When a baby appears in the house, parents try to do everything possible to make him comfortable and cozy.
And already from the first days they think about which toy will be the most suitable for him or her. And today we want to talk about a mobile for a crib for newborns, because such fun can rightfully be called the first in a baby’s life, we’ll consider at what age it can be used, and find out the rating of the best manufacturers.
What is a mobile? This is a hanging carousel, equipped with bright various objects made from a variety of materials, which is suspended above the baby's bed. In a newborn who has come into this world, many systems are underdeveloped and continue to develop actively in the first year of life. Including vision, because in the first months it is rather weak in a child: he sees vague, blurry pictures.
However, he not only likes to look at everything around him, but it is also a kind of form of communication. Already by the 3rd month, the shapes of objects become clearer, and the baby begins to show a special interest in various objects, and one of them is a mobile. Yes, this is not only a beautiful thing, but also useful.
Today, the market offers us a huge selection of mobiles for a crib for newborns, and you can also make a unique and special version of a developing toy for your baby with your own hands. When buying, pay attention to the following characteristics.
These tips will help you choose not only high-quality, but also useful goods for your baby.
I invite you to watch the video, which tells in sufficient detail about how to choose a mobile, at what age it is better to use it and what selection criteria should be considered when buying.
In addition to toys, parents are often interested in how to choose those that will be needed especially in the first year of life, and what should be. Here you can read this information in detail.
When the baby grows up, you may be interested
Parents should remember that no toy can replace a child's parental attention, so communicate with your children whenever possible, play different games and look for opportunities to build real friendships with them.
We hope this information was useful to you. Write your reviews and leave comments.
Currently, such pendants no longer have a sacred meaning, their purpose is the development of the child literally from the first days of life. However, the advantages of this multifunctional device do not end there.
Attractive toys on the bed and musical accompaniment will help distract the child, cheer him up or, on the contrary, calm him down while the parents are doing household chores. It is only necessary to choose a pendant for the cradle that both mother and baby will like.
Mobile (from the English "mobile" - mobile, moving) - a structure that is a cross, on which small toys are suspended. Thanks to mechanical winding or batteries, hanging accessories move in a circle like a carousel. That is why the mobile is also called a carousel.
Toys for children's mobile are different: plush, rubber, plastic. Most often, manufacturers place on the suspension:
When the music mobile is turned on, soft music plays. It can be the sounds of rain, the sea, calm classical melodies, songs from animated films. Some models are additionally equipped with a projector, a night light.
As noted above, mobiles are not a new invention, but an improved version of an old charm toy. In ancient times, straw, textile or wooden figurines were hung over the crib, which protected from damage, the evil eye and the tricks of evil spirits.
The musical carousel on the crib is not just a beautiful toy that will please the eyes of the child and his mother. A mobile is a universal device that can perform several functions at once.
A device that includes a small tape recorder can also perform an entertainment function. In addition, some models work as nightlights, which is very important to prevent the occurrence of night terrors.
There is no single answer to the question of whether a mobile is needed in a crib for newborns. The choice always remains with mom and dad. A very small child is not interested in anything at all, his vital needs are feeding, sleeping and clean clothes.
In favor of the later acquisition of the mobile is the fact that newborn babies see very poorly. In addition, they are able to notice only static objects. But if the game carousel has already been purchased, at first you should simply turn on quiet music, unless, of course, there is such a function.
Around the fourth week, the baby begins to pay attention to nearby objects. However, even at this age, rotating toys do not appeal to him. He studies his mother's face, black-and-white motionless objects with increased attention.
But in the second month of life, visual acuity begins to increase, the child fixes his gaze on distant objects. Rotating toys also attract his attention. Many experts are convinced that it is at this age that it will be right to introduce children to the mobile.
Remember that children's hearing is sensitive. Do not turn on the music mobile at full volume. An excessively sounding toy will quickly "overload" the child's psyche, as a result, instead of a calm baby, parents will get an overexcited and capricious toddler.
Interesting moving objects stimulate the child to rise quickly and develop grasping movements. However, at the age of six months, when the baby will already try to rise, it is recommended to remove the mobile. Otherwise, the structure may break and injure the baby.
If game accessories are removable, it is best to let them play separately. You can also hang toys on a stroller, walker or development mat. The musical block can be left - let it serve to play lullabies.
A crib mobile for tiny newborns is a common fixture. Therefore, in the store there are many different models - from simple to multifunctional. They differ in several key characteristics.
