Nursery & Sleep Products The 15 Best Baby Mobiles of 2023 By Laura Lu, MS Laura Lu, MS Laura has written for some of the nation’s top health care organizations, including Mayo Clinic and University of California, San Francisco. She’s also composed a variety of health and wellness articles for Brit+Co. She is passionate about translating complex health care information into stories that everyone can relate to and understand. Learn about our editorial process Updated on January 19, 2023 Medically reviewed by Tyra Tennyson Francis, MD Medically reviewed by Tyra Tennyson Francis, MD LinkedIn Tyra Tennyson Francis, MD, is a board-certified family medicine physician and currently serves as the medical director of an outpatient clinic. Learn about our Medical Review Board Fact checked by Rich Scherr Fact checked by Rich Scherr LinkedIn Twitter Rich Scherr is a seasoned journalist who has covered technology, finance, sports, and lifestyle. Learn about our editorial process Print We independently evaluate all recommended products and services. If you click on links we provide, we may receive compensation. Learn more. Amazon Designing a nursery is just one of the many enjoyable parts of expecting a baby. In addition to a changing table, glider, and lots of cute clothes, you may be considering a baby mobile to adorn your little one's crib. Much more than a simple decoration, a mobile can nurture your baby’s development, encourage them to focus their eyes, and improve their eye-hand coordination. Depending on its features, a mobile can also serve as a sound machine and provide a relaxing visual as your baby drifts off to sleep. “A mobile stimulates [a baby’s] motor and visual development and gives them something to focus on while lying down,” says Lyndsey Garbi, MD, co-founder and chief medical officer of Blueberry Pediatrics. “While they can be fun and decorative, a mobile should not be overstimulating or placed within a child’s reach as small pieces can pose a choking hazard,” says Dr. Garbi. When purchasing a mobile, you should consider its features, size and weight, and how easy it is to install and use. You should also be mindful of safety measures, such as the proper place to hang a mobile in your child’s nursery. To create our list of the best baby mobiles for your nursery, we reviewed more than 30 different mobiles and spoke with two pediatricians who explained the benefits of using a mobile and what to look for when buying one. Our Top Picks Best Overall: Tiny Love Meadow Days Take Along Mobile at Amazon Jump to Review Best Budget: Cheers US Baby Crib Mobile at Walmart Jump to Review Best Musical: Tiny Love Soothe 'n Groove Mobile at Walmart Jump to Review Best Splurge: Nurture Smart Baby Crib Mobile at Amazon Jump to Review Best for Infants: Manhattan Toy Wimmer-Ferguson Infant Stim-Mobile at Amazon Jump to Review Best With Night Light: Fisher-Price Calming Clouds Mobile at Amazon Jump to Review Best Ceiling Mobile: Sorrel + Fern Baby Crib Mobile at Amazon Jump to Review Best for Bassinets: Fisher-Price Rainbow Showers Mobile at Amazon Jump to Review Best With Projector: VTech Soothing Ocean Slumbers Mobile at Amazon Jump to Review Best Wooden: Let’s Make Crib Mobile at Amazon Jump to Review In This Article Expand Our Picks How We Selected What to Look For FAQ Why Trust Verywell Family Best Overall Tiny Love Meadow Days Take Along Mobile Amazon View On Amazon Pros Can attach to multiple surfaces Bold black-and-white imagery Compact enough for travel Cons No volume control The Tiny Love Take Along Mobile is small enough to pack in a tote or diaper bag and can attach to a crib, play yard, bassinet, car seat, or stroller. With 30 minutes of continuous music and bold black-and-white characters to stimulate your baby’s vision, this mobile will soothe and entertain your baby wherever you go. Parents can choose to have the mobile spin with or without music, but there is no way to adjust the volume. Without the music, you may notice the motor makes a sound while spinning, but it probably won’t bother your baby—especially as an infant. Price at time of publication: $30 Size: 4 x 7.5 x 13.38 inches | Batteries: 3 AA | Features: 30 minutes of music with five different melodies; different modes of attachment; spinning black-and-white characters Best Budget Cheers US Baby Crib Mobile Walmart View On Walmart Pros No batteries required Gender-neutral design Can be used in