kids-toy

The mobile is rightfully considered the very first children’s educational toy, because it is designed for babies aged 1 to 6 months who cannot even sit. Structurally, it is a mini-carousel attached to a crib or stroller, on which several toys hang. After activation, the mobile begins to rotate and make music, and in the meantime, the child learns to focus on moving objects, trains to concentrate his attention, reaches for toys, thereby developing motor skills and spatial thinking.

The range of mobiles in children’s stores is very large, so young parents, already under stress due to a dramatically changed life, can be difficult to choose the right option. In this top, I have collected 10 high-quality and popular carousels from domestic and foreign manufacturers, and also tried to describe in detail what mobiles are, what strengths and weaknesses each type has, and what to look for when buying.

Mobile Rating

giraffes giraffe

Mobile “Zhirafik” from the domestic brand of the same name, with a music block stylized as a giraffe’s head. 4 bright plastic toys are suspended from the model: an elephant, a bear cub, a rabbit and a giraffe, a mirror stylized as a flower, several smaller pendants in the form of hearts and stars. The main figures can be removed and used as full-fledged toys. The model plays 18 melodies, the assortment includes both lullabies and more active songs that allow you to entertain your baby while awake, as well as 3 options for nature sounds. The model has a timer.

For the price, this is a great mobile! No bells and whistles and extra bells and whistles! Everything works, easy to assemble and attach to the crib. The baby is 1.5 months old, looks with interest for 20 minutes. The volume is adjustable, I think there are 3 buttons for 2 melodies, there are fast and funny ones, as well as calm ones. I recommend to buy!

Fisher-Price Butterfly Dreams

An elegant electronic mobile equipped with three teddy bears with butterfly wings on their backs. The toys are painted in different colors of pastel shades, blue, green and pink. If necessary, bears can be hung from a stroller or car seat.

The model is equipped with a remote control that allows you to switch music. The module plays soothing classical melodies, there is a mode of white noise and sounds of nature.

Fisher price as always on top! This is probably the best mobile in the crib for a baby that I have seen. The construction is easy to disassemble, which is convenient for washing the bears themselves, and if you get bored, the toys can always be replaced with others. From the soundtrack: several melodies for motion sickness, sounds of nature, as well as the so-called “white noise”, which the child associates with the sounds that he heard while in his mother’s tummy. The remote control has become a great bonus, now you do not need to constantly run to the crib to switch the mode. I consider the main advantage of a night light projector: when the light is turned off in the room, the ceiling will be dotted with beautiful stars.

Tiny Love Sunny meadow

A compact mobile with a universal mount that allows you to easily attach the toy to a crib of any configuration, a stroller, a car seat or a cradle without outweighing them. Three soft removable toys are suspended from the carousel: a fox, a bird and a hedgehog, which are distinguished by bright dawn and good detail. During rotation, the mobile plays soothing melodies to help the baby fall asleep. In general, the functionality of this model is relatively small. The mobile is valuable, first of all, for its wide possibilities for installation on various objects and its small size, which allows it to be used on a walk.

The most important thing is that the child likes it. He watches the animals with pleasure, we have been using him for a month. The animals are cute and cute. Colors, execution are made especially for children’s eye and perception. The melodies are pleasant, although there are not very many of them and they are repeated. 20 minutes program. You can turn on the silent mode – the mobile rotates without melodies. Attaches anywhere – that’s why I bought it. The boombox would not fit on the crib. The materials are quality. There is a clothespin included, for which the mobile can be hung somewhere.

Chicco Next2Dreams

Nice mobile, available in three colors: blue, pink and neutral. 4 textile pendants in the form of a moon, a cloud, an asterisk and a teddy bear are attached to the carousel. The mobile has the function of a night light with a dim diffused light, it pre-recorded several classical melodies by Schumann, Chopin and Offenbach. After playing them, it automatically switches to the “white noise” mode.

The melodies are beautiful, under such the most I want to fall asleep. Not loud and not quiet. At first, they did not understand where the declared white noise was. At first they were even upset. We decided to leave the mobile on for a long time. After 3 long classical melodies white noise begins.

