THE WEIRD AND HILARIOUS PLACES CHILDREN FALL ASLEEP AND WHY
There is no denying that children like their sleep and are notorious for drifting off in pretty much any position or location, no matter how weird or wonderful. Well, experts have revealed that this actually happens to allow children’s brain time to develop throughout this period of substantial growth.
Whether in a supermarket shopping trolley, on the stairs or curled up in the dog bed, it is impossible for parents to resist capturing a snap of their little ones snoozing in the most random of positions. Knowing this was the case, baby and nursery retailer, Kiddies Kingdom, asked their customers to send in photos of their kids asleep in unusual places and the results are seriously adorable.
Many sleepy children have their favourite bedtime toy
A spokesperson for Kiddies Kingdom added:
“We work with parents to find the best sleep solutions for their babies and toddlers, but sometimes they nod off in the most unexpected places instead.
“Children develop at their fastest between the ages of 0-5, making them more likely to need a mid-day nap than any other age group. We come across many parents that struggle with settling their little one for bed-time, and recognise that sleeping in the day can play a big part in cracking the bedtime routine.
“We wanted to capture some of the funniest and most unusual places that children fall asleep. Although it may sometimes be inconvenient for parents, there is no doubt that they bring a smile to our faces.”
Kiddies Kingdom spoke to Vicki Dawson, CEO and Founder of The Sleep Charity, to provide some helpful insight into why children are able to fall asleep almost anywhere, how over napping can sometimes be a bad thing and how parents can normalise this routine.
Eating can be very tiring for some tots!
The stairs are a popular choice for a tactical doze…
As can the floor!
Having a mid-playtime snooze.
A quick pitstop.
Pets make the perfect napping buddies!
A spokesperson for Kiddies Kingdom added:
“We work with parents to find the best sleep solutions for their babies and toddlers, but sometimes they nod off in the most unexpected places instead.
“Children develop at their fastest between the ages of 0-5, making them more likely to need a mid-day nap than any other age group. We come across many parents that struggle with settling their little one for bed-time, and recognise that sleeping in the day can play a big part in cracking the bedtime routine.
“We wanted to capture some of the funniest and most unusual places that children fall asleep. Although it may sometimes be inconvenient for parents, there is no doubt that they bring a smile to our faces.”
Kiddies Kingdom spoke to Vicki Dawson, CEO and Founder of The Sleep Charity, to provide some helpful insight into why children are able to fall asleep almost anywhere, how over napping can sometimes be a bad thing and how parents can normalise this routine.
“Our sleep needs change constantly throughout our lifetime, but toddlers in particular need adequate sleep in order to meet their full potential. If a toddler becomes sleep deprived, they can find it hard to regulate emotions which causes irate behaviour and (even more!) tantrums.
“Similarly, it is just as important for children not to oversleep. We build up a drive for sleep during the day and napping for too long or too close to bed can reduce this and cause a child to not fall asleep until much later at night time because they are genuinely not tired.”
However, Vicki says parents shouldn’t be tempted to stop naps in the hope of getting a better night’s sleep. “Weaning off naps may need to be done gradually; cutting down from two to one and then slowly reducing the length of this nap.”
Most children will wean themselves off napping, but parents can encourage this by avoiding activities in the afternoon that cause drowsiness such as a ride in the car or pushchair and watching television.
When considering the importance of routine, Vicki says waking up and going to sleep at the same time each day helps children’s body clocks to stay on track, making it easier for them to nod off.
“Our natural body clock thrives on routine. Routine also helps children to feel secure, they know what to expect and make associations between, for example, putting on their nightwear and going to sleep,” she adds.
The disruption of the pandemic has thrown many family’s routine off course and children often pick up on increased levels of anxiety from parents and this can affect their sleep. During these uncertain times, parents should make an effort to normalise their sleep routine as much as possible.
“Try to get into a routine and stick to it. Parents should encourage children to go to bed at roughly the same time and get up at the same time each day. Introducing a ‘wind-down’ time for an hour before bed and avoid stimulating activities such as exercise or screen time during this period,” Vicki adds.
Other tactics include giving your child a bath before bed, listening to a relaxing lullaby, and checking the temperature of the bedroom to make sure it is optimum for sleep (around 18 degrees).
For further tips, follow Kiddies Kingdom on Instagram and if you have a funny photograph of your child asleep, tag @KiddiesKingdom. The funniest photos will receive a £30 gift voucher to spend on the Kiddies Kingdom website.*