When it comes to babies, a restful night's sleep is no easy feat, and getting uninterrupted hours of sleep feels a lot like winning the lottery, so if your little one is fighting the urge to drift off, you need the best baby sleep toys and baby sleep aids to help lull them into a peaceful slumber.
Like us, babies require certain conditions to sleep through the night. Factors such as lighting, temperature and overall atmosphere play a role in how well our little ones sleep and are all factors that we can control. Now, we're not promising that your baby won't ever scream their little lungs out again - after all, there's no miracle fix, but a sleep toy can help.
Sleep toys for babies may look like your ordinary cuddly toys, but they have a secret superpower. They are complete with sleep-friendly features such as white noise machines to aid your little one with getting some shut-eye. Some produce soothing nature sounds or white nights to bring some calm to your baby's surroundings. Others emit lights that are soft and gentle on little eyes if they suddenly wake up during the night. More advanced versions even include sensors that detect when your baby is stirring or distressed. Some baby sleep toys are detachable from a cot mobile, so you have multiple options, and many are ideal for on-to-go to hang from baby's pushchair or even for naps in the car.
The best baby sleep toys at a glance:
Best baby sleep toy overall: Sweet Dreamers Ewan Deluxe - View offer on Amazon UK
Best rechargeable baby sleep toy: Tommee Tippee Ollie the Owl - View offer on Amazon UK
In our round-up below, you'll find the best baby sleep toys recommended by like-minded parents – who have experienced these sleep aids personally. A number of the sleep toys in our list are also previous Mother&Baby Awards shortlisters and winners.
The best baby sleep toys
We've found the best baby sleep toys on the market to make you and your bubba's life that much easier. Shop our top picks below.
Best baby sleep toy overall
Ewan won silver for Best Baby Toy in our 2023 Mother&Baby Awards and gold in the 2022 Mother&Baby Awards.
With his cute, longing gaze, Ewan the Dream Sheep Deluxe is truly a miracle worker and features a smartCRY sensor which will automatically activate when baby stirs. A best-seller in sleep aids, this cuddly toy replicates the comfort of the womb by producing actual recordings of a mother's womb and heartbeat, helping lull your little one to sleep. Ewan also comes with a choice of four additional white noise sounds and also emits a soft pink night glow for further comfort.
M&B mum tester review: "Ewan is a great help during the night and we have seen a big improvement in our daughter's sleep since having him. We set him at bedtime to the setting where he automatically turns on if he hears her crying throughout the night. If she is stirring in the night, most of the time once ewan has come on automatically and she settles back off to sleep, meaning fewer wake-ups and more sleep all round."
Read our full review of Sweet Dreamers Ewan Deluxe.
Pros
- Plays pink and white noise soothing sounds
- smartCRY sensor listens for baby's cry
- Machine washable
Cons
- Requires batteries
| Suitable from: | Birth |
Best rechargeable baby sleep toy
Ollie the Owl is a real hoot, playing a mix of soothing rainfall sounds and lullabies to help your little one drift into dreamland. Gently squeezing Ollie's foot generates a light glow, and the secure Velcro fastening means he can be attached to your cot, Moses basket, or even a buggy for when you're on the go. We also love the innovative CrySensor, which plays soothing music as soon as your little one starts to fuss.
M&B mum-tester Sara said: "I have tried every other sleeping aid on the market with my toddler and none ever even came close to working, until Ollie the Owl came along and worked on the first night!"
Read our full review of Ollie the Owl.
Pros
- USB chargeable
- 6 soothing sounds and adjustable volume
- Three brightness settings for night light
Cons
- Some parents have found the CrySensor to be too sensitive at times
| Suitable from | Birth |
Best sensory baby sleep toy
Apart from being adorable, this otter will soothe your baby to sleep as they snuggle up to it, using rhythmic motions of breathing. It's customisable, meaning you can adjust the music, sounds, volume and lighting to suit your preferences, and will engage all your baby's developing senses to induce relaxation and deep sleep. Where can we get the grown-up version?!
Review: "Couldn't be without it! Our little one would easily wake in her sleep so I'd be up god knows how many times in the night, but the white noise function soothes her when she stirs straight back to sleep! Really cute Otter design, super soft and snuggly. Easy to use and any hard bits are cushioned by the outer teddy so perfect for being in a cot with babies."
Pros
- Made with extra soft fabric
- 11 sensory features
Cons
- Heavier than expected
| Suitable from: | Birth |
Best baby sleep toy for travel
This sweet cloud offers four soothing sounds, including a heartbeat, pink noise, lullaby and waterfall sound. There are also two light options with a calming pink glow and soft white night light, helping your baby feel comforted and settled before sleep.
Reviewed by M&B mum-tester Lauren: "The major benefits of the SnüzCloud, unlike some other white noise/lullaby machines, is that it's soft, which means that it can be easily tucked up behind a baby's head inside of its pram or Moses basket without the risk of it falling on him or becoming a hard obstacle to kick."
Read our review of the SnuzCloud Sleep Aid
Pros
- Easily attachable to the pram and car seat for using out and about
- Two light options
Cons
- Hand-wash only
| Suitable from | Birth |
Best baby sleep toy with voice recorder
The smart sensor on this adorable unicorn automatically responds to your baby's cries with lullabies, cleverly distinguishing between cries and other sounds. It can be fully customised and even lets you record your own voice to help comfort your little one no matter where you are. It's super soft and huggable and easily attached to the cot.
