REASONS TO BUY
Mesh breathability
Budget-friendly
Bedside capable
REASONS TO AVOID
Hard to move
Unstable mattress
Poor eco-health
Fisher-Price Soothing Motions Review
Hard to use option that is hard to move from room to room
Credit: Abriah Wofford
RELATED: The Best Bassinets of 2023
The Skinny
The Fisher-Price Soothing Motions is an intriguing bassinet that looks similar to other popular options with a full mesh sleeping area. This product is breathable and comes with a variety of entertainment options designed to soothe and lull baby to sleep. We like the stable base and storage tray, but the inability to wash the mesh, fabric, or mattress could be frustrating over time. This bassinet has an unstable cushion with more compression than the competition, and the heft and lack of wheels mean you won't be moving it from room to room. While some parents may be interested in it because it costs less than other full mesh options, we think the lack of portability and eco-health will be a deal-breaker for others.
Compare to Similar Products
 This Product
Fisher-Price Soothing Motions | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Awards |  |  | | ||
| Price | $180 List $141.55 at Amazon | $220 List $220.00 at Amazon | $220 List $179.99 at Amazon | $200 List | $100 List $79.97 at Amazon |
Overall Score  |
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| Star Rating | |||||
| Pros | Mesh breathability, budget-friendly, bedside capable | Budget-friendly, super accessible and portable | Quick setup, portable, easy access to baby | Mesh breathability, swivel versatility, easy access to baby bedside | Budget- friendly, versatile, better mattress |
| Cons | Hard to move, unstable mattress, poor eco-health | Not as eco-healthy, frustrating setup | Has some flex in the frame | Spot clean only, hard to move from room to room | Harder to use, some breathability concerns with corner fabric |
| Bottom Line | Hard to use option that is hard to move from room to room | Great portable co-sleeping bassinet with a nice price | Our favorite bassinet for most people works well as either a co-sleeper and a stand-alone option | Great for c-section moms and parents who'd like a safer alternative to co-sleeping | Inexpensive, versatile option good for travel and bassinet |
| Rating Categories | Fisher-Price Soothi... | Arm's Reach Clear-V... | Baby Delight Beside... | HALO BassiNest Esse... | Graco Pack 'n Play... |
| Ease of Use (35%) | |||||
| Breathability (25%) | |||||
| Sleep Surface (20%) | |||||
| Quality (15%) | |||||
| Eco-Health (5%) | |||||
| Specs | Fisher-Price Soothi... | Arm's Reach Clear-V... | Baby Delight Beside... | HALO BassiNest Esse... | Graco Pack 'n Play... |
| Assembled Weight | 22.3 lbs | 22.1 lbs | 17.5 lbs | 33 lbs | 22.8 lbs |
| Open Dimensions | 28.3'H x 36.2"L x 22.4"W | 34.8"H x 34.5"L x 20.3"W | 26"-30.5"H x 39"L x 27"W | 36.9"H x 45.3"L (base) 33.8" (bassinet) x 21.8"W (bassinet) | 28.8"H x 41.1"L x 28.6"W |
| Age/Height/Weight Limit | 20 lbs Discontinue Use When Infant: Pushes Up On Hands And Knees |
5 Months or 18 lbs Discontinue Use When Infant: Pushes Up On Hands And Knees |
5 Months or 20 lbs Discontinue Use When Infant: Pushes Up On Hands And Knees |
5 Months or 20 lbs Discontinue Use When Infant: Pushes Up On Hands And Knees, Pulls Up, Rolls Over, Sit Unassisted, Can Move Out Of The Security Of The Walled Sleep Area |
15 lbs Discontinue Use When Infant: Pushes Up On Hands And Knees |
| Product Care | Mattress Cover: Machine Wash Frame and Mat: Spot Clean |
Mattress: Wipe Clean Mattress Sheet: Machine Wash Metal Frame: Wipe Clean Lining: Machine Wash |
Machine Wash | Sheet: Machine Wash Base and Mattress: Spot Clean |
Spot Clean |
| Bassinet Mattress Height Above Floor | 17.6" | 19.5"-25.5" Adult Mattress Height 24"-30" |
14" - 19" Adult Mattress Height 18.5"-24" |
26.5"-33" | 19.7" |
| Special Features | Calming Sway Motion, Optional Lock-Out to Minimize Swaying Motion | Adjustable Legs | Foldable | Rotates 360 Degrees, Sidewall Lowers | Travel Crib Accessory |
| Modes | Bassinet | Bassinet Bedside Sleeper |
Bedside Sleeper Bassinet |
Bassinet Bedside Sleeper |
Portable |
| Chemical Flame Retardant Free | Not Specified | Yes | Yes | Yes | Not Specified |
| Portable Design | No | No | Yes | No | Yes |
| Wheels | No | Yes | Yes | No | Yes |
| Mesh Sides | Yes - Full | Partial - Fabric in Corners | Yes - Full | Yes - Full | Partial - Fabric on Ends |
| Included Accessories | Deluxe Overhead Mobile, Light Projection Unit, Music and Sounds Unit, Calming Vibrations | Fitted Sheet | Sheet | Fitted Sheet | Features on certain models: Toy Bar, Storage Bag, Fitted Sheet |
| Available Accessories | None | Arm's Reach® Clear-Vue™ Au Naturel Mattress Pad, Puppy Luv Music Box, Replacement Strap and Plate | Waterproof Fitted Sheet | Fitted Sheet, Mattress Pad, Mobile Sleepy Owl, Mobile Whimsical Birds, Storage Caddy, Newborn Insert | None |
| Set Up Time | 13:20 | 29:20 (58:34 total with redo) | 6:50 | 27:10 | 5:02 |
| Materials | Polyester Fiber Batting. Polyurethane Foam | Strong Nylon Cloth, Cotton Polyester Blend, Nylon Woven Strapping, Polyurethane Foam | Polyester, Polyester Fiber Batting | Polyester Fiber, Polyester Fiber Batting, Polyurethane Foam | Polyester Fiber , Polyurethane Foam |
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Our Analysis and Test Results
While the Fisher-Price looks cute, it doesn't compare well to the competition for the quality of materials and the attention to detail.
