What is the best way to use an alarm clock?

Set the alarm clock to the same time every day, even on the weekends. Toddlers need between 11 and 14 hours , while kids need nine to 12 hours of overnight sleep. Adults need at least seven hours. Avoid using the snooze feature. If it's hard not to hit snooze, put your alarm clock far from the bed so you have to get up to turn it off.

How do you clean an alarm clock?

Wipe down your alarm clock with a damp cloth to clean it. Use a solution of warm water with white vinegar and baking soda to gently disinfect. Avoid submerging the clock into water. Always unplug the clock before cleaning it.

What are the benefits of alarm clocks?

Alarm clocks help to get you on a good sleep schedule. They develop responsibility and independence in kids and teens, who can wake themselves up and start to get ready on their own. If you have young kids who get up at the crack of dawn, an okay-to-wake alarm clock can help teach them to stay in bed until it's time to start the day.

How do alarm clocks help kids learn to tell time?

Alarm clocks help young kids understand what time is and how we use it to measure our days. This understanding of the passage of time is the first step in learning to tell time. If the clock face shows 7:00 every time it rings, children may start to recognize what it looks like when the clock is getting close to ringing.

The 8 Best Alarm Clocks for Kids of 2023

While you might rely on your phone or smart-home device to serve as your alarm clock, that’s not always an option for kids, especially when they’re younger. The good news is that alarm clocks made especially for kids have tons of useful features. Putting a clock in your child’s room can help them learn how to tell time, signal when it’s okay to get out of bed for the day, wake them up for school in the morning, and overall encourage age-appropriate time management skills.

Consider your child’s age as that will determine whether or not your child can use the alarm clock’s buttons independently or read the display screen. We considered dimensions, screen formats, age recommendations, power source, design, ease of use, and value when reviewing products. A family physician on our Review Board also reviewed this article for medical accuracy and integrity around age-appropriate alarm clocks and the best way to evaluate them.

Here are the best alarm clocks for kids to help make their morning wakeup better.

Our Top Picks

Best Overall:

Hatch Restore at Amazon

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Best Wait to Wake:

LittleHippo Mella at Amazon

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Best for Toddlers:

Skip Hop Dream & Shine Toddler Sleep Trainer at Amazon

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Best for Big Kids:

Pottery Barn Kids Light Up Dinosaur Digital Clock at Potterybarnkids.com

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Best Digital:

Peakeep Smart Night Light Digital Alarm Clock at Amazon

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Best for Tweens:

Uplayteck Wake Up Light Alarm Clock at Amazon

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Best Sunrise:

JALL Alarm Clock at Amazon

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Best for Preschoolers:

My Tot Clock Toddler Clock at Walmart

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In This Article

Our Picks
What to Look For
FAQ
Why Trust Verywell Family

4.8

Amazon

View On Amazon View On Best Buy View On Hatch.co

Pros

White sound options available
Can create personalized sleep/wake routines
Digital clock display

Cons

Costly
App required

The Hatch Restore Sound Machine and Smart Light is our top pick because it has a ton of features beyond the basic sound machine or night light in one device. This alarm clock can be used from the time your child is a toddler well into the teen years and beyond. You can create personalized sleep and wake routines, like setting a light to slowly brighten up like a sunrise for a more natural wake-up if you want to ditch the noisy alarm.

While this multi-purpose device is on the pricier end, it still has additional features, like various white sound options for better sleep. Plus, there’s a digital clock display for easy reading, soft control buttons, and it even links to your phone via Bluetooth for even easier control (great for parents of little ones).

Price at time of publication: $130

^{Key Specs:
Dimensions: 7.29 x 2.66 x 5.63 inches | Power Source: Corded electric | Age Recommendation: All ages}

Amazon

View On Amazon View On Walmart View On Bed Bath & Beyond

Pros

Cute design
Five volume settings
Nap timer setting

Cons

Contains a button battery
Must be plugged in to work

Available in a variety of colors, this clock is just downright adorable. It has a digital display that shows the time, a sun and a moon icon to help your little one determine if it’s day or night on a dark morning or bright evening, and a happy face that falls asleep and wakes up at preset times to encourage your child to do the same.

