Adorable smart alarm clocks are the latest trend in kid tech
Parenting is pretty much synonymous with sleep deprivation. Just when you finally get them to sleep through the night, your kid starts waking up at the crack of dawn ready to play.
Sleep hygiene needs to be learned, and many companies are using the magic of technology to help parents instill healthy sleep habits in their children. The smart alarm clock Mella, currently being funded on Kickstarter, is one such device.
Mella is an all-in-one sleep aid that is aiming to hit the middle ground between simplicity and functionality. According to Little Hippo, the company that created Mella, many of the sleep trainers on the market are either too simplistic for the price or have too many confusing buttons. Plus, many of them are clunky and kitschy, which may appeal to kids but isn't ideal for getting them to drift off to sleep. Mella is designed to be both simple and engaging, with a modern design and cute face that appeals to parents and kids alike.
Check out their Kickstarter video for an overview of how Mella works:
Mella "goes to sleep" when your kid does — the face closes its eyes and the night light softly illuminates in the color you choose. (Little Hippo recommends amber light for best sleep quality.) You can also turn on your choice of ambient sounds: rain, ocean or white noise.
Morning, though, is when the real magic happens. In addition to a soft, kid friendly alarm (that you set), Mella's light turns green and the face wakes up when it's time to get up.
What makes Mella unique is the "play period" function. Since young kids don't really have a concept of time yet, they can get antsy in the morning when they don't know how long they're supposed to stay in bed. Mella's play period starts a half hour before the alarm goes off. The light turns yellow and the face gives a little smirk (it's supposed to be "playful" but it looks more mischievous,) letting your child know that they can start to play quietly and it'll be time to get up soon.
Unlike some other sleep trainers, Mella isn't currently app-enabled. Little Hippo is considering adding an app-enabled Mella in the future so that parents can choose which version they'd like.
Mella is available in pink, blue, and a limited edition Kickstarter green. The stretch goal of $40,000 will unlock a purple option as well. Pledging $39 or more will get you a Mella in the first batch, scheduled to be delivered in February of 2018.
This is a great gift for any parent with young children who constantly looks tired, AKA all of them.
According to twitter, Emily Heller is a fake geek girl and a SJW. If you ask her friends, she laughs too loud and cries at cute animal videos. Prior to Mashable, Emily wrote for CollegeHumor and Reductress and most recently worked at a very bro-y tech startup. She lives in Brooklyn with three dudes, a cat who acts like a dog and a dog who acts like a houseplant.
