Best crib mobile

If there’s one thing all new parents wish for, it’s undoubtedly a good night’s sleep. And while nothing can guarantee that, a crib mobile can help create a soothing environment for your baby when it’s bedtime. Crib mobiles come in many designs, but they all have one thing in common: they’ll engage your baby and, in an ideal world, help them drift off to sleep.

To find the perfect crib 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 brightly colored mobiles with lively tunes may actually have the opposite effect. We've assembled our favorite mobiles to help you decide. 

This 3-in-1 crib mobile from Fisher-Price offers excellent value for money. Attach the overhead mobile to your baby’s crib to play up to 20 minutes of soothing lullabies, or detach the take-along musical birdie—which plays a series of short melodic tunes—to engage your baby around the house or when you’re on the go. The four cute animal characters entertain your child while they drift off to sleep, and the detachable birdy toy will become a firm favorite with toddlers who love to carry things around.

Powered by three AA batteries, the Tiny Love Meadow Days is a go-anywhere mobile that fits playpens, cribs, car seats, carriers, strollers, and more. With three colorful, dangling characters and 30-minutes of continuous music, the Tiny Love mobile will entertain your child and help them drift off to sleep faster. Velcro straps on the Meadow Days mobile secure to almost any object, so this is an excellent choice for home and travel use.

The KiddoLab mobile is a star projector night light and musical mobile in one. Four cute animals twist slowly in a circle while lullabies or nature sounds play to help your little one catch some Zs. The KiddoLab mobile also projects lights overhead. Once the nursery is dark, a night light display of the moon and stars shines above. This mobile comes with a timer and several soundscapes and runs on two AA batteries.

Based on research that shows newborns are more attracted to high-contrast patterns than to color or brightness, this crib mobile from Manhattan Toy features black and white designs to help stimulate your baby’s visual development. It’s suitable for use from birth until your baby is around five months old. The mobile includes 20 image cards that attach to the hanger and can be used in rotation so your baby won’t get bored. The images, patterns, and colors were chosen to match your baby’s eyesight development. This model is not motorized, and there are no musical features, but this is ideal if you’re looking for something quiet to stimulate your baby and engage their interest while in the crib.

There’s no getting around the fact that some crib mobiles are loud. While they may help your baby get to sleep, they can keep everyone else in the household awake. The Lambs & Ivy Jungle Safari mobile has volume control, so you can adjust the level to suit the whole family. This mobile has three plush animals that spin quietly on a 20-minute timer while playing three classic children’s songs.

Final thoughts

The Fisher Price Rainforest Friends 3-in-1 musical mobile takes our top spot. It clips to most cribs and strollers and plays calming melodies for 20 minutes at a time. It even comes with a detachable toy for older children to carry.

When you want a mobile model for home, car, stroller, and vacation use, the Tiny Love Meadow Days Take Along mobile. With Velcro attachments, it hooks onto cribs, playpens, car seats, and strollers and plays a continuous 30-minute stream of music.

If a night light comforts your little one, the KiddoLab crib mobile is for you. When the nursery lights go out, this colorful mobile projects a star show that shines over your baby’s crib while animals gently turn in a circle. The KiddLab mobile has a built-in timer and several soundscapes and can also play nature sounds.

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