Giraffes Magic meadow

Another mobile of domestic production, equipped with 5 plastic rattle pendants depicting bees, birds and flowers that attract the attention of a child. The toy is painted in bright but not acidic yellow-green-red tones. Cheerful soothing melodies, white noise, sounds of nature are recorded on the electronic unit, so the Magic Clearing mobile can brighten up the child’s wakefulness or help him fall asleep. If desired, the toys can be removed from the carousel.

The colors are bright, but not “acidic”, the music is pleasant and, most importantly, quiet. The grandson especially likes the sounds of nature. Fastening is convenient. I recommend to all. There is nothing unusual in more expensive models, the colors are sometimes poorer, there are fewer toys. Textile toys, I think, are worse than plastic ones: they collect dust and need to be washed.

Chicco Magic Stars

The main advantage of this mobile can be safely considered a powerful projector that produces an image of the starry sky, both on the ceiling and on the dome of the carousel, thanks to which even the smallest child will perfectly see everything that happens. The model automatically starts when the child cries, so that he is distracted and calmed down.

The mobile can also be used as a night light – in this mode, it gives out a diffuse and dim greenish color that does not wake the baby, but gives parents the opportunity to see him or change diapers. The functional control panel will allow you not to run to the crib to switch the carousel’s operating modes.

Magic Stars is a very modern and useful device! With a control panel, a sensor that reacts to crying) This mobile is completely disassembled, it is convenient to put it in order, wipe it, and soft toys can be removed and washed. We have cleanliness and order above the crib) You can use it in three versions, while they were very small, they were used only as a mobile. Later they began to disconnect toys and use the round socket as an independent projector, as well as a night light. The night lamp has a pleasant, soft light, a greenish tint – it looks very relaxing.

Cotoons Flower

Beautiful mobile, stylized as a flower, made in green and blue colors. Equipped with three large pendants in the form of textile butterflies and three small plastic ones in the form of multi-colored flowers. The carousel rotates slowly enough that even the youngest child has no trouble focusing. The model can work in the night-light projector mode, while all functions are launched separately from each other. The mobile is controlled by buttons on the case or from the remote control. 4 calm, unobtrusive melodies are recorded on the electronic unit.

It was not difficult to assemble, then carefully disassemble when the eldest child matured. And then just as easy to reassemble. Butterflies rag – washed, overwashed. The child procrastinated them, chewed them, unkillable. Four unobtrusive, well-chosen melodies, for them alone worthy of five. There is a backlight searchlight, we are not particularly useful. The remote was hardly used.

Happy Baby Magic Butterflies

The original mobile, in which the classic carousel is replaced by a large butterfly. When activated, it begins to beckon with wings, which depict black and white circular patterns that attract the attention of the child. In addition, two blue and yellow plastic pendants depicting smaller bees are attached to the wings. The model is equipped with a projector and a timer that automatically turns off the carousel.

The mobile is in its fourth year, I bought it for my daughter, now my son has been born, he also loves him very much. The mobile works perfectly, the speaker is good, there are classical melodies, there is the sound of water. There is a timer.

Tiny Love Magic Lamp

An elegant mobile stylized as a lamp. It is equipped with three removable plastic pendants with textile elements (tails and legs). The model can project moving pictures and an image of the starry sky onto the ceiling and into the dome of the mobile. At any time, it can be turned into a full-fledged table night light. The soft floor lamp makes the light diffused, so it does not disturb the baby’s sleep. The mobile can play nature sounds, classical music and lullabies.

daughter became interested in the mobile from 1 month to 5 months, then she took it off because of safety, tk. she tried to take it off, we still play with toys (we are 6 months old!) Sometimes we watch the projector with the whole family, the daughter is interested, the son is not really. Very satisfied with the purchase. I recommend.

Canpol Babies Bears

Classic mechanical mobile with 4 teddy bears: two boys and two girls. The toys are removable, with Velcro, they can be played separately or attached to the stroller. A big advantage is the way the cubs are attached – they cling to the backs, so the child, lying in bed, can see their faces, focus on their eyes. The mobile mechanism is reliable, the spring does not wear out over time. When rotated, the carousel emits a pleasant, soothing melody.

