Given the ease with which children’s hearing can be damaged by loud music, particularly as they seem almost permanently attached to either a computer, an MP3 player or a portable games console, solutions such as this are to be applauded. 85 decibels is plenty loud enough for even the most ardent fan of loud music.

Designed and built specifically for children, the funky ‘myphones’ are an ‘on-ear’ design that sits on your child’s ears and so does not block out external sounds with soft and importantly, washable, ear pads.

The myphones come in a handy clear travel case and to further enhance their ‘cred’ they come with swappable inserts for both the case and the headphones.

Three designs are supplied including a pink panda one for the girls and a blue robot one for the boys (assuming we are gender stereo-typing, naughty!) and an orange one. They also come with pre-cut paper designs that can be coloured.

The myphones web-site also has printable templates so you can make and design more, a nice touch.

Road tested on my 12yr old daughter, a victim to fashion as all youngsters seem to be these days, she was instantly taken with them and has been using them almost constantly since they arrived.

Despite knowing these have a safety design she thought them very trendy and seems happy to be seen using them, indeed a demo at school had her friends clamouring for a pair. So we can safely call them an instant hit.

Available from the Apple Store, Griffin accessory retailers and other outlets mid-October 2009 at £29.99.

myphones web-site