Updated: 06/14/2018 19:42:15
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*Review of the best according to the editors of expertology.ru. About the selection criteria. This material is subjective in nature, does not constitute advertising and does not serve as a purchase guide. Before purchasing, consultation with a specialist is required.
Good toys are an important part of every child's happy childhood. Today, the choice is unlimited, and toys from different manufacturers are on sale. They help the child develop and explore the world around him, bring him good mood and distract him from sorrows. Mobiles in a crib are a gift for a child and his parents.
Rating of the 5 best mobiles for a crib
Materials and design
The main part of any crib carousel is plastic, as well as fabric elements made of cotton and synthetics, and less often - wood. Please note that the mobile does not have a chemical smell. The base-arc should be strong, inflexible, and the fastening should be suitable for your crib. There are three types of fastening: screw, clip or straps.
Mechanism of operation
Mobiles can be mechanical or electronic. The first ones are good because they do not require replacing batteries, but manual winding only lasts for a short time - a maximum of 5 minutes. Battery-powered mobile phones last much longer: up to 20-30 minutes per use.
Music
All carousels have it, but the style, quality and number of melodies can vary significantly. To avoid disappointment, “Price Expert” recommends that you turn on your mobile phone and listen to the entire “repertoire” before purchasing. A significant advantage of a good mobile phone is the presence of a silent mode.
Hanging toys
The good thing about plastic toys is that they are inexpensive and easy to clean. Soft-filled ones have a more presentable appearance and are useful not only for the visual, but also for the sensory development of the baby. In any case, choose a mobile model with removable toys. The location of the toys, which should be facing the baby, is also important.
Additional features
This includes a remote control, an image projector on the ceiling, an MP3 player and a sensor that responds to the baby’s crying, as well as all sorts of controls: volume, rotation modes, and time for playing melodies.
The best mobiles with projectors
In addition to the possibility of carousel movement and sound, modern electronic models are often equipped with a projector function.
The light from the mobile is directed to the ceiling, where it creates patterns that attract the baby's attention. This could be an image of the moon and stars, moving colored dots, butterflies or flowers, etc. This toy serves as an original night light and develops the child’s imagination.
Infantino “3 in 1” model – carousel, projector and lamp
4.9
★★★★★
editorial assessment
98%
buyers recommend this product
See review▶
The “3 in 1” mobile from the Infantino brand is distinguished by its very delicate design and wide functionality. Firstly, it can be used as a musical carousel for the crib.
There are 3 figures attached to the holder rim (a bear, an owl and a star), which slowly rotate to a quiet melody. The musical toy's memory contains 6 melodies and sounds of nature - 4 recordings in total.
Secondly, it could be a night light projector. The soft light unobtrusively illuminates the room and does not interfere with the baby's sleep. The third function is a table lamp-night light.
In the Infantino mobile you can switch operating modes: “before bed” or “wake up”. An automatic shutdown feature is also available. The device requires 3 AAA batteries to operate.
Pros:
- Very delicate, laconic design.
- Versatility of use.
- The projector illuminates the entire ceiling.
- There are 10 sound effect options.
- Different operating modes are available.
Minuses:
- The price is above average.
- You cannot enable the carousel movement without backlighting.
The stylish Infantino mobile is available in three delicate colors: blue, pink and light grey. You can choose an option for a boy or a girl.
Fisher-Price "Butterfly's Dream" - with remote control
4.9
★★★★★
editorial assessment
94%
buyers recommend this product
See review▶
The Fisher-Price module is a functional model with sound and light effects. Thanks to the convenient universal mount, the device can be mounted on a crib or above a changing table.
At the top of the durable arch-holder there is a projector that creates a picture of the starry sky on the ceiling. It can be removed and used as a stand-alone night light.
A carousel with three soft toys - funny bear cubs in colorful suits - is attached to a hook on the bottom of the arch. When you turn on the mobile, the toys begin to rotate to the sounds of nature or a pleasant melody.
