Eager to have your little one sleep longer? A toddler alarm clock is a great way to ensure that you and your child get a good night’s sleep and have a happier morning!
As many (sleep deprived) moms of young children know, establishing a sleep routine can be frustrating. If your child’s idea of “waking up with the sun” means wanting breakfast at four a.m., it’s time to enlist some help. A toddler clock can help you establish a routine because these clocks are designed to teach your child when it’s time to get out of bed.
Here are eight parent-recommended toddler alarm clock choices to get you started on the path to a well-rested child — and a better-rested you:
- Stoplight Sleep Enhancing Alarm Clock for Kids, Red and Blue Sports Car
Technology expert and best-selling author Joe Kissell, who blogs at Joe on Tech, is a big fan of the stoplight alarm clock. He says, “I think of an alarm clock as a device to keep me from oversleeping, but my kid never oversleeps — he’s always the first to wake up. I needed the reverse of an alarm clock, something that would encourage him to stay in bed longer so my wife and I could get more sleep in the morning. He’s too young to tell time (we’re working on it), but in the meantime, the stoplight alarm clock does an amazing job. Red (stay in bed) and green (get up) lights are crystal clear, even to a four-year-old.”
- My Tot Clock
This updated moon-and-stars clock (you can purchase interchangeable face plates, too) features music, stories and white noise, displaying time in both analog and digital formats. Lindsey Galvez, a blogger at So Easy Being Green and the co-founder of Blogging Mamas Network, and her family have been using this clock for nearly three years. Galvez says, “It’s still something that my girls fall asleep to every night, and the way that they’ve learned to tell time and know when it’s an appropriate time to get out of bed. Our My Tot Clock is one of my favorite kid gadgets for sure and something I recommend to all my mom friends who are upset about dwindling sleeping hours!”
- OK to Wake! Children’s Alarm Clock and Nightlight
In addition to a snooze button and separate nap timer, the OK to Wake! alarm clock offers the options of an alarm, a glowing light or a combination of both. Victoria Slone of Chicago, who blogs at Life in the Veggie Lane, loves this clock for her 3-year-old. “It took only a couple days before my daughter stopped getting out of bed at inappropriate times,” says Slone. “She knows not to get out of the bed until the green light comes on because green means go.”
- Kid’Sleep Classic
Cuddly bunnies are just one of the Kid’Sleep alarm clock’s highlights, which also include weekend and nap settings. Hannah Shaw, a blogger at Hannah and the Mini Beasts, explains that “the clock has really worked for us and become key in our bedtime and morning routine, so much so that the twins remind me to put it on before we read the nighttime story.”
- Patch Products Teach Me Time! Talking Alarm Clock and Nightlight
The Teach Me Time! alarm clock, equipped with both analog and digital clock faces, features interactive games to help your child learn to tell time and also doubles as a night light. According to Lindsey, a mom from Illinois (who preferred her last name not be used), some of the best features of this clock are the interchangeable faces, the ease of use and the fact that it “runs on both an AC adapter and battery.”
- LEGO Kids’ Star Wars Darth Vader Mini-Figure Alarm Clock
If your family loves “Star Wars” or LEGOs, it’s hard to resist this Darth Vader alarm clock, which also is also available in other characters. Susan Lill of Williams Bay, Wisconsin, relied on a “Star Wars” alarm clock for her children when they were young. “I was able to use this alarm clock to teach my kids to be responsible for getting themselves up … on time,” says Lill. “They could easily turn it off and on, and they could clearly see the time.”
Looking for an alarm clock for the older ones, too? Check out Choosing a Kids’ Alarm Clock.
Christine O’Brien is a mom and writer who wishes her preschooler still took naps. You also can find her work on Fit Pregnancy and What to Expect.