Great mobile! The child liked it. Very convenient and accurate fastening mechanism, pleasant melody. The toys are neatly sewn, fastened with Velcro, the child has grown up, reaching for them, trying to rip them off. No small details. Easily erased. Safe and reliable mobile! I recommend. Before him, there were 2 more mobiles from other companies, this one is the best.

comparison table

For your convenience, I have summarized the characteristics of the children’s mobiles presented in the rating into one table. It will be a handy tool for the reader who hesitates between several models, as it helps to visually see the strengths and weaknesses of each of them.

What are mobiles

Children’s carousels can be conditionally classified according to the following characteristics:

• Mechanism type.
• type of toys.
• Attachment type.
• Availability of additional features.

Movement type

All mobiles are divided into two main types. Mechanical models that need to be wound every time in order for them to play, and electronic models that are powered by batteries. The second option is more modern and convenient, as it saves parents from having to often go to the crib to start the toy again. A mechanical mobile rarely plays for more than 5-10 minutes, while an electronic one can be turned off by a timer, or work until it is turned off manually. Previously, there were also mobiles on sale that had to be rotated manually, but now such designs have been practically superseded by more technologically advanced and convenient counterparts.

Separately, it is worth mentioning that the most modern mobiles are additionally equipped with a remote control that has a working distance of up to 5 meters and allows you to control the rotation and switch melodies without going to the crib. Such models are more expensive, but more convenient.

Type of toys

Mobile toys are usually made of plastic or textile. The first option is more convenient to maintain, since plastic figures are less dusty and can be easily washed, while textiles are more pleasant to the touch and are considered a safer option. There are also models in which toys are made of plastic and textile at the same time, but this is a rather rare option.

Mount type

Mobiles can be designed to be attached to a pram, crib, car seat. It is most convenient if the model you like has universal fasteners and can be installed on any of the above items.

Additional functions

Modern mobile phones may have the following additional features:

• Lamp-night light.
• A projector projecting a starry sky or other images onto the bedroom ceiling.
• A mirror in which the child can see himself.
• Sensor that automatically turns on the toy at the sound of baby crying.

The presence of additional functions increases the versatility of the toy, but also increases its price, so each parent must decide for himself what functions he needs.

How to choose a mobile

To purchase a really high-quality thing, you need to decide in advance which of its characteristics are key. This works in all cases without exception, including mobile phones. I have compiled a list of guidelines that will help the reader easily distinguish a good toy from a bad one.

Quality and safety

A key feature for any children’s toy. Before buying, you need to make sure that the mobile is made of high-quality, non-toxic plastic. Information about this should be indicated on the box with the toy, you can also ask the seller for a quality certificate for it. You can also determine the quality of plastic by external signs. It should not emit an unpleasant smell, in addition, the mobile should not look flimsy and unreliable.

You should also make sure in advance that the toys are securely attached to the carousel, and the mobile itself to the crib, and that nothing will fall on the child. Avoid toys made of metal or glass – they can seriously injure the child if they do fall. Remember that the distance from the figurines to the child’s eyes must be no less than 50 cm, otherwise, instead of being useful, the child may develop strabismus. Make sure in advance that the mobile you like can be placed on your bed properly: it should not stagger and play, fall on the child, even if he can reach the toys and pull them towards him.

Type of toys

The choice between textile and plastic toys remains the responsibility of parents, since there is no unequivocal opinion regarding which option is better. It is desirable that the toys can be unhooked from the carousel – so you can remove them for washing, change or diversify the set, or give the figures to a grown-up child so that he can play with them separately.

The figures on the mobile most often depict animals, fish, suns, stars and clouds. It’s good if they are made of multi-colored and have different shapes based on basic geometric shapes – so the child will quickly learn their names, be able to distinguish one toy from another and concentrate on them.

Music

The vast majority of mobiles have musical accompaniment. In mechanical ones, only one melody is most often played, while electronic ones can play several songs, white noise, sounds of water or nature. All melodies and sounds should be soothing, quiet. It is desirable that the volume can be adjusted in the model – this function is offered by most modern electronic vehicles.