Best kids' lamps to brighten up bedrooms and playrooms

A good bedside lamp is important for children of all ages. From toddlers in need of reassurance, to school kids that want to read before bedtime to teens that need a lamp to assist with their revision.

There are plenty of lamps available to buy and they all come with different functions, price points and aesthetics, so you'd be forgiven for feeling overwhelmed and unsure about what to buy. Your kids will also have their own ideas about colour, size and style and while it's important to involve them in the decision-making process, it could add another level of complexity to the task. Lucky for you, we're here to help.

Whether you're looking for a lamp for reassurance, reading, or revision, there's something for everyone in our comprehensive guide.

Here are the best kids' lamps to buy in 2022.

1. Best overall kids' lamp: Caxmtu LED Night Light Touch Lamp Bedside Table Lamp

Price: £15 | Buy now from Amazon

"I've got this one in DD's room. It's actually a pretty good lamp, touch or remote operated, and it's really quite bright on the highest setting" - recommended by Mumsnet user, babycornplease

If you're looking for an affordable bedside lamp that will appeal to kids of all ages, then you can't go wrong with the Caxmtu LED Night Light Touch Lamp Bedside Table Lamp.

This rechargeable night lamp has a built-in battery and a micro USB port. When it's fully charged, it lasts up to 10 hours with minimum brightness and up to five hours with maximum brightness.

The lamp is touch activated and it comes with a remote control that your child can use to adjust the lamp's brightness from their bed. You can also change the colours; there are 13 to pick from, as well as three different light modes including flash, strobe and fade.

You get plenty of bang for your buck with this bedside lamp, that's why it's taken the top spot.

Key specs

• Size: 16.5 cm

• Power: 3 watts

2. Best novelty lamp: Frozen Disney Kids Pop Up Lantern Night Light and Torch By GoGlow

Price: £10 | Buy now from Amazon

"We had a Go Glow one - very good; the charge lasts quite a while... Added bonus is that it can be used as a torch as well, in case DD dropped teddy or needed a wee in the night" - tried and tested by Mumsnet user, DisneyAddict88 

"It's been great and the torch feature is great for night time wakening" - recommended by Mumsnet user, Silasramsbottom

Those with younger kids might be on the lookout for a novelty lamp that's functional and fun.

This Disney lamp, by Go Glow, is praised by Mumsnetters because it can be used as both a night light and a torch. There are two different brightness settings and this particular design will appeal to all Frozen fans.

Key specs:

• Size: 17 cm

• Power: 50 watts

3. Best colour changing lamp: ECOLOR Bedside Moon Lamp

Price: £35 | Buy now from Amazon

We think this ECOLOR Bedside Moon Lamp is the king of colour-changing lamps because it has a staggering 16 million different colour combinations.

You can combine up to five different colours at once, using a Bluetooth app that's paired to your phone. It goes without saying that there are heaps of colours to choose from, but we love the sound of 'warm white', 'rainbow', 'sunset', 'snowflake' and 'fire'.

This lamp also comes with a dimmer switch, so you can adjust the brightness between 10 and 100%. You can sync the lamp to music as well for a soothing bedtime light show!

Key specs

• Size: 24 cm

• Power: 5 watts

4. Best budget kids' lamp: Wilko Pink Ceramic Lamp

Price: £7 | Buy now from Wilko

If you're on a budget, it's worth considering this bedside lamp from Wilko. It has a fun skittle-shaped design and is available in four different colours (pink, parchment, white and grey). Even better, you'll have change from a tenner to stock up on lightbulbs.

Key specs

• Size: 29 cm

• Power: n/a

5. Best best lamp for design: Lustrumlight Lightstax Starter Set 12 Bricks incl. USB Smart Base

Price: £18 | Buy now from Amazon

This lamp-come-building-block set is fun as well as practical. Kids can express their creativity by stacking the light blocks in a design they choose.

You only get 12 bricks in this starter pack, but you can buy an extension pack if you want to create a bigger lamp.

Key specs

• Size: 29.3 cm

• Power: Battery

6. Best reading lamp: mafiti Kids Desk Lamp

Price: £15 | Buy now from Amazon

Bookworms need a lamp that can be adjusted, to focus the light on their book. That's what you get with this product from mafiti as it's been designed to act as both a night light and a reading lamp.

