Babies and young children have an enormous need for sleep. While newborns can sleep for up to 16 hours, toddlers sleep for around 11 to 14 hours a day. It is therefore all the more important that the children’s room is optimally equipped during planning and furnishing, not only for the nightly bedtime rest, but also during the day for naps. The most important tips – from practical window darkening to snooze lights.
Tips for the color design of the children’s room
Gaudy colors or more daring color combinations may seem appropriate for children at first glance, but they are not suitable for a restful sleeping environment for younger children.
Whether wall color, furniture, bedding or window decoration: fashionable and at the same time soft colors are the perfect transition to sleep. Colors such as apricot, delicate mint green, rosé, pastel yellow, a light violet or natural colors such as beige and light blue are particularly suitable and can also be tastefully combined with each other.
Curtains & Roman blinds: softly falling blackout for windows.
When choosing window decorations, on the one hand, coziness is required, and on the other hand, a child should be shielded from light as much as possible during sleep to guarantee an undisturbed sleeping environment. Blackout window decorations are definitely a must here. Because they not only protect against moonlight during the night, but also provide reliable sun protection for the midday slumber.
Softer-looking window decorations are especially recommended here, as they have a particularly cozy effect and invite you to dream. For example, curtain scarves quickly provide an all-around secure sleeping atmosphere as soon as the toddler is put to sleep. Another child-friendly decor is more playful Roman blinds, where the fabric forms gentle waves at the bottom. Both types of window decorations are also practical in terms of hygiene: curtains as well as Roman blinds can be cleaned in the washing machine with appropriate curtain washing programs in no time.
Gentle light to get in the mood for bedtime rest
Appropriate lighting at bedtime is essential to help a child slowly switch off from the excitement of everyday life and get into sleep mode more easily. Perfect for this are lamps with warm light sources such as LED chains or light garlands for children’s rooms, snooze lights or even wall lamps that shine away to the back and illuminate the sleeping environment comfortably in no time at all.
Softly dimmed light also creates just the right feel-good atmosphere for reading a bedtime story, singing a lullaby or playing a little music box. This makes it even easier to drift off into the realm of dreams.
Cuddly toys in bed – from when?
A favorite cuddly toy makes the crib a real place of well-being. Even toddlers build up a close emotional bond with it and a loyal plush friend in the room takes away the little ones’ fear of being alone during the night.
However, the age of the child must be taken into account, as large cuddly toys, pillows or blankets are a great danger, especially for babies, and can lead to sudden infant death syndrome.
The most important requirement for cuddly accessories of any kind is the age-related developmental stage. For example, soft toys in the crib are not recommended until the child is much more practiced in its motor skills and can, for example, move back and forth in bed on its own and lift its head. It is advisable to wait until the child has reached the age of one.
It is also important to pay attention to the specific age recommendation of the cuddly toy. For children before the age of three, childproof toys must be free of small parts. Only when the offspring is three years old, for example, may the little teddy buddy also be equipped with plastic beady eyes or a removable pom-pom cap. For children of all ages, the following also applies: Cuddly toys should always be free of harmful substances. Appropriate seals of approval, such as the GS mark for tested safety, provide information on this.
