The Best Baby Mobile for Cribs

The first few months of a baby’s life can be very stressful for parents. Many first-time parents do not realize that babies need attention round-the-clock. You do not only need to feed them and attend to their other needs, but also keep them entertained. Thankfully, there are many innovative toys like baby mobiles that can stimulate and soothe your child while you catch some precious moments of rest.

Babies are easily engaged by the colors and shapes of the toys on a mobile. These toys do not only comfort them, but also aids in the development of their brains and gets them started on their journey to learn about the world.

Baby mobiles are a classic. As a matter of fact, a nursery is considered incomplete without them. With that said, if you are looking to buy a mobile for your child, this article was created for you. We will look at everything you need to consider before buying one.

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1. Tiny Love Meadow Days Take Along Mobile

This cute and colorful mobile from Tiny Love is fun and engaging for babies. It is made to be carried about anywhere your baby goes so that the entertainment never stops. You can fit it in your baby’s crib, stroller, or carrier. The mobile comes with a hook-and-loop fastener as well as a clip so you can choose to attach it to the arm of your baby carrier or stroller. You can also use the clip that comes with the mobile to fix to your baby’s crib or play yard.

The mobile measures only 4 x 7.5 x 13.4 inches and is made up of three colorful animals toys that can spin around. This is an electronically-activated, battery-operated mobile, so you don’t need to figure out how to position your fan or manually push it to have the toys spinning.

The mobile does not only entertain your baby with spinning toys but also music. There are five different melodies to choose from. The batteries can last for up to 30 minutes with music playing non-stop. The music volume is not very loud, but this is good especially if you plan to use it in public. You can get this beautiful baby mobile for only $19.99 on Amazon. It used to sell at $24.99, but the price has been slashed down by $5.

• It is very portable so you can carry it along with you to keep your baby entertained at all times.
• Comes with clip, velcro fastener, and arm for attaching it on different surfaces.
• There are five different songs, so the music does not get monotonous and annoying.
• At under $20, it is quite affordable.
• It features brightly colored toys which keep your baby entertained.
• Animals toys are soft so the chances that it can injure your baby if the fastener comes undone is slim.

2. GrowthPic Musical Baby Crib Mobile

The GrowthPic Musical Baby Crib Mobile is a versatile mobile to buy for your little one. It comes with several features including a star projector, music, a foldable, arm, and rotating toys. The baby mobile was designed for use with a crib.  It comes with a clip arm that you can attach to a bar on your baby’s crib. However, the bar has to measure 1.1 inches for it to fit perfectly.

The GrowthPic baby mobile is made with environmentally-friendly materials. Three toys are hanging on the mobile, and they spin. The toys can be washed in water.

They not only serve as toys but can be used as a rattle and teether. However, you have to sterilize the toys before you allow your baby to put it in his/her mouth. You can adjust the arm to three angles: 45 degrees, 60 degrees, and 160 degrees. Each angle will give your baby a different experience.

What makes the GrowthPic mobile really stand out is its music options. There are up to 30 melodies to choose from. You can select different modes for the songs to create the proper ambiance in your baby’s nursery. The options are happiness, nature, soothing, and piano music. Happiness mode works best for playtime while soothing and piano music is great when you want to put the baby to sleep. You can easily control the volume of the music to ensure it doesn’t get too loud for your child.

This baby mobile also comes with a soft projector light. It projects beautiful images of stars in different colors which will keep your baby entertained. You can choose to use two AA batteries for the mobile or plug it into a socket. You can get this baby mobile on Amazon for only $19.99.

• Lots of melodies to choose from – up to 30.
• You can have the toys spinning along with the music playing, and the projector lights switched on at the same time.
• The projector flashes images of stars on the ceiling or wall in different colors like red, green, and more.
• It comes with multi-purpose, baby-safe toys.
• It is easy to disassemble the mobile when you want to clean it.
• It is affordable.
• You can control the volume of the music being played on the mobile.