**Review: "**My son absolutely loves this little guy! Nice and soft! Even the velcro is not the hard kind that scratches."
Pros
- Machine washable after removing the sound module
- Plays 3 lullabies and three soothing sounds
- Voice recorder lets parents soothe baby with their voice
Cons
- Requires three AA batteries to work
| Suitable from: | Birth |
6.
MyHummy
Best machine-washable baby sleep toy
This science-powered magical teddy will become your baby's bedtime champion. MyHummy (available in a variety of types) produces five different sounds, clinically proven to promote deep sleep, including white noise, pink noise and amniotic fluid, and even comes with a free teething ring.
Review: "Would definitely recommend. I think it's amazing and worth the money - I've definitely noticed a difference in my baby's sleeping. Great for on-the-move naps as you can attach it to pram handle."
Read our review of the myHummy.
Pros
- Features 12-hour non-stop mode
- Five different sounds
- Machine washable
Cons
- Limited battery life
| Suitable from: | Birth |
Best baby sleep toy with nightlight
Equipped with a smart cry detector, five calming light modes, as well as real recordings from inside a mother's tummy, Moonie the Humming Nightlight bunny will make bedtime so much easier.
Review: "This is a perfect sleeping aid for my sister's newborn. It actually really works too! They had done awful drilling happening next door and this moonie on the lullaby mode soothed the baby right back to sleep! We couldn't believe it! Absolutely delighted with the bunny!"
Pros
- Includes five pink noise sounds
- No batteries required
Cons
- Battery life could be better
| Suitable from: | Birth |
Best baby sleep toy with timer
Another cute as-can-be cuddly owl which doubles as a sensory toy which plays musical melodies, nature sounds and has a glowing tummy that acts as a nightlight. The auto-timer switches Owlbie off every 25 minutes, meaning you won't risk waking your little one if you turn it off yourself.
Review: "I bought this for my friends' newborn twins and the babies apparently are very soothed by it, the parents said it was a perfect pressie for them."
Pros
- Automatic timer
- Great for cuddles
Cons
- Doesn't include crying detection features like other sleep toys
| Suitable from: | Birth |
Best pushchair baby sleep toy
Your little one will fall asleep in no time at all with the Nuby Penguin. It has an option for lullaby, heartbeat, white noise and soft light to soothe your little one, which will automatically play when the cry sensor function picks up when your baby is upset.
Review: "Would recommend. I bought this for my 6-month-old who suddenly struggled sleeping. This certainly helps. It's great for blocking out background noise in the house which would normally stir baby. When I play my son the lullaby he knows it's time for bed."
Pros
- Three volume levels
- Adjustable light brightness
Cons
- Cry sensor function isn't as sensitive as it could be
| Suitable from: | Birth |
Are baby sleep toys safe?
Experts recommend only allowing your little one to sleep with soft toys after the 12-month mark due to the risk of suffocation. For that reason, most of the toys in our round-up can be fastened to your cot or buggy, reducing the risk of anything going wrong. Once your little one is old enough or under your supervision, feel free to unfasten and let them enjoy a cuddle.
Choosing a baby sleep toy
As you've probably gathered, there are a lot of baby sleep toys to choose from. Here are some things to think about...
Cry sensor: Some sleep aids have integrated sensors, which means your baby's cry activates the sound features. This can help ease your baby back to sleep when they stir, but if you're sleeping in the same room as them, choose one with a sensor you can switch off so it's not triggered by your voice – or your snoring!
Volume control: No matter how much your baby loves their sleep toy, there's every chance the sounds will irritate you after a while. A volume control that's easy to adjust, especially in the dark, is a godsend.
On/off switch: The switch must be easy to access. Some aids have sound features that are activated by a gentle shake or squeeze, which avoids hunting for the switch in the dark.
Nightlight: Most sleep aids emit a soothing glow or project a light display onto the walls of your baby's room. Check this feature isn't too stimulating.
Fabric: A much-cuddled sleep aid gets grubby. Some are machine-washable, whereas others can only be wiped clean.
Musical features: Some sleep aids play music, while others feature real-life soothing sounds. Listen to them all, and make sure you find them soothing too!
Hanging loop: Your baby's cot needs to be kept as empty as possible, to begin with, so the aid should be safely attached to the outside or placed safely nearby where they'll be able to see it, until they're old enough to cuddle it at night.
How we test and choose recommended products
Our product recommendations are based on a combination of real-world testing from our burgeoning army of mum testers and the extensive knowledge of our experienced editorial team and product specialists. Where we can, we also consult experts who specialise in that field to ensure you get the right advice along with the right product, and we listen to what you say as well.
Our thriving mum community on our Facebook group #mumtribe consistently provides great insights into which products mums like best and why, helping us highlight the products that will meet your needs.
For essential products, our annual Mother&Baby Awards shortlist the top products tested. Full reviews from our mum testers can be found on our product pages. The winners and runners-up for each category will also appear in our top picks article for that product, along with other products that were rated highly by our team.
Emily Gilbert is the Features & Reviews Editor for Mother&Baby and has written for the website and previously the magazine for six years. Specialising in product reviews, Emily is the first to know about all the exciting new releases in the parenting industry.