Many millennia ago, when the human brain was still developing, we did not use any bedding at all. As such humans would simply sleep on the floor of a cave. However, as the brain developed and its capacity expanded, humans started to use materials from the world around them to provide comfort whilst they slept. This article examines how the use of bedding in humans developed into the items that we are familiar with today.

The first steps

The use of small twigs and leaves was the first step in the bedding process. Humans began to lay them on the floor, much like an animal creating a den or nest, to provide extra comfort from the hard ground.

Adding warmth

The second development in human bedding focussed on providing cover to stay warm during the cold nights. As humans were still hunter-gatherers at this time, they killed a lot of animals for food. Somewhere along the line the penny dropped that animal fur provided great warmth and the skinning of animals became common as pelts were used for blankets as well as clothes.

Invention of mattresses and sleeping bags

As man developed further, more complex tools were invented, such as the needle. The needle provided the means by which to sew animal pelts together; creating the first sleeping bag. The sleeping bag idea was then taken further and stuffed with things like feathers, leaves and grass, to produce the first mattress.

Learning from animals

The final step in the evolution of bedding was the creation of bed frames. It is believed that early humans looked at animals such as apes; that slept in trees to stay safe from predators and off the cold and wet floor. Following the example of these animals, humans then began constructing rudimentary bed frames, made from tree branches and vines, to provide support for the mattress.

The majority of parents will opt for bright and vibrant designs when choosing bedding for their children. However, they should also give a thought to the fact that the right bedding can also act as a great way to introduce new areas of learning to children. Read on to discover how the varying themes of bedding on offer can help to develop your child’s understanding of their surroundings.

Animals

Animal themed bedding is already a popular choice in child’s bedding, probably due to the fact that children seem to have an inbuilt liking for them. It is possible that children are so responsive to animals because the sounds that they make are easier for them to copy then the words used by people. Through teaching our children the sounds that animals make we provide them a platform with which to practice and thus improve the early stages of their speaking ability.

Adding a bit of colour

Once your child is a little older and has begun talking, then you can encourage their learning through the use of bedding with many colours. Opting for a duvet set with a rainbow design is a great option and you can even use the rainbow song to help them learn.

ABC and numbers

For any child that has learnt to talk the next stage is learning how to form words and how to count; so get some bedding with the alphabet and numbers on. Getting your child to run through the alphabet and numbers every night before they go to sleep will really improve their chances of memorising them.

Choosing their own path

As you child leaves the toddler stage they will start to develop their own tastes and areas of interest. Keep an eye on what areas seem to appeal to them and then go out and buy bedding that relates. One example of a subject that many children develop a liking for is dinosaurs, which you can run through with them on a morning or night as with the numbers and alphabet.

There is a wide range of bedding themes available in bedding for children. The access that the internet offers means that these designs are readily available to parents. Read on for an overview of the kinds of themes that are most popular in bedding for girls and boys and also unisex options.

Styles for boys

In the early 80s the use of the duvet began spreading throughout Europe and soon after we saw the introduction of football related duvet covers and pillows. The popularity of the game itself remains ever strong, as does this choice of themed bedding. Whilst there are other themes that sell fairly well, such as basketball and cricket, football remains the most dominant sport. Straight lines and geometric shapes are perceived to be quite masculine and as such themes using these kinds of designs have always been popular in boys bedding.

Girls designs

There has always been a tendency to stick with pinks and reds for girls bedding and this remains popular today. So we tend to see designs that depict cartoon characters, pop stars and perhaps dolls, but which heavily rely on these colours. Another popular theme is the one of animals, with ponies and kittens frequently used. Or if you are looking to create a really girly feel in your daughter’s room then you could go for floral designs, with many current designs giving a much more modern vibe than previously offered by flowers.

Unisex themes

It may be that in some circumstances you need a theme that suits both girls and boys. An example being grandparents who have granddaughters and grandsons that are likely to stay over sometimes. Great options here are things such as music motifs, maybe incorporating a guitar or some musical notes. Or cultural themes can often be a good idea, like adding the feel of the Amazon with some rainforest bedding, or a taste of Egypt with hieroglyphic designs.

For most students that are moving away from home to attend university it will be the first time in their lives that they will be truly independent. Facing up to the realisation that their child is leaving the family home and may never return to live there again can be a traumatic time for parents. As a result parents tend to do all they can to provide the items and their children will require to survive student life. Here we examine the issue of bedding and what you can give your children before they set off to university to ensure that they get a good night’s sleep – when they do finally make it to bed.

Completing the bed

Sometimes first year students like to stay in the halls of residence, others prefer rented accommodation – both should provide a bed and mattress. Finish the bed off with a duvet and a couple of pillows. Make sure that you pick an all weather duvet; one that has a thin and a thick duvet that can be clipped together and offers the right thickness all year round.

Living in student accommodation can be notoriously problematic, with heating on the blink and lack of funds to pay the bills! So you may want to also buy an extra blanket; just in case they need it in the winter months.

Choosing the linen

In addition you should invest in a duvet set for them – preferably one with an elasticated bottom sheet, as they probably aren’t too good at changing bedding. Also remember to pick up a mattress protector. This will offer both extra comfort and guard against any dust mites living in the mattress.

Picking a colour scheme and design

The chances are that your child will not wash their bedding as frequently as you would were they still living at home. This makes buying light bedding a bad idea; go for darker colours and crazy designs that won’t show every mark.

The experience of having a newborn in the house is always a daunting time, especially for first timers. Parents tend to obsess over every aspect of their baby’s wellbeing, such as picking the right milk and choosing the right clothes. One of the most important details that parents must get right is choosing the correct bedding for their newborn. To enable the best chance of you and your newborn getting a decent night’s sleep you have to take into consideration several areas.

Safety

The safety of your child is by far the most important issue to consider when buying their bedding. Cot death is a worry to all parents and everything that can be done to combat it must be done. In order to avoid suffocation you should consider investing in grobags, which are sleeping bags with dungaree style shoulder straps. The baby cannot wriggle further into the sleeping bag because their head and arms are outside of it and restricted by the straps. Another alternative is using cellular blankets, which are woven with big gaps and allow the baby to breath even if their head ends up below the blanket.

Considering comfort

Obviously in order to sleep well it is imperative that your baby is comfortable during the night. These days there is a wide choice of available materials, but check them yourself and select one that feels extremely soft to you. Newborns have especially sensitive skin, so if something feels a little coarse to you then it will feel even more so to your baby.

Getting the right temperature

We all like to be warm in bed if we are to sleep properly. Yet it is critical that we don’t use too much bedding for our newborns. If your baby gets too cold during the night they will let you know by crying, but babies that get too hot are at risk of cot death as they often don’t wake up. Whether they are sleeping in a grobag or just under cellular blankets, adding or removing a blanket as required is a great way of regulating your baby’s temperature.