10 Products to Help Kids Sleep in Their Own Bed

My youngest daughter, now 5, has always struggled with sleeping. As a baby, she slept by herself in her own sleep space, but in her later toddler years, it became easier to let her bunk with me—and now the habit has stuck. 

Fast forward to today, however, and the path of least resistance has become nocturnal kicks to the head, shivering through the night with stolen blankets, and a sliver of the edge of the mattress to call my own. I’m waving my white flag because I know it’s time to reclaim my bed, and I’m looking at products that can help us all sleep better. So far, we’re having the most luck with the Snoobie Smart Soother (no Wi-Fi required!), the cutest unicorn sleep masks, a fun turtle-shaped light projector, and more sleep products for kids.

Happiest Baby Snoobie Smart Smoother

Upon hearing my dilemma, Happiest Baby sent our family a free sample of the Snoobie Smart Sleeper to try out—and I’m feeling more optimistic about getting our daughter to sleep in her own bed than I have in a long, long time. We’ve been using the Snoobie for several weeks now, and my 5-year-old absolutely loves it. It’s a white noise machine, nightlight, and sleep trainer machine, and it doesn’t require Wi-Fi to run, which is a huge plus for us. It has soothing sounds, including lullabies, which for some reason, my daughter now insists on playing every single night.

My daughter chooses her customizable nightlight color every night, and she loves the “rainbow” effect, which lets you use the dial to flip through a literal rainbow of colors. There’s also an accompanying app, so you can program a “wake” color and sound to come on that signals to your child that it’s time to wake up or get out of bed. You can also set a timed bedtime routine, such as a 30-minute wind-down time with one sound and color, and when that’s up, a new color and sound to signal it’s time for bed. 

So far, the Snoobie has helped our child feel excited about falling asleep in her own bed. There have been a few nights when she snuck back out to our bed in the middle of the night, but half the battle is falling asleep in her bed, so I’m feeling very hopeful.

NKG Unicorn Sleep Mask

I bought these kids’ eye masks for my 5-year-old and one of their older siblings (they share a room). They don’t use them every night, but they both slip them on more nights than not. It’s just one more trick up my sleeve when my youngest is really resisting bedtime. 

“My girls love these masks and use them frequently at bedtime,” shared one Amazon shopper. “They aren’t too tight on their heads so they are comfortable wearing them.”

Alvantor Pop-Up Bed Tent

With two sisters sharing a room, we invested in a pop-up bed tent to provide some privacy for my older daughter. The tent is high-quality and has many adjustable features, including zip-down walls, roll-up doors, and storage pockets. There’s even a light storage loop, which allows my daughter to use it to read without disturbing her sister.

While relatively simple to attach to a bed, it is a bit of a process because the mattress goes on top of it. The tent is not something you’d want to put on and take off constantly—when my daughter uses it, she uses it for several days or even weeks at a time.

Hatch Rest Baby Sound Machine 2nd Gen 

The Hatch Rest 2nd Gen is one of the most popular sound machines on the market. My sister-in-law, Abigal van den Boogaart, successfully uses the Hatch and has managed to produce the single greatest sleeper the world has ever seen in my niece. Truly—that child has slept full nights straight out of the hospital. I wouldn’t have believed it if I hadn’t seen it myself, but my sister-in-law swears the Hatch has been part of their success. 

“We use the Hatch every night as part of our bedtime routine and during nap times,” she explains. “With the ability to control it from your phone, you can easily adjust the sound volume and light settings to create a soothing sleep environment.” 

Lifeyj Glow-in-the-Dark Blanket

For no-battery-required illumination, glow-in-the-dark blankets can provide a cozy comfort at night. After exposure to a bright light for 15-30 minutes, these blankets will cast a subtle glow to help your little one drift off. There are 11 designs to choose from, including unicorns, hearts, and video games.

“Super soft & beautiful, but the glow in the dark feature is the coolest,” shared one grandma. “My 6-year-old granddaughter loves it!”