According to how the game carousel is controlled, two main categories are distinguished:
In the first case, the carousels are activated by manual winding, like a barrel organ. A mechanical mobile can work for about 3-5 minutes, after which it needs to be restarted. Such models are cheap, but they do not have additional functions (highlighting, selecting music, a projector).
Electric pendants are powered by rechargeable batteries. Rotation time is approximately half an hour. This option is easier to manage, since parents do not need to regularly wind up the gaming device.
Battery-powered carousels can most often play multiple pieces of music, allowing you to pick your favorite. More expensive models are equipped with additional functions, for example, backlight, projector.
Conventionally, stationary toys can also be attributed to mobiles, which are attached to a wooden cross and set in motion manually. Such models can be made independently by simply attaching various figures to the bar, which change as the child grows up.
Depending on the fasteners, children's mobiles can be divided into several categories:
The heavier the structure, the more durable and reliable the fasteners must be. Usually, high-quality models are characterized by increased safety, so you don’t have to worry that the mobile will fall and injure the child.
Today's mobile for a tiny newborn is a multifunctional design, equipped with additional options. If the simplest device will serve the child only up to six months of age, then improved models will brighten up children's leisure up to 3 years.
Additional options:
Many parents increasingly prefer to choose 3 in 1 mobiles. These are multifunctional models, which are a pendant with toys, a night lamp and a music player. Such toys allow the child to play up to three years.
The music mobile should be chosen very carefully. In order not to make a mistake in choosing, it is important to know a few key points that you should pay special attention to:
We have already mentioned such a function as the projection of an image on the ceiling. A child may be interested in a flickering image, but the light projection will be noticeable only at night, when the baby has been sleeping soundly for a long time. Is this option necessary? It's up to you to decide.
When choosing a game carousel for a child, you should give preference to products of well-known world brands. The most popular manufacturer is Tiny Love from Israel. In addition, the products of Fischer Price, Tomy, Taf Toys, Chicco enjoy the love of parents and children.
Consider the most popular and high-quality models in more detail.
This musical mobile with a night lamp and attractive toys is available for the smallest child. The device is suitable for any child's condition: active knowledge of the world, rest or nap.
"Sweet Dream Island" has been the most popular mobile for several years now. And this is not surprising, since manufacturers have improved the features of rotation: each toy moves not only in a circle, but also around its own axis.
Main advantages:
Main disadvantages:
Electronic mobile Tiny Love Isle of sweet dreams (376)
Crib mobile with projector, music block and removable plush figures. Multi-colored soft teddy bears with wings will definitely interest the child and help develop his visual abilities and attentiveness.
The projector creates attractive images on the ceiling, and the melody unit plays classics, natural sounds and even the so-called “white noise” - the heartbeat, that is, the noise that the baby heard in the womb. They say it helps to calm down.
Main advantages:
Main disadvantages:
Fisher-Price E-Mobile Butterfly Dreams (CDN41)
This mobile is characterized by an interesting appearance - a white palm tree with textile toys. The music module can be detached and used as a player that the child, when he grows up, can take on the street.
The toy is easily attached to the bed headboard. A newborn baby will be able to look at a giraffe, a monkey and a baby elephant and hear pleasant melodies. An older child will begin to feel and explore play accessories.
Pendant toys are made of high quality safe textiles. The music block contains 15 musical pieces of various styles, so that mom can choose a melody for her own or children's taste. They are played in random order or as programmed by the parent.
Main advantages:
Main disadvantages:
Electronic mobile Tiny Love Boom-box Princess (547)
This device is a lulling pendant for a baby's bed. The built-in projector shows the child clear and bright images of the starry sky, outer spaces. The existing audio sensor is sensitive to children's crying and turns on automatically.
A very small child will be able to play with very cute star pendants. As they grow older, soft toys are removed, and the mobile easily turns into a regular night light and projector, which allows you to extend the life of the game carousel.
Main advantages:
Main disadvantages:
Electronic mobile Chicco Magic stars
The Russian musical toy from the Zhirafiki brand (assembled in China) attracts parents, first of all, with a fairly low cost and stylish design.
The carousel can work in 2 modes: rotation with music and melodies without rotation. In addition, the mobile is equipped with a timer, the ability to adjust the volume and select music. Parents will be able to play funny songs - for wakefulness, calm sounds - for falling asleep.
Hanging toys are plastic, they can be removed from the carousel and played with separately. Animals have rotating limbs and heads. And in a safe mirror, the child will be able to look and carefully examine himself.
Main advantages:
Main disadvantages:
Electronic mobile Giraffes Giraffe (939402)
The selected mobile must have all the accompanying documents that guarantee the quality of the product. You should also purchase a children's toy exclusively in specialized stores. This will prevent the purchase of a low-quality product.
