Mobiles and Crib Toys

October 13, 2008

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Mobiles and Crib Toys

by Susan E. Davis and Laura Jana, M.D., F.A.A.P.
reviewed by Robert Needlman, M.D., F.A.A.P.

Whether it's the windup kind with colorful animals and a sweet lullaby or an "infant stimulation" model with black and white geometric shapes, mobiles are big hits with most babies. At certain points in your child's life, the mobile may serve as entertainment while he's lying in the crib or getting a diaper changed. At other times, watching or listening to a mobile becomes part of a soothing bedtime routine.

If you're considering getting a mobile for your baby, things to look for include:

fasteners (clamps, strings, or straps) that are secure, so the mobile won't fall on your baby;

a melody and sound quality that won't grate on your nerves after
four nights;

strings that won't come within a baby's reach, which could pose a strangulation hazard;

toys that are fully visible from underneath (where the baby lies) rather than from the side. After all, they're meant to be for your baby's enjoyment, not your own!

Crib toys
Tempting though it may be to supply your infant with a cuddly stuffed animal or in-the-crib entertainment, you should know that it generally is not a good idea. Experts suggest that you never place stuffed animals in an infant's crib because of the risk of suffocation. But if you're thinking about other types of crib toys, you should know that the Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC) recommends that parents avoid hanging toys across the crib or on crib corner posts with strings long enough to result in strangulation. Strings with loops or openings with perimeters--that is, areas around--greater than 14 inches are considered dangerous.

The CPSC also recommends that parents remove crib gyms when their child is able to pull or push herself up on hands and knees. The same guidelines apply to mobiles. It also advises that parents avoid toys that are small enough (or have pieces that are small enough, such as glass eyes on stuffed animals) to pose a choking hazard. Generally, anything that can fit inside a toilet paper roll is considered small enough to pose a choking risk.

The CPSC offers the following safety guidelines for purchasing crib toys or mobiles:

Crib Toys, Mobiles

No strings with loops or openings having perimeters greater than 14 inches (356 mm).
No strings or cords longer than 7 inches (178 mm) should dangle into the crib.
Crib gym has label warning to remove from crib when child can push up on hands and knees or reaches five months of age, whichever comes first.
Components of toys are not small enough to be a choking hazard.


RELATED INFORMATION

			Baby Bedding
			Bedding in Playpens: What Every Parent Should Know
			Toys and Play
			Baby Supplies
			Sleep Supplies

Created June 14, 2001
Reviewed June 21, 2001

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