Life
7 Incredible Night Lights That Will Help Your Toddler Feel Comfortable At Bedtime
Night lights can be a great source of comfort for toddlers. And the best night lights for toddlers are ones that are bright enough to light the way for your little one and have features (like motion sensors and touch control) that make the lights easy for them to operate.
Some night lights plug directly into a wall outlet, while freestanding night lights (aka "night lamps") are powered via a battery or cord. Night lights that plug into the wall typically illuminate just a section of a room, but freestanding night lights can give off much more light. Freestanding lights can also offer a bunch of cool features, including adjustable brightness, touch control, and the ability to project light on the wall or ceiling. Some of these night lights are multifunctional, and can be used as a sound machine or even as a cuddly friend.
Whether you need a couple of simple plug-in night lights to illuminate a path to the bathroom or a free standing night light to brighten a room, Amazon reviewers indicated that these eight picks are perfect for toddlers. And best yet, they come in a wide range of prices to suit any budget.
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1A Touch-Control Night Light
Your toddler will seriously love this VAVA Home night light since it is controlled entirely by touch. Touch the top to dim the light, touch the logo to adjust the light color (choose either a cool or warm white), and double tap the top to power off the lamp; it’s as simple as that. Plus, you can even decorate the lamp with 20 cute facial expression stickers. Amazon reviewers noted that their little ones quickly got the hang of this pick. The night light boasts a super-impressive 4.5-star rating on the site, among 2,100 and growing reviews.
The night light features an LED bulb and a rechargeable battery that runs for up to 80 hours on the lowest light setting. The night light is waterproof — just in case! — and super portable, too. The light comes with your choice of a white, blue, or pink base.
Enthusiastic Amazon review: "We put this night light into our toddler's bedroom as I wanted him to have safe sleep while in his toddler bed. As he can get up and walk around I didn't want him pulling on wires, or touching uncovered outlets. This light checked off all those check boxes. It has a high and low light setting, so it could definitely be used for multiple things, emergency lighting and things like that. The battery life is great, it charges quickly, and the little happy face stickers have made this light our little guy's favorite."
2A Fan-Favorite Plug In Night Light
With more than 7,900 reviews on Amazon and a 4.7-star rating, these Sycees night lights are clearly adored by reviewers. And it’s easy to see why: The lights only turn on when the room is dark (thanks to the built-in sensor), and they are bright enough that your little one will actually be able to see where they’re walking. The night lights are compact in size (when plugged into the wall, they don’t even block the second outlet) and you’ll never have to replace the long-lasting LED bulbs.
The night lights are available in either daylight white or warm white.
Enthusiastic Amazon review: "These produce a nice amount of light (for their size) and function very well as a nightlight, with a modern look, at a very nice price point. We were looking for something to put in our toddlers' rooms so that when they wake up at night they wouldn't be as scared as they have been in the pitch black. These fit the bill perfectly. These are small enough that the other socket is available for most normal plugs. We are very pleased with this purchase, and we might look to purchase some of the warm whites for our own bedroom."
3A Smart Night Light That's Also A Sound Machine
This Hatch night light is basically the smartest night light available. The multifunctional device has three main duties — it’s a night light, a sound machine, and a time-to-rise device. And best yet, you can control all of the settings right from your phone using the Hatch sleep app. Customize the light's color and brightness, and select a specific sound and volume level. Set programs to turn off and on automatically based on your family’s sleep schedule. The night light even has a toddler lock feature to prevent your little one from messing with the settings.
Amazon reviewers were more than pleased with this pick, giving it a standout 4.5-star rating, among 4,200 and growing reviews. In my own household, this is probably the product we have used the most throughout my daughter’s life — it’s worth the price!
Enthusiastic Amazon review: "I originally bought this for my newborn to use as a sound machine and night light for middle of the night feedings; however, decided to try it for my 2.5 year old as a night light and time to wake up light. He LOVES to choose what color light he is going to have when he goes to sleep and what music/sound he wants to have. It is keeping him in bed a little better than before we bought this (he is a very stubborn little boy!). The app makes it super easy to set programs for bedtime and wake up for him. [...] We like this so much that we are ordering a second one so that we can have one in the baby's room and our toddler's room."