a child's room Cons Attachment not included While it may not have the bells and whistles of other mobiles, the Cheers US Baby Crib Mobile is sure to brighten up your child’s crib. It has an elegant wind chime design and a simple color scheme that will complement any nursery. Since it doesn’t have the typical look and feel of most baby items, this mobile can be hung in your child’s room for years to come. The one downside we found is that it doesn’t come with an attachment, so you may need to purchase a mobile arm to secure it to your crib or a hook to hang it from the ceiling. However, it costs less than $10 and doesn’t require any batteries to operate, which makes it a good deal overall. Price at time of publication: $8 Size: 5.91 x 16.54 inches (white); 5.91 x 20.47 inches (black) | Batteries: N/A | Features: Felt bees, balls, and flowers Best Musical Tiny Love Soothe 'n Groove Mobile Walmart View On Walmart View On Wayfair View On Babylist.com Pros 40 minutes of continuous music Turns into a music box Includes a soft night light Cons Can make a clicking sound when rotating From lullabies and nature sounds to peaceful white noise, the Tiny Love Soothe 'n Groove Mobile offers six musical categories to lull your baby to sleep. Its colorful animals and tulips rotate slowly, providing your baby a cheerful visual to focus on while in the crib. However, it might make a clicking sound while it rotates, so you may want to try a few different settings to find one that doesn’t accidentally wake your baby. As a bonus, this mobile converts into a take-along music box for your child to enjoy as they grow. It’s also easy to clean, which is especially helpful as it becomes a toy for your toddler. Price at time of publication: $55 Size: 22.2 x 16.2 x 23.4 inches | Batteries: 3 C | Features: 40 minutes of music with 18 different melodies; white noise and night light; converts into a music box toy The 9 Best Musical Toys for Children of All Ages of 2023 Best Splurge Nurture Smart Baby Crib Mobile Amazon View On Amazon View On Walmart Pros Four timer settings Recording feature Designed by child life specialists Star projector Cons Doesn’t fit on rounded cribs In addition to being designed by healthcare professionals, the Nurture Smart Baby Crib Mobile is used in more than 500 hospitals nationwide. It has a variety of unique features, including a picture holder and a button that allows you to record your own voice for your baby to hear. It also projects celestial images and plays several different sounds, including an in-womb heartbeat. Another great feature of this mobile is its adjustable arm, so you can attach it to a play yard, bassinet, or bouncer. It also has a mirror for your baby to focus on their reflection and rotating images that can be switched from color to black and white. Price at time of publication: $160 Size: 29.92 x 0.83 x 9.45 inches | Batteries: 4 C | Features: Adjustable arm; recording feature; night light star projector; five sound options; picture holder; mirror The Best Video Baby Monitors for Peace of Mind in the Next Room, or Miles Away Best for Infants Manhattan Toy Wimmer-Ferguson Infant Stim-Mobile Amazon View On Amazon View On Walmart View On Babylist.com Pros Interchangeable high-contrast images Comes with visual development guide Adjustable cord Cons Cards may fall off The award-winning Manhattan Toy Wimmer-Ferguson Infant Stim-Mobile is great for infants because it’s both soothing and developmentally stimulating. It comes with 10 dual-sided cards that feature both color and black-and-white pictures that help babies learn to focus and strengthen their vision. There’s also an instruction sheet that will guide you on when to switch the cards to help your baby’s vision develop. This mobile requires little assembly and features an adjustable cord that allows you to change its height. It weighs slightly more than one pound and doesn’t require any batteries to operate. Price at time of publication: $33 Size: 17 x 11 x 26 inches | Batteries: N/A | Features: Adjustable cord; interchangeable high-contrast images; comes with an infant vision guide Best With Night Light Fisher-Price Calming Clouds Mobile Amazon View On Amazon View On Walmart View On Maqio.com Pros Night light isn’t too bright Plays white and pink noise Cry detection technology Cons Only two volume settings The Fisher-Price Calming Clouds Mobile gives off a warm, golden glow that