What To Do When a Toddler Won’t Keep Their Blanket On

It can be frustrating and tiring if your toddler keeps kicking their blanket off in their sleep, especially if they wake up later because they feel cold. This may cause your sleep to be interrupted by your toddler several times a night, which can make for a grumpy parent.  

If your toddler won’t keep their blanket on, it’s probably because they feel uncomfortable. In addition to addressing the potential sources of their discomfort, you can make the blanket more difficult to kick off. There are several ways to go about this. 

Read on for an overview of possible reasons your toddler is kicking off their blanket and solutions to keep the blanket on your toddler, as well as ways to keep them comfortable, so they will sleep soundly through the night.

How To Ensure Your Toddler Keeps Their Blanket On

If your toddler keeps kicking off their blanket, below are some of the solutions you can implement: 

• Regulate the room temperature.
• Use a suitable blanket. 
• Use a sheet to hold the blanket in place. 
• Use a duvet cover to hold a toddler’s duvet in place. 
• Consider a wearable blanket. 

I’ll briefly go over each solution below. 

Regulate Room Temperature 

If the temperature of your toddler’s room is too hot, they will be uncomfortable and will likely try to kick the blankets off. 

Ideally, the temperature of your toddler’s room should be between 64°F (18°C) and 72°F (22°C) (source). 

To bring the room temperature down in warmer months, you can use a fan or leave a window open (if it’s safe). 

Use a Suitable Blanket

The fabric of your child’s blanket should be breathable, light, and slightly elastic. 

Heavy blankets can cause your toddler to get hot in their sleep, which can make the toddler uncomfortable and prompts them to kick the blanket off. 

A slightly elastic blanket provides some room for the child to stretch. They won’t feel restricted and are less likely to try to kick the blanket off. 

Use a Sheet To Hold the Blanket in Place

After you ensure that your child’s blanket is made of suitable material and that the room temperature is ideal, if your toddler is still kicking off their blanket, you can use a sheet to hold it in place. 

Place the sheet over the blanket, then tuck it into the sides of the bed. 

It should be a large sheet to leave room for the child to move around under the blanket without being able to kick it off. 

Use a Duvet Cover To Hold a Toddler Duvet in Place

Instead of using a sheet as described above, you can use a toddler duvet and a regular duvet cover. Here’s how to do it: 

1. Place the duvet in the duvet cover. Since you are using a toddler duvet, there will be extra space in the cover. 
2. Cover the toddler with the duvet cover so that its length runs across your child’s body. 
3. Tuck the ends of the duvet cover under the sides of the bed to hold the duvet in place. 

Consider a Wearable Blanket

Your toddler won’t kick their blanket off if they can’t kick it off, which is the main advantage of a wearable blanket. It keeps your toddler warm, and they can’t kick it off in their sleep. 

There are many wearable blankets in the market, and it can be hard to find one that does the job right. 

This Tillyou Sleep Sack (link to Amazon) is light and soft to keep your toddler comfortable as they sleep. It’s made of pure cotton to maximize comfort and has a two-way zipper design for convenience. 

Reasons Why Toddlers Kick Off Their Blankets

Before we dive into how to ensure your toddler’s blanket stays on their body while they sleep, it’s essential to understand why children kick off their blankets. 

This approach will make it easier to solve the problem in your unique situation. The reason one toddler kicks off their blankets could be different from the reason another does it. 

Below is a list of common reasons why toddlers kick off their blankets: 

• Excessive heat.
• Restricted movement. 
• Discomfort. 
• Your little one doesn’t want a blanket.

I’ll discuss each of these reasons in more detail below.

Excessive Heat 

A blanket is supposed to keep your little one warm at night. However, sometimes a blanket makes them feel too hot. As a result, they’ll kick the blanket off. 

A heavy blanket and high room temperature are some of the reasons your toddler may kick off their blanket. 

You can determine if excessive heat is the problem by checking for the following signs in your toddler: 

• Sweat on the neck 
• Damp hair 
• Rashes 
• Flushed cheeks 

If you suspect that your child is getting too hot at night, try solutions like getting a lighter blanket for them and keeping the room temperature within the optimum range. 

Discomfort 

If your toddler finds their blanket uncomfortable, they’ll likely kick it off. Discomfort could stem from causes such as an itchy blanket or restricted movement.

Toddlers sometimes move around when sleeping. This movement may increase as their muscles grow. 

If a toddler feels restricted, they’ll wiggle or kick around in search of more freedom, resulting in their blanket coming off. 

Your toddler’s sleeping setup should allow them some room to move around. They should be able to kick their legs around freely. If they like to suck their thumb, their sleep setup should allow free hand movement. 

You should cover your sleeping toddler in a way that’s snug and warm but not too tight.

Your Toddler Isn’t Ready for a Blanket

In some cases, toddlers just don’t like being covered up. You might find that they throw up a fuss every time you cover them up but sleep just fine without blankets. 

If this is the case with your toddler, ensure their clothing is sufficient to keep them warm. 

Conclusion

If your toddler doesn’t keep their blanket on, and you have ensured the room temperature and blanket is comfortable, don’t worry as long as they sleep well and seem rested during the day.

Author Notes:
Teresa is a Registered Nurse in the State of Texas and the mother of two. Opinions and insights on childcare are based on professional knowledge, academic research, and personal experience.

Recommended Reading:

• Is It Normal for a Toddler To Laugh in Their Sleep?
• Toddler Keeps Asking To Watch TV? Here’s What To Do
• What To Do When a Toddler Pushes You Away When Crying