It also has a colorful light feature that shines one color when it’s okay for the kid to get out of bed and play quietly in their room and turns to a different color to signal it’s okay to leave their room. These times and settings are parent-controlled so you can determine what works best for your family. There are six light color options to choose from, three brightness levels, and an optional audible alarm clock. Additionally, the clock can serve as a night light, sound machine, and nap timer.

Price at time of publication: $65

^{Key Specs:
Dimensions: 4.25 x 4.25 x 4.5 inches | Power Source: USB plug/corded electric | Age Recommendation: All ages (only night light/sounds should be used for newborns)}

Amazon

View On Amazon

Pros

Budget-friendly
Can be sound machine or night light
Plays soft song upon wake-up

Cons

Difficult to set up
Volume could be louder to some
Batteries required

For kids as young as 2 years old who don’t know their numbers quite yet, this clock has no time display and works entirely by color signals. It has three light colors: red for bedtime, yellow for okay to play, and green for okay to leave the room.

For little ones slipping into a toddler sleep regression, knowing when to stay in their room and when it's okay to leave can be super helpful. Parents also have the option of setting it up as a sound machine and/or nightlight and setting an alarm that plays a soft song to wake the child in the morning.

Price at time of publication: $35

^{Key Specs:
Dimensions: 7 x 3.3 x 4.3 inches | Power Source: Batteries required | Age Recommendation: 2 to 6 years old}

pottery barn kids

View On Potterybarnkids.com

Pros

Portable
Eight different alarm sound options
Displays temperature

Cons

Requires three batteries (not included)
One color option

Big kids who want a cool design will love this digital dinosaur clock. It displays the time, date, and temperature (in either Fahrenheit or Celsius) on the front and has eight different alarm sound options as well as a snooze button. This clock can be put anywhere in the room, too, because it runs on three AAA batteries (not included).

Price at time of publication: $49

^{Key Specs:
Dimensions: 3.25 x 5.25 x 4.5 inches | Power Source: Batteries required | Age Recommendation: All ages}

Amazon

View On Amazon View On Walmart

Pros

Built-in soft light
Snooze button available
Indoor temperature gauge monitor

Cons

Batteries not included
Time may be off upon different resets

Sleek, simple, with a splash of color, this digital alarm clock displays the time, inside temperature, and alarm time on the front. It has a sensor that triggers a soft light around the display in the dark and can be set to high, low, or totally off so that it won’t keep your kid up at night.

When the alarm goes off, it will gradually beep faster for 90 seconds before it shuts itself off and it has a snooze button for those mornings your kid needs just a little extra sleep. The alarm clock runs on three AAA batteries (not included) and is available in a variety of colors.

Price at time of publication: $16

^{Key Specs:
Dimensions: 5.25 x 2 x 3 inches | Power Source: Batteries required | Age Recommendation: All ages}

Amazon

View On Amazon

Pros

Display has five different color options
Can pair with Bluetooth

Cons

No snooze button
Only one alarm can be set at once

As children get older, they might struggle to wake up early or display other sleep issues. Luckily, this Uplayteck alarm clock can help. Your kid can change the look of this clock easily because the display has five different color options and three brightness settings that they can switch up any time they want.

The digital display shows the time, indicates whether or not the alarm is set (and for what time), a power icon to keep track of battery life, as well as a variety of other icons for when the clock is tethered to a device via Bluetooth and serving as a speaker. It also serves as a sound machine with four soothing noise options and features a snooze button that also functions as a “pause” button when the clock is in speaker mode. Basically, if your kid wants bells and whistles, this is the clock for them.

Price at time of publication: $45

^{Key Specs:
Dimensions: ‎4.5 x 3 x 4.3 inches | Power Source: Corded electric | Age Recommendation: All ages}

4.3

Amazon

View On Amazon View On Walmart

Pros

20 brightness levels
Nine-minute snooze button
FM radio

Cons

Button may be difficult to use for some

With this alarm clock, you get the option of waking up to a traditional alarm with seven sound options or a sunrise simulator light that gradually brightens over 10, 20, or 30 minutes. The clock’s light has seven different colors and 20 brightness levels and can serve as a night light in addition to the sunrise simulator.