We especially like the fact that the base has 256 different colour combinations. That means you can match the base to your child's bedroom decor and adapt it when you redecorate!

It also has a built-in rechargeable battery that lasts between 2.5 and 4 hours. It comes with a USB charging port too.

Key specs

• Size: 13.4 cm

• Power: Battery

7. Best lamp for older kids: Bedside Lamp with Wireless Charging

Price: £28 | Buy now from Amazon

If your kid has a smartphone, then you should consider buying this bedside lamp, as it comes with an in-built wireless charging unit. It's compatible with a range of different iPhone and Samsung Galaxy models and they can use it to charge their Apple Airpods too!

The design is sleek; there are three brightness levels that you can control via a button and the angle of the lamp can also be adjusted accordingly.

Key specs

• Size: 20.3 cm

• Power: 15 watt

8. Best dinosaur lamp: Disaster Designs Dinosaur Lamp - White Origami Triceratops Night Light

Price: £37 | Buy now from Amazon

Have dino-loving kids? Gone for a dinosaur theme in your kid's bedroom? This origami triceratops lamp is bound to appeal.

And it isn't all style and no substance either; it's practical. It's mains powered and it takes an LED bulb which means that the lamp is cool to touch no matter how long it's been on for.

Key specs

• Size: ‎30.5 cm

• Power: n/a

9. Best wireless lamp: Kids LED Desk Lamp

Price: £9| Buy now from Amazon

We think this flower desk lamp is a great option for pre teens who are just starting to experience the joys of homework. Not only does this lamp come in a cute flower design, it also doubles up as a pen tidy.

It has a dimmable function, so your child can choose the brightness and it's fully rotatable, so you can change the angle of the light accordingly. This lamp has a built-in battery that lasts for approximately four hours at full brightness and for up to 12 hours at low light. It also comes with a USB charging cable.

Key specs

• Size: 41cm

• Power: 3 watts

10. Best floor lamp: Eivind 145cm Reading Floor Lamp

Price: £60 | Buy now from Wayfair

This adjustable, angled floor lamp comes with both a reading and a task light. That means that it's great for night-time reading, but there's also the option to switch to a bigger, brighter light. It comes in eight different colours, including black, cream, duck egg, lime green, pale blue, red, white and yellow. That means that you're bound to find one that matches the decor of your child's room.

Key specs

• Size: 145 cm

• Power: 60 watt

What type of lamp is best for a kids' room?

There are lots of different lamp designs available and the one you choose will depend on your child and their needs.

Use an LED bulb if you can though. They're particularly good to use in your child's bedroom because they're cool to touch, no matter how long they have been on for. That means that parents can be reassured that their kids won't burn their fingers.

What kind of lamp is best for reading? 

If your child wants to read before bed, then it's important that they don't strain their eyes. Having a lamp with a strong focussed light and an adjustable head usually works best.

Can lamps be left on all night?

As long as the light bulb doesn't exceed the rated wattage for the light fixture, it is safe to leave it on overnight.

If in doubt though, you should always check the manufacturer's guidance.

What's the best kids' lamp to buy in the UK? 

When you're looking for a lamp, you'll want something that's functional, affordable and fits in with the decor of your child's room. The Caxmtu LED Night Light Touch Lamp Bedside Table Lamp ticks every one of those boxes, that's why it's our star buy.

How we chose our recommendations

We spent several hours sifting through Mumsnet's forums for recommendations from our users on the kids' lamps they rated most highly. We were also on the lookout for poor reviews of products to avoid.

We also consulted recommendations from experts, consumer websites and print media and made sure we included brands that regularly appeared in top 10 lists.

We then looked at reviews for each of our longlisted kids' lamps to check that previous customers were satisfied with their purchases.

By doing this, we whittled our longlist down and chose a top list that we think offers something for everybody.

Why you should trust us

We work hard to provide unbiased, independent advice you can trust. We do sometimes earn revenue through affiliate (click-to-buy) links in our articles. This helps us fund more helpful articles like this one.