5 Best Headlamps Your Kids Want!
Looking for the best headlamps for kids? You’re in luck!
A headlamp is a must-have for campers, hikers, and adventurers of all ages. Children need them as much as adults do! A headlamp allows children to see in the dark without worrying about keeping track of a lantern or flashlight or having something in their hands.
Flashlight games are awesome fun for after dark while camping and headlamps are perfect for young kids! Be sure to have headlamps for the whole family on your packing list.
There are a few key things to keep in mind when shopping for good quality kids headlamps. In this article, we share our headlamp shopping tips and provide the 5 best headlamps for kids. Headlamps make great gifts and are perfect stocking stuffers!
What to Consider When Buying the Best Headlamp for Kids
Before you go out and buy just any headlamp for your kids, there are a few things to consider. Keep these tips in mind when shopping for the best headlamp for your child:
Size and Weight of the Light
Most regular-sized or adult headlamps are just too big and bulky for kids’ small heads. The size and weight of the light matters a lot when shopping for a kid’s headlamp. Children’s headlamps will have a light weight kid-sized light that won’t slip off of their head and get lost!
Size of the Strap
Be sure the size of the strap works for the circumference of your child’s head. Use a measuring tape to get measurements and be sure that the strap on your chosen headlamp is elastic and adjustable to grow with your child.
Additionally, be sure that the width of the headlamp is small enough to sit snugly on your child’s head.
Lighting Modes and Colors
When shopping for headlamps for kids, it’s important to keep light modes and colors in mind. Lumens tell you how bright the light is, and many headlamps come with high, medium, and low settings.
Red light options save everyone’s eyes in the dark, as red light doesn’t affect human night vision like white light does. A few have a strobe or SOS function which is a flashing light that will be helpful in an emergency.
Some kids’ headlamps come with other fun light colors like blue and green, too!
Battery Life and Durability
Look for headlamps with great battery life or rechargeable batteries. Kids will not only use their headlamps a lot, they’ll play with them too. Rest assured with great battery life and knowing that even rough handling won’t destroy their new headlamp.
5 Best Headlamps for Kids
1. Petzl Headlamp: Best for Toddlers and Small Kids
The Petzl headlamp is a great head lamp for small kids that is low in lumens but made specifically for small heads. This headlamp comes with batteries included and has easy on/off modes. It runs up to 110 hours and is backed by a 5-year guarantee. We’ve had great luck with Petzl headlamps, they’re one of our go-to brands. The adjustable strap has several color options!
Batteries: Three AAA Batteries
Lumens: 20
Light Settings: Low, High, Strobe (White)
2. Foxelli USB Rechargeable Headlamp: Best for Older Kids
The Foxelli USB rechargeable headlamp is a great choice for older kids and young adults. This headlamp has powerful brightness settings, is tiltable, and comes with a red-light setting for night vision. It comes with seven different headband color options and is made for the outdoors. This headlamp will last up to 30 hours on a single charge, which is a better option than needing to have tiny batteries on hand. This one is the best headlamp under 20 bucks.
Batteries: USB Rechargeable
Lumens: 180
Light Settings: Low, High, Strobe (White), Red & Red Strobe
3. Princeton Tec Headlamp: Best for Small Kids
The Princeton Tec headlamp is a great head lamp for small kids. It comes in several cute and kid-friendly designs and is low in lumens so they don’t blind everyone they look at! This is a perfect first headlamp for your toddler or preschooler. This headlamp comes with three white light modes including strobe mode and batteries ARE included! Since it’s dimmable, this is the best headlamp for reading at night time.
Batteries: Two AAA batteries
Lumens: 30
Light Settings: High, Low, Strobe (White)
4. Kids Beanie With Built In Headlamp: Warmest
This light up beanie is one-size-fits all and will fit most small heads. No more worrying about keeping track of a hat and headlamp with this beanie and built-in light! The light is USB rechargeable and has 3 modes of light. It lasts up to 4 hours of continuous use on a single charge. We live in Minnesota where being warm is a way of life, and we love this combo of stocking cap and light for those chilly nights camping!
Batteries: USB Rechargeable
Lumens: 120
Light Settings: High, Medium, Low (White)
5. Best Overall: Blitzu Headlamp for Kids
The Blitzu headlamp is our top choice overall for the best headlamp for kids. This headlamp is versatile enough to fit both kids and adults while still being small and lightweight enough for small heads. It has a powerful light and comes in five different color choices. This headlamp is cold resistant, impact resistant, and will run up to 45 hours on low with continuous use. We love the emergency and night-vision saving red light mode for helping keep our Tiny Critter safe!
Batteries: 3 AAA Batteries
Lumens: 165
Light Settings: White Low, Med, High, Strobe. Red SOS, Strobe
Is a Kids Headlamp Worth It?
Kids headlamps are just as essential for camping or after-dark outdoor activities as adult headlamps are.
Headlamps provide hands-free illumination of the environment and, as a bonus, they can help you keep track of your kids, too.
Not just any regular headlamp will do for small heads, though. So just like getting a good kid’s sleeping bag, it’s important to choose a good headlamp that’s specifically made for children. Especially for toddlers and smaller kids!
What Head Lamps Should I Avoid?
- Bright Lights
There are head lamps with a super bright light, and you do NOT want your curious toddler to shine it into their own eyes, or yours for that matter. And anyone who has a toddler KNOWS they will shine it straight into their own eyes, probably within 5 minutes of owning it. You can get older kids the more powerful versions once they’re aware of campground etiquette.
- Extra features
Cute, gimmicky lights. I’ve seen lights that make animal sounds or have cute plastic animal faces on the lights and that is just more to break. You’ll also be tempted to break it yourself the millionth time you hear the lion roar sound effect.
- Cheap headlamps
Yes, you can probably score a 3 pack of headlamps for $20 in a bargain bin, but assume if you do this you’ll be replacing headlamps every few camping trips. Kids are not gentle with their gear and anything that is cheap is likely cheaply made and will break quickly. If you want ideas on how to score quality camping gear for cheap, check out our guide.
This list of kids headlamps compiles the best headlamps for kids of all ages from toddler to small kid, preteen and beyond.
Go light up the night and scurry around!
Happy Camping!
I’m Molly Foss, aka Momma Critter. I’ve been camping since I was 9 years old and I always wanted to be Robin Hood and live in the forest when I grew up. I’m excited to share my love of camping with my son as he grows up. My favorite thing to do while camping is roast marshmallows over the fire.
