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The best night light for babies is the Hatch Rest 2nd Gen, according to parents on the What to Expect staff and in the What to Expect community, because of its adjustable light settings, versatility and ease of use.
Putting together the perfect nursery not only involves finding the right crib and changing table, but it may also include items like a night light to make baby more comfortable as they fall asleep. Although a dark room is an important part of baby's sleep environment, finding the right night light comes with plenty of benefits for little ones.
“Night lights for babies and toddlers specifically can help them feel less scared of the dark, find their way around in the dark at night, and create a cozy and soothing sleeping environment,” says Shelby Harris, PsyD, DBSM, a licensed clinical psychologist and Director of Sleep Health at Sleepopolis. Night lights are also ideal for parents, especially in those first few months when middle of the night feedings are taking place — they provide just enough light to see without being too over-stimulating for baby.
Although night lights specifically designed for babies and toddlers can sound like a marketing scheme, they are actually worth investing in. These night lights often come with other helpful features for baby, like soothing sound machine noises and toddler-friendly timers that let them know when it’s time to wake up for the day. I’ve been using a night light with both of my daughters, who are ages 4 and 2, since they came home from the hospital. Even when set to a very dim glow, night lights make their bedrooms feel more inviting at night, and both of my girls feel more comforted having them on. How we chose the best night lights
A quick search for a baby or toddler night light reveals hundreds of options, and picking just one can feel more overwhelming than it should. To find what makes the best night light for babies, I spoke to two experts in the sleep space: Dr. Harris and Macall Gordon, a certified pediatric sleep consultant. I talked to them about the benefits of night lights for young kids, as well as any features parents should and shouldn’t prioritize. According to their expert advice, night lights should always cast a warm, gentle glow and never a bright harsh light.
Keeping this advice in mind, I sought feedback from parents on the night lights they’ve used and loved. I utilized the 2023 What to Expect Sleep Awards in which over 1,850 parents voted on their favorite night light. I also spoke to four parents on the What to Expect who have six children in total between them and sought reviews from parents in the What to Expect community to find which night lights they recommend, based on positive experiences with their own kids.
Given all of this feedback, I was able to narrow down dozens of baby and toddler night lights to the eight best, ensuring that every light on the list emits a soft glow, isn’t overly distracting and is generally easy for parents to use.
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Power source: Corded electric
The Hatch Rest 2nd Gen is wildly popular among What to Expect parents. In fact, it received 40% off the votes for Best Night Light in the 2023 What to Expect Sleep Awards . What makes it so loved is that it’s packed with tons of useful features to help baby fall — and stay — asleep. The adjustable brightness and noise levels, as well as several different color and sound options, allow you to perfectly tailor this machine to your child’s preferences. It’s easy to control with an app on your phone (so you don’t even need to go into their bedroom to change the settings), but you can also turn it off and on by simply touching the top of it.
“The Hatch has been our go-to night light since day one,” says Leah Rocketto, Associate Commerce Director at What to Expect. “I love the simple design and ease of use, which is especially crucial in those first few sleep deprived months. I also love that it doesn’t have to be operated via an app, so any caretaker can adjust it.”
Even though it’s a pricier pick, the Hatch Rest 2nd Gen is clearly a popular night light among parents for its incredible range of customization. And, you can easily use it throughout childhood because of its simple design and amount of capabilities.
Christine Mattheis, VP of Content at What to Expect, has also used the Hatch since her daughter was a baby. “Now, as a preschooler, [my daughter] developed a fear of the dark, so we started using the night light function. She likes picking a new color every night,” she says. “We have also used the Hatch to coach her to stay in bed in the morning; she knows she is not supposed to leave her room until the Hatch shuts off.”
Another unique feature parents love: You can program it to turn a specific color when it’s time for a toddler to get out of bed in the morning. Both Melissa Bykofsky, Executive Editor, and Robin Hilmantel, Senior Director of Editorial Strategy and Growth, utilize this feature.
