They say that the mind is like an umbrella – it only works when it’s open. I bared witness to that while writing this review of the Munchkin swing.
- Emulates parents’ natural side-to-side sway
- Bluetooth enabled
- Smart touchscreen display
- Lightweight and portable
- Seat pad and head support are machine washable
As I was planning and gathering the data, my skepticism grew…and that’s putting it mildly.
I was skeptical because I know what goes into making a good baby swing.
Seeing one that weighs the same as a gallon of milk didn’t fit my narrative. It’s a firm narrative I formed over the last few years of reviewing 100s of baby products, so it was hard to open that parachute.
Fast-forward to today, and my idea of what a swing could be and how much it should cost has shifted.
Bear with me, and I’ll tell you all about it…from the stuff I liked about the Munchkin to the stuff that could (and should) be better.
At a glance features of the Munchkin baby swing
- Side-to-side motion designed to imitate parents swaying (5 settings for motion range)
- Heftily padded head and seat pad are removable and can be washed in a machine
- Two-piece construction is easy to assemble and dismantle for storage
- Twelve built-in sounds (eight ambient sounds and four classical tunes)
- Touch controls of all settings – large display on the front of the swing
- Includes a remote control but can connect to your phone to play music (via Bluetooth)
Defining specs of the swing
Spec / full name | Munchkin Bluetooth Enabled Lightweight Baby Swing |
Size (in inches) | 25.82 x 6.87 x 28.35 |
Weight (in lbs) | 10.8 |
Baby weight range (in lbs) | 5 to 20 |
Warranty | 1 year |
Preloaded sounds | 12 preloaded (8 ambient and 4 classic tunes) |
Bluetooth connectivity | yes |
Vibration | no |
Number of swing speeds | 6 |
Controls | remote or manual (touch screen display) |
Main benefits of the Munchkin baby swing
Soothing side-to-side motion
The Munchkin swing sways side-to-side, which emulates the movement of a parent. The motion is smooth and safe without sudden starts or stops (crucial for safety).
You control the range by choosing one level out of the five, either by setting it on the touchscreen display or the remote control.
Sounds – choose from the built-in or play one from your phone
Based on the experiences and reviews of the Munchkin swing I read, the twelve included sounds are well-chosen and relaxing.
On a personal note, I was surprised by the classical tunes, which rarely work as well as white noise. The ones on the Munchkin are subtle enough to be calming.
Finally, the speakers are probably in the Top 3 I’ve seen in a baby swing – the sound is rich and deep or crisp and clear, depending on the tune.
Munknin is also a Bluetooth-enabled baby swing, which means you can play music from your phone if the included tunes get ‘old’ at any point.
Lighter and more portable than similar baby swings
Munchkin is lighter and not as clunky as similar baby swings. In functionality, it’s similar to the acclaimed Mamaroo, but it’s almost half the weight (17.86 vs. 9).
This means that it is easier to move from room to room if you don’t want to disassemble it. If you do, the two-piece construction takes seconds to take apart and put back together.
Easy to clean
The head support and the body pad are removable and machine washable in cold water, and it’s also drier-friendly (on warm).
To clean the swing and the seat fabric, use a damp cloth and air dry.
Related reads:
What I liked about the Munchkin baby swing
The sweet spot between a hefty swing and light bouncer/rocker
Whenever I compare swings and bouncers, it comes down to this – a swing is the less portable option that packs more soothing ‘power.’
This Munchkin is a lightweight infant swing that comes close to the portability of a bouncer while keeping most of the functionality of a traditional swing.
Value for money
It’s common to see a premium Bluetooth-enabled baby swing in the price range of over $300.
Some of the most popular ones cost about 20-30% more than the Munchkin.
Bottom line – if you’re not precious about brands, you’re definitely getting your money’s worth here.
Easy to store
This Munchkin is one of the very few swings I know that packs down so small to fit under a bed.
I actually measured how long this takes, and it’s about 10 seconds. You just engage the brake at the back of the swing, slide the top part off, roll the cord, and you’re done.
Simple controls of the touchscreen display
I know that this might sound like a give but trust me on this – the controls can get confusing on a piece of baby gear with both motion and sound functionality.
The controls of the Munchkin are straightforward.
You just press the power button to turn the swing on, and the other 4 buttons light up.
- The first button controls the cycle (motion range) – every press of the button increases the range, and you can see the current setting on the screen
- The second button sets the time/duration of the swaying motion. When the set time runs out, the swing will turn off.
- The third button lets you choose from the preset sounds, and the fourth controls the volume
What could be better about the munchkin Bluetooth baby swing?
There are two features I believe Munchkin is missing – choosing the recline angle and an overhead mobile.
Let’s talk about whether those are deal-breakers.
The recline angle is fixed
I do feel that the angle at which the Mucnkin sits is safe.
Choosing it yourself (like in the Mamaroo swing) is a nice plus because switching things up is more fun for the baby.
This isn’t a deal-breaker because it’s not a safety issue. The swing is reclined enough to be safe, even for newborns.
There’s no overhead mobile
To be fair, the other swings I recently reviewed only give you the option to purchase an overhead toy bar separately.
Munchkin has no toy bar to keep the baby occupied, and it’s not even tested for use with toys, which means you shouldn’t get a generic mobile from Walmart and just attach it.
Is that a deal-breaker?
For me, it’s not.
Munchkin Bluetooth-enabled lightweight swing – conclusions and resume
Munchkin changed my perception of what a swing could be.
It packs all the functionality of more robust swings, weighs much less (about half), and packs small enough for trips – which is more than I can say for most swings.
The speakers are top-notch and produce a well-balanced sound, whether you’re playing the preloaded calming sounds or the child’s favorite music from your phone.
On top of it all – it costs less than most similar products I have reviewed in the last few years.
Bottom line – in my book, the value for money of this Bluetooth-enabled lightweight baby swing falls into the top 10% of the swing market.
- Emulates parents’ natural side-to-side sway
- Bluetooth enabled
- Smart touchscreen display
- Lightweight and portable
- Seat pad and head support are machine washable
Paul is a passionate dad who founded Upside Dad to share his parenting journey with other new parents. He graduated from Concordia University and worked as a test engineer for over a decade. Paul loves dad jokes and craft beer.
Learn more about Paul and Upside Dad here.