How do you explain the concept of “dreams” to a 2.5 year old?

One of Caitlin’s fave TV shows, Bear in the Big Blue House, had an episode where Ojo had planned a sleepover with her friends.

Halfway through the show, Ojo awoke with a nightmare, where she dreamt of monsters. Caitlin asked what was wrong with Ojo that made her cry & needing comforting from Bear.

How do you explain the concept of dreams, whilst skirting around the other concept of monsters, to a 2.5 year old?

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4 Responses to “How do you explain the concept of “dreams” to a 2.5 year old?”


  1. 1 lynn.wabbit August 22, 2007 at 3:43 pm

    get her to watch monsters inc.?
    hehehehe

  2. 2 toddlerdaddy August 25, 2007 at 8:47 pm

    That is a damn fine question. Our toddler Little Miss has started waking up with bad dreams in the last couple of months, and it is heartbreaking. She is unconsolable when it happens and all she can manage to tell us is that she is ’scared’ and a ‘bit sad’. We can’t work out what it is that is going on so we have put it down to nightmares.
    If you do manage to work out how to talk to your daughter about and make sense of the sensitive topic to her let me know because I would love to have some hints!

  3. 4 jlow August 27, 2007 at 1:07 pm

    Thanks ToddlerDaddy for your response. Our Caitlin has been dreaming quite a bit lately; talking in her sleep & waking me up with her one-liners! (she sleeps in her cot in our bedroom- it’s an Asian habit to be in the same room for now).

    And we are also toilet-training her now. This is going quite well as she has been calling out whenever she needs to go; which also means less sleep for this daddy! But that’s for another topic ;)


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