“We have always used the night light on it,” says Melissa. “We do the same now with the timer: He stays in bed until it turns white (he sleeps with it on blue).”
As for Robin, she notes that it works a little bit better for her 5-year-old than her 3-year-old. “Our rule-following 5-year-old would stay in bed until the light was ‘wake up blue’ from day 1,” she says. “Still doesn’t work on our 3-year-old though — every morning he yells ‘I’m awake!’ As soon as he’s awake, no matter what.”
“ still use it with my 2.5 year old. I use it as a nightlight for her with red light bc it is the least melatonin suppressing and have it on all night with ocean waves sound. then when it's time to get up in the morning I change it on my phone before I come in to purple and twinkle twinkle little star. it helped us to sleep train her to know when she can get up and if she wakes up in the night and it's still red to just roll over and go back to sleep.”
“I’ve used the Hatch for my son for two years and I love it. I like that I can set up different programs so it’ll automatically turn on/off when I want it to - one less thing to have to do manually. I can have the light turn from red to green when my son is allowed to get up”
“We have the hatch and have used it every night since baby has been home we love it! Night light is great for nighttime feeds and changes.”
“I have it and love it. got mine 3 years ago and still works great. I can turn it on from my phone and love that. with my first LO I used it for night feedings bc its the perfect brightness and I didn't have to turn on any other lights. and there's lots of options for different sounds.”
Power source: LED light
Timer: Yes, but it’s automatic after 20 minutes
This inexpensive night light comes in at under $15; a great value buy for those who just want a simple, straightforward night light. It’s adorably designed as an owl, and gives off a warm glow to help make dark rooms less scary. It uses an LED light, so it’s battery-operated with no cords and no charging required, and it stays cool to the touch so you don’t need to worry about it getting too warm.
It has no added features other than the automatic timer that turns it off after 20 minutes to preserve battery life. This timer can be great if your kids don’t mind the light turning off, but it can be a negative for kids who wake up in the middle of the night and are expecting a night light.
Another thing to note: You can’t adjust the brightness or the color, which might make this option too limiting for some.
“ The owl light my way nightlight by munchkin. It is battery powered and has a handle to carry it around the room and the light is not too bright.”
“We eventually switched to a rigid plastic light, so not as snuggly, not sure if it would be as helpful as the pillows, but last much longer. It’s an owl. Our kids keep them in their beds and turn them on as needed. It turns off automatically after 10min. I don’t like shopping on Amazon, but that’s the one thing I still buy from them. It’s called the Munchkin Light My Way LED nightlight.”
Adorably designed to look like a cute bunny (or a koala or penguin), the LumiPets night light makes a sweet addition to any nursery. It’s also easy to use: You either tap to operate it, or use the remote control to adjust the light mode or color without actually entering the nursery. Speaking of colors, there are nine warm, calming hues to choose from, and you can use the lock function tso no one accidentally messes with your settings. It’s also very lightweight and portable, so it’s easy to take on the go.
Powered by a rechargeable battery, the LumiPet doesn’t double as a sound machine. It can, however, serve as a bedtime toy thanks to its soft silicone material. Just make sure your child doesn’t start sleeping with it until they're at least 12 months old; the American Academy of Pediatrics’s Safe Sleep Recommendations say children under 12 months old shouldn’t sleep with anything in their crib.
Melissa also uses this night light with her toddler and recommends it, but warns parents it may quickly become their child’s favorite plaything. “It can basically become a toy they turn on and off with a squish.” However, as they get older, it’ll be a fun way to get them involved with their sleep routine by letting them pick the color they want.
“ Look up lumipets! It gives them control over what they want their light to do, turn it on and off themselves, it’s soft so I feel it’s okay to have in their bed, you can set a timer if needed. My daughter loves her raccoon!”
“we have a Lumipet, which you can control brightness and color. I love it.”
“We have a lumipets cat night light and she loves it. Was great for breastfeeding in the middle of the night esp when she was littler.”