LittleHippo Mella: All-in-One Trainer, Alarm Clock, Night Light, & Sound Machine

The LittleHippo Mella has over 13,000 five-star ratings and an average of 4.3 stars, making it one of the best-selling kids’ alarm clocks on Amazon. This sound machine displays visual cues for sleep training, like a smiley face when it’s time to start the day, a sleepy face when it’s time for bed, and an optional playtime face for wind-down or free time. It also includes a convenient nap time timer, which is a nice feature if you have a child transitioning to quiet time or if you need help waking your child remotely from their nap. (Work-from-home parents, IYKYK.) 

“We’ve been using Mella for our oldest kid since September 2023,” wrote one parent. “They really love the device, and it’s been great for sleep training and setting a consistent schedule with our kid.”

Cloud b Calming Nightlight Star Projector 

We have owned the turtle versions of these nightlights (in two different colors!) since my oldest daughters were toddlers—for over a full decade now—and they’re still going strong. I recently pulled one out of the closet to introduce it to my 5-year-old, who loves it just as much as her older sisters did. My girls loved being able to choose their favorite color turtle, and there’s now a cute ladybug option, too. 

The constellation projector produces an impressive night show on the ceiling, and there’s a button to click through to choose the color that displays. Having drifted off myself underneath the gentle glow of the star projector, I can attest that the lights are calming and comforting. Parents will appreciate the updated 45-minute LED timer that automatically shuts the nightlight off. (And cues you to go back to your own bed.) 

Momcozy DreamSync Baby Sound Machine

This Momcozy sound machine is one of the brand’s latest products and it already has 4.5 stars on Amazon. It’s a white noise machine, speaker, sleep trainer, and night light all in one device. Parents can use the nightlight for diaper changes and bed checks in the middle of the night, and you can even stream bedtime stories directly through the speakers via the accompanying app. 

“My daughter was having a really hard time falling asleep,” says one Amazon shopper. “She was afraid of the dark, but now she wakes up saying she has dreams about rainbows and fairies.” (A note: According to reviews, this sound machine can only be turned on and off through the app, not on the device itself.) 

Dreamland Baby 4-Pound Weighted Blanket for Kids

We own this Dreamland Baby blanket, and it has been incredibly useful in helping our older daughter fall asleep. My daughter’s legs get restless at night just like mine, so we got her this blanket to try to calm her legs and help her relax. We call it her “special blanket,” and whether it’s the weighted calming effect or just a comfort item, it really does help her stop moving her legs and fall asleep. Right now, you can score 40% off using the on-site coupon.

It’s important to note that weighted blankets should never be used with children under 4 years old, with sleep apnea or breathing problems, or with circulation issues, such as diabetes or a developmental delay.

Ikasa Giant Stuffed Animal Plush 

Did I give my daughter this giant unicorn plush in hopes that the mythical creature could replace me as her favorite bedtime snugglemate? Perhaps. It doesn’t always work, but it’s nice to have on those nights she needs extra coaxing to go to bed alone. 

If unicorns aren’t your thing, don’t worry—the brand also has other oversized animal plushes, like a pink pig, a monkey, or a koala. 

Fisher-Price Soothe ‘n Snuggle Otter Portable Plush Sound Machine

This adorable little otter is a best-seller on Amazon, with over 46,500 ratings and an average of 4.6 stars. It’s meant for babies and toddlers, but could technically be used with any age, because it provides soothing sounds and soft lights that can help anyone drift off to sleep. The star feature of the Fisher-Price Soothe ‘n Snuggle Otter is the rhythmic breathing motion that can help little ones feel like they’re not alone as they fall asleep, and a 30-minute timer that shuts off so you don’t have to worry about it after your child falls asleep. 

“Otter was originally purchased for [our] 18-month-old son, but our 4-year-old has taken him over,” relates one Amazon shopper who’s making me consider buying this. “This otter has a long battery life. [It’s] quiet and has just the right amount of light. My 4-year-old instantly starts to fall asleep when we turn it on.”