Spring ushered in daylight savings time, which means our sleep and wake cycles have been thrown in the washer once again. If you’re struggling to come up with ways to get the kids to wake up at a time that’s good for everyone in the family, fret no more. Whether you’re coaxing your tot to stay in bed longer or teaching your big kid how to tell time, stay one step ahead of the sleep and wake game by picking out an alarm clock that fits your child.
1. OK to Wake! Alarm Clock $29.95
Kids learn so much from visual cues, and that’s where this alarm clock from Onaroo really shines. Parents can program what time the clock’s yellow display switches to green or ‘wake up time’ — because even young toddlers know that green means GO! The clock also has a digital time display and a gentle alarm sound that gets louder gradually to wake up big kids who want to get up on their own time.
2. It’s About Time Stoplight Clock $39.99
Building on the ‘green means go’ idea, the Stoplight Alarm Clock is a match for little ones who are having a hard time understanding when it’s time to get up and hollering, “Is it time to get up yet?” from across the hall. This alarm clock uses a traffic stoplight to tell kids that a red light means stay in bed and a green light means it’s wake-up time. Two-year-olds love it and big kids will appreciate its cool design and digital clock feature right below the traffic light.
Is your big kid obsessed with all things Lego and World of Ninjago? If sword fights reign supreme in your household, your little ninja will love this digital clock. Kids can activate the backlight for night viewing of the LED display, and can snooze away by pushing down on the ninja’s head while yelling, “Haiii-ya!”
4. Lego Pink Brick Alarm Clock $32.99
Here’s a clock that will look good in a 6-year-old’s fairy-themed room, mom’s home office or a contemporary home’s main entryway. There’s no better way to bring that pop of color into your kid’s room than with this iconic LEGO brick alarm clock, complete with a digital LCD screen, backlight, and snooze button.
5. Zazoo Kids Photo Alarm Clock $89.99
We live in the age of ever-evolving digital products, and this Zazoo Kids Photo Alarm Clock knows that your 7-year-old early riser may want an alarm clock that reflects his or her modern taste. This multimedia alarm clock is a photo album, mp3 player, audio book player, and alarm clock — all in one product. It’s so foolproof that Zazoo claims that even the most sleep-deprived parent can operate it! The photo alarm shows kids ‘awake’ or ‘asleep’ images, depending on the time of day. Does your little one want a more personalized screen? Let him upload photos of him sleeping or playing from the family’s last vacation directly from his flash drive.
6. Talking Animal Alarm Clock $17.95
Land of Nod’s Talking Animal Clock is the perfect fit for a child who wants an animal-themed, candy-colored alarm clock on the bedside table. Program the child’s wake time and listen with delight as the alarm clock goes off with its corresponding animal sound: the owl clock goes “whoo-whoo!” and the cat goes “meow-meow!”
7. Discovery Kids Rocketship Projection Alarm Clock $26.99
3, 2, 1, blast off! Discovery Kids Projection Alarm Clock beeps when it’s time to get up after naps and in the morning. And what’s even cooler is its projection of both the time and cool space images with just the press of a button. Your little space explorer’s imagination can run wild — and hopefully get tired — as he or she imagines what life would be like in Mars right before entering dreamland.
8. Kid Sleep Globetrotter Clock $23.71
Do you have a family vacation coming up with at least a two-hour time change? This compact, battery operated clock might make jet lag a bit easier on the entire family. The technology is pretty simple: kids know to stay in bed if the ‘sleeping’ sheep on the screen is still lit. When the ‘awake’ sheep lights up, they know it’s time to start the day and go exploring in their new city. The Kid’Sleep Globetrotter also has a pleasant bird chirp alarm to let jet setting big kids know to rise and shine.
Did we miss any of your favorite wake-up time gear? Let us know in the comments section below!
–Cathy Lara
Photo credit: Onaroo, Stoplight Alarm Clock, Lego, Zazoo, Land of Nod, Amazon, and Kid Sleep
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