When Do Kids Start Using Blankets?

Updated on February 04, 2019
E.M. asks from Brooklyn, NY
10 answers

Curious about what age toddlers/young kids start using blankets at night? This is not a question about safety - I know the AAP recommends no blankets before 12 months, etc. But my kiddo (15 months) will kick off any blanket that even slightly covers him if we're cuddling on the couch or if he gets into the "big bed" with us in the morning. So I'm just curious at what point I would/should even attempt to have him use a blanket at night, instead of dressing him in enough layers that he looks like that kid from A Christmas Story ("I can't put my arms down!") (kidding... haha ;) All I get when I try to google is safety information.

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S.S.

answers from Atlanta on

I let my boys decide what they needed to sleep comfortably in from the age of 5.

We gave them sheets, blankets and pillows. They got to choose them. How they used them? it was on them. I have one son who needs to have 3 blankets over him (we are now considering getting him a weighted blanket) to feel warm and comfy. I have one that just wants a thicker sheet, like a hospital sheet. I have one that wears just underwear and a blanket and one that just likes to be "normal"!! LOL, what he has experienced at other people's houses: a sheet, blanket and pillow.

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D.B.

answers from Boston on

I kept mine in footed pajamas and a blanket sleeper until they didn't make his size anymore! I bought them big so a layer could be underneath, and I used wrist bands (the kind athletes wear) to keep the feet and ankles in place. The legs billowed out a little (like harem pants!) but he stayed warm and had some breathing room. And he didn't outgrow them quite as often.

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M.P.

answers from Portland on

All 5 of my grandkids kicked off blankets at that age. The 3 youngest (3, 5, 7) still do. Kids seem to not seem to get cold ad much as we do.

And, Of course he's not going to sleep with a blanket when he's all bundled up.

I didn't know babies should not sleep with blankets until they were 12 months. All the babies can safely sleep with a blanket once they can sit up, roll over, change position.

He may kick off the blanket when cuddling because he's too warm. He's old enough that his body self regulates temperature. If he gets cold while sleeping he will either snuggle back in to his blanket or his body will keep his core temperature warm enough.

I was on the playground with the 3 youngest. The the 5 and 7 yo played with their lightweight jackets open and flapping. We went in because we 2 adults were cold.

Addition: what kind if blanket are you asking about. My daughter used baby blankets when they were past the swaddling stage. A heavy adult size around 2.

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W.W.

answers from Washington DC on

My oldest son had a blanket he loved since birth. When he was 10 - we put it in a sealed bag so it wouldn't get worn out. LOL!! We went to the store and he picked out a blanket he liked - he needed to like the feeling of the blanket - that's how I am - I like a certain "feel".

My youngest son? He needs "SOFT" like a fleece.

Do NOT dress him in layers for sleeping. His body will overheat. Let him figure this out. There are people that sleep "hot" and can't stand blankets covering them. His body will tell him when he's cold and he can pull a sheet up or a blanket - stop overdressing him for bed.
https://sleep.lovetoknow.com/Sweating_in_Sleep

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M.D.

answers from Pittsburgh on

Depends on the kid. One of mine used a halo sleep sack until he was close to 2. He figured out how to stand up in it but he had to call to us to take it off in the morning. My other didn't kick off the blanket so much, so he used a blanket starting at about 1 year.

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M.G.

answers from Portland on

We used those sleep sacks and turned up the heat. We ran into this problem and where we live it's cold. I had a hard time finding ones that were big enough so I think I ended up ordering them online. So I dressed them in fleece sleepers and then popped them in the bags. Towards the end of my kids, I found bags that had feet (so that they could walk around in them). I think they wore these up until around age 2. Then I piled on the blankets, and they didn't kick them off so much. I could tuck them in.

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G.♣.

answers from Springfield on

I think you're trapped in a Catch 22. You're afraid to let him wear regular pj's in case he get's cold, so you layer him up. He doesn't want a blanket, because he's all layered up.

I would say go shopping. Let him pick out some pj's and a blanket and go from there. If he get's cold at night, he'll grab that blanket for warmth.

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R.K.

answers from Appleton on

My oldest is 43 - my youngest is 27. I used blankets on their beds from the time they came home from the hospital, all survived. I think the big difference now is because so many blankets are made with fabrics that do not breathe. If the blanket covers the baby's face air can't get through. Cotton breathes and air can get through. You can also use a hand knitted or crocheted blanket air can get in through the little holes.

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E.M.

answers from Philadelphia on

My four all stopped kicking off blankets when they were cold. Most people keep their homes significantly warmer than the temps recommended for kids sleep (67 is the max temp recommended for ideal sleep- if kids have thick pjs or blankets it should be cooler). My three year old sleeps in a short sleeved nightgown even when it’s 4 degrees outside and she just started keeping a blanket on this year. I really wouldn’t stress it. He will use the blanket when he’s cold.

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E.M.

answers from Louisville on

As soon as they could roll over

1 mom found this helpful
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