The carousel on the hook is also easy to attach to the stroller. You can control the mobile using the buttons on the projector body or using the remote control.
Pros:
- Multifunctionality of the model.
- Convenient control - from the remote control or buttons.
- Can be used in a crib or stroller.
- Includes 3 soft toys.
- Strength of elements and reliability of fastenings.
Minuses:
- Quite a high price.
The model is intended for children from birth to an average age of 3 years. Teddy bear pendants can be played separately in the future.
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Smoby Toys Cotoons “Star” – “2 in 1” model with sound sensor
4.8
★★★★★
editorial assessment
92%
buyers recommend this product
The module design consists of a strong plastic holder and a star sound module, to which 3 rotating figures are attached.
The music module is also equipped with a light projector that casts images of colorful butterflies and flowers onto the ceiling.
The pendants are made in the shape of cute little felt owls. When rotated, they create additional glare on the ceiling.
The music block plays 4 melodies: 3 lullabies and one of the sounds of nature. This part can be used separately as a musical night light. The mobile has a voice control function, which means it can be turned on remotely.
Pros:
- Easy to turn on and control using the sound module.
- Sturdy design and secure attachment to the crib.
- You can use the night light separately.
- Interesting design and beautiful pendant toys.
- Original drawing of the projector.
Minuses:
- A small set of melodies.
Smoby Toys Cotoons 2 in 1 model with a star design will appeal to babies and older children. The toy calms the baby and helps develop his imagination and senses.
Tiny Love Peek-a-Boo – educational mobile with double rotation
4.8
★★★★★
editorial assessment
88%
buyers recommend this product
See review▶
A new product from the Tiny Love brand is a unique carousel in which the figures rotate in two directions at once: along the general trajectory of movement and around their own axis.
As a result, three funny animals (a baby elephant, a lion cub and a chick) either appear or hide from the baby behind a leaf, forcing him to follow them with his eyes. All figures are removable so they can be played separately.
The sound module contains 15 melodies: lullabies, sounds of nature, mother’s heartbeat. He can play non-stop for up to 44 minutes. When you turn on the night light, the moon and stars light up with a soft bluish light.
There is a mini piano at the base of the mobile holder. The child will be able to play with it when he grows up a little. When you press each key on the piano, a different melody is played, and the star and moon also light up.
Pros:
- The design includes a carousel for the crib and a mini piano.
- Large selection of melodies and other sounds.
- Removable soft toys.
- Night light function.
- Convenient fastening system.
Toys are made from two materials:
- Plastic. Durable, practical material, easy to clean and wipe with a damp cloth.
- Textile. The fabric is soft, pleasant to the touch, and is not dangerous in terms of injury, however, such pendants will have to be washed regularly, as the material collects dust.
As for attaching toys, they can be removable or fixed. It is important that rag toys are removed, because they will need to be washed.
The rating contains a selection of the most reliable, beautiful and convenient electronic mobiles that are in demand among buyers and delight children for many years.
Mechanical or electrical?
Due to its special structure and circular type of rotation, the mobile is often called a “carousel”.
The movement of its elements can be ensured in two ways:
- At a mechanical plant, the elements are equipped with a special mechanism and run on batteries.
- Electrically powered - the rotating mechanism is started by a built-in unit.
Rotation on a mechanical winding lasts approximately 3-5 minutes, during which the same melody sounds.
The rotation of the electrical structure can reach almost half an hour, the speed of movement of the figures can be adjusted.
Some models of electric mobiles are equipped with a control panel, so you can start the device without going to the crib.
Due to the variety of melodies, the playback of which can be alternated, the musical accompaniment does not become boring.
An important point: in order not to worsen the child’s vision and not to provoke the development of strabismus, it is necessary to place the carousel so that the distance from the figures to the baby’s eyes reaches 30-50 cm.
Manufacturers of crib mobiles: who is better?
