Image: MomJunction Design Team
For most parents, putting their babies to sleep is challenging. In such cases, getting the best crib soother could help your baby sleep peacefully. On the other hand, if your baby sleeps for most of the day, lulling them to sleep at night can be tiresome. Here, crib soothers are great in helping your baby catch up on some precious sleep. Crib soothers produce music and have lights that help your baby self-soothe to sleep. Some also come with cry sensors to keep a watchful eye and ensure they are safe even when sleeping away from you.
We bring you a list of some tried-and-tested crib soothers that you can pick for your little one and help them sleep soundly.
Top Picks
13 Best Crib Soothers
1. Best Portable: Baby Einstein Sea Dreams Soother Musical Crib Toy And Sound Machine
The baby music soother from the trusted brand Baby Einstein uses glow lights and classical musical tunes to keep the baby calm and entertained. The adjustable strap makes it simple to secure to any crib. In addition, this soother has the unique drift-off feature, which softens the sounds and lights every ten minutes, making the child’s eyes droopy and assisting in falling asleep gradually.
The remote control works from 12 feet, allowing parents to operate it without waking the child. It fits most cribs — thanks to its 10.5-inch circumference, and four C batteries power this soother. To get a better understanding of the remote-controlled crib soother, you can check out this video on YouTube.
Pros
- Portable
- Durable
- Easy to clean
- Easy on and off buttons
- Four different modes
- Good gift option
Cons
- Limited warranty
Why We Think It's Worth Buying
About 10,094 reviewers on Amazon have given their seal of approval to the product.
2. Best With Auto-Off Timer: Skip Hop Portable Baby Soother
Skip Hop’s owl-shaped baby soother is portable, making it simple to soothe and lull the baby to sleep anytime, anywhere. It comes with two nature sounds, namely waves and rainforest, two songs, namely Brahms’ Lullaby and Sunrise Lullaby, and an auto-off timer and volume control. The control pad is made of rubber, and the auto timer can be set for 15, 30, or 60 minutes. You need three AAA batteries to run the crib soother with nature sounds made of safe material. Check out this product testing video for more information.
Pros
- Auto-off timer
- Fabric speaker covers
- Phthalate-free
- 15 hours battery life
Cons
- Does not come with a mute sound option
"It has been a handy tool for outings with my little one. I like the adjustable volume and the different sounds this soother can produce. The flexible strap is a plus, allowing me to use it in a car seat or stroller."
CautionWhy We Think It's Worth Buying
The product has garnered more than 11,458 positive reviews on Amazon.
3. Best Adjustable: SOAIY Baby Sleep Soother
A trusted choice for fussy babies, Soaiy’s compact baby sleep soother emits eight soothing sounds, including lullabies, shush, heartbeat, fan, cradle, twinkle, hush little baby, and rock-a-bye. It includes a volume controller, and the light is soft, with adjustable brightness. The detachable straps of the crib soother with heartbeat sounds allow you to easily attach the soother to a car seat, crib, or chair. In addition, you can set the crib soother with timer settings to three timer options — 30 minutes, 60 minutes, and no timer.
Pros
- Made of quality materials
- Lightweight
- Volume and brightness adjustable
- Rechargeable
- Eye friendly night-glow light
- LED-safe
- Auto shutdown function
Cons
- No low battery indicator option
"This white noise machine gives me a wide range of music options for soothing my little one. Its impressive battery life comes in handy when traveling with my little one, and I like that it can be hung just about anywhere."
Why We Think It's Worth Buying
Over 3,706 customers on Amazon have opined that this is one of the best products in its category.
