Some toddlers and even babies would wake up at night to cry without reason. Obviously they had a nightmare and they feel they needed someone beside them. Usually the parents would carry the child and make it sleep again. One child psychologist said that too much activity can cause nightmare in kids. That means don't play with the child when nearing bedtime hours.
I don't see any relation playing with the kids before bedtime with their bad dreams. It would be reasonable with they watch horror movies or hear terror stories and the like. It could also be connected with the cruelty imposed by their parents or by their teachers at school.
But all toddlers do is play. How do you stop a toddler from playing and having fun? Nobody knows why a toddler would wake up crying. It is all just speculation.
It is usually triggered by having scary thoughts or images shown to the child, then the child dreams about it. So the parent should just pacify the child if ever that happens. A little comforting will make him forget it.
I don't think playing can cause nightmares to kids.kids are very sensitive and sometimes they cry when they see anything that looks dangerous.children are believed to be little angels that can sense any danger but they also cry because of hunger or even being uncomfortable.
I remember a pediatrician who said that the value of the fairy tales can be seen when the child is sleeping. Reading a fairy tale at bedtime stirs the imagination of the child but since fairy tales are usually positive so the nightmare would be controlled somehow. For young couples here you can try the reading of fairy tales during bedtime.
I am not sure if babies get dreams. Perhaps they do and so when they get bad dreams perhaps that is their reaction. Having said that it could also be that they are awake and are crying because of some pain?
This sounds to be a ridiculous concept, playing before bedtime may lead to nightmares. At least, I find it difficult to believe. All I know is that we need to comfort and soothe them when they get nightmares and reassure them with out love and closeness. Gradually, as they get older, the nightmares reduce or even if they do get them, the kids are not impacted much by them and they keep sleeping quietly.