automatically shuts off so as not to disturb your baby. As your child grows, this mobile can be converted into a standalone night light and sound machine. However, you may find that the sounds aren’t loud enough depending on the ambient noise in or around your home. This mobile can also play pink noise, which has been shown to improve the quality of sleep. It can also detect when your baby cries and will automatically begin to spin and play music. This feature can be turned off, and you can also operate the mobile with a remote control. Price at time of publication: $27 Size: 2.5 x 15.5 x 13.58 inches | Batteries: 3 AA | Features: Night light; sound detection; 20 minutes of music; converts to a toddler sound machine with night light The Best Night-Lights for Kids to Keep the Monsters at Bay Best Ceiling Mobile Sorrel + Fern Baby Crib Mobile Amazon View On Amazon Pros Made from hypoallergenic felt Pieces are adjustable Can hang from ceiling or crib Cons Attachment not included The Sorrel + Fern Baby Crib Mobile will arrive at your doorstep ready to attach to the ceiling just above your baby’s crib. While there is no assembly required, you will need to buy your own hook to attach it to the ceiling. It can also be secured to your baby’s crib, but you’ll have to buy a mobile arm separately as well. This mobile’s gray and white design makes it the perfect addition to any style nursery, while its floating 3-D birds and clouds provide a soothing visual as your baby drifts off to sleep. Price at time of publication: $25 Size: 9.7 x 9.4 x 1.5 inches | Batteries: N/A | Features: 3-D imagery; gender-neutral colors and design; hypoallergenic felt and unfinished wood Best for Bassinets Fisher-Price Rainbow Showers Mobile Amazon View On Amazon Pros Easy to assemble Use later as a tabletop sound machine Cry sensor automatically restarts mobile Cons Motor makes an audible sound while spinning With the Fisher-Price Rainbow Showers Mobile, you don’t have to wait until your baby’s in a crib to introduce a mobile. It takes minutes to assemble and attaches securely to most bassinets, cribs, and travel cots with the help of its adjustable clamp. It also has a cry sensor that automatically starts the mobile when your baby begins to cry, potentially buying your baby (and you) another few minutes of sleep. To lull your baby to sleep, this mobile plays 20 minutes of soothing sounds, including white noise, rain, or wind. It also features a parent-activated night light, which can be used when converting to a tabletop sound machine. Price at time of publication: $43 Size: 14.96 x 8.27 x 21.65 inches | Batteries: 3 AA | Features: Soft night light; turns into a tabletop sound machine; 20-minute playlist; cry sensor The 9 Best Bassinets of 2023 to Keep Baby Close and Comfortable Best With Projector VTech Soothing Ocean Slumbers Mobile Amazon View On Amazon View On Walmart Pros 45+ songs and sounds Cry sensor automatically restarts mobile Parental controls for music, lights, and time Cons No white noise option In addition to watching the smiling ocean animals, your baby can focus on the stars projected overhead by the VTech Soothing Ocean Slumbers Mobile. Using the parental controls, you can adjust the mobile to spin and project for 20, 30, or 40 minutes at a time. It also has a cry sensor, which automatically restarts the mobile should your baby cry. Although this mobile plays more than 45 different songs and sounds, it does not have a white noise option. Unlike other mobiles that attach with a clamp, this VTech mobile attaches to the crib with a buckle (like you’d see on a high chair), so you’ll want to make sure it’s tight enough before placing your baby in the crib. Price at time of publication: $38 Size: 12.6 x 4.7 x 18.3 inches | Batteries: 4 AA | Features: Projects stars on ceiling; 45+ songs and sounds; runs on a timer; cry sensor restarts mobile; converts into a crib toy Best Wooden Let’s Make Crib Mobile Amazon View On Amazon Pros Made from bamboo and hypoallergenic felt Attaches to ceiling or crib No batteries required Cons Requires some assembly The Let’s Make mobile has the look of a handmade boutique item for a fraction of the price. It’s adorned with pastel-colored felt balls and a knit elephant that contains a tiny bell. The decorations are connected by a durable white string, which is delicately hung from bamboo rods. When assembling this mobile, you may need to use the included