Baby Einstein Sea Dreams Soother Musical Crib Toy And Sound Machine Best Portable | Skip Hop Portable Baby Soother Best With Auto-Off Timer | SOAIY Baby Sleep Soother Best Adjustable | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Color | Sea Dreams Soother | Owl | Orange |
| Material | Plastic | 90% ABS plastic, 10% silicone | - |
| Weight | 1.65 pounds | - | 7.4 ounces |
| Batteries | 6 C batteries required | 3 AAA batteries required | 1 Lithium Polymer batteries required |
| Dimensions | 10 x 4.5 x 14 inches. | 3 x 5.5 x 4 inches | - |
| Weight | - | 6.4 Ounces | - |
| Rating | |||
| Reviews | 10,094 | 11,458 | 3,706 |
| Price | $31.99 | $14.99 | $21.99 |
4. Best Forest-Themed: Lambs & Ivy Woodland Forest Musical Baby Crib Mobile
This mom-approved crib mobile soother toy by Lambs & Ivy is perfect for providing comfort and entertainment to babies. The soft and cuddly forest animals in neutral gray and tan colors can complement any nursery decor.
The baby-friendly crib soother with a rotating mobile, soothing music, and calming motion can help lull babies and soothe them during fussy times. This plush, forest-themed calming crib soother comes with an adjustable volume control to set the music to the desired level.
Pros
- Machine-washable and durable fabric
- Features an adjustable arm to fit most cribs
- Provides visual stimulation
- Play music for up to 20 minutes
- Highly detailed plush animals
Cons
- Music may be a bit loud for some babies
Quick tipWhy We Think It's Worth Buying
More than 169 buyers on Amazon have said the product lives up to the hype.
5. Best Glow In The Dark: Bubzi Co Cry Activated Baby Soother
The musical baby soother by Bubzi Co helps parents establish a nice sleep routine for their babies or toddlers. It has a cry-activated sensor that activates the sound and light for five minutes when the baby cries. The adorable elephant-shaped soother offers 20 soothing sounds, including birdie tweets, mama’s heartbeat, and relaxing songs, helping the baby drift off to sleep quickly.
This crib soothing machine with a nightlight projector creates a galaxy-like ambiance, helps calm the baby, and also switches off automatically after 30 minutes. Further, the baby shusher is designed to be portable and can be taken on vacation or used in a stroller or car.
Pros
- Includes five volume levels
- Features glow-in-the-dark buttons
- Hand-washable
- Plush fabric
Cons
- Strap may not fit all strollers
"It ticks all the right boxes for me�it's portable, convenient, and washable. The sound-activation feature is excellent for soothing my baby, and I must say it has ensured better sleep for my baby."
6. Best Interactive: Tumama Baby Light Star Projector
The Tumama baby light star projectoroffering colorful lights is a favorite among parents whose babies prefer settling down to music. This adorable star projector has starry ambient light and moonlight melodies to create a calming atmosphere and help lull babies into a soothing sleep. Designed with a hand drum on the top, this crib soother with starry night projection allows babies to express their emotions by hitting it.
Further, it includes talking toys that can repeat what the parent or baby says. This baby-friendly feature helps develop your baby’s language skills and makes it an interactive toy for babies to play with.
Pros
- Features two timer modes
- Five volume levels
- Cute clock with flash lamp
- Includes a recording playback button
- Portable
Cons
- Battery compartment may require frequent tightening
"This projector toy creates soothing sounds and enthralling color play to soothe my little one. What I like the most about it is that I can record my voice for a customized feel."
7. Best Huggable: Skip Hop Cry-Activated Baby Soother
The sloth-shaped baby soother by the trusted brand Skip Hop gets a lot of love for being so soft, adorable, huggable, and baby-friendly. This cry-activated baby soother features a smart sensor that responds only to the baby’s cries rather than other ambient sounds or noises.
Its unique voice recorder mode allows parents to soothe their little one with their voice or choose from three soothing lullabies and white sounds. The crib soother with lullabies grows with the baby and can also make a huggable friend for your little one.
Pros
- Up to 20 minutes of continuous play
- Easily attaches to the crib
- Lightweight and portable
- Soft and comforting
Cons
- May not have a volume control to adjust the music
8. Best Easy-To-Attach: Momcozy Baby Sleep Soother
The baby soother has 15 total sounds, including 11 lullabies, rain sounds, mama’s heartbeat, birds singing, and shush. In addition, the soother projector can project stars and moon onto the wall and ceiling. It has seven volume adjustments, three different timers, and a continuous loop. The strong hook-and-loop strap makes it easy to attach the projector crib soother anywhere, while the material used is suitable for the baby to play with.
