Outdoor Sleep for Children: Nurture Better Health with Nature

When I was a baby I was left outside my local town's busy newsagents by my grandmother. She parked up my pram, went in for her weekly order and went home, walking directly past me. I was left for over an hour. When my mother asked where I was she probably looked for me, like you’d search your pockets for keys and then they ran, to find me sleeping soundly, as though nothing had ever happened. 

My point is, in the 1970s parking a pram outside a shop was normal and my grandma was clearly so relaxed about leaving me that the thought of my imminent danger didn't dart through her head every five seconds as she queued for her women's magazine.

It is not so normal nowadays in the UK but if you were to visit a suburb of Helsinki, Copenhagen, Oslo or Stockholm today, or more interestingly in mid winter you would see a gaggle of pushchairs parked outside their vibrant mummy cafes.

Pikler 

When I first visited Pikler House at Loczy early in 2020 they were setting up the brightly coloured rows of outdoor cots for their post lunch sleep sessions. The only time the Pikler children sleep indoors is when the canopy that covers the courtyard is a little too ladened with snow for comfort. 

Inspired by Pikler House and the Scandinavian approach, the Setting I managed had a covered outdoor sleep area which meant that even Yorkshire drizzle did not stand in the way of a post lunch nap for the children who attended there. 

Pikler House asks that every child attending falls into the pattern of a rest time in the early afternoon and if the child does not want to sleep they will have a quiet peaceful period whilst the others do. I have seen this practice in nurseries in the UK but the emphasis is more relaxed at Loczy as the children drift off to sleep under their own steam (rather than being patted or rocked into slumber). This opens up a whole new dialogue on self regulation which comes from the beautiful Pikler partnership of free play and connected care giving.  

What setting would not want a child to feel secure and comfortable enough to drift off easily to sleep outside of their family unit. If we build strong enough supportive and connected relationships this is entirely possible.

Health and wellbeing 

The reported health benefits of outdoor sleeps include, 

• Babies and young children sleep for longer.

• The waking up period is less stagnant - so our children wake up more alert and less groggy.

• Reported by many families who use outdoor sleep is a belief that because sleep is in fresh air their children are less prone to common childhood illnesses.

• Children outdoors are exposed to more oxygen and vitamin D.

• Simply put, nature is calming, as a childcare practitioner I daily see the effects being out in nature has on children.

Let’s explore these ideas further. 

In sleep neural pathways are developing, it has been found that the most active stages of brain development pre-birth coincide with an increase in REM sleep, that,
“REM sleep acts as an electrical fertilizer during this critical state of early life” and as our brains develop this remains the case. So the longer a child sleeps the more exposure they get to this fertilizer. Research has found that daytime sleeps help with children’s sleep at night also.  

You could argue that sleeping in the  outdoor environment is the ultimate in ventilation. Particularly in winter, when are homes and childcare settings are warmer, the air is stale and often recycled and this creates environments ripe for spreading common bugs. So the argument for outdoor sleeping reducing those risks really simply make sense. There is definitely an added element to health benefits in relation to cold temperatures and we will look at that later. 

In terms of well being the positive benefits of being out in nature are not confined to the above. A study in 2018 showed that bird song has a direct impact on our sense of safety, helping to regulate our nervous systems. This comes from our ancestry, we have an inner knowing that when birds sing they feel safe and therefore we too are safe. 

Being less groggy as we come round from sleep also enables us to feel safer as our nervous systems then sit in a ventral state, which means we have the energy for fight or flight if need be. I imagine you can relate to that feeling of inertia we sometimes experience when we are woken too soon, particularly in a warm environment and how debilitating it can feel. Alert is simply a safe state to be in. 

And then we need to think about our own well being as carers, if we have to spend time outside in nature alongside children we ourselves get all of those benefits. If we push our little ones in prams we gain the added bonus of some light exercise and studies have shown the enormous benefits of social interactions, even brief chats with people we don’t know well can alleviate the feelings of isolation many new parents feel. 

Describing outdoor sleep in an article for The Telegraph Dr Rahul Chodhari of the Royal College of Paediatrics and Child Health said, 

“This is a cultural practice in places like Finland since even the 1920s and they had tremendous a lower infant mortality rate than the UK for many years. 