3. Manhattan Toy Wimmer-Ferguson Infant Stim-Mobile for Cribs

Manhattan Toy is an award-winning company that makes research-backed toys and baby mobiles. Instead of toys, this crib comes with high-contrast images and colors on cards. You will get ten interchangeable cards with each mobile which are labeled by age so you can choose the specific ones that fit your baby’s age. According to Manhattan Toy, the high-contrast patterns and colorful graphics on the card helps to develop your baby’s vision.

It is recommended that you start with black and white cards, then switch to more colorful options as your baby grows. This is because before babies are three months old, they can barely see any color. Therefore, bold black and white images stand out more in their eyes.

The Wimmer-Ferguson Infant Stim-Mobile is designed with adjustable cords. This allows you to control the distance of the card from your baby. The adjustable arm is particularly useful when your child begins to crawl around and reach for the card. One of the potential dangers with baby mobiles is that children can reach for them and put the toys in their mouth. However, with the adjustable cord on this mobile, you can avoid that from ever happening.

The Stim-Mobile has been around for up to three decades. So, when you buy this mobile, you know that you’re getting the benefit of years of research and experience. The company’s baby mobiles do not only support the development of your baby’s sight, but also his/her motor skills, self-awareness, pattern recognition, and more. You can get this Manhattan Toy baby mobile for only $24.99 on Amazon. The original price was $29.99, but it is selling at 17% off.

• Design of baby mobile is based on over 40 years of research.
• It is easy to fit the mobile on your baby’s crib using a clamp.
• It comes with interchangeable cards that are labeled for use according to the baby’s age.
• It has an adjustable cord which allows you to control the distance of the card to your baby.
• It is quite affordable. There are cheaper mobiles on the market, but the assurance that comes with buying from a trusted brand cannot be overlooked.

4. Tiny Love Soothe ‘n Groove Mobile

Tiny Love makes some excellent baby mobiles, and the Soothe n’ Groove is one of them. There are two versions of the Soothe n’ Groove Mobile. One is suited mainly for babies aged 0 to 4 months. However, the other one can be used for babies aged 0 to 12 months.

This mobile can easily be fitted in your baby’s crib, and it can also serve as a stand-alone music box when your child grows a bit older.

The Soothe n’ Groove mobile is a bit different from other baby mobiles on the market. At the base of the device is a music box with colorful buttons that you can use to activate the music or change the songs. You simply need to remove the arm of the mobile to transform this device into a music box. There are 18 melodies to choose from in six categories.

There is even an option to play “white noise” which studies show can soothe babies. The device comes with two speakers, and you can adjust the volume of the music being played. The mobile runs on three size ‘C’ batteries. You can play music for up to 40 minutes.

Tiny Love recommends using the setup with the music box and arm when your baby is about 0 to 3 months old. Once your baby is 5 months old, you can take off the arm and leave only the music box for your child to play around with.

This mobile does not only soothe your baby with music but also a soft night light. The light comes from the music box. The mobile features several colorful toys that will enchant your little one. The toys don’t spin but move slowly and also go up-and-down. This will captivate your baby and helps to keep him/her calm. You can get this Tiny Love baby mobile for only $39.99 on Amazon. This is a 20% discount on the original price; $49.99.

• You can choose to turn the light on without activating the spinning toys or vice versa.
• You can adjust the volume of the music being played.
• You can play music for up to 40 minutes without any song being repeated. The music box is programmed with different genres of music including lullabies, classical music, nature sounds, and more.
• It is portable. The unit measures 4.8 x 16 x 13.5 inches.
• The soft lights on the console also help to relax your baby.

5. Fisher-Price Woodland Friends 3-in-1 Musical Mobile

The Fisher-Price Woodland Friends 3-in-1 Musical Mobile is a great option to engage and calm your baby. This versatile mobile can be converted to a standalone music toy when your baby outgrows his/her crib.

There are four different toys on this Fisher-Price mobile; an owl, a fox, a bear, and a raccoon. These beautiful toys can quickly become best buddies with your child. The owl is not only a toy but also serves as the music box. The owl can be attached to your baby’s stroller.

