Getting your baby to sleep is no easy task. A very few are lucky to have babies that fall asleep and stay asleep at the drop of a hat. The rest of us are singing, rocking, and doing whatever it takes to get our babies down for a good night’s rest.
Many parents struggle with distracting their babies so they can leave the room at bedtime. One of the things that can help you in this daring feat is a baby mobile.
A baby mobile helps to distract your baby when you leave the room and even relax them to help them go to bed. If you’re new to the baby scene and are looking for a baby mobile, there are some features to look for as you find the best one for your baby.
In this article
- Short On Time? Here Are Our Top 3 Choices
- Why Do I Need a Baby Mobile?
- Features to Look for with a Baby Mobile
- Size
- Baby Mobile Safety
- 10 Best Baby Crib Mobiles for a Nursery
- 1. Tiny Love Meadow Days Soothe ‘n Groove Baby Mobile
- 2. Fisher-Price Precious Planet 2-in-1 Projection Mobile
- 3. Caterbee Baby Mobile for Crib
- 4. Fisher-Price Butterfly Dreams 3-in-1 Projection Mobile
- 5. Manhattan Toy Wimmer-Ferguson Infant Stim-Mobile for Cribs
- 6. SHILOH Baby Crib Decoration Newborn Gift Plush Musical Mobile
- 7. KiddoLab Baby Crib Mobile with Lights and Relaxing Music
- 8. Tiny Love Classic Mobile, Into The Forest
- 9. Lambs & Ivy Jungle Safari Musical Baby Crib Mobile
- 10. Montessori Mobile Baby Crib With Rotate Musical Box
- The Bottom Line
Short On Time? Here Are Our Top 3 Choices
| Title | Price | Prime | Buy | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
Top
Top | Tiny Love Meadow Days Soothe 'n Groove Baby Mobile | PrimeEligible | Buy Now | |
Top | Fisher-Price Precious Planet 2-in-1 Projection Mobile | PrimeEligible | Buy Now | |
Top | Baby Mobile for Crib | PrimeEligible | Buy Now |
Why Do I Need a Baby Mobile?
Since it’s recommended to put your baby to sleep on his back, that leaves a big empty area for him to stare up at all the time.
Using a baby mobile will give him stimulation and also give him something entertaining to do. As we said, this can help if you’re putting your baby in the crib at night or when you need to get something done.
Mobiles can offer music and motion. Both of these are great to keep your baby occupied. While a baby mobile is not a necessity like a car seat, it does offer comfort and entertainment which is always good for the baby.
Features to Look for with a Baby Mobile
One glance at baby mobiles and you’ll see that they’re all not created equal. Baby mobiles come with a variety of features. Here are a few to consider so you can decide which ones are most important to you when you shop.
Movement
This is a big one. Babies tend to find things that move more interesting than stationary objects. Many mobiles offer movement just as long as there are batteries loaded in it.
If you choose a mobile with movement, always be sure to have backup batteries in the house. Your baby isn’t going to like it when the mobile stops moving.
Another thing with movement is deciding how you want the mobile to move. Many spin round and round. Others go up and down. Think about what movement your baby would enjoy the most.
Music
Another common feature is music. Many baby mobiles play soothing sounds or nursery rhymes. Calming sounds are usually most preferred, especially at bedtime.
You also want to see if the music changes or if there’s a constant sound. Usually, babies do better when there is a continuous sound rather than music that is changing frequently.
If you’re choosing a mobile with music, look to see how the music is played. Some have buttons, others have gadgets you have to wind up.
Check to see if the music will play until you manually shut it off or if it has a timer. For sleeping purposes, one with a timer could be the better option.
Toys
Toys are a big part of a baby’s mobile. With that said, look for one that has toys your baby likes. If your baby is scared of clowns, one with clowns isn’t a good idea.
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If she loves unicorns, one with unicorns is a good choice. While you want a mobile with toys, you don’t want one that’s too much fun. This could keep your baby awake which defeats the purpose.
