Neon sign for a kids' room: names, night light, setup

A child’s name in lights is one of the nicest things you can put on a nursery or bedroom wall, and a dim neon sign can double as a night light. In a child’s room, though, how you install it matters more than anywhere else in the house. This guide covers name sizes, colors, dimming, and how to mount and cable a sign so that little hands and cribs stay clear of it.

The kids’ room project lists the sign, mounting and power parts together.

Name signs

A first name in script is the classic. Every letter or space on the longest line needs about 2 in of width.

Name length	Example	Sign width
Up to 8 letters	Mia, Olivia, Mateo	20 to 24 in
9 to 12 letters	Sebastian, Maria Jose	24 to 30 in
13 to 16 letters	First and last name	30 to 36 in

Start with a custom name neon sign and try fonts in the neon designer. Fonts there are a starting point; any font can be matched on the proof. The designer shows an estimated height for the name.

Ready-made designs for kids’ rooms include a rainbow with clouds, dream big in light blue script and a crescent moon with stars. See all room neon signs.

Colors

We make 18 tube colors, and several colors in one sign cost nothing extra. Light pink, ice blue, warm white, golden yellow and lemon yellow all suit a child’s room. A name in one color with a small heart or star in another works well.

Color changing (RGB) costs extra and comes with a touch remote. Older kids can pick the color themselves. Keep the remote with an adult if the sign is in a young child’s room.

To see how each color looks switched off during the day, read neon sign colors on and off.

As a night light

Turned down low, a neon sign makes a gentle night light. The in-line dimmer knob turns down to a soft glow, and a remote dimmer lets you adjust it from the door.

Harvard Health suggests dim red light for night lights, because blue light at night affects the body clock more strongly than warmer light. The Sleep Foundation gives similar advice. So for a sign that stays on at night:

• Choose a warm color: warm white, golden yellow, orange or red.
• Keep it as dim as you can while still seeing your way.
• Save blue and purple signs for daytime and evening, and switch them off at bedtime.

Where to mount it

Not above the crib

Child safety advice is to keep the wall directly above a crib clear of pictures and heavy decorations, so nothing can fall into the crib. Put the sign on another wall, where your child can see it from the crib but nothing on it can reach the crib. Recheck the layout when your child starts standing and climbing.

High and out of reach

Mount the sign above the height your child can reach, including when standing on the bed, a toy box or furniture next to it. The sign should be held at all four corners.

• Wall standoffs float the board about 1 in off the wall. Each comes with a screw and a plastic wall anchor; on drywall, use the anchors.
• No-drill adhesive mounts go one at each corner on a smooth, clean, dry wall and need time to set before the sign goes on. Textured or freshly painted walls hold less; adhesive makers usually say to wait at least a week after painting.

Our guides to hanging a neon sign and hanging without drilling give step-by-step instructions.

Cords away from cribs and beds

Cords are the part of any sign that needs the most thought in a child’s room. The US Consumer Product Safety Commission advises keeping baby monitor cords at least 3 ft from any part of a crib, bassinet or play yard, and the same sense applies to a sign’s cable and adapter.

1. Plan the cable route first. Choose a wall where the outlet and the sign are both away from the crib or bed.
2. Keep the cable at least 3 ft from the crib and out of reach of the bed.
3. Run the cable up or down the wall inside a stick-on cord cover, so there is no loose loop to pull.
4. Put the adapter behind heavy furniture or in another spot where your child cannot reach it, in open air, not under bedding.
5. Never run the cable under a rug, where it cannot shed heat and gets stepped on.
6. Use one DC extension at most. A DC extension cable (6.5, 10 or 16 ft) helps if the outlet is far away.

For daily use in a child’s room, the plug-in adapter is the better choice. The battery box is meant for parties and events; if you use one, keep it out of reach.

What we can and cannot promise

We do not make child-safety claims for any sign. What we can tell you is how the parts are made. The sign runs on 12 V DC. The plug-in adapter is a cULus Listed power supply (E466625), Class II double insulated and fully encapsulated, with no fan. Only the power supply and the LED light source are certified parts. The rest is installation: out of reach, cables secured, adapter in open air and adults handling the power and cleaning. Our guide are LED neon signs safe? covers the details.

Switch the sign off and unplug it before cleaning, and wipe it with a dry microfiber cloth.

Ordering, gifts and timing

A name sign makes a good gift for a baby shower, a birthday or a new room. Every sign starts with a free design proof and unlimited revisions, and nothing is made until you approve it. Production takes 15 to 20 days after approval, plus 3 to 5 days in transit, so order about a month ahead for a fixed date or add rush production. Ready-made designs start at $99.99 and custom name signs at $189.99. Every sign has a 2-year warranty with free repair.

For more gift ideas, see personalized neon sign gifts. For an older child’s room or a teen’s gaming corner, our bedroom guide and gaming room ideas may help too.