Features of the
The history of the child's appearance of such a thing as a child's mobile is very ancient. Previously, it was believed that such toys, hung at the head of a crib, are charms that can protect the baby from the evil eye or damage. Now such a little thing is installed on a crib for a different purpose. Rather, it performs an entertainment function and helps to keep the baby busy. In addition, some consider it to be a decorative element.
A children's mobile is like a miniature carousel on which toys suspended from it rotate in a circle. As a rule, this element is attached to the side of a crib. Manufacturers present a variety of models with a wide variety of functions that attract little ones. Moms ask themselves whether a mobile is needed in a crib, or ordinary toys will be enough. Each parent must make this decision independently, based on the preferences of the baby, as well as on his age and individual characteristics related to health.
The mobile got its name from its design. This is a device with mobile toys that move in a circle. In another way, this device is called a mobile phone.
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Disadvantages and Benefits
The main advantage of this device is that it attracts the infant's attention and even has a calming effect on him. Many babies stop crying or screaming when looking at such a toy. In addition, the mobile with children's toys looks very cute and beautiful, it perfectly complements the interior design of every nursery. In addition, many experts in the field of children's health claim that such a toy has a beneficial effect on the health and development of babies.
So, doctors point out that such a rotating toy can train eyesight very well. A child can focus on one toy he likes and watch it move in a circle for a long time. It is best to install such a kind of simulator for children's eyes at a distance of about thirty centimeters from the baby. Particularly useful are toys that can be detached and replaced.
Some modern mobile models have a musical function. These devices can play pleasant, soothing music that can even put an infant to sleep. Many mothers use this device to calm down capricious babies.
Another advantage of this baby thing is that it can be a beautiful decoration for a cradle. The toys themselves, suspended on this structure, have a very beautiful design, it can be cute animals, birds, ponies, fairies for girls and cars for boys. As a rule, toys are also chosen to match the color of the child's room, usually calmer pastel shades are used.
Some experts talk about the dangers of this kind of children's toy. So, doctors do not advise purchasing such devices for newborn babies. They can have a negative impact on their still unformed psyche. Also, experts do not recommend using too loud baby mobiles, since the hearing organs in babies are overly sensitive in the first few months. These devices can irritate your baby's hearing, and therefore the baby may become overly excited or cry.
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Varieties
There are many types of toddler cell phones to choose from based on your budget and your child's age. The simplest model is a regular mobile phone, which is usually made of wood or, less often, of plastic. You can even make such a mobile yourself, it will be a fixed rod with a hook, on which you can hang toys on a string or cord. You can select the components of this design depending on your own preferences and the individual preferences of your baby, in addition, you can easily swap them or replace them with new ones when old toys bore your baby. The only negative aspect of this design is that you will not be able to independently adjust the height of the mobile and the toys suspended from it.
The second, more interesting version of this device is a musical mechanical mobile phone. You can independently start a mechanical mobile and thus turn on the music and set the carousel in motion. This device resembles a standard wind-up music box in construction and can only play one music. This version does not have backlighting and other interesting features, but it can hold more toys than a regular wooden mobile and, moreover, they will rotate.
The most interesting and modern variety is electrical devices. Electronic mobile phones do not need to be started, as a rule, they run on batteries. Manufacturers have provided several tunes, as well as mobiles with children's songs. Many electronic devices are presented with a night light or backlit. Such mobile phones are more interesting for babies and therefore they are great distractions and occupy them.
Many e-mobiles have a remote control with which you can turn on or off the device itself, as well as its lights or music. You can also choose a more suitable melody with it, or even the speed of rotation of the carousel. It also provides for replacing toys with new ones, you can hang a boat, a typewriter, stars, bears and other favorite things of your crumbs there. The most expensive models of mobiles are presented with a projector that can reproduce interesting pictures and images on the wall or ceiling.
It is best to acquire a variety that will have a musical function, the role of a night light, and at the same time will act as a decorative element. If your budget allows you, it is worth getting a model with a projector, as it can create an imitation of a starry sky or captivate a child with moving images of animals. The musical component is also very important, since for children over one year old and even over two years old, such a mobile can replace a tape recorder.
Materials (edit)
When choosing a mobile, it is important to consider the quality of the materials from which it is made. It is best to purchase products made from environmentally friendly materials, as well as mobiles that are not potentially dangerous to the child due to their composition. You should not save on children's toys, because their poor quality can affect the health of the baby.
