I admit that I’ve always been curious about the trend of weighted blankets–as someone who has restless leg syndrome, my entire family makes jokes about how often I shake my legs. My husband laughs that my vigorous leg shaking at night shakes him to sleep. (Really, it’s enough to shake a grown man straight out of bed. Oops.)

I’ve learned to live with my restless legs–and the aching that often results–but when I noticed symptoms appearing in one of my daughters, I was heartbroken. She’s not quite as bad as me, but her legs will start in at night and she will often ask me to rub them for her before she goes to sleep because they hurt.

So when I had a chance to review the Dreamland Weighted Sleep Blanket for kids, I was curious to see if it could help her fall asleep more easily at night. And I’m pleased to say my suspicions were right–a weighted blanket has done wonders for her. Here’s more on our experience with this weighted blanket.

What is the Dreamland Weighted Sleep Blanket for Kids?

The Dreamland brand offers two weighted sleep products: the weighted sleep sack in two different sizes for babies 0-6 months and 6-24 months and a weighted blanket designed for children who weigh at least 30 pounds. The weighted blanket is exactly what it sounds like: a blanket with built-in small beads for a total weight of 4 pounds. It’s for older children and meant to induce calm and relaxation. The gentle pressure, in combination with cozy fabric and soft touches, all help encourage your child to sleep.

I tried the sleep blanket for kids for my daughter and at six years old, she’s right in the recommended age range of 3-8. Here are the features we loved about the blanket:

Lap-sized for older children

The blanket is 36 x 48 inches, which is a nice, comfortable size that covers her lap and legs perfectly when she’s curled up reading or resting.

Super soft material

The material is so cozy and comfortable—it’s soft to the touch and features a silky border that feels extra luxurious.

One site of the blanket is made of premium micro-fleece, which is incredibly soft and cozy, while the other side is Minky cooling fabric, which makes the blanket moisture-wicking and breathable so you can use it year-round. And that satin edge is just the final luxurious touch.

Secure weights

The weighted aspect of the blanket comes thanks to hypoallergenic glass beads that are built into inner pockets inside the blanket. Now owning this blanket, I can safely say there would be no possible way to access the beads either, so that’s not a concern I have at all.

The entire blanket feels very high-quality and thick, while still remaining soft and cozy. As the company notes, the point of the blanket is to provide gentle, even pressure to mimic being hugged and encourage comfort and relaxation for your child.

Machine-washable

I had doubts about keeping it clean, but the entire blanket is machine-washable (although you’ll want to air dry). It’s also Oeko-Tex® Standard 100 approved, which means it’s safe from harmful, allergenic chemicals, and additives.

So, Does it Work?

Every child is going to be different, but for our family, the weighted blanket has truly been an incredibly useful tool for my daughter. I only have one child out of five who has my same affliction of anxious, restless legs, but for her, the blanket has been a game-changer.

Not only does she feel very special to have her very own “special blanket for her legs,” but she also truly enjoys using it. It’s soft, cozy, and it helps her signal it’s time to calm down and settle in for the night.

Are Weighted Blankets Safe for Kids?

Weighted blankets have become a bit of a trendy item, but the research so far isn’t conclusive on their effectiveness. For instance, a 2014 study in Pediatrics found that weighted blankets didn’t help children with autism sleep any longer periods of time or fall asleep faster, but did find that parents and children favored the blankets.

For adults, weighted blankets have been linked to helping reduce anxiety and promote feelings of calm, but again, there’s no clear evidence on the safety and effectiveness of weighted blanket for kids. Every child is different and some kids may feel calmer with a weighted blanket, while others may find it too restrictive.

If you do choose a weighted blanket, it’s generally recommended that the weight be no more than 10% of body weight, so a 4-pound blanket would be appropriate for a 40-pound child. Dreamland also includes special safety instructions that you should never use this blanket with any child under the age of three, under 30 pounds, or with any child who does not have the ability to remove it from their face. The weighted blanket should also never be placed in a crib at any time.

Before You Buy

The biggest consideration to keep in mind about this weighted blanket is that it can definitely pose a safety hazard if you have any young babies or toddlers in the house. Our youngest is almost two, so I don’t worry as much about anything obstructing her breathing and I feel pretty confident she could move the blanket if somehow it did end up with her while she was sleeping. But I’m not sure I would feel as comfortable if I still had a baby in the house.

Especially if you have a toddler who loves to give their younger baby siblings “blankies” as all mine did, you’d want to exercise caution to ensure this blanket never ended up near a baby’s face.

I did also find that although the blanket is a nice size, it’s not quite big enough to be a full-size blanket for my six-year-old. It’s a nice size for resting on the couch or reading, but at night, she definitely needs more coverage. Our solution is that we drape the blanket over her legs at night to induce that calming effect, then cover her with a larger blanket so she stays warm in her upper half too.

The other aspect to consider is that because this is a weighted blanket, it’s not the most convenient thing to pack for travel or to take anywhere because it is heavy. If your child is the type who needs to cart a special blanket everywhere, that will definitely be one aspect to keep in mind, or else you’ll be lugging a 4-pound blanket everywhere you go.

Overall, however, my daughter absolutely loves her special blanket. She carts it all around the house and is never without it when she curls up to read or color. She knows that it’s a tool she can use if she’s having achy legs at night and I think in a lot of ways, just knowing she has a solution, has helped tremendously too. It definitely makes me wish that I had looked into a weighted blanket earlier for her.

If you do decide to pick up a Dreamland Weighted Blanket for your little one, be sure to talk with your child’s pediatrician about any concerns you may have about your child’s behavior and to discuss safety aspects of introducing a weighted blanket into your home.

And one last note: there is a 30-day return policy on the weighted blanket, so if you’re unsure about the price but still want to give it a try, you can absolutely see if it works for your little one without worrying that you will waste your investment. (Your blanket have to be in new condition and you’ll be responsible for shipping costs to send it back.) Dreamland does recommend you give it at least a week to see if there are any improvements with your child’s sleep.

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