What’s a Good Car Entertainment Setup for Kids? Wirecutter
Real Talk
Advice, staff picks, mythbusting, and more. Let us help you. Share this postSaveQ: I am looking for the best entertainment option for two or three kids to watch movies during road trips. I wish I had a picture of what we used back in the day. It was a 13-inch TV/VCR combo on a milk crate. The speakers were in the back of the TV so the volume had to be turned way up for everyone in the rear of the car to hear it. We were limited to musicals only—so my parents could listen along. My questions and concerns are as follows (for the record, we have a Toyota Sienna minivan):Headrest mounted or overhead (drop-down)?Battery life? How will it charge?Can the play/stop controls be controlled by someone in the front seat?Corded headphones or Bluetooth? Is there an option to play audio through car stereo? Easy-to-install mount positions an iPad for easy viewing by all backseat passengers. Buying Options
You save $4 (13%) A: If you (the parents) don’t mind listening to movie audio, the easiest solution would be to use a tablet like an iPad or an Amazon Fire HD 8 or 10. Any of these tablets works with , which will put the tablet in a good viewing position ; you can manually copy videos to the tablet, or use iTunes, Netflix, or Amazon Video to download movies and video to watch without an Internet connection. You can connect the tablet to your car stereo to play audio through your car’s audio system, or you could use one of our for audio. If you’d rather not listen to movie audio, your options are more limited, especially with multiple kids. (With a single kid, you could use —the active noise cancelling is great for in-car use—but you can’t pair multiple BT headphones to a single tablet.) You could get a multi-headphone splitter for each kid to use their own wired headphones, but you’ll end up with a mess of cables. You might be better off with a dedicated in-car entertainment system. The HP-902 RFT is an amazing deal. Just be sure to pick up a power cord and batteries when you check out. Buying Options
May be out of stock *At the time of publishing, the price was $72. Unfortunately, we can’t give you a specific recommendation for an in-car video system because we haven’t tested them yet. But you can look on to get a good idea of what’s available. Overhead displays are often larger, but headrest displays put the picture closer to your kids (although you’ll need two of them). You can get ones with or without a built-in DVD player, and they usually accept some combination of USB, aux, and RCA inputs (as well as SD cards) for connecting various devices. You can also play the audio through the car’s speakers via an FM transmitter, but some users have complained of occasional static when doing so. The systems usually come with a remote control. And your kids can listen through wireless IR headphones, for which we do have a pick: the , which is the top pick in our guide. Either system should be hard-wired to the car for power, which you can do if you’re handy. Otherwise, you’ll have to take it to a pro installer. The Wirecutter’s editors answer reader questions all the time (much more than once a week). Send an email to , or talk to us on and . Published questions are edited for space and clarity. Mentioned above
Further reading
by Andrew Cunningham After considering the needs of kids and parents, we think Apple’s iPad is the best all-around tablet for kids, though Amazon’s Fire HD 8 is a good cheap option. by Dorie Chevlen, Kit Dillon, and Jennifer Hunter These gifts will help your family build closer ties and create fun traditions for years to come, whether you’re celebrating the holidays together or apart. by Ellen Lee Choosing the right communication tool for a child can be complicated. We’ve tested a dozen smartwatches and other devices to find the best for different needs. by Wirecutter Staff Amazon’s Prime Early Access Sale is here. Check out the best discounts we’re seeing on the very best, Wirecutter-approved products.