Wooden structures are very environmentally friendly and safe, so it is best to buy mobiles made of natural wood. But, as a rule, such models do not differ in a wide variety of functions and interesting looks, so you can give preference to felt devices.
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Experts do not advise buying plastic mobiles, but now there are many models made of fairly high-quality and absolutely harmless plastic. Usually the mount itself is made of plastic or, less commonly, wood. But hanging toys can be made of both textile materials and plastic and sometimes wood. The material of the mobile should be chosen based on your own wishes. For example, some people purchase exclusively plastic devices, since they are very easy to clean.
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Mobiles with soft figures are considered safer. The soft mobile can be removed and washed. In addition, soft toys help develop fine motor skills of the hands and are more pleasant to the touch. Such mobile phones are made from a wide variety of textile materials and can also have a thundering filling or filling in the form of balls, which can be fingered and thereby develop the tactile receptors of your baby's pens. The only drawback of such a mobile phone is that it gets dirty quickly and collects dust; such figures will have to be washed as often as possible.
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How to choose
When buying a mobile for children on a bed, you should pay attention to all its components. It is important that the structure does not have various defects, chips, as well as an unpleasant chemical odor. Check if the parts of this device are painted, if they are evenly painted, and if there are any peeling paint surfaces. Avoid acid-colored devices as they may be unsafe.
The next thing you need to pay attention to when buying a mobile phone is the quality of all mounts. Designs with hooks are very convenient, since children's figures are mobile at the same time: they can be removed and put on, swapped and replaced. But with strong untwisting, the toy may fall out of such a mount. Mobile phones that are attached to the side of the crib with special clips are more preferable, since this is the most durable type of attachment. It is less preferable to mount the mobile with Velcro, but they can be installed not only on the cradle, but also in a playpen or in a car on a child seat when transporting a baby.
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When choosing a mobile phone for a bed, you need to decide on the material from which the figures are made. Plastic figurines are less preferred as they can be made up of small parts that your little one might accidentally swallow. But they are more hygienic and not as dirty as soft figures. They are easier to clean and high quality products are not brittle at all. It is best to purchase mobile phones from which you can detach the figures, they are more interesting for the baby and practical, since they can be used as ordinary toys or rattles.
When choosing a children's music mobile, be sure to check what kind of music is there and pay special attention to the sound quality. Musical motives should be pleasant and soothing. It is better to buy such music mobile phones that have a sound control function. This is very convenient because you can choose exactly the volume that will be most comfortable for your baby's hearing.
From what age to use
As a rule, experts do not recommend installing so-called "mobile phones" on the cribs of just-born babies. But in general, such a thing will not do any harm if you follow the terms of its use. The main thing is that the mobile should be located no lower than thirty centimeters from the newborn, and it should not be located over the baby's face, but over his chest. For very tiny babies, you can only buy mobile phones without music, which can irritate their auditory receptors.
In addition, for newborn babies up to three months, it does not matter what color the toys suspended on this device will be, since they do not distinguish colors at this age. You can hang black and white toys on this structure for them. Experts allow the use of mobiles for newborn babies only if you turn on this toy for them for no more than five minutes a day. Longer use of this device can overwork your baby.
For a baby three to four months old, such a toy is more interesting. The kid can already concentrate on the toy he likes and distinguish between different colors. That is why experts recommend using mobile phones from this very childhood. At the same age, it is already permissible to turn on musical mobiles, which will delight the child with a pleasant melody and a moving carousel.
For babies under four months old, it is best to turn on this device only during the daytime when the baby is already awake. In no case should the baby be woken up with this device, as he may get scared and start crying. In the evening, it is also better not to turn on mobile phones, as they can disrupt your baby's sleep. Not only will he not be able to fall asleep right away, but in general he will be very restless to sleep. During the day, the baby will be amused not only by the rotating toys themselves, but also by the shadows that move on the walls with them.
If you have an infant from four months to six months, you can safely purchase a mobile without worrying that this device may have a bad effect on the nervous system of your baby. If you previously had such a device, then at this age it should already be replaced with a new, more interesting one. In addition, you need to purchase a mobile phone with a more reliable design, since a six-month-old baby will certainly try to touch the toys and pull them along. Although the baby is already a little older, nevertheless, you should not leave him unattended in the cradle with such a toy, since he can break the mobile, and small parts can get where they should not.