Size
When you buy a crib-mounted baby mobile, not everyone fits all cribs. Look to see what type of edges your crib has so that you choose a mobile that accommodates it.
Round or square edges are the most common. Some mobiles are universal. Read the fine print so you choose the right one.
Baby Mobile Safety
As you shop for the best baby mobiles, you need to keep safety in mind. The mobile will be hanging over the area where your baby will be sleeping.
Be sure there are no loose parts that can fall off and pose a choking hazard. Mobiles with small parts should be avoided.
You also want to be sure that your baby can’t reach up and grab any of the hanging objects. The mobile should come off as soon as your baby can pull himself up and stand up in his crib.
This usually happens around the five-month mark, but can happen sooner since all babies develop at different rates.
Look to see that the mobile is also secure on the crib. You don’t want it to fall off accidentally or be loose so that your baby could pull it off and get hurt. String length is also important.
The American Academy of Pediatrics recommends that strings are less than seven inches long. Strings any longer could pose a choking hazard.
10 Best Baby Crib Mobiles for a Nursery
Now that you know what to look for in the best baby mobiles and how to make your mobile safe, let’s check out the best baby crib mobiles for a nursery.
- Tiny Love Meadow Days Soothe ‘n Groove Baby Mobile
- Fisher-Price Precious Planet 2-in-1 Projection Mobile
- Caterbee Baby Mobile for Crib
- Fisher-Price Butterfly Dreams 3-in-1 Projection Mobile
- Manhattan Toy Wimmer-Ferguson Infant Stim-Mobile for Cribs
- SHILOH Baby Crib Decoration Newborn Gift Plush Musical Mobile
- KiddoLab Baby Crib Mobile with Lights and Relaxing Music
- Tiny Love Classic Mobile, Into The Forest
- Lambs & Ivy Jungle Safari Musical Baby Crib Mobile
- Montessori Mobile Baby Crib With Rotate Musical Box
1. Tiny Love Meadow Days Soothe ‘n Groove Baby Mobile
When you’re looking for the best baby mobiles, this one should definitely be on your list to check out. Tiny Love hits it out of the part with this mobile.
It has cute, whimsical characters that hang from the mobile at a safe distance so you don’t have to worry about your baby grabbing a string or anything falling in.
It has a soothing motion to help relax your baby when he’s trying to go to sleep. You can also be your child’s personal DJ by choosing from a variety of musical options.
Play calming tunes for naptime or more energetic songs when he’s just hanging out in the crib. There are six different musical categories with 18 different songs to choose from.
You can get creative and use the shuffle option to mix it up. Whichever option you choose, your baby can enjoy 40 minutes of uninterrupted music.
When your baby is trying to fall asleep, you can use the calming nightlight to comfort him. One of the best things about this mobile is that when you’re done using it in the crib, you can take it off and give it to your toddler as a stand-alone music box.
Pros
- Calming nightlight
- Variety of musical options
- Converts to toddler toy
- Good buy
Cons
- None that we could find!
2. Fisher-Price Precious Planet 2-in-1 Projection Mobile
Fisher-Price also has a winner here with this baby mobile. Like our top pick, this one has many features that your baby will love.
It comes with four plush animal toys that spin above to entertain and calm your baby. The designs are detailed, so they should keep your baby engaged.
There are three musical settings to choose from. There are classic lullabies as well as natural ocean sounds or soothing heartbeat sounds. You can set whichever one you like to play for up to 20 minutes without disturbing your baby.
A canopy projection provides a fun light show to keep your baby mesmerized. When you’re done using this is a mobile, it converts to a crib side music box with ceiling projection. This makes it well worth the money.
While this mobile does have the music-making capability, it only lasts for 20 minutes before you have to reset it. Sometimes babies don’t fall asleep that quickly!
Also, while the projection feature is great, you don’t want it to stimulate your baby so much that he can’t relax.