sandpaper to ensure the wooden pieces fit together in place. Although this mobile is designed to hang from the ceiling, it can also be secured to the crib by purchasing a separate mobile arm attachment. Price at time of publication: $34 Size: 6.22 x 6.1 x 1.77 inches | Batteries: N/A | Features: Hypoallergenic felt decorations; bamboo wood; gender-neutral design These Are the Best Crib Sheets for a Safe and Comfortable Baby Best Felt Pehr Follow Me Giraffe Mobile Nordstrom View On Nordstrom View On Babylist.com Pros Detailed craftsmanship Five hanging giraffes No batteries required Cons Spot clean only The Pehr Follow Me Giraffe Mobile has a delicate yet whimsical look that will elevate any nursery. Every unit is handmade and includes five felted wool giraffes that are strung together by colorful felt poms. It’s designed to be mounted to the ceiling above a baby’s crib, changing table, or rocking chair, and while it doesn’t rotate on its own or make any sounds, the craftsmanship of this mobile would make it a memorable family heirloom for generations to come. Price at time of publication: $89 Size: 28 x 9 inches | Batteries: N/A | Features: Handmade; simple yet elegant design; colorful animals and poms Best With Lights KiddoLab Baby Crib Mobile Amazon View On Amazon View On Walmart Pros Light isn’t overstimulating Light show covers large ceiling area Easy to assemble Cons Sound automatically turns off after 15 minutes If you’re looking for a mobile that provides light without overstimulating your baby, the KiddoLab Baby Crib Mobile is a great choice. Although the projected moon and stars cover much of the ceiling, the light itself is somewhat dim so it isn’t likely to wake your baby. While watching the light show, your baby will be soothed to sleep by the mobile’s gentle rotation and soft music. There aren’t any volume controls on this mobile, and it times out after 15 minutes—so you’ll need to turn it on again if you want it to continue rotating. However, the benefit of this is that your batteries will likely last a lot longer than if the mobile were continuously running. Price at time of publication: $40 Size: 12.4 x 10.87 x 5.12 inches | Batteries: 3 AA | Features: Moon and stars projected on ceiling; slow rotation; 15 minutes of soothing melodies Best Black and White Everlove Montessori Black and White Mobile for Crib Amazon View On Amazon Pros Promotes visual development Switch back and forth between songs Can increase or decrease volume Cons May need new batteries often The Everlove Montessori Black and White Mobile can help promote visual development with its black-and-white ornaments and felt poms. This is because images that are black and white can help babies' vision develop since they’re naturally high in contrast. The ornaments and poms are made from hypoallergenic felt and cotton and hang over the crib from a woven silk thread. This mobile has multiple settings, including rotation only, music only, or rotation with music. With the touch of a button, you can also adjust the volume or switch to the previous or next song. In total, this mobile plays 12 songs and automatically shuts off after 30 minutes. Price at time of publication: $43 Size: 13.4 x 2.3 x 6.3 inches | Batteries: 2 AA | Features: High-contrast images and patterns; black and white design; auto shutoff; volume and setting controls The Best Montessori Toys to Encourage Thoughtful Play Best Remote Controlled Fisher-Price Precious Planet 2-in-1 Projection Mobile Amazon View On Amazon Pros Turn on/off without disturbing your baby 90 hours of battery life Two ways to project light Cons Requires a screwdriver to change batteries With the Fisher-Price Precious Planet 2-in-1 Projection Mobile, you can turn the mobile on or off all with a handheld remote. This feature is especially helpful if you want to start or stop the mobile but your hands are full or your baby is sleeping. However, if you want to change the music or turn on the projector, you’ll need to do so on the mobile's base. When turning on the music, you can select from classical artists like Bach, Mozart, or Beethoven. You can also play heartbeat or nature sounds and let your baby listen for up to 20 minutes. As a bonus, this mobile projects a light show onto the umbrella (for when your baby is an infant) or onto the ceiling (for when they can sit up). In addition to the lights, your baby can gaze up at the four colorful