It features a nine-minute snooze button that can be pressed up to five times, an FM radio, and a digital time display on the front. It has a ton of functions so it’s great for someone looking for more than just a standard alarm clock.

Price at time of publication: $60

^{Key Specs:
Dimensions: 3.5 x 7.2 x 7.2 inches | Power Source: Corded electric | Age Recommendation: All ages}

4.8

Walmart

View On Walmart

Pros

Features non-digital/digital time for toddlers
Features white noise

Cons

Pricey

Preschoolers who are learning how to tell time will benefit from this clock which displays the time digitally as well as on a digital standard clock display. It also features color displays to signal bedtime (blue), wake time (yellow), fun time (green), nap time (cyan), and time out/thinking time (red).

You can also use the clock to play bedtime stories, lullabies, wake music as an alarm, and white noise and it comes with interchangeable faces so you can find a look that’s just right for your tot.

Price at time of publication: $60

^{Key Specs:
Dimensions: 5.5 x 2 x 7 inches | Power Source: Batteries and corded electric | Age Recommendation: Preschoolers}

Final Verdict

The Hatch Restore Alarm Clock (view at Amazon) ranks highest for us because of its many functions that work for kids from preschool age and up. It’s easy to use, has a long list of helpful features, and has the option of either light or sound (or both) for an alarm.

What to Look for in an Alarm Clock for Kids

Display Style

There are several options for clock displays, such as classic analog, digital, a combination of the two, or a multifunctional display that includes the date, weather, or other key information for the day.

When picking out a clock for your child, use your best judgment to determine the right display type for their age. For younger kids, a simple digital display with colorful lights is great for learning to tell time, while tweens might want an analog clock for style since they know how to read it.

Functionality and Ease of Use

Clocks with all of the bells and whistles are cool, but you need to consider whether or not your child can actually use them independently. If an alarm is difficult to set, then your tween may struggle actually using it. Likewise, if your younger child can’t figure out how to turn their alarm off, it could end up waking up everyone in the house.

Alarm Style/Sounds

Is the clock meant to wake your child up or signal that it’s okay to leave their room? If it’s an okay-to-wake clock, color coding is best because if the child happens to still be sleeping, the clock won’t wake them up. For alarm clocks meant to wake your kids from sleep, make sure you test out what kind of sound it makes to ensure it’s not too quiet, too loud, too jarring, or just simply unpleasant.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is the best way to use an alarm clock?

Set the alarm clock to the same time every day, even on the weekends. Toddlers need between 11 and 14 hours, while kids need nine to 12 hours of overnight sleep. Adults need at least seven hours. Avoid using the snooze feature. If it's hard not to hit snooze, put your alarm clock far from the bed so you have to get up to turn it off.

Learn More: How Much Sleep Does Your Child Need?
How do you clean an alarm clock?

Wipe down your alarm clock with a damp cloth to clean it. Use a solution of warm water with white vinegar and baking soda to gently disinfect. Avoid submerging the clock into water. Always unplug the clock before cleaning it.
What are the benefits of alarm clocks?

Alarm clocks help to get you on a good sleep schedule. They develop responsibility and independence in kids and teens, who can wake themselves up and start to get ready on their own. If you have young kids who get up at the crack of dawn, an okay-to-wake alarm clock can help teach them to stay in bed until it's time to start the day.

Learn More: Helping Kids Create Good Sleep Habits
How do alarm clocks help kids learn to tell time?

Alarm clocks help young kids understand what time is and how we use it to measure our days. This understanding of the passage of time is the first step in learning to tell time. If the clock face shows 7:00 every time it rings, children may start to recognize what it looks like when the clock is getting close to ringing.

Learn More: How to Teach Your Child to Tell Time, Step by Step

Why Trust Verywell Family

Ashley Ziegler is a full-time parenting writer and mom to a 1-year-old and a 4-year-old with personal experience in researching and purchasing kids clocks, specifically wait-to-wait clocks. Key considerations she used when selecting these recommendations include age-appropriateness, functionality, and purchaser reviews.