The best night lights for babies and children 2026

Whether you’re after a soft glow to help navigate around your baby’s crib at night, something to assist with the bedtime routine or a tool to help your child who’s scared of the dark, the best night lights will come to the rescue for babies, toddlers and older children alike.

Establishing an effective sleep routine for your child can be challenging. Even if your child has the best cot mattress money can buy, cosy bedding and a good routine, you may find that they struggle to sleep in a completely dark room, toddlers may experience separation anxiety and older children may find it hard to switch off and relax.

Best night lights 2026: at a glance

• Best night light overall: Hatch Baby Rest Sound Machine | £60

• Best night light budget buy: IKEA Spiken LED night light | £9

• Best night light with audio monitoring: Nanit Sound + Light | £100

• Best night light for babies: Ewan the Dream Sheep | £45

• Best night light for toddlers: Tommee Tippee Groclock Sleep Trainer Clock | £40

• Best night light with thermometer: Tommee Tippee GroEgg2 Gentle Glow Night Light | £22

• Best night light with projector: Moredig Galaxy Projector | £23

• Best night light and white noise machine combination: Ollie the Owl | £40

• Best night light for travel: Shnuggle Moonlight Children's Night Light | £24

• Best night light for colds and congestion: Calpol Vapour Plug & Nightlight | £9

Night lights are a great way to create a gentle and soothing glow, take the edge off the darkness and help calm and settle your child before bed. From simple plug-in lights that offer a fixed, dim glow to projector lamps which cast a beautiful visual show across the ceiling and others which double as some of the best white noise machines, the best night light will make a real difference to bedtime. So which one should you pick for your child?

Luckily we’ve taken a look at and investigated the huge range of night lights available so you don’t have to, scouring the Mumsnet forums - the biggest online network of parents in the UK - to find the best night lights and those to avoid. We then did extensive research across the wider web, looking at which night lights had won accolades or been featured in expert ‘best buy’ lists across websites and print media, and what customers’ reviews said about them, noting the authentic and in-depth consumer feedback on retailer sites.

Here are the best night lights to buy in 2026.

Are night lights good for babies?

Conventional wisdom would have us believe that children should learn to sleep in a pitch-black, quiet room. Fortunately, times are changing and nowadays parents feel more confident in choosing routines and habits that suit themselves and their children.

In short, if a night light helps your child to sleep well or be less afraid of the dark, then it’s almost certainly a good idea. What’s more, a few strategically placed, gentle night lights can help parents to navigate the dark, assisting with night feeds and nappy changes, as well as check on your sleeping baby without disturbing them.

Just make sure the light is kept dim to ensure it doesn’t disrupt your or your child’s internal clock or overstimulate them at bedtime. Most night lights switch off after a short time so, once your child is asleep, the room becomes dark again.

What colour night light is best for babies?

A dim red light has been scientifically proven to be the least disruptive to the body, whereas blue lights can impact melatonin production and actually interfere with sleep patterns. Most night lights tend to offer a subtle gold or white glow, whereas others can alternate between a variety of colour options.

What should I look for in a night light?

Here are some features to consider when choosing the right night light for your child:

• Age - Some night lights are targeted to soothe, comfort and calm a young baby, whereas others are more suitable for toddlers, preschoolers or older children. Look at the key features to consider which are most suitable for your child’s needs.

• Power source - Does the night light require batteries? If so, it's worth remembering that you will need a supply of replacements if the nightlight proves to be popular with your child. Alternatively, mains-powered or USB chargeable night lights can be more cost-effective in the long term. If the night light is battery powered, how long can you expect batteries to last? Some night lights with sounds and white noise can drain batteries pretty quickly.

• Sounds - Do you want a night light with sound options and if so, what kind? Some night lights have white noise and soothing sounds, whilst others include lullabies and classical music. Some even allow you to record your own voice and sounds.

• Motion or cry sensor - Some night lights come with motion or noise sensors that trigger light or comforting sounds when your baby wakes in the night. These can be really useful to help get your baby back to sleep without parental intervention.

• Timer - One really useful night light feature is a timer where the night light turns itself off after a defined time period. Others require you to manually turn them off - this can be a risky action if you aren't able to control it remotely.

• Portability for travel - If you're planning to travel or visit family, how easy is the night light to take with you? Is it portable and small enough to fit in your case?

• Appealing design - Will your child like the night light? Is it a friendly and appealing character design? Can it be cuddled? Will it soothe and calm your baby or is there a risk of it overstimulating and exciting them?

• Adjustable settings - How bright is the night light and can you change the settings to dim it as required? Are there a choice of colours available or is the colour fixed?

• Ease of use - Are the instructions easy to follow? Does it require any initial set up or apps to download? If you have creaky floorboards or haven't yet mastered the art of ninja creeping out of a sleeping child’s bedroom, a nightlight that can be controlled from the comfort of your phone is a big plus.

What age should a child stop using a night light?

There’s no definitive answer to this question, like most parenting conundrums. Your child will likely grow out of any attachment to a night light by the time they are four or five years old, but this largely depends on the child.

Some children struggle with nightmares or a fear of the dark throughout the primary years, and a night light can be a great help. What’s important is that the light is dim to keep any effect on the body’s natural rhythms to a minimum.

What’s the best night light for babies?

When it came to the best night light on our list, the Hatch Rest Baby Rest Night Light was certainly the most versatile choice. It offers a smart and adjustable night light solution to help families from the newborn days right up to early childhood. Whilst it’s quite a significant initial investment, the fact it isn't targeted simply at a particular age group means you’ll certainly get your money’s worth.

Can I leave a night light on all night?

There are a huge range of different night lights, so this will vary from one brand to the next. It isn’t recommended to keep a bright light or a projection show on all night long as this may affect the quality of your child’s sleep and even upset their entire body clock. But, generally speaking, a small light that gives off a dim glow can be used all night to no ill effect.

How we chose our recommendations

Because we know that there’s nothing like a recommendation from a real parent, we first headed to the Mumsnet forums to find out which night lights discerning Mumsnet users had bought and rated themselves. We thoroughly analysed these suggestions, noting the pros and cons of each.

We then did extensive research across the wider web, looking at which night lights had won accolades or been featured in expert ‘best buy’ lists across websites and print media, and what customers’ reviews said about them, noting the authentic and in-depth consumer feedback on retailer sites.

Having collated all that information, we picked the night lights we thought would make the best buys in several interest categories, helping solve some of the biggest sleep challenges with newborns and young children.

About the author

Poppy O'Neill is a Content Editor at Mumsnet and a mother of two. She's been researching and reviewing baby and child products for 2 years, with a particular focus on baby essentials, toys and books for toddlers and outdoor play equipment. From potties to paddling pools and bunk beds to bedtime stories, she loves to deep-dive into research and find the best products out there.

Poppy is also an award-winning, best-selling children's and parenting author of books such as Don't Worry, Be Happy, The Extraordinary Book That Makes You Feel Happy and Mother Power. She specialises in children's mental health and her books are used by therapists, teachers and SENCOs across the UK. She won a The Week Junior Book Award in 2023, her books have been translated into several languages and she's been featured in The Guardian, The Sunday Times and The Sun.

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