Cordless Blackout Curtains and Shades for a Nursery (2026)

Darkening a nursery for naps shouldn't mean adding a cord at the window. Three kinds do it: blackout curtains on a rod, cordless shades inside the frame and suction-cup travel blinds. After those come what to do about corded blinds you already have, and the recall records for each brand.

The reason is in CPSC's window covering cords safety page: "Children have strangled to death on the cords of window blinds, shades, draperies and other window coverings, and this can happen in mere moments, even with an adult nearby."

How we chose: every pick hangs from a rod with no cords or is sold as cordless, and is sold by Amazon.com or the brand's own store. Light-blocking figures are the brands' claims and we did not test these products; because our recall database doesn't track window coverings, we searched CPSC's recall records for each brand directly.

Eight cordless picks

Prices are Amazon's, as of the time shown, and subject to change. Details

What CPSC and the AAP say about window cords

CPSC says "window cord strangulation is often silent, so parents or caregivers nearby may not realize that a tragedy is happening."

When CPSC approved a federal standard for custom window coverings in November 2022, it said "about nine children under 5 years of age die every year" from strangling in window coverings with cords. It warned that children can be strangled on "pull cords, continuous loop cords, inner cords or any other accessible cords longer than 8 inches."

CPSC's conclusion: "cordless window coverings are the only option to eliminate the strangulation hazard." Everything else only reduces it.

The AAP's checklist for a safe baby's room agrees. To keep children from "getting caught in cords from hanging window blinds or draperies and strangling," it says: "don't place a crib—or any other child's bed—near a window." It adds that CPSC "recommends using cordless window coverings if possible," and: "Don't let strings or cords dangle in or anywhere near the crib."

Curtains, shades or a travel blind

Blackout curtains are the simplest cordless choice: a rod-pocket or grommet curtain hangs straight from the rod, with nothing to pull. The Eclipse Kendall and NICETOWN panels have rod pockets; the Amazon Basics pair has grommets.

Cordless shades sit inside the window frame and block the light that leaks around curtain edges. Look for "cordless" in the listing, as with these three:

• Redi Shade Easy Lift: sold as blackout, sticks on with no tools, and you trim it to width.
• AOSKY roller: a spring roller with no cord; AOSKY says it blocks 100% of sunlight.
• CHICOLOGY cellular: screws into the frame, but it's room darkening, not blackout; Chicology quotes up to 90%.

Portable blinds stick to the glass with suction cups, for trips and for rooms you can't change, like a grandparent's guest room.

For the darkest room, use both: a cordless shade inside the frame and blackout curtains on a rod above it. The shade covers the glass and the curtains cover the edges.

If you already have corded blinds

Replace them if you can. Until then, CPSC lists steps that it says "will not eliminate the hazard; they will only reduce it":

• Move the crib. Move "all cribs, beds, furniture and toys away from windows and window covering cords, preferably to another wall."
• Shorten pull cords so nothing dangles.
• Check the cord stops. They should sit within 1 to 2 inches of the head rail when the blind is fully lowered.
• Anchor continuous-loop cords to the floor or wall so they're taut.

CPSC also warns that most blinds sold before November 2000 have inner cords a child can pull into a loop: "Consumers should immediately replace these types of blinds."

The rule goes beyond the window. CPSC's cord page says to "keep ALL cords away from babies, including baby monitor cords." Our baby monitor guide covers where to put one.

Where the federal rules stand

Only what CPSC's own pages say:

• November 2, 2022: CPSC voted 4 to 0 to approve a mandatory standard for operating cords on custom window coverings, products "created to a consumer's specifications."
• The same day: it added hazardous cords to its substantial product hazard list. That rule covers operating and inner cords on stock window coverings, and inner cords on custom ones, and incorporates the ANSI/WCMA A100.1-2018 voluntary standard.
• September 22, 2026: CPSC voted 3 to 0 to approve publishing a proposed rule titled "Substantial Product Hazard List: Amendments to Requirements for Window Covering Cords." The vote record we read doesn't say what the amendments would change.

None of that changes what to buy. CPSC's advice is the same: "The safest option when young children are present is to go cordless."

Recalls for these brands

• Eclipse, NICETOWN, AOSKY, Redi Shade, Tommee Tippee and Amazon Basics: no window covering recalls turned up.
• CHICOLOGY recalled roll-up blinds in 2010 for a strangulation risk. That recall doesn't cover the cordless cellular shade here.

In 2025 CPSC announced recalls of several corded roller shades and blinds sold on Amazon. One covered about 73,000 Joydeco roller window shades sold from September 2021 to September 2024; CPSC said their "long operating cords" could cause death or serious injury to children. That's why we left Joydeco out, even though its cordless cellular shade came up in our search.

Check any shade you already own in CPSC's recall search, and nursery gear in our recall checker.

What we left out

• Any shade or blind with a pull cord, bead chain or continuous loop.
• Joydeco and Persilux shades: both brands had 2025 CPSC recalls for corded shades or blinds.
• Cordless shades we couldn't tie to a trusted seller, including several LazBlinds listings sold by a store under a different name.
• Curtain tiebacks with long cords or tassels. Use a hook or a clip.

For the rest of the room, see our babyproofing checklist by age.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I get a free kit for the corded blinds I have now?

Yes, for some fixes. CPSC's cord page says that if pull cords have no cord stops, or a continuous-loop cord has no hold-down device, you can contact the Window Covering Safety Council at 800-506-4636 for a free kit. CPSC adds that those kits "do not address the dangling pull cord hazard."

Where should the night-light go in a dark nursery?

Away from the curtains. The AAP's safe baby's room checklist says: "Keep night-lights away from drapes or bedding where they could start a fire. Buy only cool night-lights that do not get hot."

Do portable blackout blinds work in hotels?

On smooth glass, yes: both here attach with suction cups, have no cords and adjust to different window sizes, per their listings. Check the window before you rely on one.

NurseryProof is a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for sites to earn advertising fees by advertising and linking to Amazon.com. This guide summarizes public guidance and is not medical advice.