Pros
- Machine-washable fabric
- Portable
- Secure hook for crib and pram
- Three auto-off timer options
Cons
- Not rechargeable
"I like this cuddly elephant for its portability and the various tunes it offers to soothe my baby. The starry display further helps create a lovely and relaxing ambiance. The battery tends to exhaust quickly, so keep a few extras handy."
9. Best Travel-Friendly: Sweet Dreamers, Ewan The Shushing Sheep – Crib Sleep Soother
Ewan’s sleep soother includes five musical sounds: rain, melody, shush, lullaby, and harp. These melodic tunes are paired with recordings of a mother’s womb and heartbeat, making it an effective shushing toy for soothing restless babies and infants. In addition, when the baby stirs while sleeping, the sensor of this nightlight crib soother is designed to activate immediately, helping to resettle them instantly.
Ewan’s soft pink nightlight simulates the womb environment to help comfort and soothe the baby. The sounds and night lights have a 20-minute timer that shuts off automatically.
Pros
- Portable
- Good-quality sound
- Intelligent SmartCRY sensor
- Hook-and-loop tail
- Crib soother with adjustable volume control
- Travel friendly
Cons
- No separate buttons for different modes
"Its soothing music seems to make quite a difference for my toddler, helping her sleep quickly, especially during those fussy nights. The Velcro design could do with some improvement, but overall, it's a reliable option for a new mom like me."
Do remember10. Best Smart Sensor: Cloud b Fox On The Go Sound Machine
The Cloud b travel comforting sound machine is the perfect companion for both children and adults. It offers eight relaxing sounds, including heartbeat, rain, waves, and lullabies, to soothe your baby to sleep.
The calming light helps your child relax and drift off into a peaceful slumber, while the volume control ensures they can listen to the music at the desired level. Further, the machine’s smart sensor ensures that the sound reactivates if the baby wakes up, helping soothe them back to sleep.
Pros
- Portable crib soother
- Built-in night light
- Auto shutoff function
- Includes a 15/45 minutes sleep timer
Cons
- Batteries may not last long
"This cute sound machine is a reliable companion during my infant�s bedtime and when traveling. The different sound options cater to her moods, and the responsive sound setting is a nice addition."
11. Best Water-Based: Musical Soother Crib Mobile Toy – Wally The Whale By Zazu Kids
Zazu’s bedtime crib toy is water-based, with water droplet projections and a soundbox that emits soothing underwater sounds. It includes heartbeat, lullaby, and ocean sounds. There are four color modes on the projector — red, green, blue, and multicolor, and the auto shut-off function can turn off the lights after 30 minutes and the music after 15 minutes. The soother has a cry sensor, which turns on the lights when the baby begins to cry.
Pros
- BPA-free
- Portable
- Automatic cry sensor
Cons
- Battery might drain out quickly
12. Best Volume-Adjustable: Akoblyh Baby Crib Soother
The Akoblyh baby crib soother has 19 different lullabies and nature sounds, a light projector, and a cry sensor. The music can either be played on loop or played for fixed periods ranging from 15 to 60 minutes. In addition, you can adjust its volume to suit your needs. The mommy-approved soother is powered by rechargeable lithium batteries that are environment-friendly.
Pros
- Lead-free
- Machine washable
- Portable
- Comes with a hook-and-loop strip
- Rechargeable batteries
- Intelligent recognition
Cons
- No automatic play option
13. Best Lightweight: SleepBliss Koala Baby Soother
Loved and trusted by moms, the SleepBliss soother includes 13 different lullabies, white noise, mom’s heartbeat, and nature sounds. After 15 minutes of inactivity, the soother automatically turns off. If it takes longer for the baby to fall asleep, the timer can be set for 30 minutes, indicated by a light green flash. This white noise crib soother allows you to change the volume, brightness of the projection, and sound sequence. The user manual makes it simple for the parents to understand how to use it.
