If there’s one thing all new parents wish for, it’s surely a good night’s sleep. And while nothing can guarantee you that, a cot mobile can help to create a soothing environment for your baby when it’s bedtime. Cot mobiles come in all sorts of different designs but they all have one thing in common: they’re designed to engage your baby and, in an ideal world, help her drift off to sleep.
To find the perfect cot mobile for your baby, factor in that you’re likely to be listening to it at least once a day for a year or more, so choose one with enough musical features to ensure that you won’t tire of it. Think about whether it’s likely to soothe or stimulate your baby – white noise features are ideal for lulling little ones to sleep, but very brightly coloured mobiles with lively tunes may actually have the opposite effect.
Remember, too, that your baby’s interests will change as she develops, so what holds her attention when she’s a few weeks old might not be quite so enthralling as she gets older. A cot mobile with a wide variety of musical features or one which converts to a music box can be a good value buy in that case, as you can adapt the way you use it as your child grows.
To create a consistent bedtime routine for your baby when you’re away from home, consider buying a cot mobile that’s suitable for travel use. Finally, consider choosing one with a remote control if you’d like to be able to switch the mobile back on without having to disturb your baby by going back into her room.
This 3-in-1 cot mobile offers excellent value for money, as you can attach the overhead mobile to your baby’s cot to play up to 20 minutes of soothing lullabies, or detach the take-along musical birdie – which plays a series of short musical tunes – to engage your baby around the house or when you’re on the go. The four cute animal characters – a bird, elephant, tiger and lion – will entertain your baby while she drifts off to sleep, while the detachable birdied toy – which has a built-in carry handle – is sure to become a firm favourite with toddlers who love carrying things around!
Another travel-friendly option, this cot mobile comes with a claw fastener and clamp so you can easily attach it to your baby’s pram, infant car seat, cot or playpen. It features three soft bird characters and plays four songs and 40 melodies. This cot mobile is ideal for babies who are soothed by the sound of the vacuum cleaner, as it also plays white noise and nature sounds. It has a 10, 20 or 30 minute timer and comes with a remote control – so handy. There’s also a built-in nightlight and it has a cry sensor, which means it comes on automatically if your baby stirs.
Designed for travel use, this cot mobile has a fold-away portable arm, so it won’t take up lots of room in your suitcase – it’s ideal if you’re heading off on holiday or visiting the grandparents and don’t have space to bring your baby’s full cot mobile. It attaches easily to your baby’s pushchair, travel cot or infant car seat and folds away compactly. It plays 20 minutes of continuous music, which might get a bit repetitive! The three colourful characters are motorised and have integrated light-catching prism panels, so there’s plenty here to hold your baby’s attention while she drifts off to sleep or plays in her cot when you’re away from home.
Designed to grow with your baby, this musical cot mobile converts to a stand-alone music box for use once your baby outgrows the stage of using a cot mobile, so it’s good value for money. You can also remove the arm and leave the music box attached to the cot if you wish. There are six different musical options to choose from and it plays a total of 18 melodies, so you’re not likely to tire of these tunes. You can choose between calming music when it’s baby’s bedtime or more stimulating music to keep your little one entertained in her cot. There’s also a shuffle feature for musical variation, and this cot mobile also has an integrated nightlight.
Based on research which shows that newborns are more attracted to high-contrast patterns than to colour or brightness, this cot mobile features black and white patterns to help stimulate your baby’s visual development. It’s suitable for use from birth until your baby is around five months old. It comes with 20 different image cards, which you can attach to the hanger and use in rotation so your baby won’t get bored. The images, patterns and colours have been chosen to match your baby’s eyesight development. It’s not motorised and there are no musical features but this is ideal if you’re looking for something quiet to stimulate your baby and engage her interest when she’s in her cot.