It gets activated automatically and plays happy tunes when your baby is on-the-go. Alternatively, you can press the blue button on its belly to have it start playing music. The familiar, friendly face of the toy will keep your child feeling happy and composed in public. You can adjust the sound of the music so that it is not too loud and becomes a nuisance.

The Fisher-Price Woodland Friends 3-in-1 Musical Mobile is a motorized device. The toys spin around to keep your child entertained. You can get up to 20 minutes of non-stop music from this mobile. Sometimes the spinning of the toys stops, but the music continues. This design reduces visual stimulation and is particularly useful when you want to put your baby to sleep. If you want the music to play for up to 20 minutes, the owl must be mounted on the stick. The baby mobile runs on three size ‘AA’ batteries. You can get it on Amazon for only $22. This is a $3.78 discount off the original price of $25.99.

• It can fit on all types of baby cribs.
• It has a versatile design which makes it usable even when your baby outgrows his/her crib (after 5 months old).
• You have the option of controlling the volume level of the music.
• The baby mobile is programmed with many songs. It also comes with nature sounds such as the chirping of birds.
• The high-contrast colors of the toys make it visually appealing to babies.
• The baby mobile is very easy to operate.

6. Mini Tudou Musical Baby Crib Mobile With Remote Control

This musical crib baby mobile from Mini Todou has a multi-functional design, and it even comes with a remote control as well as a projector.

The design of this baby mobile is very unique. The mobile is made of up of an arm and a UFO-like disc which serves as the central control unit. There are colorful attachments to the UFO-like structure with the toys hanging from it. There are four different pony toys on the mobile, and they are made of environmentally friendly materials. Although this baby mobile seems elaborate, it is not large.

Apart from the spinning toys and soothing music, two features make the Mini Tudou Musical Baby Crib Mobile stand out:

1. It comes with an infrared remote control which allows you to turn the unit off/on and activate the projector light without being physically next to it.
2. The UFO-like structure is the central control unit. It comes with different buttons for turning the device on/off, changing the song, activating the projector light, activating the rotation of the mobile as well as controlling the volume of the music.

This Mini Tudou baby crib mobile comes with up to 108 melodies. This means there are many music options to soothe your baby to fall asleep or keep him/her in a fun mood. Some songs in the selection include popular kids tunes like ‘Little Star,’ ‘Edelweiss,’ and ‘Song of Joy.’ You can skip to another song if you find that your baby does not like a particular tune.

The remote control is a very convenient addition to the unit because you do not have to walk to the crib whenever you want to lower the music – especially when your baby is asleep. The projector flashes stars on your ceiling or roof. It can shine light in different colors like blue, red, and green.

The mobile is built with a motor and is designed to move slowly to engage your child’s attention and help to develop his/her vision. The pole that supports the mobile can be rotated 360 degrees. This means you can turn it away when you want to reach for your baby in the crib and put it back in place when you want to entertain your child with the moving toys.

When your child outgrows mobiles (at about 5 months old when he/she starts reaching for it), you can just remove the mobile and leave the rest of the unit for your child to play with. You can get this Mini Tudou baby mobile for only $37.99 on Amazon.

• The remote control is an excellent addition because you can turn down the music when your baby falls asleep without getting too close and waking him/her.
• There are up to 108 songs to choose from, and you can skip between them. The device also comes with adjustable volume control.
• The projector light creates a comforting atmosphere for your baby to feel relaxed.
• It is relatively easy to set up this baby mobile.

7. VTech Soothing Ocean Slumber Mobile

If you want to give your child a mobile with an ocean theme, the VTech Soothing Ocean Slumber is a good option. This unit is designed with toys that have bold, contrasting colors so it will appeal to both newborns as well as babies over 5 months old. The mobile has a motor, so you do not have to spin the toys manually. I should mention that the toys do not only spin round but also dangle from side-to-side.