animals that slowly dance as the mobile spins. Price at time of publication: $90 Size: 3.87 x 16 x 13 inches | Batteries: 4 D (mobile) and 2 AAA (remote) | Features: Remote control; projected light show; plays classical music, heartbeat, or nature sounds; 20 minutes of music; transforms as baby gets older The 9 Best Baby Cribs for a Grandparent's House of 2023, Tested and Reviewed Best for Pack ‘n Play VX-star Baby Travel Play Arch Amazon View On Amazon Pros Soft, bendable frame Great for travel Monkey doubles as a teether Cons Doesn’t rotate or light up The VX-star Travel Play Arch has a soft, bendable frame that easily clips to a Pack ‘n Play. Featuring brightly colored animals and a black-and-white frame, this mobile provides a blend of colors and patterns for your baby to focus on and strengthen their vision. Along the arch you’ll find a lion, zebra, and monkey, each making a different sound when touched. You can also remove the animals for your baby to play with while he or she is awake. In addition to the Pack ‘n Play, this mobile can attach to a crib in two ways: arching from one side to the other or horizontally along the inside of the crib’s railing. It can also be used on a bouncer, car seat, or stroller so your baby can enjoy their mobile whenever they’re away from the nursery. Price at time of publication: $23 Size: 17.5 x 2 x 14 inches | Batteries: N/A | Features: Ornamental animals are removable and make music, squeak, and rattle; high-contrast patterns; adjustable clamps The 10 Best Pack 'n Plays of 2023, Tested and Reviewed How We Selected the Best Baby Mobiles To select the best baby mobiles, we spoke with Lyndsey Garbi, MD, co-founder and chief medical officer of Blueberry Pediatrics. Dr. Garbi is double-board certified in pediatrics and neonatology and has three children. She educated us on the specific ways a baby’s vision develops during the first few months of life and how a mobile can contribute to this development. She also informed us of the safety precautions parents should consider when choosing a mobile and how to safely and securely hang one in a baby’s nursery. After consulting the experts, we spent nearly two weeks reviewing more than 30 different mobiles to develop our list of recommendations. The mobiles we chose vary in features, size, and weight, and when used correctly, are safe to display in a baby’s nursery. What to Look for in Baby Mobiles Safety Medical professionals encourage parents to make sure their child’s mobile has passed safety testing and meets current regulation guidelines set by the Consumer Product Safety Improvement Act (CPSIA), which requires that all children’s products (for children ages 12 years and younger) sold in the United States be subject to children’s product safety rules and must undergo third-party testing to receive a Children's Product Certificate (CPC). Without a CPC, it’s considered illegal to sell such children’s products in U.S. stores or online. Parents can take it a step further by registering their baby’s mobile with the manufacturer to be notified about recalls and other important updates. Another important safety aspect for mobiles is how and where to secure them. Mobiles that are secured to the ceiling or wall are best as they’re the farthest away from a baby and pose less of a choking or strangulation hazard. However, mobiles that attach to the crib can be perfectly safe as long as they’re secured according to the manufacturer’s guidelines and are removed once a baby can push up to their hands and knees to touch the dangling objects (around 5 months of age). Features Nowadays, mobiles come with a variety of features, such as music, lights, or a motor that spins. Our top pick, the Tiny Love Take Along Mobile, has all of these and is small enough to take on the go. Others, like the Fisher-Price Rainbow Showers Mobile or the VTech Soothing Ocean Slumbers Mobile, have a sensor that automatically turns on the mobile if your baby begins to cry. Some mobiles, like the Fisher-Price Precious Planet 2-in-1 Projection Mobile, come with a remote control so you can turn the mobile on or off without disturbing your baby. The Nurture Smart Baby Crib Mobile has several unique features as well, including a picture holder, an adjustable arm, and a button that allows parents and caregivers to record a message for their baby. While many of these features are helpful, some families may prefer a simpler