Best Blackout Curtains For Nursery
Looking for the best blackout curtains for the nursery it can be a difficult hunt! Finding the right blackout solution for your child’s room can be tricky since there are so many options! In this blog I am going to give you my four top blackout solutions for your child’s room, starting with like you’ve got just a few dollars to spend, all the way up to our top of the line solutions.
All of these options will help your child have great naps and sleep well at night because their room is dark.
We’ve all seen the Pinterest worthy nurseries with gorgeous natural light. Am I the only one thinking “It’s too bright in there!!!” While natural light makes for a great photo, it usually means poor quality of sleep.
The darker the room, the better the sleep! To help you make baby’s room super dark, I’ve rounded up my top choices for creating a dark nursery environment for your child. PLUS, I’m giving you options on how to blackout even those odd shaped windows in baby’s room!
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Before we jump in, I have to confess that since I was a toddler I’ve slept in what my Dad lovingly calls “Rebecca’s Cave” ha!!
I’ve wanted it to be as dark as I can be for sleep since I can remember! In fact, growing up my Dad would fasten plywood wrapped in a blanket (I can only imagine what the neighbors thought!) during the summer so I could fall asleep at 8PM.
Even now I sleep with an eye mask every single night!! Sure, you’re eyes are closed while you’re sleeping- but your closed eyelids can actually still register sunlight and artificial light while sleeping! It’s important to keep a room 100% dark to ensure the best quality of sleep.
Why Do We Need Blackout?
Even with closed eyelids, our brains can still register the sun. When light enters in, your child will simply be triggered, “Sunlight! Time to wake up!” OR… the reverse would be, “Sunlight! Why go to sleep?!”
The darker the room, the better we ALL sleep. So YES, you’ll want to invest in a quality option that will last for years to come. Elementary children (and teens) need 10-11 hours of sleep each night. The first step to solving your child’s sleep is to ensure their room is nice and dark for optimal sleep length.
Have a child who is scared of the dark! That’s oaky! It doesn’t mean they can’t have a nightlight like the hatch clock or a salt lamp. A soft amber/red glow don’t affect their quality of sleep like a blue or white light…or direct sunlight! Find an option that works best for your child’s room, and keep it up for a long time to come!
BLACKOUT EZ COVERS
These genius window covers from Blackout EZ covers are an awesome solution for a great price!
They come in a variety of colors, and can easily be cut down to fit those awkward sizes windows.
I had a client with a half circle window above the traditional rectangular window. She ordered the white EZ covers, cut it down exactly to size, and it’s still up 2 years later!
Blackout EZ Covers can either be placed up permanently, or removed daily. In our last home we used these as permanent solutions in the summer. Our girls room was on the third floor so it was pretty hot May-August. We kept these up day and night in those months to keep it cooler, and also to ensure a 7:30PM bedtime. Since the sun doesn’t set until close to 8:45PM here, we needed the best solution for nights!
BLACKOUT EZ COVER PERSONAL REVIEW-
An awesome solution for odd shaped windows, nurseries that get hot in the summer, a semi-permanent solution, true blackout, and quality that lasts!
Not recommended for rentals.
SLEEP OUT CURTAINS
The creators over at Sleep Out Curtains thought of it all! Travel solutions as well as a genius curtain rod design that angles up on the top to block out as much light as possible!
I love how these come in various colors to go with your nursery decor, but also are quality blackout material that will last for years to come!
Use code LITTLEZSLEEP at checkout to save 10% off your purchase!
REDI SHADE PAPER BLACKOUT BLINDS
We’ve used these Redi Shade Paper Blackout Blinds in our rental when we couldn’t install Blackout EZ Covers and they’re wonderful!
Paired with the Sleepout Home Curtains you’ll have a perfectly pitch-black room! I believe you can find them in smaller packs at Lowe’s for $7, but since they’re paper- I’d be all up for stocking up incase a rip/tear happens!
CHICOLOGY CELLULAR BLACKOUT SHADES
As a more permanent solution, the Chicology Cellular Blackout Shades are a great idea! In our current home we have these hung in the guest room and everyone loves how dark the room gets!
Make sure you select ‘Blackout’ when selecting the size you’d like. They have other options for ‘light filtering’ but for a child’s room you’ll want the blackout shade PLUS a nice curtain.
The exact brand we used in our last home is not available on Amazon any longer, so these are going to be the next ones I grab for our new home!
INDOW WINDOW
The ultimate blackout solution we’ve found is by a company called Indow Window. This is actually a product that Chad discovered while Google searching how are we going to keep our girl’s rooms nice and dark in our new home. Originally created to help night shift workers sleep well during the day, we LOVE them for babies and toddlers!
We purchased the Sleep Panels by Indow Window in 2020 when we moved into our new home. They are $20 a square foot, so this is definitely pricier than Blackout EZ covers, which I remember being about $30 for the entire panel itself. So they do have a bigger price tag for sure!
But here’s why we love Indow Windows:
- Incredibly easy to pop in and out every day, and are guaranteed to last for a lifetime!
- There is no residue left behind at all because it doesn’t adhere to the windows. Simple compression tubing does the sealing!
- It is total blackout
When you’re looking to have a “one and done” solution – these are it! Each of our girls had a Sleep Panel set plus a curtain set from Target. We choose whatever print and thickness we wanted since the Sleep Panels by Indow Window would take care of the blackout!
TRAVEL BLACKOUT SOLUTIONS
Of course, what’s a blog all about blackout solutions without mentioning the SlumberPod! The number one pushback I get from parents on darkening the child’s room is, “This will just make it hard to travel!”
Since your child sleeps BEST in a dark environment (*source*) we can actually re-create that dark room while away from home!
SLUMBERPOD
For a quick and easy on-the-go option for babies up to preschool, SlumberPod is your answer! Use code LITTLEZSLEEP$20 to save $$ on your pod, and enjoy a well rested vacation!
ALUMINUM FOIL
Wanna just DIY your way to great vacation sleep? This blog on how we use foil to darken our girls room while away from home is still a hit!
I know there’s a million and one solutions for keeping your child’s room dark, so I’d love to know! What works best for your family? Have you found THE solution that you share with everyone?! Tell us in the comments!
What’s next??
A 100% dark room is the first step to solving early morning wakings! Most of the time, this totally solves early morning wakings. But if you do this and your child is STILL convinced 4-6 am is time to start the day, you’re ready for our Early Morning Wakes Guide to solve all the puzzle pieces!
CONCLUSION
Getting the best blackout solutions for your baby’s room can be difficult, especially if you’re watching the budget! Here are my top solutions:
$ – Redi Shade or Chicology Cellular Shades
$$ – Blackout EZ Covers / SlumberPod [code LITTLEZSLEEP$20 to save $$]
$$$ – Sleepout Home Curtains [code LITTLEZSLEEP to take 10% off!]
$$$$ – Indow Windows