This VTech baby mobile also plays music to entertain your baby. It is programmed with over 45 tunes as well as nature sounds and nursery rhymes. This means that it does not only entertain your child but also educates him/her. The melodies can play for a long time, so it is perfect for lulling your baby to sleep.  At night, you can turn off the light in your baby’s nursery and turn on the projector light on the mobile. It shines soft, colorful lights on the ceiling on the wall featuring images of the moon and stars.

One of the most impressive aspects of the VTech Soothing Ocean Slumber Mobile is that it comes with a timer, so you do not have to head to your baby’s crib to turn it off manually.

When your child is under 5 months old, you can use this unit as a baby mobile and projector. However, once your child passes that age, you can convert the mobile into a crib toy and light projector by removing the mobile arm and attaching the dangling toys to the base of the bluefish/ central control unit. You can get this VTech baby mobile for only $34.97 on Amazon.

• You can adjust the volume of the speaker on the baby mobile. You can also control the light from the projector.
• The timer is a remarkable addition to the device because you can set it to turn off after your baby goes to sleep. This also helps to conserve battery life. You can set the timer at 20, 30 or 40 minutes.
• The baby mobile comes with a 90-day warranty.

8. Disney Winnie The Peeking Pooh Nursery Crib Musical Mobile

Kids love Winnie the Pooh, so this baby mobile from Disney with popular cartoon character is bound to be a hit with your baby. The design of this baby mobile is quite simple. It doesn’t only feature Winnie the Pooh but also Eeyore, Tigger, and Piglet. The toys are made with polyester with a velboa finish to give it a nice feel.

This Disney baby mobile does not only soothe your child with the moving toys of famous cartoons but also music. The device comes with a wind-up music box that plays Brahms lullaby. The music plays for about a minute before you will need to wind it up again for the rhythm to repeat. You can get this lovely mobile on Amazon for only $47.46.

• This baby mobile has a simple design and is easy to mount.
• The toys on the mobile feature likable cartoon characters.
• Coordinates with a full line of Disney Winnie the Pooh Peeking Pooh Crib Bedding and Accessories
• Easy to operate and install

What is a Baby Mobile?

A baby mobile is a simple structure that is made up of several toys attached to strings, which are connected to a sort of beam or hoop. Baby mobiles are built based on the principle of equilibrium, so the weight of the toys balances each other. Most mobiles are designed so that the toys can rotate around freely in a clockwise or anti-clockwise motion. Modern mobiles can also move up and down. However, some mobiles are designed to remain more or less stationary. Mobiles that can rotate are either powered by the wind or a motor. Motorized baby mobiles are more trendy because all you need to do is plug them. On the other hand, wind mobiles require the flow of air to spin them, and so they are not always practical for use in a nursery.

There are generally two types of baby mobiles; crib-mounted mobiles and ceiling-hanging mobiles. Ceiling baby mobiles are older than cot-mounted mobiles. However, crib mobiles are more popular today due to the difficulty of hanging up and taking down ceiling mobiles. Also, crib mobiles can support more weight so they can hold more fancy toys.

Origin of Baby Mobiles

The history of baby mobiles can be traced back many decades ago. Sculptor Alexander Calder, who gained fame in the 1930s and 1940s, is credited with being the inspiration for baby mobiles.

Calder created innovative, colorful sculptures which have movable parts that are put into motion by touch, currents of air or mechanical motors. Calder received several honors for his work including a United Nations Peace Medal. The United States Mint also issued a limited-edition one-half ounce gold medallion to honor this artist.

While Calder created the foundations for what is known as mobiles, many other artists refined the idea over the years to result in what we know today as baby mobiles.

Benefits of Getting a Baby Mobile

New-born babies spend most of the time laying on their backs. Without any form of stimulation, your baby is likely to just lay down looking up to the ceiling, and most likely feeling bored. A mobile engages your child’s brain and keeps him/her feeling calm. But apart from entertainment, there are other benefits of buying a mobile for your baby. The following are some of the top benefits.

