Bedtime Aromatherapy Spray for Kids

Aromatherapy to help kids sleep safe and sound

Lavender and sweet orange make a calming bedtime linen spray for kids. Three drops of each in an ounce of water. That is the whole recipe. Sleep Sweet is a relaxing spray, made for the minutes when a child is trying to fall asleep.

Recipes for children ask for small amounts, super safe oils, and aromas your child already knows. Spray the room, the linens, and the blankets at bedtime. The familiar scent helps everyone wind down.

The Sleep Sweet recipe

1 fl oz (30 ml) water
3 drops Lavender essential oil (Lavandula angustifolia)
3 drops Sweet Orange essential oil (Citrus sinensis)

Pour the water into your bottle, add the drops, cap it, and shake well before each spray. If you like, add a dispersant. The ratio is 4 drops of solubol per 1 drop of essential oil.

A 1 oz (30 ml) PET plastic bottle is the right home for this blend. PET is non-reactive and does not leach. It also beats glass in a room where bottles get dropped. Mix up a fresh bottle every few weeks.

Kids over five can use it themselves

Once a child is over five, this is a spray they can use on their own. Show them how to shake the bottle and spritz the room, then let them keep it by the bed. A child who wakes in the night can spray it and settle back to sleep without calling for you. Teach one rule from the start. Spray the air, never the skin.

Why lavender and sweet orange

Both oils are soothing for the nervous system and help relax body and mind. Lavender owes much of its calming character to linalool, one of its key components. Sweet orange leans on d-limonene, its dominant component, which calms in much the same way. It is also uplifting without being energizing. A familiar, reassuring scent can ease the bedtime anxiety some children feel when the lights go out.

I sometimes call this same bottle Monster Spray. When a child gets scared, out comes the bottle. Monsters hate the smell, and being the one who sprays it is empowering at night.

Children under five: hydrosols instead

The Aromahead Approach with children is extra cautious. For kids under about five, we reach for hydrosols, butters, and carrier oils. Babies and small children are so sensitive that essential oils easily become overwhelming.

A hydrosol is the water that collects during distillation. It holds only a fraction of the essential oil's strength, so even babies can use it. Lavender hydrosol alone makes a fine night spray. Our babies and children safety post covers ages and amounts.

More help for bedtime

The same two oils work in a kids' sleep inhaler. An inhaler is kid friendly, with no spills and no risk of overuse, and it can sit by the bed for middle of the night wake ups. For the oils, methods, recipes, and safety of sleep gathered in one place, our essential oils for sleep field guide is worth a read before lights out.

Common questions

Can my child spray it on a pillow or on skin?

Spray the air, never the skin. A light spritz on blankets or linens is fine, since that is what the recipe is made for.

How long does a bottle keep?

A few weeks. Then mix a fresh bottle.

What about a baby or a toddler?

Under about five, hydrosols take the place of essential oil sprays. Plain lavender hydrosol makes a lovely night spray for a small room.

Learn more recipes for your family

If you would like more hands on recipes, the Aromatherapy for Natural Living course covers practical methods for cleaning the home, DIY skin care, and supporting immunity. A calm way to keep learning for your whole family.