Time to Read: 3 minutes
The race is on for Christmas shopping, especially if you have young children to buy for.
You might be looking for something educational as well as entertaining. You are certainly looking for something which is safe (we've included a link to Choice Magazine's article on how to choose a good toy).
But have you considered whether the toy they've requested might harm their hearing?
Some battery operated and electronic toys operate at a 85dB - a volume louder than is recommended. Continuous exposure to loud noises over an extended period starts to harm hearing.
According to the Arizona Commission for the Deaf and Heard of Hearing (ACDHH) Top 15 Noisiest Toys listed in dB order:
- Basic Fun Galaga Mini Arcade, age 8+, 114.7 dB
- Disney Frozen II Microphone, age 3+, 114 dB
- Maxx Action Long Haul Vehicle Transport, age 3+, 111.9 dB
- Disney Frozen II Sing-Along Boombox, age 3+, 108.8 dB
- B. Toys Woofer Hound Dog Guitar, age 2+, 106.2 dB
- Baby Einstein Discovering Music Activity Table, age 6 months+, 105.3 dB
- PAW Patrol Ultimate Fire Truck, age 3+, 104.6 dB
- Fisher-Price Laugh & Learn Light-Up Learning Vacuum, age 12 months +, 104 dB
- Disney Lion King Sing-Along Boombox, age 3+, 103.5 dB
- B. Toys Meowsic Keyboard, age 2+, 103.4 dB
- Vtech Touch & Teach Elephant, age 12 months+, 102.7 dB
- Little Tikes Gas ‘n Go Mower, age 18 months +, 102.2 dB
- Jurassic World Velociraptor Chomp ‘n Roar Mask, age 6+, 101.1 dB
- Leap Frog Magic Adventures Globe, age 5+, 100.1 dB
- Vtech Sort & Discover Drum, age 6 months+, 98.8 dB
According to specialists, exposure to noise of 85 decibels is safe for only 90 minutes before hearing damage is caused.
But don’t despair if your grandchildren have requested ‘noise makers’ this Christmas - there are things you can do to make sure their little ears are protected.
- Buy acoustic instruments instead of electronic ones. A little drum set may be no less noisy but a child’s interest and energy takes a shorter time to run down than a battery operated device
- Ensure the device has a volume control and set it to 60% of its maximum.
- Place a small square of duct tape over the microphone to reduce its volume.
- Direct children to non-noisy alternatives. Books, puzzles and crafts fire the imagination and fosters fine motor skills which are so important for a child's development.
Also, encourage the family to practice ‘sound’ advice, especially if they’re prone to pump up the volume during the festive season. The rule of thumb is, if you cannot hold a conversation standing an arm’s length away, then the volume is too loud.
Additional reading:
- The Problem With Noise Needs To Be Out In The Open
- Annoying sounds you’ll hear when wearing hearing aids
- Noise hurts your hearing, even if you can't hear it
