Designing a Bedroom That Can Help Improve Your Child's Sleep
More sleep. It’s something all parents want. They’ll try all sorts of things to help their kids sleep well and (fingers crossed) through the night. From endless trips to the park and time spent running around outdoors to numerous stories before lights out and a warm cup of milk.
But the one thing that can have the biggest impact on your child’s sleep is their bedroom environment. More often than not, your child’s bedroom design is what’s been hindering their sleep. Thankfully, it’s something you can fix.
In this article, we share how.
How Much Sleep Do Children Need?
One of the most common questions from sleep-deprived parents is, how much sleep does my child really need? According to the NHS, you should aim for the following amount of sleep for your child:
* 3-6 months old: 8 hours per night
* 6-12 months old: 12 hours per night
* Over 12 months: 12 to 15 hours per night
* 2 Years: 11 to 12 hours per night
* 3-4 years: 12 hours per night
Of course, it’s important to note that sleep needs vary from child to child. The above should serve as a guideline only. If your child is slightly above or below these recommendations, there is no need to worry. However, if your child is getting significantly less sleep than the NHS recommends, it might be wise to consult your doctor for advice.
How to Design a Sleep-friendly and Calm Bedroom for Kids
The great news is that you can establish healthy sleep habits in your child by creating a relaxing bedroom environment. Whether you’re looking for toddler boy bedroom ideas or a room that will grow with your children, we share it all in this article. Here’s how to create the perfect kid's bedroom design for a sleep-friendly space.
Fit Made to Measure Blinds
Kids sleep best when it’s dark. That’s because their bodies (just like ours) have an in-built circadian rhythm that helps regulate their levels of awakeness and sleepiness throughout the day. As we wake up our energy levels increase and as the day draws to a close our bodies wind down for sleep.
Controlling the light levels in your child’s bedroom with blackout curtains and made to measure blinds supports a healthy circadian rhythm. This means your child will feel tired when they go to bed, sleep for longer stretches of time, and feel refreshed when they wake up.
Top tip: to keep your child’s circadian rhythm healthy, avoid screens before bed. Artificial lights from screens can disrupt the body’s sleep cycle, making it harder for your child to go to sleep and get a good night’s sleep.
Select the Right Wall Colours
Did you know that certain colours have the power to evoke different emotions and responses? If your child is struggling to sleep well in their bedroom, it might be worth changing the colour of their walls.
These are the best bedroom paint colours to choose when designing a bedroom for kids:
Blue: the colour of the ocean and the sky, blue is naturally calming as a colour. It is thought to promote feelings of tranquillity, lowering blood pressure and helping to calm your child as they climb into bed.
Green: another tranquil colour that evokes feelings of being in nature, green is a popular colour choice for bedrooms. Green symbolises a connection to nature as well as a sense of growth and renewal. It is thought to offer children a sense of security and calmness in the home.
Neutral Colours: cream, grey, and beige are also good choices for your child’s room because they are calming and relaxing. Additionally, neutral colours provide a blank canvas that gives you the creative freedom to decorate your child’s bedroom however you wish.
When painting your child’s bedroom, it is best to avoid bright colours as these can excite and energise. It is also best to avoid busy wallpaper designs or lots of fun stickers as, again, these can be really engaging for children making them keen to play and learn in a space where they should be sleeping.
If you stick with the colours we’ve listed above, you should be able to create a calm bedroom environment that is conducive to a good night’s sleep.
Get Rid of Clutter
When you’re creating a kids bedroom design, you need to keep things as minimalist as possible. That means getting rid of clutter. Keeping your child’s bedroom tidy and clutter free is an important step in improving their sleep.
According to The National Library of Medicine, “The physical home environment is thought to play a crucial role in facilitating healthy sleep in young children. [...] Household chaos, an index of the overall disorganisation and confusion of the home, is associated with parent-and child- reported sleep disturbances across development.”
Aim to keep your child’s sleep space tidy and free from clutter as well as your wider home, where possible. We recommend that everything has a space - whether it’s under the bed, in a storage container, or on a shelf. If something doesn’t have a space, it’s time to donate or give away a few things so that you can create more space. Keep on top of the clutter and you should find that your child’s sleep improves.
According to Parenting with Psychology, “as your child gets older, they’ll start to request having more of their belongings in their room and be able to have more decorations on their walls. [...] You know your child better than anyone, so you’ll get a feel for when they’ve got the bedtime routine down [...] then you allow things to enter the bedroom bit by bit over time to test the waters, gently guiding your munchkins along the path to independence.”
Top Tip: Play is transformative for children but so is having a good routine. Encourage your child to tidy up with you. Set ‘tidy up time’ at the end of each day and have your child tidy away their toys. This is a great way to foster independence and teach your child a sense of responsibility over their space from a young age.
Create Different Zones
Zoning your child’s bedroom is a great way to improve their sleep amount and quality. Your child’s bedroom often serves many purposes; it’s a space where you change their nappy and get them dressed, read them books, put them to bed, play, and teach them. So, it’s no wonder that many children struggle to go to sleep easily.
Creating zones in your child’s bedroom is a great way to create healthy boundaries within their space that support better sleep. You can even colour-code each zone to make it clear which area is for playing, learning, and sleeping.
Giving your child clear spaces where they can do certain activities is a great way to improve their focus and time spent on individual tasks, while also helping them with their bedtime routine.
Top Tip: Keeping the cot or bed area just for nighttime and not for playing in throughout the day helps to separate the bed space from everywhere else, making bedtime a little bit easier.
Get Your Child Involved
One of the best ways to get your child excited about going to sleep is to involve them in the process of designing their room. When they’re involved in choosing the wall colours, situating their toys, and selecting their bedding then they will be excited to go to bed.
Your child’s bedroom is a space that is personal to them. It’s where they will grow, develop, and find comfort and relaxation. Involving them in the decorating is a great first step in this process, allowing you to work together to create a restful sleep space that helps the whole family sleep better.
Sleep Well
As a parent, the thought of an uninterrupted night’s sleep can feel years away. However, with the tools we’ve shared in this article it might not be as far away as you think. We encourage you to give our suggestions a try. They might just work and refresh your kids so that you can enjoy adventures together.