A play carousel is a device designed to soothe, entertain and develop a child. Models "3 in 1" with a music player and a night light will faithfully "serve" the baby up to the age of three. And the simplest products need to be removed from the crib at 5-6 months.
To get a really good toy, you should consider a number of important nuances.
Turn on the game carousel gradually. For a newborn, a melody will be enough. As soon as he grows up a little, you can turn on the movement of the toy.
A musical mobile is a device that is undoubtedly useful, but it is up to the parents to decide how much it is necessary for a particular child. In addition, it should be understood that not even the most “fancy” gaming device can replace live communication with your beloved mom or dad.
The tradition of hanging toys over the cradle of a newborn comes from ancient times. Then it was believed that these pendants would protect the baby from the evil eye, give him health and happiness. Today, hanging toys does not carry a sacred meaning. But mobiles have become a fashionable and popular attribute of the children's room. Parents for their children certainly want to purchase this multifunctional, bright, musical device. Modern parents prefer to start the development of the baby from the very first days of his life. And the mobile is perfect for this purpose.
A mobile is a rotating carousel that is hung on a hook or mounted on a bracket to the arena boat. Toys rotate on a crosspiece. There are an incredible number of mobile options. There are toys with musical accompaniment, with a rotating mechanism, with lights, and many other features.
Whether a mobile is needed or not, experts do not give an unambiguous answer. The choice is always up to the parents. In the first weeks of life, babies are generally not interested in anything around, except for feeding, sleeping and dry diapers. And only after a month they begin to pay attention to the surrounding objects.
Rotating toys help baby focus on specific objects. Bright colors contribute to the formation of color perception. Melodious music teaches the child to listen to sounds. Many babies love to fall asleep to the sound of their mobile. Others, on the contrary, perceive it as an exciting game and chirp cheerfully. But in any case, the baby is distracted by the toy for a while, which gives mom time for a break.
Important! Do not forget that the baby's hearing is very sensitive! Therefore, do not turn on the toy at full volume. Loud music can irritate the baby and instead of calming down, parents will get nervous excitement and hysteria.
At first, the child does not need spinning toys at all. He will concert his gaze on static objects. Parents need to take into account the developmental features of the baby when choosing any toys and mobile as well.
This toy can be used from the first days of a baby's life up to 5 months. At this time, he will watch the hanging figures, listen to melodies. And also try to grab with your little hands or reach out with your legs to attractive objects. But after 5 months, when the child begins to rise in the crib, it is better to remove the mobile so that the baby does not break off the structure and does not get hurt or scared.
If the pendant toys are removable, then it would be more expedient to give them to the baby just to play. Or hang them in a stroller, on a walker or on a play mat.
Among the huge range of mobiles, only two types stand out: with and without musical accompaniment. Musical, in turn, are divided into mechanical and battery-operated.
mechanical plant arranged on the principle of a music box. Mom needs to scroll the key several times to make the melody sound. In most cases, this quiet melodic music is very popular with kids and parents. But the disadvantage of such a device is that there is only one melody in the set. And the plant lasts no more than 5 minutes. Next, you need to start the hurdy-gurdy again.
Battery powered mobiles , as a rule, have several variants of melodies that switch one after another until the entire selection is played. It is very important for parents to listen to all the melodies when buying! After all, at home they will have to listen daily with the baby. And if the music is of poor recording quality, or just doesn't like it, then the mobile will be just another annoying factor. It is worth keeping a supply of batteries for this device in the house.
Also, mobiles differ in the type of attachment.
The frame of the mobile is always made of plastic. But the pendants can be plastic or textile. It is very rare to find pendants made of wood. Each parent chooses the material at their own discretion.
Plastic easy to clean and easy to care for. There may be fillers inside the figurines, and the toys can be used as rattles. High-quality plastic is not afraid of falls and bumps.
textile toys soft and harmless. They can be machine washed. They are made from various materials, with different fillers. Such toys help develop tactile sensations and motor skills of the baby's hands. But at the same time they get dirty faster and accumulate dust.
It is important to check all the details when choosing! To avoid chips, loose parts, the paint was applied evenly and did not peel off. Under no circumstances should toys exude odors or leave coloring marks. Such toys are a threat to the health of the baby. The colors of the figurines should be clear and simple. Avoid acidic colors from the environment of a small child.
Manufacturers are trying to make mobiles not only a hanging toy for a crib. But also to supplement them with other functions that make this device multifunctional and more convenient.
