How loud are children's toys?
Noisy toys held close to a child's ear average about 102 dB(A) at 10 cm and 94 dB(A) at 50 cm, according to a Brazilian study of 48 toys. A Polish study found most toys between below 70 and 94 dB at 10 to 30 cm.
- Level
- 70–102 dBAA-weighted sound level
- Distance
- 0.1 m10 cm from the ear
- Daily limit
- 9 min 27 s a dayNIOSH, at the loud end
- Versus conversation
- 224× energyabout 5.1× as loud
What the numbers mean
How it was measured. Sound-emitting toys measured in acoustic booths. Brazilian study of 48 toys at 10 cm and 50 cm from the ear (mean 102 and 94 dB(A)); Polish study of 16 toys at 10 to 30 cm, highest equivalent A-weighted levels from below 70 to 94 dB.
Toy loudness depends heavily on distance, and children hold toys far closer to their ears than adults expect. In a study published in Revista Paulista de Pediatria (2013), an acoustic engineer measured 48 non-certified sound toys in an isolated booth: the mean was 102 dB(A) at 10 cm from the ear and 94 dB(A) at 50 cm, and most toys were above 85 dB(A).
A Polish study of 16 sound-emitting plastic toys measured at 10, 20, 25 and 30 cm grouped their highest equivalent A-weighted levels as below 70 dB (6 toys), 70 to 74 dB (4), 75 to 84 dB (3) and 85 to 94 dB (3).
Packaging can hide the true level. A 2019 study in the International Journal of Pediatric Otorhinolaryngology found toys got louder once removed from their packaging, by a mean of 11.9 dB at the speaker. Canada limits toy peak loudness to 100 dBA.
How long is safe?
NIOSH recommends no more than 9 min 27 s a day at 102 dBA (no limit at the quiet end, 70). OSHA's legal limit is 1 h 31 min.
| Level | NIOSH limit (85 dBA, 3 dB rule) | OSHA limit (90 dBA, 5 dB rule) | UK/EU 80 dB(A) action value reached after | UK/EU 85 dB(A) action value reached after |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 70 dBA | No limit | No limit | Not reached in 24 h | Not reached in 24 h |
| 102 dBA | 9 min 27 s | 1 h 31 min | 3 min 2 s | 9 min 35 s |
Times are for a whole day’s exposure, with the rest of the day quiet. The workplace limits were written for adults at work, not for children. Work out a mixed day with the noise dose calculator.
Children
Children hold toys against their ears and play for long periods. Test a toy at your own ear before buying, cover the speaker with strong tape, or remove the batteries from the worst offenders.
Protecting your hearing
Choose toys with volume controls, put tape over the speaker, and teach children to hold noisy toys at arm's length.
Earplug and earmuff ratings (NRR in the US, SNR in the UK and EU) are lab figures; real-world protection is usually lower. How to read the ratings.
Compared with sounds nearby
Using midpoints of each range. Energy multiplies by 10 every 10 dB; perceived loudness roughly doubles (why).
- Aeroplane cabin (83.5 dBA): this has about 1.8× its sound energy and sounds about 1.2× as loud.
- Power drill (73–94 dBA): this has about 1.8× its sound energy and sounds about 1.2× as loud.
- Jet take-off (76.8–100.5 dBA max): it has about 1.8× the sound energy of this and sounds about 1.2× as loud.
- Gym fitness class (85.6–93.1 dBA): it has about 2.2× the sound energy of this and sounds about 1.3× as loud.
- Normal conversation (55–70 dBA): this has about 224× its energy and sounds about 5.1× as loud.
Questions
How loud can a toy be?
A Brazilian study found an average of 102 dB(A) at 10 cm from the ear for 48 toys. Canada prohibits the sale of toys with peak loudness above 100 dBA.
Are noisy toys bad for children's hearing?
Many exceed 85 dB(A) close up, a level associated with hearing risk over long exposure, so keeping them away from the ear matters.
Sources
- Analysis of sound pressure levels emitted by children's toys, Revista Paulista de Pediatria. Supports: dB_high: 102 dB(A) at 10 cm; 94 dB(A) at 50 cm.
The mean sound pressure 10cm from the ear was 102±10 dB(A), and at 50cm, 94±8 dB(A)
Checked 2026-11-02. - [Acoustical parameters of toys], Medycyna Pracy. Supports: dB_low: 70 dB; up to 94 dB.
below 70 dB (6 toys), from 70 to 74 dB (4 toys), from 75 to 84 dB (3 toys) and from 85 to 94 dB (3 toys)
Checked 2026-11-02. - Hazardous noise exposure from noisy toys may increase after purchase and removal from packaging: A call for advocacy, International Journal of Pediatric Otorhinolaryngology. Supports: packaging effect: +11.9 dB at the speaker.
mean change 11.9 dB at 0 cm
Checked 2026-11-02. - Children who say hand dryers 'hurt my ears' are correct: A real-world study examining the loudness of automated hand dryers in public places, Paediatrics & Child Health. Supports: Canadian 100 dBA toy limit.
The Canadian government has prohibited the sale of toys with peak loudness greater than 100 dBA
Checked 2026-11-02.
This page is general information, not medical advice. If you have ringing in your ears, muffled hearing or any change in your hearing, see an audiologist or your doctor.