Nala
Lights off, door half open, and two minutes later: "There's something in the dark." Most parents of a two or three year old know this moment. What often helps is a small, soft light, ideally one your child picked, and knowing it will still be there when they close their eyes.
How a warm night light fits into a bedtime routine
Fear of being alone in the dark is one of the most common childhood fears (1), and preschoolers often start to show it around this age (2). It's a normal stage, not a problem to fix overnight. The American Academy of Pediatrics suggests you can let your child keep a light on if it makes them feel better (3), and the Raising Children Network notes that a child who feels scared of the dark might feel calmer and settle better with a night light (4).
The kind of light matters. In a small, preliminary study of young children, warm light at 2700 K suppressed melatonin, the hormone that helps us feel sleepy, less than half as much as cool light of the same brightness (5). So a good night light for a toddler is warm and dim: just enough to show that nothing is hiding in the corner.
- Same routine every night. Bath, story, turn on the night light, lights off. Knowing what comes next is reassuring.
- Warm colors, not blue. Red, amber or warm white. Skip blue and bright white at bedtime.
- Keep it dim. The light should reassure, not light up the room.
Free lights and Nala+ features
Here is exactly what you get, so there are no surprises when you open the app.
| Free | Nala+ | |
|---|---|---|
| Lights | Red, warm white, warm glow | All 9 lights + unlimited custom lights |
| Shapes | Circle | 104 shapes: moon, star, cloud, animals, teddy bear… |
| Animations | Still light | Breathing glow, crackling fireplace, rainbow mode |
| Sounds | White noise | All 27 sounds, including 6 lullabies |
| Dimming to 5%, sleep timer | Yes | Yes |
Nala+ is a subscription with a free trial, through the App Store.
Let your toddler choose a comforting shape
With Nala+, your child picks their own light among 104 shapes: a moon, a star, a cloud, an animal or a teddy bear, in the color they like. Choosing it themselves gives them a bit of control over the dark. Add the slow breathing glow, a crackling fireplace or a lullaby like Twinkle Twinkle or Brahms' Lullaby if it helps them settle.
On the free version, the same idea works with a color: let them choose between the red, warm white and warm glow lights, and how bright it should be.
How to set it up with Nala
- Pick the light together. A free warm light, or with Nala+ a shape your child chooses.
- Dim it until it just shows the room. It goes down to 5%.
- Set the sleep timer. Once they're asleep, the light fades to black and any sound fades out over one minute.
Where to place a phone night light safely
- Out of reach and out of the bed, on a shelf or a dresser. It's a night light, not a screen to play with.
- Screen facing away from the bed, so the glow lights the room, not your child's eyes.
- Keep charging cables away from the bed and out of reach.
- Tap the light to hide every button, so there's nothing to tap or play with.
When fear of the dark needs extra support
Take the fear seriously: listen, then show together that the corner is empty. Most children grow out of it. If the fear is intense, lasts for months, or keeps your child from sleeping most nights, talk to your pediatrician (1). More ideas in the guide: How to help a toddler who is scared of the dark.
Questions parents ask
Can a night light app help a toddler who is scared of the dark?
It can help. Fear of the dark is common in young children, and pediatricians say it's fine to leave a light on if it makes them feel better. A soft, warm light that your child helps choose gives them a bit of control over the dark.
What color night light is best for a toddler?
A warm color, kept dim: red, amber or warm white. A small preliminary study in young children found that warm light suppressed melatonin less than cool light of the same brightness. Avoid blue and bright white light at bedtime.
Should the night light stay on all night?
It doesn't have to. Many children only need the light while they fall asleep. Nala's sleep timer fades the light to black and the sound out over one minute, so it switches off once your child is asleep.
Are the shapes free?
No. The free version has three round lights: red, warm white and warm glow, dimmable down to 5%, plus white noise and the sleep timer. The 104 shapes, the breathing and fireplace animations, rainbow mode and the lullabies are part of Nala+, a subscription with a free trial.
Get the night light, free
Sources
- American Academy of Pediatrics, HealthyChildren.org. Fears and phobias in children: how parents can help.
- Raising Children Network. Anxiety in children and childhood fears.
- American Academy of Pediatrics, HealthyChildren.org. Nightmares, night terrors and sleepwalking in children.
- Raising Children Network. Light, noise and baby sleep: FAQs.
- Hartstein LE et al. The circadian response to evening light spectra in early childhood: preliminary insights. Journal of Biological Rhythms, 2025.