Up to three-quarters of children between the age of two and ten are scared of the dark, and surprising hair-raising hotspots in their bedroom, including bedside tables, wardrobes, and mirrors, can intensify the problem.
Experts can now reveal that simple décor changes, such as swapping for a loft bed or furniture with rounded edges, could help eliminate bedtime nightmares. Bed and sleep specialists at Happy Beds have worked with a doctor and an interior designer to reveal what might be causing bad dreams in children’s bedrooms.
From common scary pieces of furniture to the best bedtime set-up, here are six top tips to banish the monsters under the bed.
6 kid's bedroom ideas to eliminate nightmares
Choose a loft bed
The most common childhood fear is monsters under the bed. You might be considering a kids bed with no empty space beneath it (which probably would work too), but creating more space under the bed could help fight the fear of monsters while also creating more usable room space or storage.
Po-Chang Hsu, Doctor of Medicine (MD), explains that a loft or cabin bed could be just the thing to battle nightmares as “the height of a loft bed can make a child feel protected and away from danger. A cabin bed is recommended if the child is not yet old enough to climb a high bed on their own. Its playful aspect creates a relaxed atmosphere, ideal for driving away bad dreams.”
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Opt for a smaller wardrobe
Wardrobes are a common source of worry for children due to the fear of what could be lurking within. Moreover, interior designer and feng-shui expert Deepika Adhikari explains they can also contribute to negative energy in a child’s bedroom: “Large furniture and tall armoires bring down the positive energy in small children. Replacing them with a smaller wardrobe, about half the size of an adult version, is ideal for promoting positive energy in a kid's room.”
Buy Pensham Dove Grey Single Wardrobe from Cotswold Co (£399)
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Consider the location of mirrors
Kids have overactive imaginations, so having a mirror in eye-line of their bed can increase the chance of them feeling as though they’ve caught a glimpse of something scary. If you need to have mirrors in your child’s room, try to position them so they aren’t visible from the bed to allow their imagination to rest easy while they’re trying to drift off.
If you're working in a tricky room, you might struggle to find a practical space for a mirror that doesn't face your child's bed. A great way around this is to opt for a free standing mirror so you can easily move it to face away from the bed at night time. Why not turn it completely to face the wall to eliminate all risk of fear?
Buy Children's Free Standing Dress Up Mirror from Etsy (from £53.99)
Go for blinds rather than curtains
Parents report that curtains are often a source of fear in their children’s rooms. Tall curtains allow little imaginations to run wild, conjuring up images of someone, or something, hiding behind them, especially if they create large shadows. Switching to shorter, half-size curtains can help, or better yet, get rid of the curtain fear altogether by replacing them with nonthreatening blinds. These blinds from Dunelm are a great choice with the subtle print, blackout material and hidden chord to avoid any safety hazards.
Buy Blue Alphabet Blackout Roller Blind from Dunelm (from £20)
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Use furniture with soft edges
In feng-shui, sharp corners are called ‘poison arrows’, and give off negative energy, which can contribute to fear and nightmares in children. For positive energy, ensure no sharp corners are pointing in the direction of the bed. For example, a bedside table with softer, curved lines can feel much less aggressive, leading to a more restful and relaxed night’s sleep.
Buy Rainbow Bedside Table from John Lewis (£125)
Use child-friendly wallpaper
Your little one may adore superheroes, but did you know action-themed wallpaper, décor or artwork could actually be giving them bad dreams? Avoid anything with violent or hostile imagery showing weapons, fight scenes or aggressive action, such as superheroes battling, ninjas, or sharks. Calm artwork, subtle wallpaper, family photos, or children’s own framed drawings are all much more tranquil options that will help children settle down to sleep peacefully.
Buy Clouds Wallpaper from World of Wallpaper (£10.99)
Blues and teals are great colours to use in children's bedrooms, so why not have a read of our guide how to decorate with teal here.?