mobile, like the Cheers US Baby Crib Mobile. It has a gender-neutral design, doesn’t require batteries, and costs less than $10. The Everlove Montessori Black and White Mobile for Crib is another great option because it has an uncomplicated design, displaying only black-and-white patterns to stimulate a baby’s vision. Size and Weight When it comes to choosing a mobile, you’ll want to make sure that it fits in the space you have in your nursery. If you plan to hang the mobile above the crib, it should hang 12 inches above your baby’s head, which is low enough for the baby to see but high enough so that they can’t touch it. While some mobiles, like the VX-star Baby Travel Play Arch, can attach to nearly every type of crib, others are more specific and may not be compatible with cribs that have thick, rounded railings. Remember to carefully read the assembly instructions before purchasing a mobile to ensure it will fit with your child’s crib. Ease of Use The easiest mobiles to use will be those that are more traditional in design and don’t require any batteries, like the Sorrel + Fern Baby Crib Mobile or the Pehr Follow Me Giraffe Mobile. However, these may be more challenging to install as they need to be mounted to the ceiling and may still require some assembly. A mobile that attaches to the crib may be easier to position but may have its own set of challenges, too. For example, the Fisher-Price Precious Planet 2-in-1 Projection Mobile requires a screwdriver to change its batteries and the Nurture Smart Baby Crib Mobile won’t attach to a crib that has a rounded railing. Weighing the pros and cons of each option will go a long way in helping you determine the best mobile for your baby. Frequently Asked Questions Are crib mobiles safe? Crib mobiles are safe as long as they’re used and attached correctly. If you hang a mobile over your child's crib, hang it high enough so your baby can’t reach it, and be sure it is securely attached to the side rails, wall, or ceiling. A mobile should hang about 12 inches from where a baby lies down so that they can see it but it is not close enough to reach. What kind of mobile is best for a baby? Mobiles that have short strings with securely attached objects are best because you want to avoid exposing your baby to choking or strangulation hazards that can potentially be life-threatening. Mobiles that hang from the ceiling or wall can help prevent this, although those that attach to the crib are acceptable as long as they’re not within your baby’s reach. While it’s okay for a mobile to be decorative, play music, or display lights, make sure that it’s not too stimulating, as it could actually prevent your baby from falling asleep. Mobiles that have high-contrast images or patterns can promote visual development, while those that play white noise can actually be helpful for inducing sleep. When should I stop using a baby mobile? Once the baby is able to pull on a mobile or grab its objects, it's time to remove it from their space. Typically, a baby might be able to get up to their hands and knees to reach the mobile around 5 months of age, which is another good indication that the mobile should be removed. Why Trust Verywell Family Laura Lu is an experienced health writer who has a Master of Science degree in Health Communication. Her work has appeared in publications like The New York Times, Media Psychology, Brit+Co, and Parents.com, to name a few. She’s also a mother of two young children and has spent countless hours researching the best products to help them sleep, develop, and learn. 4 Sources Verywell Family uses only high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. Read our editorial process to learn more about how we fact-check and keep our content accurate, reliable, and trustworthy. Birth to 24 months of age. AOA.org. Zhou J, Liu D, Li X, Ma J, Zhang J, Fang J. Pink noise: Effect on complexity synchronization of brain activity and sleep consolidation. Journal of Theoretical Biology. 2012;306:68-72. doi:10.1016/j.jtbi.2012.04.006 Hyvärinen L, Walthes R, Jacob N, Chaplin KN, Leonhardt M. Current understanding of what infants see. Current Ophthalmology Reports. 2014;2(4):142-149. doi:10.1007/s40135-014-0056-2 Make baby's room safe: Parent checklist. HealthyChildren.org. See Our Editorial Process Meet Our Review Board Share Feedback Was this page helpful? 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