A newborn baby often wakes every two to three hours to eat. During this time, parents may dream about the day their child sleeps longer stretches. Even though toddlers typically need 11 to 14 hours per day of sleep (including daytime naps), they can struggle to meet this mark. Two-year-old sleep regression is one reason. They may also start to become afraid of the dark.
Generally speaking, experts recommend keeping a room dark. But every baby is different. If your child has a fear of the dark, a night-light can help calm them and allow them to get those must-needed ZZZs.
It doesn’t have to break the bank, either. Parents swear that these 10 night-lights under $10 help their kids fall asleep.
AUVON Plug-in LED Nightlight
Best Overall
The AUVON Plug-in LED Nightlight is designed to provide gentle illumination and enhance your nighttime experience. Its innovative diffuse backlit design features 16 LED bulbs, ensuring uniform luminescence that softly reflects onto the wall, avoiding any discomfort from direct light into your eyes. Ideal for those sensitive to light or prone to insomnia, this nightlight offers a soothing solution.
With its AUTO Mode, the built-in motion sensor detects movement within a range of 3-5 meters and 120 degrees. When activated in darkness or low ambient light conditions, the motion-activated feature turns the nightlight on automatically, saving energy by switching off after 60 seconds of no detected motion. Embrace intelligent lighting with the NIGHT Mode, where the dusk-to-dawn sensor reads the room’s light levels, automatically turning the nightlight on at night or in dark conditions, and off at dawn or in bright environments. Illuminate your nights with confidence and convenience using the best overall nightlight on our list.
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Best Remote-Operated
These stylish lamps come complete with a remote control with a 12-foot reach, so caregivers can adjust settings, such as color and brightness, without leaving the doorway. They’re not only convenient but stylish to boot. They have a wood base and can be set to 16 different colors, allowing parents to match the light to their nursery decor and kids to feel empowered by picking a color they love.
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Best Character-Themed
Kids love the bad-guy-fighting pups in PAW Patrol. It’s no surprise they feel a sense of comfort when this light projects characters from the Nick Jr. show onto the ceiling. LED light powers this room-transforming nightlight, meaning parents don’t have to add replacing bulbs to their to-do list. It’s also cool to the touch, so it’s safe for kids to turn on and off as they please.
Best Rotating
Let there be light wherever your child needs it with this Dreambaby product. The Dreambaby Rotating Sensor LED light plugs directly into a wall outlet and has 360-degree rotation, allowing parents to shine it by a changing table for nighttime diaper changes, then point it back toward baby’s bed or crib. It also uses a sensor to automatically turn on when it’s dark.
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Best Bargain
This under-$5 nightlight offers a whole lot and costs a whole little. It lasts 100,000 hours (or 11 years), so parents don’t need to replace bulbs, well, ever. It also uses less than 1-watt of energy, making it eco-friendly, and the LED sensor allows it to turn on when it’s dark and off at dawn (read: No parental effort required to operate it). The light is bright enough for your child to feel secure but not so overpowering it keeps them awake. It’s small and basic enough to fit anywhere and go with any decor.
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Most Utilitarian
This night-light relies more on function than frills. Parents and kids like that its simple style fits with any bedroom theme. But it’s become a popular choice mostly for its energy-efficiency, safety, and ease of use. The LED light is warm without being too bright and is known to last 25 times longer than normal bulbs. Don’t worry about checking to see whether it turned on or off — it automatically does it. The light is also cool to the touch, so there won’t be tears if a child touches it.
Longest-Lasting
These lights will function for 25 years take your child from babyhood to the real world (though they may not need it that long; this light’s simple style make it transferrable to any location, such as a bathroom or hallway). The lights, which come as a pack of two, rotate 360 degrees, allowing kids and parents to adjust the direction they point. There’s no bulb to replace, and it turns on and off as light is and isn’t needed.
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Most Compact
This flat, square night-light doesn’t stick out like a sore thumb (or stick out at all, really) but rather discreetly blends into the background. This not only makes it a perfect fit for any style of room but also makes it more difficult for a toddler to notice and remove them. It’s small enough to allow parents and kids to use the second outlet for something else, like an alarm clock or sound machine.
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Best Blue Light
When it comes to screen time, blue light is easier on the eyes and better for sleep. This night-light fits that bill. Its responsive sensors allow it to reliably turn on when it’s dark and emits a soft, blue light that’s just light enough to ease your child’s fears of the dark without impeding their sleep cycle. Some parents buy a second one to place in the hallway or bathroom for fear-free middle-of-the-night potty breaks.
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Softest Light
These come in a pack of two, and parents rave about how soft and balanced the light can be. Because the emission is so soft, parents can place them directly by their child’s bed, so their little one can feel secure, control the light, and sleep soundly. The LED light lasts 60,000 hours.
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Most Fun
This LED-tap light makes every night a starry one. Instead of counting sheep, your child can count the stars it projects on the ceiling, floor, or wall. It requires four AA batteries and has a 30-minute time-out feature to preserve battery life. It’s cool to the touch, so it’s safe for your child to turn it on and off as needed.
