Parents, you’re tired. We know it, you know, but the only people who don’t seem to know it are your kids. The science explaining how such tiny bodies can produce so much energy is still severing lacking, but that’s a study we would be very interested to read. We may not know why young children love getting up so early, but we do know there are items that can help kids sleep better and longer.
A night light and time-to-rise sound machine is designed to help soothe babies, toddlers and young children to sleep and let them know when it’s time to get up. More specifically, it tells them when it’s time not to get up. That’s the part we’re interested in. The units are equipped with gentle alarms using noises, lights and symbols that indicate when the child can get up or when they need to chill out in their big girl bed and give parents the chance to complete a REM cycle or two.
Sound machines and night lights have been helping babies fall asleep for years, but now it’s time to help mom or dad get some sleep as well. Check out our four favorite night light and time-to-rise sound machines and get ready to sleep in (relatively speaking).
1. Hatch Baby Rest Sound Machine
Help your babies and young children have a peaceful night’s sleep using the Hatch Baby Rest Sound Machine, Night Light and Time-to-Rise. Parents can connect to the Hatch through an app in their smartphone and control the unit from anywhere in the home. Using the app, parents can adjust the color and dimness of the night light, play soothing sounds, and set alarms for when it’s time to wake up. The Hatch has a “toddler lock” feature and remains cool to the touch even when it’s in use.
Pros: The Hatch can be controlled in three ways, including an automatic turn-on, remote adjusting through the app, or tapped on manually.
Cons: Unlike the Hatch Rest+ and the Nursery Project, the Hatch Baby must be plugged in to work and is therefore not as portable. The Hatch has limited sound options.
2. Project Nursery Dreamweaver Smart Night Light & Sleep Soother
Help your little ones get a good night’s sleep using the Project Nursery Dreamweaver Smart Night Light & Sleep Soother. The versatile bedroom item comes in an attractive Firefly Jar design that will fit into any nursery décor. The Project Nursery is a four-mode nightlight that allows parents to choose between a firefly design that can appear in sparkle, fade, dance and rhythm. An adjustable sleep-timer can remain on or be set in 15, 30, 45 and 60-minute settings. The Project Nursery has up to eight hours of wireless playtime thanks to its rechargeable battery.
Pros: The Project Nursery comes with six pre-loaded lullabies and natural sounds and it also allows users to stream music and stories from their smartphone or tablet via Bluetooth.
Cons: The Project Nursery is controlled through buttons on the side of the light and not through an app, making it more difficult to adjust without waking a sleeping child. When the battery gets low, the unit will beep, which can also wake up the child. The charging cord included is also very short.
3. Hatch Rest+ Baby Sound Machine
If you’re looking for something with more features than the original Hatch, you may want to try the Hatch Rest+ Baby Sound Machine, Night Light, Time-to-Rise Plus. Also connecting to a smartphone, the Hatch Rest+ has a built-in rechargeable battery that allows the machine to be used wirelessly, which is great for travelers. Users can choose from a library of sounds and lullabies and customize the night light color. A time-to-rise alarm can be set to teach kids when it’s time to get up. The Hatch Rest+ is Alexa enabled and features a two-way audio monitor that allows parents to speak to their children, letting them know they’re nearby.
Pros: The Hatch Rest+ includes a clock feature that the original Hatch does not have, which helps older kids with telling time.
Cons: The Hatch Rest+ comes with a big price tag. Although it has some improvements over the original Hatch, items like sound monitoring are glitchy and the audio monitor can only be heard by holding your smartphone to your ear. The WiFi can easily lose connectivity and cannot connect when using public WiFi, like at a hotel, in which cases users must turn the machine on manually.
4. I·CODE Sun & Moon Rise Kids Alarm Clock
Teach toddlers when it’s time to get up using the I·CODE Sun & Moon Rise Kids Alarm Clock. The I·CODE uses colors and icons that children will recognize and understand, helping to teach them when it’s time to stay in bed and when they can get up. A sun icon tells children they can get out of bed and a moon icon means it’s time for a nap or bedtime. Customers can set both alarms or just one. Ten color lights provide a nightlight. A 12/24 hour clock and snooze button are also included to help teach children how to tell time. The I·CODE is made with child safe materials and has a child lock.
Pros: The I·CODE includes 17 soothing sounds to choose from, including white noise, rain, and several animal noises. Parents can set the sounds to play for 15, 30, 60, or 120 minutes or remain on throughout the night.
Cons: The I·CODE comes with a USB charger and cord but must be plugged in to work, making this less portable than the Hatch Rest+ and the Project Nursery. The light on the I·CODE is not dimmable and is very bright.