What You Need to Help Your Kids Sleep Better

Are your kids having trouble sleeping? Waking up screaming? Leaping into your bed at 2 AM? Wetting their bed? No matter what’s causing your child to have sleep troubles (and thus, causing YOU to have sleep troubles), there are several different additions or modifications you can make to your child’s room to help.

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A Fun Bed

If your child really enjoys his or her bed, there’s a better chance your child is going to want to climb into it in the evening. Most children don’t really notice pay attention to the quality of their mattress—unless it’s very hard. If your child has a firm mattress, try getting a more cushiony mattress. If your child has a cushiony mattress, try getting a firmer mattress. See if this change helps.

You might also want to try getting your child a more fun bed. Every kid has different tastes, but these kids theme beds should give you a few ideas.

Night Lights

Night lights may be the perfect solution if your child is suffering from nightmares (but if your child is having nightmares due to some time of familial fear or trauma, you might want to speak with him or her about it or seek professional help). A night light comforts a child by preventing him or her from having to go to sleep in total darkness.

There are lots of great night lights you buy that create an inspiring, comforting, and fun sleep environment for your kid. This star projector night light, for example, will project stars onto the wall and ceiling of your child’s bedroom—way cooler than your standard night light.

A Weighted Blanket

Most children have some sort of stuffed animal or special blanket they cling to because it gives them extra comfort while they’re sleeping. A weighted blanket might be just the thing your child needs. A weighted blanket is, as the name implies, a slightly heavier blanket that’s known for its therapeutic qualities. When you’re wrapped up in the blanket, you feel as though someone is hugging you, which is a very calm and relaxing feeling. Your child might especially like a weighted blanket if he or she is exhibiting signs of loneliness.

Books

Getting a child to go to sleep has always been one of the most difficult parenting tasks—and it’s even more difficult now in the digital age. There’s a chance that your child probably uses the computer, a smart phone, or other electronic devices throughout the day. These devices emit a blue light that prevents your brain from preparing your body for sleep.

It’s best to get your kids off their devices at least an hour before bedtime. You can spend that hour having them do activities that make them feel sleepy. Reading is the perfect sleep-inducing activity in the evening. Make a habit of reading children’s books to your kids every evening until they’re ready to pick it up by themselves. There are also plenty of benefits of reading to kids.

Redecorate Your Child’s Bedroom

As mentioned earlier, kids may be able to sleep better if they have a more comforting sleep environment. Night lights and beds aside, it might be time to redecorate your child’s bedroom. Decorate with whatever colors and themes your kid likes most—let your child have the most input.

There are several ways you can approaching redecorating:

• Add new kids wallpaper
• Add pictures, paintings, or wall hangings of things your child likes
• Add closet doors if there aren’t any (kids are notoriously terrified of closets at night)
• Add a bunk bed (even if there’s only one kid in the room—kids love bunk beds)
• Add a toy chest

Overall, just try and make the bedroom more fun—don’t let it appear like it’s ready for an open house. 

Better Pillows

It’s possible that your child isn’t sleeping well because he or she needs new pillows. Experts say that you should replace your pillows every six months, or else they’ll start to flatten and provide little head support. Try and get memory foam pillows, which are generally considered the softest and most comfortable. But you might also consider getting themed kids pillows, which you can find at pretty much any department store.

Don’t let your child struggle through the night! Just use any of these tips to improve your child’s sleep—they’re all pretty easy solutions.

Have a restless teen? Read these sleep tips for teenagers.