Why Sleep?
Sleep helps everyone to be at their best! Children especially need sleep to learn, develop, and thrive.
In the United States, children make up almost a quarter of the population (22%).
1 in 3 children aren’t getting the rest they need to reach their full potential each day.
Quality Sleep
Healthy sleep is crucial for the development of young brains and bodies, significantly impacting the overall health and well-being of children.
Unfortunately, children and families experiencing poverty are disproportionately less likely to have access to the resources and tools that promote healthy sleep. At Pajama Program, we focus on creating equitable access to bedtime and sleep.
Why Bedtime Routines?
Children who participate in our programs learn healthy sleep habits and on average experience 30 minutes more of quality sleep per night.
Transforming Lives Through Quality Sleep
Thanks to our community’s collective efforts, children who participate in Pajama Program enjoy an additional 30 minutes of sleep each weeknight. That’s 2.5 more restful hours per school week.
Nurturing Lifelong Well-Being
Sleep is as important as nutrition and exercise. Getting a good night’s sleep on a regular basis helps children grow, fight illness, maintain a healthy weight, regulate emotions, and solidify learning.
Our Work With Foster Care Children
For foster children and those facing adversity, the journey to a good night’s sleep is often compounded by the instability and uncertainties inherent in their lives.
Building a Brighter Future
We have provided over 8 million pajamas and donated 4 million books. Our educational programming has empowered young minds to thrive through the transformative power of a good night’s sleep.
We have thousands of community partners across the country!
Want Pajama Program in your community?
Help children get more sleep with a community partner in your area!
Teacher Insights
“We see a lot of kids coming to school late because they’re having trouble waking up in the morning and then they’ll tell us, ‘I was on my tablet, I was up late.’ With the kids’ heads down you’re not sure how much is really going in with the lesson, how much they’re learning or remembering, so getting a good night’s sleep impacts their whole day.”
Christine Robinson
New York Teacher
Notes From Our Good Night Advisory Council
“Sleep is such a tremendous equalizer…but it also can be a source of injustice and inequalities if you live in a low-income, under-resourced community, where you’re going to have more noise, more crime, and less ability to sleep. There is growing evidence to show the relationship between sleep, community and environment, and subsequent adverse outcomes.”
Rebecca Robbins, PhD
Instructor in Medicine, Harvard Medical School
Associate Scientist, Brigham & Women’s Hospital
Join Us
Whether you’re a first time donor or have supported us over the past 20 years, we couldn’t do this important work without you. Follow us on social to stay connected, get acquainted with the sleep experts and academics on our Good Night Advisory Council, and help spread the word with our toolkit.