You won’t go wrong if you choose a mobile from any well-known world-famous manufacturer of children’s toys on a store shelf. The undisputed leader in quality and popularity is the Israeli company Tiny Love. Also, products of excellent quality are produced by Fischer Price, Chicco, etc.
The inexpensive segment is represented by products of Asian and Russian origin. Not all of them are of good quality, but “Price Expert” can recommend good brands here too: Smoby, Canpol Babies, Felice.
For a very young child, the best option is a mobile made entirely of plastic. For the baby, first of all, a variety of colors, movement and music are important, and plastic is easy to keep clean. If you plan to remove the pendants in the future so that the child can also play with them, then it is better to consider the option with textiles - it is soft, safe, and environmentally friendly.
When purchasing, you should also pay attention to the quantity and quality of melodies. There should be several of them (both parents and children will quickly get bored with one or two), ideally if the sound is deep and as natural as possible. Volume control is a huge plus, because carousels are used both during waking hours and during sleep.
As for the principle of operation, electric options are definitely more convenient than mechanical ones - they are more functional, have many melodies, and do not require frequent manual winding. But it’s worth buying a battery charger or stocking up on a set (or better yet, two), as they tend to fail at the most inopportune moment.
And the main criterion: reliability of fastening. It is important that the carousel does not fall, because even minimal weight can cause injury to the baby. If the model is heavy (from 1 kilogram), then you should pay even closer attention to the fastening - not only may the fastener not be able to withstand a lot of weight, but if it falls, a heavy toy is much more dangerous.
Enjoy the shopping!
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comparison table
If you have not yet decided on the choice of a mobile for a crib for a newborn, you can familiarize yourself with our table, in which we compared the most important parameters of each model and indicated their average price in stores.
| Model | Number of toys (material) | Mounting type | Number of melodies and sounds | Playing time, min | Average price, rub. |
| Giraffes Magic Glade | 5 (plastic) | screw | 18 | 20 | 1 765 |
| Bright Starts Safari | 4 (plastic, textile) | straps | 5 | 15 | 2 555 |
| Fisher-Price Rainforest Friends | 3 (textile) | screw | 2 | 20 | 2 269 |
| Happy Baby Magic Batterflies | 2 (textile) | clamp | 3 | – | 1 662 |
| Tiny Love Sunny glade | 3 (textile) | screw, clip, velcro | 5 | 30 | 2 133 |
| Cotoons Flower | 6 (plastic, textile) | screw | 4 | 40 | 3 305 |
| Infantino with 3 in 1 projector | 3 (plastic) | screw | 10 | 10 | 4 249 |
| Chicco Magic Stars | 3 (textile) | screw | 2 | – | 4 775 |
| Fisher-Price Dreams of Butterflies | 3 (textile) | straps | 5 | 30 | 4 260 |
| Tiny Love My princess | 6 (textile) | screw | 18 | 40 | 6 787 |
Types of mobiles
A mobile is a rotating carousel with hanging toys. The device is attached to the side of the crib or hung on the hook of a special arc. There are varieties with and without musical accompaniment.
Toy carousels differ in size, type of fastening and mechanism, number of functions, and material from which the device is made. Each type of mobile corresponds to a specific age of the child.
How to hang a mobile phone correctly: advice from doctors
The mobile must be attached in the center of the bed. The child should see it in front of him, but below eye level. This is the recommendation of eye doctors. In addition, the child can be placed on different sides of the crib, so it will be more convenient if the mobile hangs in the center: this will make it easier for the baby to find it. The height from the child’s head to the toys should be within 30-50 centimeters. If you place them closer, the child may develop strabismus, and if further away, he simply will not pay attention to the mobile.
According to experts, carousels above cribs arouse the greatest interest in a child from two to four months. He will already be reaching out to toys and smiling at them.
Upon reaching 6 months, the mobile can already be removed, since the child can already freely reach for toys. Leave only the music block, and give the toys to the baby so that he gets to know them better.
