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Anyone that knows me or has worked with me knows that I LOVE ME a blacked out room. My in-laws (love ‘em!) even hold on to the cardboard cutouts that we’ve been putting in the guest room windows every time we visit them.

Having a dark room is an extremely important component of great sleep habits. Darkness helps our bodies produce melatonin, the hormone that leads to sleepiness. Also, babies & children are easily stimulated, so keeping their room as dark as possible avoids any visual distractions and disturbances to sleep.

Even the slightest bit of light can lead to shorter naps, early morning wakeups, and interrupted sleep. I tell my clients that we are going for cave-like dark; ‘can’t even see my hand in front of my face’ dark!

Unfortunately, there are so many curtains out there marketed as blackout curtains, that simply don’t do the job! I’ve put together a list of some of the most recommended options for blackout solutions for your child’s room. They are organized by most economical to the largest investment.

At the end, I also touch on a couple questions I often get about nightlights or darkness dependency for sleep.

Aluminum Foil/Garbage Bags & Painters Tape ($)

Need a quick fix? Not interested in purchasing a blackout solution at the moment?

Then look to aluminum foil or heavy duty contractor garbage bags (tip: cut them to one seam so you can utilize the full size!) to cover those windows! It may not be the most beautiful solution, but it WORKS. For years, I actually always stuck a roll of aluminum foil & tape in our suitcases whenever we traveled for an easy solution to any rentals we came across, now I do the same with a couple garbage bags. We actually spent an entire hockey season with a window tin foiled because where we lived in Germany at the time just didn’t have great blackout solutions at the stores. You can also use cardboard cut to size, like we do at my in-laws. :)

Added bonus - Aluminum foil actually keeps heat out, so you can count on it helping in the room cooling department, too.

Just make sure you cover the ENTIRE window, you don’t want light peaking in the sides.

RediShade ($)

Looking for a temporary, more economical solution but aren’t interested in hanging aluminum foil? RediShade is a cheap, easy to install solution - a six-pack of shades costs only $22. You may not feel like you need a 6-pack, but for $22, you’ll have backups in case of a rip/tear, since they are made of heavy paper.

I’ve heard about RediShade for a bit now, but haven’t actually tried them. I really like the idea of them though as a solution in a rental. The company has been around for 30 years and the reviews say that they truly are blackout! You can trim them to the size of your window and they adhere with a peel-and-stick strip instead of hardware. They have 4 stars out of over 16,000 reviews on Amazon, so between that and the price it’s hard to beat!

Blackout EZ ($$)

Another affordable option is the Blackout EZ window coverings. Because they are adhered with velcro, they are a more removable option for people that want to allow some light in throughout the day. It’s another great option for those that want to avoid using hardware to install.

They can be cut to fit your particular window, so if you have awkward windows, this is a great way to go! It’s basically a blackout liner for the window, comes in multiple colors, but you could always hang curtains as well if you want a more aesthetic look for your nursery!

In our current apartment, we have a really awkward window in the room that baby #3 will eventually call slumber home, so I plan to use one of these for his/her room when the time comes!

Slumberpod-$$$

If you don’t want to pack tin foil and tape when you travel, I highly recommend getting a Slumberpod! It’s basically a little cave for your travel crib or cot. You can use it solely for traveling, but I have a friend that used it daily when roomsharing with her baby (after 4 months, per product guidelines).

This is an excellent option for roomsharing, hotel stays, or visiting family. You could have all the lights on in a room and within the Slumberpod, your child will still be able to sleep in the pitch dark. It’s a great solution for toddlers, too, my big girls fight whose cot gets to be in the tent on vacation, so I need to get multiple!

Use code RESTGROWTHRIVE$20 for $20 off your Slumberpod!

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Indow Window - $$$$

These are really cool, although also much more expensive. They are custom window inserts that you can use to help with insulation, block exterior noise, & black out the room. Their sleep panels are a complete blackout solution AND reduce exterior noise by fifty percent! They can installed and uninstalled easily and many times without affecting the quality of the panel. As we move so often, this isn’t something I have invested in yet, but I sure hope to when we are in a more permanent home, if only to black out my & my husband’s sleep space!

FAQ & Final Thoughts

What about nightlights?

Well, babies aren’t afraid of the dark, so I wouldn’t worry about that if you have a baby. Some fears and a more active imagination can appear around 2 or 3 years old, so if your child appears afraid or is asking for a nightlight, it may be time to introduce one. If using a nightlight, stick to ‘sunset’ colors, like reds, oranges, or ambers - as those colors have been shown not to interrupt the production of melatonin. Steer clear of white/blue/green lights as those have been shown to suppress melatonin production and stimulate the brain, which is the last thing we want for sleep! Personally, our family loves the Hatch as it triples as both a sound machine, nightlight, and ok-to-wake clock!

Will a blacked out room make my child a sleep snob and dependent on darkness?

Perhaps, but to me, providing a sleep-inducing environment is critical to developing strong sleep habits in the first place. Between the SlumberPod or garbage bags, it’s easy to recreate a great sleep space when away from home. Otherwise, I’d prefer some off-sleep when traveling for all the great sleep our whole family gets when at home. This is also something you can play with once those sleep habits are established, perhaps try naps or bedtime without as much darkness and see how your little one does, sometimes they surprise us!