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Designed to both stimulate and soothe, make sure you have one of these essentials in the nursery
You’ve purchased your cot, placed your bedding and are now on the hunt for soft furnishings to complete the look, and while you’re in the throes of nursery design, you’re likely to consider purchasing a baby mobile.
Mobiles come in three basic designs: strapping onto the side rails of your baby’s cot, dangling from the ceiling, or come complete with an arm to attach to the cot.
But they go beyond fluffy décor – they are designed to stimulate and soothe babies, allowing them to drift off to the land of nod. Always ensure that a mobile is safely out of baby’s reach and removed once baby is starting to get up on their hands and knees and into the crawling position.
From the all-singing, all-dancing to the handmade, there’s a variety of baby mobiles on the market. But what were we (and our 16-week helper) looking for when testing?
When it came to things to consider during testing, first and foremost was safety. To comply with safety guidelines and to ensure baby gets a good view, mobiles that were easy to position at a safe distance and felt secure were highly favoured. Opting for one with an arm frame means they’re placed in a safe yet stimulating position.
Of course, aesthetics are key, too (cue #nursery pic upload), we favoured those with interesting colours and shapes, while also using stylish materials, such as wood.
Additional features such as lullabies, lights and movement can be appealing to babies, however, parents know too well the cost associated with baby paraphernalia, so, when selecting the best baby mobiles, price has been considered too.
Other than being visually stimulating, baby mobiles are also thought to improve development, whether that’s their eye and head development while watching its moving parts or, once they begin to reach their arms out to them, their hand-eye coordination. Mobiles can also help your baby drop off to sleep more easily and beneift their spacial awareness.
Baby mobiles should be removed when your little one is around five months old, or whenever they are able to move onto their hands and knees to crawl, to prevent them from pulling down the mobile.
Yes, baby mobiles can be attached to the bassinet, just so long as it can be safely secured.
Little Dutch’s stylish wooden music mobile is easy on the eye, feels safe and sturdy, thanks to the arm frame, and boasts sustainable qualities, creating a beautiful addition to a nursery. If you’re looking for something a little more technical, Fisher-Price’s calming clouds mobile and soother provides smart features at a good price.
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