4A Plush Night Light That Projects Stars
Your toddler will enjoy cuddling up with this plush turtle night light. The adorable turtle projects stars — eight constellations, to be exact — onto the ceiling or wall, cycling through three colors of light. It runs on three AAA batteries, and the LED light stays cool to the touch. It shuts off automatically after 45 minutes to ensure that the batteries aren’t wasted.
Lots of Amazon reviewers indicated that this pick has helped their toddlers overcome their fear of the dark; reviewers gave the night light a solid 4.6-star rating, among over 1,000 reviews. You can choose from a few color options, including a cheery pink and more realistic green.
Enthusiastic Amazon review: "I have a 28 month old son that we moved from a crib to a bed and we got him this turtle to not be scared, and it is an absolute game changer. He knows how to turn on the turtle himself, and he knows how to change the colors to the one that he wants. I love that it has a 45 minute timer on it, so it's not on all night. I also love that the battery pack is screwed shut, and covered by a piece of fabric. [...] My kiddo falls asleep every night just staring at the stars. I would highly recommend for a young child that doesn't want to sleep in the dark."
5A Motion-Sensing Plug In Night Light
Remembering to flip a night light on and off can be annoying, but fortunately, this AUVON plug-in night light can be set to turn on automatically. Once the night light detects movement in the dark (it has a detection angle of 120 degrees and a range of 3 to 5 meters), it'll illuminate for a total of 60 seconds. And then it turns off again.
This pick comes with four night lights. Each light has two brightness settings — medium or high — and a switch at the top that allows you to choose from three lighting modes: on, off, and automatic (which is the motion detection mode).
Enthusiastic Amazon review: "These are absolutely amazing! We have them all around our house which is really nice at night to grab a quick drink. We use them in the bathrooms for our toddlers so as soon as they hit the bathroom boom a light pops on. Best investment!"
6A Fun & Futuristic Night Light
This Boon Glo night light is literally the coolest. The futuristic night light holds three color-changing, removable balls that your toddler can sleep with or even carry around (which is great for middle-of-the-night potty breaks). A sliding lever on the base allows you to choose a favorite color or elect to keep the colors circulating. The balls emit a glow for up to 30 minutes after being removed from the base, and they're made without BPAs, phthalates, or PVC so they're totally safe for your little one to hold.
The balls themselves have nothing electronic hidden inside, so there should be no concern about tucking them into bed with your child. The night light's base, on the other hand, has a cord that needs to be plugged into an outlet in order for it to operate.
Enthusiastic Amazon review: "So fun for a little one! My daughter loves it and takes a ball off to use when going to the restroom or getting a drink in the middle of the night! The balls stay lit for a good amount of time before fading."
7A Friendly Night Light That’s Easy For Toddlers To Carry
If you’re looking for a compact night light that is easy for toddlers to carry to a parents' room or bathroom, the Munchkin night light is your best bet. The battery-operated night light is small in size — under 6 inches — and lightweight, too. And best yet, the easy-grasp handle is super toddler-friendly. The light only has one button, so it’s easy to operate, and just in case your toddler forgets to turn it off, the night light automatically shuts off after 20 minutes.
With more than more than 2,000 reviews on Amazon and a solid 4.4-star rating overall, reviewers reported that this night light has been the perfect tool for toddlers that need a little extra light in the middle of the night. And it’s pretty dang cute, too.
Enthusiastic Amazon review: "I bought this for my almost 3 year old as a Christmas gift because he recently moved into bunk beds with his 5 yr old brother. They both like to sleep on the bottom bunk together but get scared in the darkness below the bottom bunk even with a light on in the room. This light is great for them to turn on & set on the shelf to light the under bunk area up while they go to sleep. He's also carried it to/from my room when he's gotten up during the night. It lights up really well & doesn't get hot or anything. The handle is the perfect size for little hands & it's downright adorable to see him carrying it around like a lantern. He's able to turn it on himself & has been using it regularly for a month with the original batteries."