Power source: Corded electric with USB cord
Changes color: Yes, but only to the time of day it is, it isn’t customizable
For a night light that’s specifically designed to help with toddlers’ bedtime routines, opt for this Tommee Tippee clock. To start, it works as a typical night light with an adjustable brightness that offers some comfort if your little one wakes up in the middle of the night. But, it’s also meant to help train toddlers as to when they can get out of bed with easy-to-understand pictures. The image changes from a sleeping owl when it’s time to sleep to an awake owl when it’s time to wake up and get out of bed.
As kids grow older, it can be used as a digital clock, which is convenient and can help them learn how to read time. It can also be used as an alarm clock with audible features to get them out of bed.
Keep in mind that the Tommee Tippee clock uses a USB cord, but doesn’t come with a USB adapter to plug into the wall, so you’ll either need to purchase one or use one you already have.
“ We have the Tommee Tippee one. You can turn down the brightness. I think you can even turn off the light so it only lights up when Ollie wakes up but not positive on that. I was very skeptical when my baby gadget-loving OH bought it and it did take a week or so of adjustment but it has helped overall.”
“We got the Tommy tippee one from Smyths for my 2 year old! Didn’t work straight away (at all) but we kept going with it, it is definitely starting to work.”
This small Lumi device is meant to act as a portable sound machine, but it’s also an ideal portable night light for traveling, according to What to Expect parents. It has seven different color options and three different light options — dim, bright or breathing, which slowly moves between dim and bright. Although it doesn’t give off as much light as some other night lights, it’s enough for short overnight stays. It also has 26 different soothing sounds to act as a sound machine and timers so that it can turn off after on its own.
A small hook on the top also makes this a great on-the-go sound machine for naps on long walks. It has a child lock so that if your little one gets to it they can’t mess with the settings, and it’s easy to control without fiddling with an app. It also has a 55-hour run time, so you should be able to go days without having to charge it.
“ I have the portable version of the Lumi. It’s smaller and has a hook for attaching to the cot. I really like it. It’s rechargeable and the battery lasts a long time, easy to use etc. I don’t use the nightlights but it can be used without it which is good.”
“ We use this machine off amazon called the Lumi. It's excellent, easy to use and portable. It's a night light and sound machine. Has different settings for various sounds. You can use as a night light or just as a white noise machine. I couldn't recomend enough. It's inexpensive and really does the trick.”
Power source: Corded electric
The Skip Hop Baby Soother has two night light settings: One is a more standard night light as the owl’s belly lights up with a soft glow. The other is an adjustable projector that you can modify to project onto the wall or ceiling. It casts a sweet swirling starry night scene and can be used together with the belly light or separately, depending on what your child prefers. Parents especially appreciate the adjustable angle because they can point it wherever they want so that baby can see it depending on where they’re sleeping. They also note that although the starry projection is a nice distraction to lull babies to sleep, it isn’t overly bright or eye-catching to keep them stimulated.
In addition to the light settings, the owl also acts as a sound machine, with several melodies and nature sounds to choose between. And, the auto-timer allows you to program your settings to stop after a certain amount of time.
“ We use the skip hop soother and I love it. No Wi-Fi or Bluetooth are required.”
“Baby Boy likes to look at the stars and that seems to give him time to get drowsy and learn to fall asleep on his own.”
Power source: Corded electric
The Echo Glow is a smart night light that is easy to control with a streamlined design and multicolor option that makes it look cool to kids. It works through WiFi and can be voice controlled when connected with another Amazon Echo product or the Amazon Alexa app. While this can be convenient, note that you do need to use an app to control this one, which could be difficult for grandparents.
This option is really just a night light — it doesn't have sound machine features. However, you can adjust the brightness and choose from a multitude of colors, all with voice commands. A wake-up light makes it gradually get brighter when it’s time to get up in the morning, which can make waking up feel more natural and less jarring. You can use different colors for different reminders, which is a good way to help keep older kids on top of their tasks. And the warm glow won’t feel too harsh in any bedroom.
