Keeping a kid’s bedroom warm in the UK winter can feel like a full-time job.
I’ve been through this myself — heating on, house warm-ish, but the kid’s room always feels colder than everywhere else. And when your child’s trying to sleep, a cold room can genuinely ruin the whole night.
This guide is basically everything I’ve learned over the years, mixed with real UK home fixes you can try straight away.
No confusing boiler talk. No fancy nonsense. Just proper solutions that actually work.
🔥 1. The Room Loses Heat Faster Than It Warms Up
This is the #1 reason kids’ bedrooms feel cold — especially if the room is:
facing the back of the house above a garage an extension at the end of the landing has an external wall
How I fix this (cheap, real-life tips):
⭐ 1. I use proper thermal curtains
Thin curtains = heat escapes instantly.
Switching to thick thermal curtains literally changed the temperature in my kid’s room by a few degrees.
If you don’t have budget for new curtains, I’ve done this too:
👉 Buy thermal curtain liners (£10–£15)
👉 Clip them behind your existing curtains
👉 Boom — instant insulation
⭐ 2. I seal the window frames
UK windows always have tiny gaps.
I use clear silicone or cheap weather strip tape:
Run your hand around the window edges at night If you feel cold air blowing in → that’s your leak Add strip tape to seal the gap Takes 5 minutes, costs £4
⭐ 3. I put a thick rug down
Bare wooden floors leak heat straight up from below.
A heavy rug = less heat loss = room stays warm longer.
⭐ 4. Draught excluder under the bedroom door
Kids’ rooms often leak heat under the door.
I use a simple draught blocker — it makes a surprising difference.
🔥 2. The Radiator Isn’t Doing Its Job
A lot of parents don’t realise their radiator isn’t actually heating properly.
Signs:
warm at top, cold at bottom (sludge) cold at top, warm at bottom (air) lukewarm overall only heats if all other radiators are off
⭐ How I fix this:
1. Bleed the radiator
Takes literally 10 seconds.
Turn heating on Feel radiator — if top is cold → bleed it Use a bleed key Release air until water dribbles out Done
Your boiler pressure might drop a little — just top it up to 1.2–1.5 bar.
2. Move furniture away
Sometimes the radiator is blocked by:
a bed a chest of drawers a toy storage unit
Heat can’t circulate.
Moving something by 10–20cm can make the whole room feel warmer.
3. Balance your radiators
If the child’s room warms last, do this:
Turn all radiators ON full for 10 minutes Go around and slightly turn DOWN the hottest ones This forces more heat upstairs
It works shockingly well.
🔥 3. The Room Is Above a Garage, Extension or External Wall
My kid’s room used to be freezing too because it was right above an uninsulated garage.
Even with heating on, it felt colder than the rest of the house.
⭐ What I’ve done that works:
1. Pre-heat the room BEFORE bedtime
I turn the radiator up around 5pm–7pm, then lower it at bedtime.
A warm room settles into the night better than trying to heat a freezing one at 9pm.
2. Add a cheap heater for 10 minutes
Not overnight. Just 10–15 minutes of boost:
Oil-filled radiator (safest) Micathermic heater Halogen heater (instant warmth)
Once the room is warm, heating can maintain it.
3. Heavy bedding + breathable layers
Cold rooms feel warmer when you control humidity.
I use breathable cotton sheets so the bed isn’t damp/cold.
🔥 4. The Room Has Damp or Humidity Issues
If your child’s room feels cold AND “wet”, you might have humidity.
Moist air = colder room.
⭐ My solution:
I run a dehumidifier for 2–3 hours before bed
Not overnight.
Just enough to pull moisture from the air.
You’ll be shocked how much warmer the room feels.
(Even a £40 mini dehumidifier works for small bedrooms.)
🔥 5. The Thermostat Location Is Working Against You
If your thermostat is downstairs in a warm living room:
Living room gets warm fast Boiler shuts off Child’s room upstairs stays cold
⭐ How I fix it:
1. Increase the thermostat by 1–2°C
Small change, big impact.
2. Keep the bedroom door slightly open
This helps heat circulate upstairs, especially if the landing is warmer.
3. Or keep it closed (test both)
Some rooms hold heat better with the door closed.
Every house is different — I literally tested this for a few nights until I found what worked best.
🔥 6. Clothes Drying in the Room Makes It FREEZING
This is a big one.
If you dry clothes in the child’s room:
humidity spikes walls absorb moisture air feels cold and heavy room never warms properly
⭐ Fix:
Dry clothes in the living room or hallway, NOT the bedroom.
If you must dry in the child’s room, leave the door open and use a fan to move air around.
🔥 7. Use Safe Night-Time Heating (My Own Rules)
As a parent, I’m careful with heaters.
These are the ones I trust:
⭐ Safe options:
Oil-filled radiator (best for kids’ rooms) Electric blanket throw (not loose in bed; used to warm room)
❌ Avoid:
Cheap fan heaters (expensive + fire risk) Gas/propane heaters (dangerous) Leaving heaters on all night unattended
My rule:
Warm the room → maintain the heat → don’t rely on constant heating.
⭐ Summary: What Actually Works (My Real Checklist)
Here’s exactly what I do every winter:
✔ Thermal curtains
✔ Draught-proof window + door
✔ Move furniture away from radiator
✔ Bleed radiator when needed
✔ Preheat room 1–2 hours before bedtime
✔ Run a dehumidifier early evening
✔ Use oil-filled radiator for 10 minutes if needed
✔ Increase thermostat slightly
✔ Adjust door position until heat flow feels right
Do these and your child’s room WILL stay warm