A kid older than six months is not very interested in quietly watching the carousel with toys, he will try to get up and grab the toys. That is why it is better to disconnect them from the structure and let the child play with them. But the mobile will help develop the kid's desire to walk and independent movement in different ways. In this case, the music device can only be used to play soothing baby tunes. For one-year-old and older children, there is no need to purchase mobiles, since children at this age are fidgets, they will not lie and watch them, they are no longer interested in such toys.
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Top brands rating
There are a huge number of brands that produce mobiles, among them there are many foreign manufacturers, such as Tiny Love, Playgro, Chicco, Fisher-Price, Lakbi. The Winnie the Pooh brand is popular among domestic manufacturers, which produces beautiful mobile toys and other children's products. Some parents prefer to purchase exclusive handmade mobiles for their kids. As a rule, such products have an original design and a rather high cost.
Tiny love
The Tiny Love brand makes wonderful electronic music mobile phones that have lights and an unusual repertoire with children's classical music. The backlight is very soft and not bright at all, perfect for toddlers. For the development of fine motor skills of children's pens, the figures of this brand are made of special embossed material.
Chicco
Another equally popular brand is Chicco. Now the mobiles of this manufacturer beat all the ratings. They are distinguished by the original design of the pendants, as well as the presence of a mirror that is completely safe for babies. Figures of this device are beautiful houses in which animals and cartoon characters live. Such products have a rather high price, but it is justified by the quality, in addition, such a mobile phone has a remote control in the kit, with which you can adjust the volume of the music, as well as the speed of the carousel.
Fisher-Price
Mobile toys of another Fisher-Price brand are distinguished by the fact that they can function as a projector, and pictures can be reproduced with musical accompaniment. It is very unusual that such a device has several melodies with sounds of nature: with birdsong, with the sound of the sea or rain. This mobile phone has an arc-mount and several figures in the form of winged bears. This toy looks very cute and will definitely attract the attention of your baby.
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Testimonials
Judging by the reviews of mothers, electronic musical models are considered the most popular types of mobiles. Parents write that children from four months to one year old love these toys very much, the little ones laugh and wave their hands, looking at the rotating carousel with figures. Some parents even hang mobile phones for children as young as one and a half years. Kids play on their own in a crib with such toys.
Most of all, moms and dads praise mobile phones with soft toys, because they are pleasant to the touch and completely safe for the baby. Parents note that such devices have a calming effect on the baby and distract him from crying, and also amuse capricious children. Many parents like music in such devices, some moms and dads use it as a lullaby for their baby. In general, the parents' reviews about this universal children's device are extremely positive, the parents are glad that they have acquired such an irreplaceable little thing for their baby.
Interesting solutions in interior design
Modern mothers choose a mobile and toys suspended from it to match the color of the nursery. Some of these toys are sold with cribs and canopies. They perfectly complement the cradle and make it more interesting. Some even choose this little thing for bedding for a crib.
A mobile in pastel colors with delicate colors and soft figures will perfectly fit into the interior of a nursery decorated in Provence style. The main rule of this style is light and calm tones of walls and furniture. You can choose such a design to match the color of the wallpaper glued to the wall, which has the baby's cradle. In this case, it is better to choose the carousel holders from light wood or white high-quality plastic.
A Provence-style room and mobile is better suited for a toddler girl. It is better to choose soft pink, light peach, white and pale yellow toys for such a device. They should be combined with curtains in the nursery and a canopy over the crib. Such a device can be decorated with cute bows. In addition, you can choose wallpaper for such a children's room with delicate birds, flowers or butterflies, and decorate the mobile phone with the same toys.
A mobile with boats, anchors, dolphins and other fish can be purchased in the nursery for a boy, if this room is decorated in a nautical style. In this case, you can buy a set of children's bedding with an image of marine motifs, and one of the walls in the nursery can be decorated with a white and blue strip. A mobile phone for a baby boy can be brighter, it is better to purchase a carousel with toys in blue, green, yellow and red colors.
Mobile toys for a children's room should be matched to the style of the interior of the entire room as a whole. Also, it is better to purchase this device to match the color of children's furniture or wallpaper. A cell phone with figures that repeat the shape of the images on the walls or the shape of interesting decorative elements of the children's room will look great.