“ Amazon echo glow!!!! Highly recommend - it’s exactly what you’re looking for.”
“We bought an echo dot and used a white noise nap on Alexa. We used it while he was in our bedroom but once he moved to his own bedroom we stopped using it soon after.”
“We also started doing an okay to wake light which has changed our lives. I use the Amazon Echo Glow. It's red at night and turns green for wake up time.”
Power source: Rechargeable battery
Some kids may not need a night light to fall asleep, but also may be uncomfortable with the dark if they wake up in the middle of the night. In that case, a motion sensor night light like this one is a great option. When set on “auto” mode, it will automatically turn on when it senses motion during the night (you can also just turn it “on” for a continuous light). It’ll also be great for those middle-of-the-night feedings when you want to find your way in the room without turning on your phone flashlight.
The light can be adjusted to either dim or bright, and it has a cute cow design that little ones will love. It also has three mounting options (it can stand on a surface, hang with the attached cord or use an included magnet to stick to the wall). It’s small enough to be travel-friendly and portable and feels really versatile. However, note that it may need to be charged often, especially if not using it in the motion sensor mode.
Baby and toddler night lights can come with a surprising amount of features — so many, in fact, that it might feel overwhelming deciding which ones are actually important to you. At the end of the day, you want something that is going to make bedtime less stressful and contribute to a better sleep environment. These are the main features you’ll find when buying a night light that you can consider before deciding what model is best for you: Light settings: A night light’s main purpose is, obviously, to offer some extra light in a dark room. However, you never want that light to be so bright that it’s distracting. “Using something too bright may disrupt their natural sleep pattern,” Dr. Harris warns. Because every baby is different, you’ll want a night light that emits a warm, gentle glow, preferably something with adjustable settings that gives you full control over how dim or bright it is. Some machines also allow you to choose the color, which some toddlers prefer as they can decide what color to put on before bed. This also gives you flexibility to try out different hues and see what works best for baby.Sound settings: Many night lights these days work as multi-functional machines, often coming with sound settings as well. Decide whether you want this type of all-in-one capability. If so, you can also select machines that allow you to choose between white noise, nature sounds, melodies and more.Other special features: Some night lights come packed with convenient features. One feature many parents like is the ability to program the night light to turn off at a certain time or turn a specific color when it’s time for a child to get up, which can help train toddlers to stay in their bed until morning.
At the end of the day, however, the decision is up to you. “It doesn’t have to be fancy or expensive,” Gordon says. “A simple, inexpensive night light is just fine.”
Both Dr. Harris and Gordon agree that night lights are perfectly fine to use in baby’s room, as long as the proper safety precautions are in place. You should always position the night light out of reach and avoid any cords in or near the crib.
Some past research has alluded to the idea that night lights may cause poor eyesight: a 1999 study found a relationship between the use of night lights and later vision issues.
“A big ‘however’ here is that the study has been mostly refuted by more recent research that has routinely found no relationship between night light use and vision problems,” Gordon says, noting that the earlier study did not take genetic vision problems into account. “The current consensus is that there is no link between night light use and impacts on later vision.”
There is no specific age a child should stop using a night light, although Dr. Harris notes that many children tend to naturally outgrow the need for one around 3 to 5 years old. That said, you should note your child’s behavior when using one.
“The only question parents should ask is: is it actually helping?” Gordon says. “For some alert, sensitive children, night lights give them interesting things to look at. Are they unable to fall asleep because they are entertaining themselves with looking at objects in their room? Is the light now casting shadows that can make older children worry about the dark even more?”
Keep these questions in mind if you think your child may be outgrowing their night light.
Both Dr. Harris and Gordon agree that a night light for a baby or toddler should offer a warm glow rather than a bright light. Gordon also says to avoid any night light that may have blue light (which typically comes from screens like televisions, phones or tablets), as this is a well-documented sleep disruptor.
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