Let’s Learn about Sleep
Help littles understand why sleep is important with sleep facts and an easy activity. Hopefully, it will help kids not to fight nap time.
What is Sleep?
Sleep is a mini-vacation for your body and brain when they can rest (but still do some pretty cool things– check out more sleep facts below 😉).
Giving your brain and body a rest after it has worked hard all day is an important step to keeping your body and mind health.
Why is Sleep Important?
While you are sleeping, your brain is hard at work. It takes the information it learned through to the day and finally has a change to file it away in a more permanent spot.
Your brain even comes up with solutions to problems you ran into without you doing all the heavy thinking.
What cool sleep facts!
This article may contain affiliate links to products that may help you when homeschooling preschool.
What Happens When We Sleep?
During sleep, your body is using less energy, your muscles have a chance to relax, your brain sorts through information and gets rid of toxins that built up while you were awake.
If you get into a deep sleep, called REM sleep, you are able to dream!
How to Get Your Mind and Body Ready for Sleep
There are a few steps you can take to help give yourself an easier time getting ready to sleep.
*Create a nighttime routine so your body knows what to expect.
*Take a warm bath
*Avoid using screens within an hour of bedtime
*Listen to a story
*Listen to soft music or rain sounds
*Limit bright lights
*Be active throughout the day so your body is tired and ready to rest
Knowing these sleep facts can help you make choices to benefit your sleep.
Make a Nightlight Activity
** There are small batteries inside the tea lights. This activity should not be done with children 3 and under or those who are prone to putting things in their mouths **
Items Needed
*Battery-operated tea light (for kids 4 years old and up)
*scissors
*construction paper
*tape
How to Make a Nightlight
1. Wrap a sheet of construction paper around the tea light. Note where the papers meet by folding the paper at that spot. You may want to give yourself slightly larger than where they meet so it’s easier to wrap later.
2. Cut the paper on the fold.
3. Using scissors, cut out shapes from the construction paper. Remember, if you are making shapes that can be “upside down,” make sure you cut them the right side up by noting which edge of your paper is the bottom and will be wrapped around your light.
4. Wrap the construction paper back around the tea light. Ensure that the tea light bottom is flush with the bottom of the paper.
5. Secure the paper in the cylinder shape with tape.
Add a piece of tape across the bottom of the tea light to stop it from falling out.
6. Go to a dark-ish room and try out your new flashlight after learning about sleep facts.
Sleep Facts and Activity for Preschoolers
Helping little ones understand WHY something is happening can help alleviate some pushback when it comes time to do the activity. Here is to hoping that the sleep facts and flashlight encourage your little one to catch a few more zzzzs.
