The 9 best baby sleep toys to soothe and settle

Ewan won silver for Best Baby Toy in our 2023 Mother&Baby Awards and gold in the 2022 Mother&Baby Awards.

With his cute, longing gaze, Ewan the Dream Sheep Deluxe is truly a miracle worker and features a smartCRY sensor which will automatically activate when baby stirs. A best-seller in sleep aids, this cuddly toy replicates the comfort of the womb by producing actual recordings of a mother's womb and heartbeat, helping lull your little one to sleep. Ewan also comes with a choice of four additional white noise sounds and also emits a soft pink night glow for further comfort.

M&B mum tester review: "Ewan is a great help during the night and we have seen a big improvement in our daughter's sleep since having him. We set him at bedtime to the setting where he automatically turns on if he hears her crying throughout the night. If she is stirring in the night, most of the time once ewan has come on automatically and she settles back off to sleep, meaning fewer wake-ups and more sleep all round."

Read our full review of Sweet Dreamers Ewan Deluxe.

Ollie the Owl is a real hoot, playing a mix of soothing rainfall sounds and lullabies to help your little one drift into dreamland. Gently squeezing Ollie's foot generates a light glow, and the secure Velcro fastening means he can be attached to your cot, Moses basket, or even a buggy for when you're on the go. We also love the innovative CrySensor, which plays soothing music as soon as your little one starts to fuss.

M&B mum-tester Sara said: "I have tried every other sleeping aid on the market with my toddler and none ever even came close to working, until Ollie the Owl came along and worked on the first night!"

Read our full review of Ollie the Owl.

Apart from being adorable, this otter will soothe your baby to sleep as they snuggle up to it, using rhythmic motions of breathing. It's customisable, meaning you can adjust the music, sounds, volume and lighting to suit your preferences, and will engage all your baby's developing senses to induce relaxation and deep sleep. Where can we get the grown-up version?!

Review: "Couldn't be without it! Our little one would easily wake in her sleep so I'd be up god knows how many times in the night, but the white noise function soothes her when she stirs straight back to sleep! Really cute Otter design, super soft and snuggly. Easy to use and any hard bits are cushioned by the outer teddy so perfect for being in a cot with babies."

This sweet cloud offers four soothing sounds, including a heartbeat, pink noise, lullaby and waterfall sound. There are also two light options with a calming pink glow and soft white night light, helping your baby feel comforted and settled before sleep.

Reviewed by M&B mum-tester Lauren: "The major benefits of the SnüzCloud, unlike some other white noise/lullaby machines, is that it's soft, which means that it can be easily tucked up behind a baby's head inside of its pram or Moses basket without the risk of it falling on him or becoming a hard obstacle to kick."

Read our review of the SnuzCloud Sleep Aid

The smart sensor on this adorable unicorn automatically responds to your baby's cries with lullabies, cleverly distinguishing between cries and other sounds. It can be fully customised and even lets you record your own voice to help comfort your little one no matter where you are. It's super soft and huggable and easily attached to the cot.

**Review: "**My son absolutely loves this little guy! Nice and soft! Even the velcro is not the hard kind that scratches."

This science-powered magical teddy will become your baby's bedtime champion. MyHummy (available in a variety of types) produces five different sounds, clinically proven to promote deep sleep, including white noise, pink noise and amniotic fluid, and even comes with a free teething ring.

Review: "Would definitely recommend. I think it's amazing and worth the money - I've definitely noticed a difference in my baby's sleeping. Great for on-the-move naps as you can attach it to pram handle."

Read our review of the myHummy.

Equipped with a smart cry detector, five calming light modes, as well as real recordings from inside a mother's tummy, Moonie the Humming Nightlight bunny will make bedtime so much easier.

Review: "This is a perfect sleeping aid for my sister's newborn. It actually really works too! They had done awful drilling happening next door and this moonie on the lullaby mode soothed the baby right back to sleep! We couldn't believe it! Absolutely delighted with the bunny!"

Another cute as-can-be cuddly owl which doubles as a sensory toy which plays musical melodies, nature sounds and has a glowing tummy that acts as a nightlight. The auto-timer switches Owlbie off every 25 minutes, meaning you won't risk waking your little one if you turn it off yourself.

Review: "I bought this for my friends' newborn twins and the babies apparently are very soothed by it, the parents said it was a perfect pressie for them."

Your little one will fall asleep in no time at all with the Nuby Penguin. It has an option for lullaby, heartbeat, white noise and soft light to soothe your little one, which will automatically play when the cry sensor function picks up when your baby is upset.

Review: "Would recommend. I bought this for my 6-month-old who suddenly struggled sleeping. This certainly helps. It's great for blocking out background noise in the house which would normally stir baby. When I play my son the lullaby he knows it's time for bed."