Alarm clocks and kids might not be something many parents see as going hand-in-hand.
When you have children you might as well be welcoming a human alarm clock into your home; it’s just you never get to choose what time it goes off.
As your baby grows and the early years of disrupted sleep are, thankfully, behind you, having an alarm clock in your child’s bedroom can prove to be highly beneficial. It will not only teach them how to tell the time but also help them maintain a healthy sleep routine and make sure they’re up in plenty of time to get ready for school. Mornings can be a notoriously stressful time in a family home so knowing your children will wake at the right time helps make life a little easier.
The type of clock you choose will depend on the age of your child and what kind of sleeper they are.
Pre-school children who are aged three to five require around 10 to 13 hours of sleep per night and setting an alarm to wake them is not recommended. They should be allowed to wake naturally. Some parents may choose to put a clock with a light or symbol on it in their child’s room which will show them when it’s time to go to sleep or wake up. This type of clock may be more useful for children who won’t stay in bed, rather than those who need help getting out of it in the morning.
We've tried one such clock which shows an illuminated blue moon and stars when it’s night-time, and a yellow sun when it’s time to get up. Parents choose the times for both of these settings and these gadgets are great if you’re struggling with very early wake-ups. Some brands call these ‘OK-to-wake-clocks’.
Most adults use their phones as alarm clocks and while this isn’t an option for young children, it’s also not recommended for tweens or teenagers who might have their own handsets. Parenting expert Kirsty Ketley says: “Ideally, their phones will be out of their rooms overnight to help promote better sleep, but using a smart speaker or an old-fashioned radio alarm clock is absolutely fine.”
Giving an older child their own clock will help foster a feeling of independence and autonomy over when they wake up.
What to look for in an alarm clock
Children’s alarm clocks are much like adult ones when it comes to the options. You will need to decide between analogue and digital, sounds and lights and whether you go for something fun with a character or shape, or more plain and functional. It is also beneficial to have a clock with a rechargeable USB port as this is much easier than worrying about batteries running out.
Scroll on to see our top picks for children’s alarm clocks.
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I·CODE Time to Wake Alarm Clock for Kids
I Code is a superb alarm clock for children who may not be able to tell the time yet. It features a large display showing moon and sun shapes as well as digital numbers. This is also a good choice for children who may be afraid of sleeping in total darkness as it has different night light settings and colours to choose from.
The clock also has 28 nature sounds including rain, thunder and the ocean, which can be played to help your child drift off. A timer can be set for these sounds or they can be played throughout the night. The clock also has an alarm function for older kids who may not feel alarmed or upset at a sudden sound rousing them from sleep.
The clock comes with a USB cord and charger and must be plugged in to function.
Buy now £35.99, Amazon
Amazon Echo Dot Kids Smart Speaker (5th Gen) with Alexa - Owl
This is a cute and interactive product that isn’t strictly a clock but it does allow you to set an alarm for the morning on it. A monthly fee (£3.99 per month) is required for the child-friendly content but if you buy it from Argos, one year of content is already included.
Children can ask Alexa homework questions, to play bedtime stories or songs, and much more. They will be able to ask her what the time is so they know when they need to get ready for bed and parental controls can be set up to limit the amount of time children can spend on it.
The Kids Dot comes as either a green owl or a purple dragon. You’ll need the Alexa app on your smartphone and a USB cable is included.
Buy now £26.99, Argos
Tommee Tippee The Gro Clock Toddler Sleep Trainer
This popular product isn’t a traditional alarm clock but it can be a lifesaver for parents who are struggling with toddlers who don’t like snoozing in their own beds or who are perpetual early risers. It’s a great clock for introducing the concept of time to kids who are too young to tell the time themselves.
The clock and night light feature Ollie the Owl asleep on a blue background to encourage kids to join them in sleep. When it's time to rise, the light will turn to a sunny yellow. Parents can set the time, and the sleep trainer will show the passing of time with colours and heart and star symbols. There are different settings for weekdays, weekends and nap times too, which is very useful in helping kids stay put.
The clock is suitable for children aged from 24 months and is USB rechargeable so there is no need for batteries. It has an alarm clock function and an optional digital clock display, both of which can be introduced when your child is a bit older. The Gro Clock is an easily packable device so you can take it on trips or if you're heading to stay with family overnight.