Pros
- 3 different music settings
- Fun plush hanging from the mobile
- Converts to crib side music box when done
- Projector creates a fun show
Cons
- Music only lasts for 20-minute increments
3. Caterbee Baby Mobile for Crib
This baby mobile from Caterbee has a lot of bells and whistles and is why it’s on our list of the best baby mobiles.
One of the first things that probably grabs your attention is all of the plastic toys hanging from the mobile. There are so many to keep your baby busy!
The little toys spin slowly to get your baby’s attention and help to work on his eyesight. It also comes with five teether toys that can be taken off of the mobile as your child gets older.
The mobile is quite versatile because it can be installed on a variety of crib types. Just be sure that yours is one of the ones included.
There is an electronic mobile music box with 600 minutes of music available. Soothing melodies are activated when your baby starts to cry. They are played for a pre-selected amount of time.
You can control all of this with the handy remote included. The remote has a range of 2.5 feet. This means you don’t have to get up to control music and other functions.
This baby mobile has many features for your baby to enjoy and it’s reasonably priced. Just be careful that teething toys don’t fall off accidentally or that your baby doesn’t try to reach for them.
Pros
- Comes with remote control
- 600 minutes of music
- Music played for a pre-selected time
Cons
- Be sure teething toys don’t fall off accidentally into the crib
4. Fisher-Price Butterfly Dreams 3-in-1 Projection Mobile
Simple and soothing, Fisher-Price has another winner with this projection mobile. The mobile doesn’t have a busy look to it which is good if you’re going for the relaxing vibe.
It has three soft butterfly bear toys that can be removed when your baby is old enough to handle them.
There are three music settings with up to 30 minutes of lullaby music, white noise, or soothing nature sounds. You can put on a starry night light show that will project on the ceiling and walls.
This one also includes a remote control that can come in handy when you want to restart the light show or music without going back into your baby’s room. When your baby is done using this as a mobile, it converts to a tabletop soother.
While this mobile is slightly more expensive than some others, it’s a safe and secure choice for your baby.
Pros
- Comes with remote
- Starry light show projector
- 3 musical settings
- Converts to a tabletop soother for older kids
Cons
- Slightly more expensive
5. Manhattan Toy Wimmer-Ferguson Infant Stim-Mobile for Cribs
This mobile looks a little different than other baby mobiles, but it has an innovative black and white design that’s worth noting.
Manhattan Toy’s uses this black and white mobile as a developmental toy. All patterns in its Wimmer-Ferguson collection adapt to a baby’s changes in visual development.
You can see that the images are high-contrast. They come with interchangeable cards to adjust the colored patterns. The cords are also adjustable so you can change the distance of the cards from the baby as she grows.
We like this mobile because of its unique qualities. It doesn’t come with any music, light shows, or any other fancy qualities. Its commitment to helping babies with their development is worth looking into buying this baby mobile.
Pros
- Unique design
- Low-cost
- Helps promote babies to develop
- Includes interchangeable chards
Cons
- No music
- No nightlight or other features
6. SHILOH Baby Crib Decoration Newborn Gift Plush Musical Mobile
If you’re looking for a baby mobile that has different height adjustments and includes non-toxic materials, this mobile from SHILOH is a solid choice.
It includes several plush toys to keep your baby entertained. A built-in BB squeaker, a jingle bell, and rattle are among the toys your child will love. They can also be taken off the mobile and used as small rattle toys.
It also has a musical box that includes many world-famous songs to help soothe and entertain your baby.
One of the things we like about this mobile is that it can be adjusted by three styles to suit your needs. It should be noted that the thickness of the crib rail must be within 1.8 inches.
This mobile is more expensive than some of the other mobiles and it doesn’t convert to any toddler toys when you’re done. Also, there are no nightlights or other bonus features includes.