• Helps to develop baby’s motor skills: Most babies are fascinated by the moving toys on a mobile. The act of following the toys around with the eyes helps your baby to gain control of his/her eye movement, and it goes a long way to strengthen the muscles responsible for this. This also applies to head movement. Babies are forced to turn their heads to keep track of the moving toys on a mobile. In so doing, the baby learns to control his/her head movement.
• After gazing at the moving toys on a mobile and being mesmerized by it, the next thing babies usually do is reach for it. It is not advisable to put a mobile within reach of your baby. However, the simple act of reaching for them helps your child to develop hand-eye coordination. It also allows your baby to gain awareness of distance.
• Aids in Brain Development: The visual stimulation from mobiles (the movement of toys as well as their different colors, shapes, and sizes) can contribute to the brain development of your child. By gazing at a mobile, your baby learns to differentiate different colors and shapes. This forms a basis for an understanding of his/her environment as your baby grows up. A study by neuroscientist Audrey van der Meer from the Norwegian University of Science and Technology (NTNU) shows that the brains of babies develop more specialized neurons when their senses are stimulated. According to the study, children who are exposed to different forms of visual and sensory stimulation tend to grow faster than those who are not exposed to them. Van der Meer explained that the brains of babies are in a malleable state, so it is crucial to provide avenues for your child to learn. In this way, mobiles work just like games to promote your baby’s brain development.
• It is not only toys and the movement of mobiles that can trigger the brain development of your child but also music. Some mobiles play lullabies. This sound does not only comfort your child but also helps him/her brain to learn about the concept of sound. We all know about “the Mozart effect,” which holds that classical music can promote the development of the IQ of unborn children, but this also holds true for newly born babies. What’s more, since mobiles comfort children and help them to sleep, it aids in the growth of their brain. As you may know, proper rest is vital for the development of a healthy brain.
• It comforts your baby: One of the most important benefits of mobiles is that they help to improve the appearance of the nursery and soothe your baby. Mobiles contribute to creating a soothing ambiance for your child. This keeps your baby calm and relaxed even during brief moments when you may not be physically present with him/her. While this may seem like something trivial, it can go a long want to make babies feel comforted and “at home” in their nurseries.

What to Consider when Getting and Installing a Mobile for Your Baby

So, we can all agree that baby mobiles are essential. However, it is essential to install your baby mobile according to the manufacturer’s instructions to avoid accidents. Here are several things to keep in mind when buying and installing a baby mobile in your nursery.

• It is not advisable to allow the hanging toys on a mobile to be within reach of your baby as this could strangle your child or lead to choking if small parts baby puts it in his/her mouth. Also, ensure that your baby has a clear view of the mobile. And it is best to hang it where your baby spends a lot of time, such as over his/her crib.
• The distance between your crib baby’s crib and the mobile is another thing to consider. Newborns have a visual range of about eight to 12 inches. This means if you hang the mobile too far, your baby may not be able to see it clearly. Also, newborns tend to gaze in one particular direction more. These are all things to consider when installing your baby mobile.
• Contrary to popular opinion, brightly colored mobiles may not be the best for babies. Newborns can only see black, white, and gray during the first few weeks of their lives. Therefore, your baby may not appreciate the colorful mobile that you buy. It is best to invest in a mobile that has contrasting colors such as black and white or bold and dull colors since the difference between the colors will be more noticeable to your child.
• Some babies respond better to complex mobiles with toys that move in different directions. While simple mobiles that move in one direction can get the job done, getting complex unidirectional mobiles can be more visually stimulating for your child.
• To increase the chances that your baby will love the mobile you buy, try to get one that has toys that your baby likes. For example, if you find that your newborn is drawn to a fish toy, you can get a mobile that has fish toys on it.
• Although baby mobiles can be useful for newborns, they stop being effective at a certain age and can pose a risk to your child. It is recommended that you take down the mobile when your baby is 5 months old and starts to stand on his/her hand and knees. Around this age, babies tend to put things in their mouth. Taking down the mobile or moving it entirely from your baby’s reach eliminates the possibility of potential accidents if your child gets hold of the toys hanging from it.