Credit: Abriah Wofford
In 1930, the Fisher-Price toy company started in New York by Herman Fisher, Irving Price, and Helen Schelle. When first starting, Fisher-Price created innovative toys to stimulate development. Fisher-Price continues to grow and includes many baby gear options including their popular toys.
Performance Comparison
The Fisher-Price has a child soother with several features including ceiling projection. This unit can be removed and used on a table top for versatility.
Credit: Abriah Wofford
Ease of Use
The Soothing Motions did not score very well in overall ease of use.
Accessibility
This bassinet is small enough to keep baby bedside, and the mesh means you'll have a good view of your little one. The height, however, is lower than most and could be problematic to get baby into and out of the sleeping area. You'll have to sit up, but you may be able to get baby in and out without getting up yourself.
The Fisher-Price has a metal loop base that adds stability but makes it practically immovable.
Credit: Abriah Wofford
Portability/Mobility
This bassinet measures 28.3'H x 36.2"L x 22.4"W and weighs 22.3 lbs. It is on the heavy side with the metal base that has no wheels. The larger base makes it awkward to move or lift, so you aren't likely to move it from room to room very often. For these same reasons, we do not recommend it for travel.
Additional Features
The Soothing Motions bassinet comes with a mobile, stars and moon projection, a nightlight, music, sounds, vibration, and soothing sway motions (above left). The "entertainment center" can be removed (above right) and used as a tabletop entertainer away from the bassinet, and it has a storage tray under the sleeping area.
Ease of Setup
This product took 13 minutes and 20 seconds to assemble. You need to put together most of the structure, but the directions are clear, and the process is simple.
Cleaning
The mesh is spot clean only, which won't be a problem as long as baby doesn't have a blowout of spit up into the holes.
The Fisher-Price has breathable mesh sides almost all the way around for maximum breathability.
Credit: Abriah Wofford
Breathability
The Soothing Motions earned one of the highest scores for breathability. With a mesh surround and only small panels of fabric, the Soothing Motions is one of the most breathable options we tested.
The Fisher-Price mattress moves in the frame because there is nothing securing it to the bottom.
Credit: Abriah Wofford
Sleep Surface
The Soothing Motions does not have a great sleeping surface. This mattress is less than desirable, earning one of the lowest scores for the metric in the group.
The Fisher-Price pad is more compressible than some of the competition and it earned the lowest score in the group.
Credit: Abriah Wofford
The bassinet body has a design that allows it to sway and rock, but it feels unstable at the ends. The mattress compression is one of the worst in the group and could leave baby unsupported. The mattress is not secured to the bottom so it can slide somewhat, and we fit several fingers around the edges, especially the corners.
The fabric on the Fisher-Price is not removable as the soother attachment point screws it onto the frame.
Credit: Abriah Wofford
Quality
The Soothing Motions is average in terms of quality. The frame on this product is a sturdy oval base. Loose strings hang out of the fabric that covers the top rail, and there is nothing to hold the mattress in place. The mesh bunches and stretches in some areas. This bassinet has bright colors and a sleek look, but the overall fit and finish aren't as nice as similar competition with tighter mesh and less quality control issues.
Eco-Health
The Soothing Motions earned relatively low eco-health score, tying with several other budget-friendly options. It is JPMA certified, but Fisher-Price did not divulge on what materials they use in their products. Fisher-Price is listed on the Center for Environmental Health (CEH) website as "unknown" when it comes to the use of flame retardants. This status means they failed to respond to inquiries concerning the use of these chemicals when contacted by CEH for further information. This lack of transparency leads CEH, and us, to assume they aren't making efforts to limit or remove these chemicals from the materials they use. The lack of information, the potential use of chemicals, and the polyurethane mattress hurt the Motions eco-health score.
Manufacturer Video
—
Juliet Spurrier, MD and Wendy Schmitz
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