Pros
- Includes fun plush toys
- Toys can be taken off and used as rattles
- Musical box contains world-famous songs
- Can be adjusted 3 different ways
Cons
- On the expensive side
- Does not convert to other toys when done
7. KiddoLab Baby Crib Mobile with Lights and Relaxing Music
When it comes to the best baby mobiles, you want to find one that will keep your baby entertained, while still being relaxing at bedtime. This one from KiddoLab checks those boxes.
It includes a rotating musical mobile with four little pets that dance and twirl to keep your baby entertained. Besides the musical mobile, there is also a light show projector that can be used to keep your baby engaged.
There are several different sound options to help soothe your baby as well. You can choose music that stops after fifteen minutes, continuous soothing lullabies, or gentle nature sounds.
Experiment with the different choices to see which one your baby likes the best.
The mobile is made from BPA-free materials and is CPSC-certified. While there is no remote or option to use this as another toy, the KiddoLab mobile is reasonably priced.
Pros
- Soothing music options
- Light show projector
- Reasonably priced
Cons
- No option to convert to other toys
- Does not include remote
8. Tiny Love Classic Mobile, Into The Forest
Here’s another take on the black and white design that we were talking about in other baby mobiles. This one from Tiny Love has spinning black and white spirals that help to encourage a baby’s visual development.
There is also a music option that provides 20 minutes of continuous classical music to help soothe your baby. The calming nightlight is also a nice feature to help your baby if the dark is not her best friend.
We like this as one of the best baby mobiles because it grows with your baby as you convert the music box to a standalone toy. This mobile is also reasonably priced for what it offers.
Pros
- Can be converted to a standalone toy
- Includes soothing music
- Black and white design helps to encourage visual development
- Calming nightlight
Cons
- Mobile toys do not come off
- No adjustable height options
9. Lambs & Ivy Jungle Safari Musical Baby Crib Mobile
Lambs & Ivy has a cute choice if you’re looking for a musical baby mobile. This one plays three different songs and automatically shuts off after 20 minutes. The mobile spins automatically while the music plays to soothe your baby and help them fall asleep.
The little animals that are part of the safari don’t hang low, so you don’t have to worry about your baby accidentally trying to pull them down and getting hurt.
The animals don’t come off the mobile and there are no options to use this as something else down the road.
While this mobile is in line with the price of other mobiles, it offers fewer features for the price. But, if you love the design, it could still be worth it.
Pros
- Music automatically shuts off after 20 minute
- Fun animals in mobile
Cons
- Only includes 3 song options
- Does not convert to other toys
- A bit expensive for what it offers
10. Montessori Mobile Baby Crib With Rotate Musical Box
This Montessori-inspired baby mobile rounds out our list of the best baby mobiles. It has a black and white design that we’ve been talking about for your baby’s development.
It introduces babies to high contrast images and colors. There are five different shapes to visually stimulate your baby. The shapes rotate to help soothe your baby as well.
It includes a soft melody to help your baby fall asleep. You wind it up to play and it usually lasts for about three minutes. No batteries are needed for this model.
While this baby mobile is reasonably priced, it does not include many features. There is no nightlight or projection feature and the music needs to be wound up every three minutes or so.
But, if this type of mobile appeals to your baby for the shapes and colors, it could be one worth checking out.
Pros
- Black and white design for a baby’s development
- Five different shapes for development
- Soft melodies
Cons
- Not many features
- Music needs to be wound up every 3 minutes
- No nightlight
The Bottom Line
When it comes to finding the best baby mobiles, you want to find one that has many features and one that you can get a lot of use out of.
This is why we chose the Tiny Love Meadow Days Soothe ‘n Groove Baby Mobile as our favorite. It has a wide variety of musical features as well as a soothing nightlight and mobile motion.
We especially like that you can use the mobile as a toddler toy when you no longer need it over the crib. This is a great idea because you can get a lot of use out of it. The mobile is also safe, which is extremely important with any baby gear item you’re buying.
As you search for the best baby mobiles, consider the factors that are most important to you and ones that your baby will enjoy the most. Have fun shopping!
