Experience with "Okay to Wake" Type Lights for Young Toddlers?

We have the stoplight clock, too, and it really worked at first. I think it sort of "wore off" but it definitely helped right away, and we still use it every night (got it around 2 yrs. old and he's now 4 1/2). I would recommend it -- all they need to know is green means it's okay to get up.

Does he know his numbers? When our son was 2 and started to get up too early, we bought him a basic digital clock, and covered up the minute numbers with paper, so he could only see the hour number. We told him to stay in bed until the clock said 7. It worked beautifully, and was the rule in our house for years and years. We even traveled with a little clock so the boys could see when it was 7!

If your son doesn't know the numbers now, you can start this when he does.

We used one when my oldest turned 2 and moved into her big bed b/c little sister had arrived. I was obviously exhausted and couldn't deal with the newborn AND the 2 year old getting up at all hours. I didn't click on your links, but I bought some cheap little timer at Target. Don't remember the brand. We told my daughter she needed to stay in her room (she could get out of her bed and play) until the light went OFF. I set it for 7am. Sometimes I'd be up with the baby at 6am or whenever and I'd hear my 2 year old playing in her room. Worked like a charm, and worth every penny :)

Using a small lamp on a timer was helpful when my grandson was still too young to read a clock. It took a few mornings of reminding him, but he got it that he wasn't supposed to get up or call for his parents until the lamp turned on.

That's not the same thing as getting a child to fall back asleep. Toddlers and older generally wake when they can't sleep any more. But you can still culture the understanding that sleep is healthy, and Mommy and Daddy need sleep so they can do everything they need to do. And the child can be permitted a small bedside lamp and a couple of chosen books or toys with which to entertain themselves quietly until the "wake up" light turns on.

A significant problem I see with some of these specially-designed lamps is that they lean heavily into the blue end of the light spectrum. Blue and green light frequencies have been proven to interfere with sleep in many people. Other colors can, too, but the effect is diminished. But blue/green light enters they eye through the eyelid, and stimulates the brain to stop producing melatonin, the sleep-inducing hormone. If you're going to use a night light, it's best kept in the yellow, orange, red or pink range.

Also, since any lamp with a dim bulb can be put on an inexpensive timer, why buy a goofy, plastic, throw-away product?

Good luck with those early-morning z's!

We used the goodnight lite when our kids were 18 months and older. It worked great for a nightlight and it changed from blue to yellow when it was time to get up. My only downside was that in 2.5 years we went through 2 of them since the LED's burnt out. Customer service was great and replaced the first one free of charge. We didn't contact them about the second as we wanted something different. This did help in them waking early or at least if it was early it was early at an allowable time. I don't mind getting up early with them if I know it isn't before a certain time. It also makes it easier if they do wake up, "stay in bed until the light changes'. We have had to lay with them occasionally until it changes, but it is a sign they can understand not you saying 5 more minutes.
Now we have 2(one for each kid) American Innovative Teach Me Time Talking Alarm Clock and Nightlight . It has enough light for a night light. But it has hands and digital time on it. Better for our 5 year old to start teaching time. you set when you want the light to change to green and for how long. Now for quiet time I tell her she can get up when the first number is 2 or 2:2 (depending on when she goes into her room)

We have a goodnite light. You can see it at http://www.goodnitelite.com/

You set the time for the "moon" light to come on - meaning it's bedtime and the time for the "sun" light to come on for it's ok to get up. It works most of the time for us - our oldest is 4 1/2yr. Amazon sells it too, but I think it's the same price.

My favorite thing ever for toddlers. I bit the bullet when I heard my then 2.5 year old waking to go downstairs at 4 am. I set the toddler alarm clock to 6:30 and it worked great for him! My only sadness is it is now broke (2 years later) and DS is starting to get up for the day earlier and earlier. I think I'm going to have to buy another one.

We have this one: www.stoplightclock.com/

Love. It.

we have this one: http://www.diapers.com/p/onaroo-ok-to-wake-alarm-clock-an...

i like it b/c it turns green when it's time to wake up but doesn't make a sound (unless you want it to) so that in the off chance he sleeps past his wake up time, it won't actually wake him. that being said, my 2.5 year old will say "it's morning!" when he sees it turn green. but he still wakes up in the middle of the night to come to our bed so it hasn't helped with him staying in bed :(

We used
http://www.amazon.com/Good-Nite-Lite-900-381/dp/B002N4IN0...

and LOVED IT! I think we used it from 18 months to 3.5 years old! It really works!

Sorry, I don't have any of these (your suggestion or the ones the other moms are suggesting) I just wanted to thank you for the post.
My 3 year old has being waking up for more then a year at 12 am, sometimes many times, sometimes just once, EVERY NIGHT.
I am exited to give this a try, besides it can works as a night light too.
Sounds good.
=*)

We have the one from "One Step Ahead" and it is fantastic! It turns from yellow to green and my kids obey it like a dream. I originally got it for my 2-yr old, who was sharing a room with my 5-yr old and waking everyone up early. Now, they both get up when it's green (7am at our house). It is completely worth the $40. And it helps teach my now 6-yr old to tell time. Get it and you won't regret it.

http://www.onestepahead.com/catalog/product.jsp?productId...

I haven't used one but on the twin board I'm on, I see people asking about this all the time, and TONS of positive comments for the My Tot Clock. Seriously - people love this one. http://www.amazon.com/My-Tot-Clock-Children-Better-So/dp/...

I bought the Teach Me Time clock and it was awful - so hard to use and it never worked quite right.