Pros
- Machine-washable fabric
- Portable
- Crib soother with auto shut-off feature
- Travel friendly
- Lightweight
- Portable design
Cons
- Limited warranty
"Besides catering to my little one�s developmental needs with its gentle music and soft light-up stars, it also offers visual tracking play. Also, the washable design and the Velcro strap for easy attachment are reasons enough to stick to this product."
How To Choose The Right Crib Soother?
With so many options, it can be challenging to find the right crib soother. Therefore, we have listed a few factors you need to consider to choose the right crib soother.
- Safety: Ensure that the soother does not have any sharp edges or potentially hazardous choking elements attached to it.
- Portability: Ensure it is portable and travel-friendly so that you can carry it with you on vacation and give your infant a sense of familiarity.
- Style and design: Plush projectors can be used as cuddle toys, but you must clean them regularly. Non-plush projectors are easy to clean, but the child may dislike their hard surface.
- Power source: If you’re using a corded projector, ensure that it is safe and secure. Even for the battery-operated projectors, ensure they have a secure latch.
- Sound: Some soothers include classical songs, nature sounds, and white noise. They have automatic shut-off options. Choose a soother based on your preference.
, a parenting and travel blogger, says, “While crib soothers are excellent for lulling your baby to sleep, ensure you prioritize safety and choose a safe and tested toy for your baby. Also, ensure it isn’t over-stimulating, or it might defeat the purpose.”
Frequently Asked Questions
1. How should I use a crib soother?
Crib soothers are simple to use. All you have to do is place them on the crib handle and adjust the settings to your liking. Several crib soothers come with functions such as projection, classical music, and soothing lights, all of which can assist your baby in falling asleep.
2. Is a projector mandatory for a crib soother?
Many crib soothers with soft lights include a projector, which displays soothing, dim lights to keep the baby occupied and lull them to sleep. A projector is an additional feature that you do not want to overlook in a crib soother.
3. Can I control a crib soother with a remote?
Yes, many crib soothers with remote control functionality allow you to adjust the features without disturbing your baby or the crib.
4. Do crib soothers work?
Yes, crib soothers can work if your baby is habituated to lullabies or soothing sounds while sleeping. However, never place any toys, stuffed animals, or crib soothers inside the crib as it may pose a risk of SIDS (1).
5. Which kind of crib soother is best for a baby?
Crib soothers that come with relaxing sounds and timer control are ideal as they facilitate automatic turn-off. Since soothers with high volume can be irritating, this is a welcome feature.
6. How long can I use a crib soother?
You can use the crib soother for as long as your baby feels relaxed hearing the sounds or lullaby and sleeps well. However, your baby will outgrow the crib soother at some point, and you might have to stop using it.
Why Trust MomJunction?
Vibha Navaratna is a product writer and reviewer who provides readers with detailed information based on in-depth research. In this post, she has compiled a list of the best cribs soothers for babies after factoring in the safety, portability, battery life, and durability of each product. Vibha has also listed the pros and cons of each product and included a buying guide to help you pick the right baby soother.
Crib soothers play music and a variety of sounds and display soothing lights to lull babies to sleep. A crib soother is a must-have if you are a busy parent and want to ensure both you and your little one catch up on much-needed sleep. The best crib soothers are portable and travel-friendly, easy to clean, made of safe and baby-friendly materials, and come with cry sensors and auto shut-off function. You may choose either a plush crib soother or anon-plush one for your baby based on your preference.
Infographic: How To Choose The Right Crib Soother?
Crib soothers are popular among parents to help their babies relax and sleep better. These devices often feature soothing sounds and music to create a calming environment for the baby. To pick the perfect crib soother that suits your needs best, have a look at the following infographic.
Illustration: Momjunction Design Team
References
- Sleep and Your 4- to 7-Month-Old
https://kidshealth.org/en/parents/sleep47m.html
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