Many devices include Remote Control. With it, you can adjust the sound, switch melodies and change the intensity of rotation from a distance. This gives mom the opportunity to manipulate the device without getting into the baby's field of vision and without being distracted from household chores.
Mobiles of the latest generation able to turn on automatically when the baby wakes up.
Musical accompaniment may include one or more melodies. Some devices have the ability to switch music, others do not. There are novelties on the market in which music is recorded on an MP 3 player. The removable musical block can be used further as a musical toy.
Some models are equipped backlit, which looks spectacular in the dark. There are mobiles with built-in projectors, when images of colored figures are projected onto the ceiling. Looking at them, their baby falls asleep.
Many models have been added full-fledged lamps, which can serve for many years and after the baby no longer needs a mobile.
Almost without exception, toy manufacturers also produce their own series of mobiles. Among such a variety it is not difficult to get lost. The price in most cases depends both on the quality of the product and on the "hype" of the brand. Most mobiles are made in China.
The most popular manufacturers are
Kruchinina Svetlana (Novgorod)
We bought a mobile phone for Tom Winnie the Pooh for our child and were very disappointed. One of the worst models ever. There is no backlighting declared by the manufacturer at all. And the motor of the toy roars so that it drowns out the music.
Bolshakova Olga (Kurgan)
The mobile was chosen for a long time, I wanted a universal toy. In the end, we chose Tina Love and were satisfied. Firstly, three ways of fastening, so that it can be installed not only on the arena, but also on the stroller or in the car seat. Secondly, bright toys and a large selection of melodies. The tracklist is 40 minutes long. It is also possible to turn off the music altogether so that the toys rotate. In general, both we and our baby are satisfied.
Yavorskaya Irina (Safonovo)
Our first child was given a mobile by happy grandparents right after birth. We installed it on the bed right away. The baby was still small at first. To pay attention to all these pendants. But after 3 weeks, I began to turn on soft music for him. He carefully watched the toys, listened to the melodic sounds. The music, by the way, also suits me quite well, it does not bother me. The recording plays for about 20 minutes. Then we start again. Our son even snores to the music. So convenient!
Novikova Anna (Volgograd)
Friends gave our little girl a Chico mobile Sweet dreams. It is with soft toys that are removed. They can be washed. Our daughter is already 1.5 years old, but she enjoys playing with cute animals, which she got used to from infancy. The music selection was very good. Even my husband is so accustomed to falling asleep to the music from the mobile that he can’t even fall asleep in silence.
Zolotareva Xenia (Murmansk)
They took a Bright Stars mobile to their baby. We were attracted by bright figurines of little animals. Satisfied with the quality of the product. One bad thing, it's too big. It is necessary to remove it altogether when re-laying the crib, so as not to interfere. Yes, and the baby is not very convenient to lay down, he is well-fed with us.
Isaeva Diana (Kazan)
We bought the World of Childhood mobile to entertain the baby. But he quickly got tired of it. And he likes to sort out toys from him and rattle rattles more than to look at hanging objects and listen to monotonous music. In addition, they took it like a Russian toy. And on the box they sewed an inscription that made in China.
Mobiles are installed on the crib immediately after the birth of the child. From the first month, the baby closely follows the rattles that move on the principle of a carousel. Modern models play lullabies and adapted classical melodies. They attract the attention of the baby, lull him to sleep. How to properly install the mobile on the crib in order to guarantee the safety of the child, the qualified employees of the online store "Daughters-Sonochki" will tell.
Musical pendants with bright toys are approved by pediatricians. Products well develop vision, hearing and coordination. Manufacturers offer game pendants with a universal mounting system. They are suitable for installation on any type of bed. All sides can be securely attached to, for example, the Smoby model from Cotoons. Such mobiles with an electronic control unit are fixed to play long-lasting melodies, start a carousel and show bright pictures through a projector.
Electronic music carousels weigh more than mechanical ones. Therefore, manufacturers develop the most reliable clamps for them. The mobile can be fixed on a bed, a cradle or a carriage. For each product, several types of fastening are offered:
The mobile should not be hung above the baby's head, but closer to the middle of the crib. Then it will be convenient for the baby to watch him from any place. The child should look straight ahead and a little far away. If you hang the product directly above your head, the newborn will strain his eyes. This can adversely affect the formation of eye muscles.
Pediatricians and pediatric ophthalmologists recommend fixing mobiles at a height of 30-50 cm. At 3-4 months, the baby is already able to knock down the structure by grabbing the toys with his hands. Therefore, you need to calculate the distance so that the baby does not reach the hanging components. In addition, too close a distance (up to 30 cm) from the spinning rattles to the eyes can cause the development of children's strabismus.