Buy now £29.99, Smyths Toys
Tock the Learning Clock
A clock made for inquisitive toddlers, children aged 3+ will love playing with this which means teaching them about time is a much easier job. Tock has both a digital and analogue clock to help teach children to tell the time. An excellent added feature is that when you move the clock hands Tock will announce the time to you.
Tock also has two modes to choose from; quiz mode or music mode. If you select quiz mode you will be given three questions to answer. The music mode will play a fun song for children to enjoy.
Parents probably won’t be setting alarms for three-year-olds but this clock has a night light function which can be set to tell little ones when it’s okay for them to get out of bed.
The clock requires three AA batteries, not included.
Buy now £32.95, Amazon
EasyRead Time Teacher Alarm Clock for Kids
This is a great value clock with multiple functions to help your child learn to tell the time and how to get themselves up in the mornings. It features both an ambient night light which will be a comfort for children at night and a crescendo alarm with a snooze button.
The clock face is super informative with rainbow colours for the numbers and a past/to explanation. It also has a silent sweep motion for the hands which means children won’t be disturbed while sleeping.
The product requires two AA batteries and suitable for kids aged over five.
Buy now £26.00, Amazon
Djeco Space Alarm Clock
This is a beautifully coloured clock from a lovely children’s brand which will help budding astronauts wake up in the mornings and also learn to tell the time. The clock’s hands move silently and can also be seen in the dark, thanks to a light button. The product is made from wood and metal and is easy to use. It has three buttons; one for setting the time, one for setting the alarm and another for turning it off.
It runs on one LR6 battery which is not included. The clock also comes in a dinosaur and cat design.
Buy now £25.37, Amazon
Spider-Man Children’s Clock with Night Light
Superhero fans will love this cool clock which comes with a night light, alarm clock and a light up Spider-Man. The clock is straightforward to use and the alarm can be stopped by simply touching the top of the clock or the Spider-Man character. While children will enjoy playing with its sound effects (think spider web sounds and jumps), while the LCD backlit screen means they shouldn't be disturbed once they’re asleep.
The alarm has an adjustable volume, a snooze function and there is a choice of Marvel-inspired ringtones. The clock requires three AA batteries which aren’t included.
Other characters available in the range include Harry Potter, Elsa from Frozen, Super Mario and Chase from Paw Patrol.
Buy now £26.99, Robert Dyas
Clocky Alarm Clock on Wheels
If you have a member of your family who is a reluctant riser in the morning, The Clocky, invented by an MIT student in Boston, could be the perfect solution. The clock actually rolls off a bedside table and moves around a bedroom while blasting out the alarm sound.
This is obviously more of a novelty gift because some people will find it quite annoying, but it is guaranteed to get an older child out of bed, if only to turn the thing off. The clock also lights up at night, has a snooze feature and comes in a variety of colours including green, white and orange.
One major drawback to this product is that the volume of the alarm - and the groans from its owner - may inadvertently wake other people in the house.
Buy now £33.85, Amazon
Groov-e Light Curve Wake Up Light & Alarm Clock
This is a product which will suit slightly older children because it comes with an FM radio.
Choose between a sunrise and sunset simulation for a gentler and more natural way to wake, or one of the eight alarm sounds. Designwise, it's more grown-up looking and promises to sit stylishly on a bedside table while still being very simple to use.
Kids can choose between a 12/24-hour clock that will be shown on the digital display and there are also seven different colours to choose from to make their bedroom feel cosy. The clock also has touch control and three dimmer levels for the light.
Buy now £34.99, Robert Dyas
Vilac Learning Clock
Our left-field option isn’t an alarm clock but we wanted to include it because it’s an attractive educational clock designed to teach children aged 6+ to tell the time in a practical and fun way.
The wooden clock has both a traditional clock face to learn from and a digital display too. As your child moves the hands on the clock face they will be able to see the digital numbers adjust which will help simplify the sometimes complicated terminology used when talking about what time it is.
The wooden clock includes gears and quiz cards children can use to test their time-telling skills. It would make a great gift and is a lovely toy, as well as a clock.
Buy now £30.56, Amazon
Verdict
The I·CODE is our top product from this round-up. It has rave reviews from parents who say they love that it’s fully customisable with its colours, brightness, nature sounds and volume levels.
Many young children enjoy listening to comforting sounds while they drift off so this is an excellent bonus to the other functions. The sun and moon icons mean children learn from an early age when to go to sleep and wake up and there’s a child lock so they can’t fiddle with the timings set.
The digital number display means children can soon start to learn to read the time themselves which is an important skill.
