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Some kid products have a limited shelf life, like say, bottle warmers or potty training chairs. That’s not to say that they’re not useful (they are!), but as a parent it’s hard not to inwardly groan when dropping money on something that you know your child will only use for the next few months. Night lights, however, do not fall into that category. These devices can be used from the infant to teenager stage. At first, you might need a soft glow to navigate a middle-of-the-night diaper change. Then, something that will cue your restless toddler that it’s time to go to bed (and stay there until the light turns green). Next, a light to alleviate fears of the dark. And then finally, something for your teen to use as they read late into the night (or, you know, text their friends). Pink Laptop Stand
Night lights are a source of comfort for kids and a big help for parents too. As such, we’ve rounded up the best night lights for your convenience.
Best Night Light for Nurseries
The Best Night Light That’s Also a Wipe Warmer
Best Motion Sensor Night Light
There are a lot of night light options out there—but not every product is suitable for kids. To narrow down the list, we interviewed parents, vetted reviews and tried night lights firsthand to bring you our top picks, along with a few highly ones at the bottom, in case you’d like a few more options. Features we were looking for included: dimmability, sound machine capabilities, portability, battery life, and most importantly, quality.
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Truthfully, selecting the overall best night light was easy—so many parents we spoke to recommended and raved about the Hatch, a clever three-in-one device that is a night light, sound machine and time-to-rise sleep training tool in one. The easy-to-use app allows parents to customize colors (10 of them); play 15 calming sounds like wind, rain and lullabies; and establish sleep and wake schedules by choosing a sound and color for bedtime and another for when it’s time to wake up (“Only come to get mommy when the color turns green, OK?”). The app is intuitive to use and there’s also a manual option, although these buttons at the bottom of the device can be a little hard to read.
“It’s so easy to use,” says PureWow's Commerce Editor and new mom Olivia Dubyak. “I primarily use the red light setting but it keeps things very calm and is used for nap and bedtime. It has the sound machine and light features, and the app makes things so easy to use without even having to touch the actual light if you don't need to.”
There’s also a toddler lock option so little hands can’t mess up your settings, plus the option to subscribe to Hatch Membership ($50 per year) which gives you access to soundscapes, lullabies, sleep stories, meditations and more (but to be honest, we love the Hatch on its own sans extras).
While the Hatch Rest (2nd Generation) requires an outlet to work, you could spend an extra $30 and get the second-gen Hatch Rest+ which has a wireless charging base with a built-in battery to make the device portable.
2. JolyWell Night Light for Kids
During those first few months, you might not want a light that’s on all night. You do, however, need some help with those middle-of-the-night diaper changes, preferably something soft and soothing that won’t startle the baby to be even more awake. Enter: JolyWell, a touch control night light that emits a barely-there glow to keep things dark and cozy but with enough light for diaper changes and feedings. There are seven colors to choose from, plus one warm light color. To use, simply tap the top of the device once to set your favorite color and the light’s memory function will resume this color at the next tap. To dim the light, you hold your hand in place over the device until you’ve reached the desired level of ambience. You also have the option to set a one-hour timer.
“This was actually recommended to me by another PureWow editor,” says Senior Food Editor and new mom Katherine Gillen. “It’s super portable and turns on and off with a tap, is dimmable, rechargeable, and has a color change setting (we use the red color).”
We’re also impressed with the long battery life, which our reviewers found can last them up to two weeks of nighttime use (although it’s worth noting that this isn’t quite as long as the 100 hours the manufacturers report, and other users report getting only a few nights’ use out of it before needing to recharge).
3. The Munchkin Warm Glow Wipe Warmer
Another great option for the infant years is this multitasking night light that’s actually a wipe warmer. And look, many seasoned parents will tell you that you don’t technically need a wipe warmer. But when your baby screams every time you wipe their bum, it sure is nice to have one. But don’t just take our word for it—over 25,000 five-star reviews on Amazon agree.
The holder can store up to 100 standard sized baby wipes (which must be purchased separately) and features a flip top lid for easy access. There’s a small light that’s on whenever the warmer is plugged in and working, as well as a night light feature right below the on/off light that you just need to push to activate. The night light will shut off automatically after 10 minutes or with the on/off button.
“I had the Munchkin Warm Glow Wipe Warmer on my nightstand for nighttime diaper changes and it has a super soft glow that was just enough for me to see around my dresser to grab the essentials without disturbing the baby,” Dubyak tells us.
When your kid enters the “there are monsters in my closet” stage, a night light with a soothing motif may be just the thing to ease their fears, as one mom of a preschooler told us. This ceramic night light casts a warm, comforting glow and features star cut-outs that project onto nearby surfaces. The effect is highly relaxing and pretty magical, say parents, and kids love dozing off surrounded by stars. Parents also like how aesthetically pleasing the night light is, although the ceramic material does make it better suited for big kids who aren’t liable to knock it over and shatter it. Another bonus? It comes with the light bulb included.
5. Casper Sleep Glow Night Light
From the popular mattress brand comes this wall plug-in night light in two modes: the default Sleep Mode and Night Owl Mode. Sleep Mode delivers a soft pool of light that reviewers say is great for kids’ bedrooms and automatically turns off once the device detects brightness in the room. Users especially like the fact that this night light comes in a pack of two from Amazon (where it has more than 1,250 five-star reviews) and many use the second device in Night Owl Mode for bathrooms and hallways, thanks to its motion-activated function that gradually brightens when it senses nearby movement. Raves one reviewer: “I don't often write reviews, but I wanted to give this item a 5 star review. It's unobtrusive in its round shape and doesn't scream ‘nightlight’. It plugs into an outlet and the other receptacle is usable. The nicest feature is that it senses motion and gets brighter, then dims down when motion is not detected. This is the total package that combines form and function. Bravo for creating a design friendly option that functions so well.”
6. LumiPets Night Lights for Kids
It’s easy to see why this night light for kids has amassed more than 5,700 five-star reviews—it’s adorable! With over 16 animal options to choose from (like puppy, penguin and unicorn), there’s bound to be a character your kid will want to cuddle up with. And thanks to the soft silicone material that’s pleasantly squishy, they can. Reviewers also like that this gadget is durable, easy to clean and has nine colors to choose from, plus the fact that it’s portable. It’s also rechargeable and comes with a remote to adjust the brightness and set a sleep timer for 15, 30 or 60 minutes that your kid will likely get a kick out of (parents also report that they use the remote to dim the lights from a distance once their kid is asleep). You can also adjust settings on the night light itself in case your kid misplaces the remote.
When it comes to finding the right night light for your kid, here are some factors to consider:
Per the Pediatric Sleep Council, night lights are A-OK to use and a much better alternative to keeping the main light on at night. “Being afraid of the dark is a normal experience for young children. Using a nightlight can be a simple fix – nightlights are not bad for sleep. If your child wants the main light on, that can be a problem and disrupt sleep. However, if you have a small night light in the corner of the room that can be dimmed and is not directly in his eyes, using a night light can be an easy fix to this normal experience for young children.” Instead the council recommends finding a night light that isn’t too bright and placing it far away from the bed.
In our research, the best overall night light for kids was The Hatch that offers multiple options for brightness, colors and sounds, as well as an easy-to-use app and the ability to create sleep routines. But other night lights on our list may be better suited to your family’s needs, whether you need a motion-activated device or something for a nursery. In other words, consider your family’s needs first and go from there.
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