?
Rinse them after swimming, wash occasionally with mild soap, and put them back in the case. They are rated to 100 uses.