It is always important to have head phones in my house. We only have so much space, and there is only so much noise that anyone can take at any given time. My husband is always working on new songs on his guitar and my daughter loves to play with many of her electronic music makers. When I get stressed, I have a few MP3s that I listen too. Without head phones to keep all of these noises private, we very well might all go insane.
Because we use head phones so much, we have many different types of them lying around. My husband has ones that are large and intended to keep all outside distractions from getting in the way of him hearing what his is playing. The ones my daughter uses are smaller, and allow other sounds in. This way she can hear when we call her and the sound is not quite as intense in her little ears. The head phones that I use most of the time are much like the ones that come with a hands free set for a cell phone. These ear buds fit right into my ear and can be used for other things as well.
You don’t have to spend a lot to get good head phones, but it will depend on what you need them for, and how you want to use them. Some of them are easy to slip into your pocket when you need them on the go, and others are larger and sturdier for home or even studio uses. You can get a set of head phones for a few dollars in a discount store, or you can get the very best if you go to a music supply store for something that will knock your socks off.
Remember that if you want your children to use head phones that you should probably ask your doctor about their hearing. It might not be a good idea for a young child to use them, and if they do, you may have to really keep an eye on the sound level you allow them to use. Also remember that the cords on the head phones can trip someone, or could cause choking if it were to be wrapped around the neck of your child. Make sure you keep an eye on them when they are using them, and never leave them unattended.