When the child is already standing on his feet, it is necessary to raise the product even higher or remove the hanging elements completely so that the grown-up baby cannot bring down the structure. For example, the Boom-Box model from the well-known brand Tiny Love can be useful without toys. At about 6 months, they can be removed, leaving only the music block. This portable unit acts as a tape recorder, you can take it with you for a walk. It also serves as a night lamp, providing a pleasant diffused light. Children can always listen to music, the device plays 15 melodies written in different styles. Reliable fastenings and correctly chosen installation height guarantee the safety of the model.
Musical pendants are used as play sets for children from birth to six months. Modern mobiles can be securely fastened to the side with a clamp stand. It is important to correctly adjust the height of the structure so that the baby cannot reach the hanging elements. Pediatricians advise to mount the rack in the center of the crib, at a distance of at least 30 cm from the eyes of the newborn. This allows you to correctly focus your eyes, removes the risk of developing strabismus.
Finding useful devices for the smallest family members is both exciting and challenging at the same time. Lack of 80s-90s, fortunately (fortunately?) We have passed, store shelves are littered with educational toys of all colors and sizes. Quite different than before, questions beset modern parents, to replace “Where would I get it?” the problem came “How to choose the right one and not to buy too much?” In this article, we will figure out why hang toys over your child's bed, and also what is it - a necessity or money down the drain.
A hanging toy on a crib is called a “mobile” or “mobile”. This piece is very useful, although it is not a mandatory attribute of a happy infancy. Each parent decides for himself whether his child needs toys above the crib, but for this you need to understand the pros and cons, but we have already done it for you.
So, the benefits and harms of toys over the crib:
This is good for the child. A mobile suspended in a baby's crib while awake teaches the baby to follow an object. You can start with one large contrasting toy hanging motionless. Such training for the eyes has a beneficial effect on the development of the baby as a whole. Gradually, you can increase the complexity of the exercise by adding movements, other toys, new colors and details. Later, the baby will begin not only to follow the toys moving over the crib with his eyes, but also to try to reach them with his hands.
It's aesthetic. I think many mothers will agree that it is the details that give the finished look to the children's room. A beautiful mobile can just become one of these final highlights.
This helps mom free her hands for a while. At first, of course, you want to carry your baby in your arms 24 hours a day, but the euphoria gradually passes, but your back starts to hurt a lot, and sometimes mom needs to eat, feed dad and do a hundred other urgent things. If something can captivate a child for at least 15 minutes, wrap it up, I'm buying.
It's not for long. The mobile is good only up to 5-6 months of age, until the baby learns to reach for toys. Further use should be discontinued to avoid suffocation.
It is not cheap. The average price for a mobile is 3-4 thousand rubles, so if there are more primary tasks, and the budget is limited, you can do without it, or you can make a mobile with your own hands (you can read about how to do this in the article).
It needs cleaning. Like a canopy, a mobile on a crib collects a fair amount of dust. To avoid allergies, it is necessary to wash or wipe the plastic parts of toys during wet cleaning, and this is additional mother's time.
Fastening. Inspect it properly, because the safety of your baby in the crib depends on it, especially when he is unattended. The mobile attachment mechanism must be reliable and durable, tighten well and not wobble.
Possibility to remove toys. It is good if your mobile has such a function, because, as mentioned earlier, it must be kept clean. Moreover, one-piece models with a large number of toys are not suitable for newborns, because the baby still does not know how to fix his eyes on one object among many small and identical ones.
Unobtrusive music. Listening to melodies (if at all provided for in the model you have chosen) will have not only the baby, but also your entire family, and therefore, before buying, make sure that there are no particularly annoying, squeaky and unpleasant ones among them.
Additional options. Some models have sleep timers, the ability to turn on the rotation separately without music and vice versa, as well as built-in nightlights. Of course, all this directly affects the price, so consider which of these features you are willing to part with and do not overpay for the extra.
The mobile can be used from about 2-3 weeks of age, but do not be discouraged if the young explorer does not immediately show interest in it. Toddlers start tracking objects at about 1 month old, but in any case, this will be an excellent training for the eyes.
When hanging toys over the baby's crib, you should also remember that for the correct formation of vision, toys should be at a distance of about 40 cm from the face, not closer, so be sure to consider this factor.
Summing up, we can say that a mobile for a crib for newborns is more of a useful purchase than an extra waste of money, but before you buy one of these toys, we advise you to thoroughly study the chosen model.
