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This 3D Night Light Gets My Twins to Sleep When the Dark Is Too Scary

published Aug 2, 2023
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Credit: Jason Rampe

When I was a kid, my house seemed to come to life at nighttime. Ordinary objects took on spooky silhouettes, shadows appeared sinister, and any noise sounded decidedly wicked. As soon as the lights went out, the monster under my bed woke up, and so did his boogeyman friend in the closet.

It came as no surprise, then, when my twins started expressing a fear of the dark around 3 years old. Despite cuddling with their favorite toy under the comfort of their blanket of choice — all while the soothing noise from their sound machine played overhead — they would not fall asleep unless my husband or I stayed in the room. We even tried a number of different night lights, but often the shadows they created only fueled their fears. But then their aunt got them each a 3D night light.

What’s a 3D Night Light?

A 3D night light consists of two parts: a white base that contains the power and light source, and a clear acrylic plate in the shape and design of a fun character. The acrylic plate slides into the base and can be lit up in 16 different colors. When it’s illuminated, the white etched lines on the acrylic plate take on the appearance of a 3D image, almost like a hologram.

The lights are flicker-free LEDs that can be changed from a solid color to a fading rotation of colors, and there’s even a strobing option if you want to create a fun dance party atmosphere before bed. The base has a USB plug that can stay plugged in, or you can add batteries to it and make the light portable, if you want to take it camping or to a sleepover.   

You can control the light color and mode directly on the base, or you can use the handy remote control that comes with the night light. This makes it easy for my kids to change the color and turn it on or off without having to get out of bed. The brightness level can be adjusted through the remote as well.

Credit: Viv Yapp

Why We Love the 3D Night Light

It’s easy to see why this night light is well-loved on Amazon (it has 4.5 out of five stars on Amazon and over 9,000 reviews). As a design-minded mom, I love that it’s completely clear and nearly invisible in the daylight hours — and not another hokey product cluttering up their space. And my kiddos love having a night light customized with their favorite characters. My daughter received a unicorn and my son got Jack Skellington, but there are many others to choose from, including animals, superheroes, princesses, popular cartoon characters, cars, mermaids, and more.

We also appreciate that the kids can customize their night light every evening with any color of the rainbow they’d like (although my daughter tends to stick with the pink or purple options, and my son usually gravitates toward green or blue). It’s also convenient for them to be able to control the lights with a remote. The dimmer setting allows them to make the lights as bright or as dim as they’d like.  

Because the 3D night-lights are colorful, they don’t tend to cast scary shadows on the wall. Rather, they give off a nice cozy glow that feels cheerful yet soothing, which makes bedtime much less scary. 

Buy it here: 3D Night Light from Amazon