Sleep routines and associations 

I advocate for new parents taking long walks with their babies in prams for a number of reasons. Firstly they get to establish a sleep routine where sometimes their baby is not attached to them but is instead on a flat surface - something we all need to get used to at some stage in life. 

The movement of the pram has a soothing effect which enhances the effectiveness of this kind of sleep routine at first but as time goes on we can move slowly from a sleep being fully in motion to a more and more static place to find their rest which helps with cot sleep and self soothing. 

And parents who use outdoor sleep report that their babies can often sleep anywhere, they don’t need a completely dark room with no sound at all because their pathway to sleep has always been, to an extent noisy and light. This helps when the children have to adapt to being at Grandparent’s homes or as they transition to childcare.

Connections with Nature

If we spend time outside in nature from a very young age we develop a relationship with it which can be life enhancing throughout our years on this planet. As we begin to fall asleep we see the natural world around us, the shadows of a branch perhaps on the wall beside us, light streaming through a tree, the vast sky above and those sights bring us a calm we can always tap into, an appreciation of the small and constant things in our lives. 

It is, perhaps no coincidence that the countries who practice this custom of outdoor sleeping are also regarded as among the “happiest” in the world. In fact the happiest country in the World Happiness Report 2025 is Finland, a place where outdoor sleeping is commonplace. 

To play in and engage with nature is not questioned as contributing to optimum development in children, to relax and rest in nature takes this to a deeper and perhaps more connecting level. 

Frigid Naps 

So let's talk about those sub zero temperatures; every article I've found about outdoor sleep seems very focussed on this aspect. In Scandinavia the plummeting temperatures don't affect the drive of mothers to give their young a fresh air nap. In fact it is reported that their children will sleep in temperatures of down to minus 40 (fahrenheit)!

Weather seems to be the main preoccupation of articles relating to children having their daytime nap outdoors. The reporters seem to focus on the Scandinavian approach where babies are napping outside in sub zero temperatures. I think it’s really heartening to know that babies can safely nap outside all year round with a common sense approach (wool next to the skin, multiple layers, hats and a sleeping bag) but in a way this focus is entirely preoccupied with the blame and judgement culture we live in. 

I think the positives we can take from this reporting is that other cultures, despite having harsh climates, have a common daily practice year round of enabling outdoor naps and they report a healthier, better quality sleep for their babies and young children.

I believe there is a particular focus on the cold and fresh aspect of outdoor sleeps and though this may be optimum conditions for the healthiest of sleeps we can still tap into the benefits to varying degrees throughout the year. 

Safety

It is important to address this aspect of outdoor sleep because the safety of children in our families and those who we work with is our top priority. Anxiety around this is probably the main reason we as a nation moved away from outdoor sleep practices back in the 1970s. As long as we adopt a common sense approach this doesn’t have to be a barrier to such a beneficial way of napping during the day. 

• Being alongside children during outdoor sleeps is ideal. 

• Being mindful of temperatures and dressing children appropriately is key. Please be aware that the practice of covering prams and pushchairs with cloth items is unsafe in hot temperatures.

• Using baby monitors and remote thermometers and doing a visual check on the child in our care regularly is important if we aren’t beside them. 

• Considering changing weather conditions and monitoring pets and other animals is important too. 

Expert Quote

From a Scandinavian early‑years settings:

“The air helps the children sleep better, deeper and longer… children were rarely sick and more energised as they slept surrounded by fresh air and nature.” 

 

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In Summary 

Outdoor sleep is a holistic "nature prescription"—it supports healthier sleep, emotional balance, immune resilience, and lifelong habits. It’s rooted in tradition but backed by modern science. And as an added bonus, fresh air never goes out of style.

Dress for the Weather

• • Ensure layers, hats, and breathable fabrics to stay warm but not overheated. A sheepskin is a great investment for temperature regulation and natural fibres like wool and down are ideal. 

Choose Shelter if possible

• • Use prams, sleeping pods, covered patios, or gazebos to protect against sun, wind, or rain.

Time It Right

• • Pick late morning or early afternoon sessions—avoid midday heat and early evening light that may delay nighttime sleep.

Start Gradually

• • Begin with one or two naps a week outdoors—then increase as you and your child grow comfortable.