Understanding what happens in your brain while you sleep isn’t just fascinating — it’s really useful too. This lesson plan explores the science of sleep in a way that’s easy to understand and fun to learn. It helps explain how the brain stays active at night, why dreams happen, and why sleep is vital for memory and emotions.

I’ve designed this session to suit a wide age range, so you can adjust the depth of the discussion depending on your child’s level. You don’t need any science background — I explain tricky words (like “melatonin” or “REM sleep”) in brackets as you go. It’s a great chance to talk about healthy routines, emotional wellbeing, and the wonders of the human body in one go.

Activities include discussion questions, a brain diagram task, mini experiments, creative writing, and more. There’s also a chance to talk about dreams, explore myths and facts, and look at how scientists study the brain. Whether your child’s curious about what their dreams mean or just wants to know why they wake up before their alarm — this lesson has something for them.

Now let’s explore what happens inside our heads when the lights go out!