When it comes to building a favourable environment around toddlers, a common question is whether it is okay to put toys, aquariums and baby musical mobiles in the baby’s crib or not?
A common concern is that baby won’t sleep and would spend time playing with the toys. Despite this, many experts believe that these toys help babies to feel comfortable in their cribs. They are a good light physical exercise before they go to bed. Likewise, it gives them refreshing morning vibes when they wake up before anyone else in the dawn. Imagine your ten-month-old baby waking up and rolling over to find little toys and playing for an hour or so, while you snooze in bed. It sure sounds great. However, with comfort comes the importance of the safety of your child while playing with toys in their crib.
Important safety tips for baby mobiles
Soothing shapes, pretty colours, and a lot of developmental benefits, there is a lot to love in a baby mobile. These toys make a sweet impression with inspiring delight in babies and parents alike. But these famous nursery decorations can also be dangerous at times. And if made of poor quality or used improperly, they can be deadly. It is thus important to buy a high quality branded item and know about the proper use before you hand it over to the baby. Also, before you install a baby mobile in the cot, make sure you have considered the following safety points.
The length of baby musical mobile toys
According to the American Academy of Pediatrics, a toy crib mobile with strings longer than seven inches can strangle your baby. At the time when store-bought models can generally meet the requirement, the same cannot be said for homemade or individually crafted toy mobiles. This is the reason why it is always recommended to go to top trusted brands to buy anything for your newborn toddler or kids in their growing ages. Likewise, before buying and using a cot mobile to hang near your baby, it is better to grab a measuring tape and double-check the length of the cord.
Potential choking hazards of baby toys musical mobile
These are some of the common damages toys can cause to your kids. It is always a good idea to avoid buying toys that can fit in the mouth of your little angels. You cannot stop them from taking everything into their mouth, so care is the only thing you can consider. And just like many other toys, the musical mobiles also come with small detachable parts. These parts pose a choking hazard and thus, are not an ideal choice to use in cribs or when babies are without adult supervision. Hence, before buying a mobile gives it a detailed review. Look for any flimsy or loose parts and decide accordingly.
Ensure safe placement of musical mobiles for babies
While it is crucial that the mobile remains out of reach, you will also want to place it close enough to your baby to enjoy. Newborns have an optimum sight range of between eight to twelve inches. They have an issue focusing on objects outside this window. Hence, you must try hanging the mobile in a way that the bottom hangs approximately 16 inches above the surface of the mattress in the crib. You can lower the volume bit if the baby seems uninterested. Important is that the kid can reach the mobile easily, and the string does not get dangled.
Age suitability of cribs musical mobile
Toy musical mobiles are of many different types. These types are suitable for kids of different age groups. However, all these types are designed to entice newborns to focus and reach out for objects of interest? Leave one in the cot for long, and your little angel might just catch it. However, by the time baby reaches five months or so, and begin to push up on their knees and hands, it is time for the mobile to go. If you’re growing baby able to reach the mobile, he might snatch it, pull it down and this can risk injury or even strangulation. Hence, important is that the toys in cribs are according to the age and growth of the kid.