Baby Mobiles

From the day they’re born, babies are stimulated by the world around them. They’ll react to sounds like the “oohs” and “ahhs” of their proud parents. And they’ll gradually develop their sight – seeing shapes, colours, and eventually moving objects. A great way to stimulate your baby’s senses from day one is a baby mobile. These adorable hanging contraptions give your infant something fun and colourful to gaze at when they’re lying in their crib or hanging out in the playpen.

What is a Baby Mobile?

A crib mobile is a visually stimulating piece that can hang from a baby’s crib, play yard, or car seat. Often adorned with soft, dangling toys in various colours, a baby mobile can both soothe and amuse your little one when they’re ready to doze off or play.

What Should I Look for When Choosing a Baby Mobile?

If you’re shopping for a mobile for your newly set-up nursery, consider the following features.

Mount Design

Baby mobiles can either be hung from the ceiling or mounted to the side of a crib. A ceiling-mounted mobile requires a little more DIY than its crib-mounted companion because you’ll need to install a hook in your ceiling for it to hang from. A crib-mounted mobile attaches securely to your little one’s crib, and can usually support heavier toys.

Windup or Battery Operation

The simplest baby crib mobiles don’t require batteries or power to operate. Rather, they rely on a breeze to keep them moving, or a windup mechanism to keep music playing. On the other hand, a battery-operated baby mobile can start moving and playing music at the press of a button. A battery-powered mobile can run continuously longer than a wind-up or wind-powered one, but will need its battery replaced every so often.

Toys

Cute toys in stimulating or soothing colours will keep your baby’s eyes peeled. Look for themed baby mobiles in kid-friendly designs like animals, flowers, and other fun shapes. Bright colours and busy patterns will grab your little one’s attention, while soft, muted shades may be more soothing. Some baby mobiles have removable toys that your little one can play with then they’re older.

Music

From classic lullabies to classical music, audio from a crib mobile can do wonders for a baby – especially a crying one. Music-playing mobiles may offer an assortment of audio options ranging from white noise and womb sounds to Beethoven and Mozart.

Night Light

The soft glow of a night light can help calm your infant as they drift off into dreamland. Some baby mobiles feature a night light that projects moving images onto the underside of the mobile, or even the ceiling. This can provide additional stimulation to your curious child.

Portability

If you want your baby mobile to do double (or triple) duty, consider one that’s small and portable. Besides a crib, a portable mobile can also be attached to a playpen, infant carrier, or stroller – so your infant can continue gazing at those cute little animals they love so much.

Are There Any Safety Tips for Baby Mobiles?

When shopping for and installing a crib mobile, it’s important to pay attention to key safety features. Dangling strings should be short to prevent choking hazards, and hanging toys should be kept securely out of reach from little hands. Generally, baby mobiles should only be used in cribs until your little one can push themselves up on their hands and knees. This ensures your wee one can’t reach the mobile and pull it down. It’s also important to regularly check your installation of the mobile to ensure it remains securely fastened.