We’ve had some glorious weather and the kids love playing out in the sunshine, but when it comes to getting a little one to sleep there lies a challenge!  Falling asleep as an adult when it’s hot is hard enough, but little bodies seem to produce even more heat than we do, so how can you keep them cool?  Here are our tips Fans There’s so many new types of fans on the market now. It’s not just the usual round fans you’re scared your child’s going to poke their fingers into.  Now there are slimline tower fans with no exposed blades, fitted with timers so you can turn them on at bedtime or ideally, half hour before, and know that if you forget to turn it off before bed, it will turn off by itself.  Argos has a great selection of these starting from just £29.99. Cold pillows The feel of a cool pillow against your head can work wonders when you’re hot.  Pop your pillowcase in a zip up freezer bag and put it in the fridge for an hour. Stick to cotton pillowcases and make sure it’s in a fully lockable freezer bag before placing it in the fridge. Then simply shake out and put the pillow back in just before bed, ready for a chilled pillow to calm hot heads.

Flat sheets

Yes, they do still exist and they’re not all at your mother’s.  Flat sheets are a great way of keeping cool, but still give little ones something to put over them and snuggle. Stick to pure cotton as they’ll be cooler and take off the duvet.  The sheet will still give you something to tuck them in with, but it won’t cause them to overheat.  An alternative is to use the duvet cover only, without the duvet inside.

Cooling drinks

If your little one is used to milk before bed, try and also fit in a cool glass of water.  It’s easy for little ones to become dehydrated in the heat and the cool water will help lower their body temperature before bed, so they’re not so hot to start with. Fill a water bottle half way with cold water and freeze, then top up with more cold water to help the water to stay colder for longer.  Keep by the side of the bed in case your little one is hot and needs a drink.  Plus, it will save the calls for a drink in the night because their water’s too warm now.

Bug bites

Warm weather brings out the gnats and flying, biting insects.  Don’t forget to protect your sleeping child from bites.  Either use a spray suitable for spraying directly onto the skin (also can be cooling) or invest in one of the mosquito burners that emit a scented repellent.