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Keeping Toddlers Warm at Night
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Keeping Toddlers Warm at Night
Keeping Toddlers Warm?
Does anyone have any suggestions on how to keep a toddler warm at night? We are trying to keep our energy bills low since we are on a tight budget. I have tried unsuccessfully to keep blankets on her and she takes her socks off.
Stacey in Michigan
Try Blanket Sleepers
I solved this problem in a very easy way for my Granddaughter who is now 21 years old. I just bought the sleeper blanket pajamas with attached footies. I always bought them a little larger than she needed and she slept snug as a bug all winter long.
Anne
Layer Horizontally
We have the same problem with our 3-year-old. My mom came up with the idea of adding a larger blanket horizontally to her bed after she is asleep. We tuck our daughter in with a couple of fleece blankets and she inevitably kicks them off by the time we go to bed a couple of hours later. We re-tuck her under those blankets at our bedtime and then I add a wool blanket sideways to her bed. She sleeps in a toddler bed so the twin size blanket lays across her in a perpendicular way and is large enough that it hangs on the floor on both sides of the bed. We've been doing this for a few weeks and she has yet to toss that blanket off with all her thrashing.
Amy
The Key is Layers
The key to keeping your toddler warm at night is layering. I turn the heat down at night, but my grandson stays warm. I start with a t-shirt, socks and his diaper. I then add a turtleneck, long-sleeve onesie. Then, I put on a toddler blanket sleeper with feet. They zip up easily. If it is very cold, you might want to include tights instead of the socks for an extra leg layer. When we dress my grandson this way at night, there are no worries about him kicking off the blankets. Often, he only requires a very light blanket at night and keeps nice and warm even though the heat is turned down to 60 degrees.
Elizabeth in Denver, CO
Children Adapt
I work the night shift at a hospital, and quite often, I work with small children. I have found that if you over-dress children for sleep, they will take off what they don't need, in their sleep. If they get cold while sleeping, they will grab their "blankie" and cover up themselves. We, as adults, do the same thing. We take covers off or put them on when we are asleep.
Elaine
Stay Warm with a Stocking Cap
If you read The Night Before Christmas repeatedly over the holiday season, you'll notice the line "mama in her kerchief and I in my cap, had just settled down for a long winter's nap." Experts say that 50% of body heat escapes through the bare head. If you can make a game of it and get your toddler to wear a stocking cap that he/she chooses from the discount store, you'll keep things toasty!
Glenda in Chicago
Definitely Try Down
My advice is to purchase a twin-size down blanket and put it on her bed or in her crib. She is past the SIDS risk, so soft bedding is fine. Even if she kicks it off, by laying on it, she will stay warm, as the feathers will "mold" to the shape of her little body. My son loves his!
Laurie G. in Little Egg Harbor, NJ
How About a Hot Water Bottle?
How about the old-fashioned hot water bottle? You can get a child's water bottle online. These have fancy covers to make sure the kids don't get too close to the heat. Some even look like plush teddies. With one of these, they'll stay warm.
Lesley
Sleep Sack
Try a sleep sack. This is a vest with a sack attached that zips up the front. The child will be able to move freely while staying warm. My sister used one on her son until he was three. You can find them at babyinabag.com/.
Alison
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