When a child talks about a vivid nighttime dream, it can be difficult for adults to know how to respond. Dream researchers Kelly Bulkeley and Patricia Bulkley take readers beyond it was just a dream to help children and adults understand why we dream and how dreams can help us unlock our creativity and make sense of our lives. The book introduces readers to the basic psychology and neuroscience of dreaming, then explores dreams from early childhood through adolescence.

The book focuses on what psychologist C. G. Jung called the big dreams of childhoodintensely memorable dreams that can blaze themselves into childrens memories and remain a haunting, often inspiring, presence throughout their lives. While acknowledging that a complete interpretation of any dream requires personal input from the dreamer, the authors show readers how to identify recurrent patterns in dreams that reflect the primal wisdom and the healthy growth of every childs mind and imagination.Childrens Dreams offers practical advice about how adults can best communicate with children about dreams to offer reassurance and to cultivate a childs imagination and development.

Kelly Bulkeley is the author of several books on psychology, religion, and dreams. He is a visiting scholar at the Graduate Theological Union, senior editor of the journalDreaming, and former president of the International Association for the Study of Dreams.Kelly Bulkeley's website and blog is athttp://kellybulkeley.com.

Patricia M. Bulkley is a former Interfaith Spiritual Services Director at Hospice of Marin and teacher in the pastoral counseling program of San Francisco Theological Seminary. Together they are the authors of the bookDreaming Beyond Death.

Introduction
1. Interpreting Childrens Dreams
2. Brain Science, Dreams, and the Imagination
3. Dreams of Early Childhood
4. Dreams of Middle Childhood
5. Dreams of Late Childhood and Early Adolescence
6. Nurturing the Imagination in Childhood and Beyond

Appendix 1: A List of the Dreams Discussed in this Book
Appendix 2: Childrens Stories Relating to Dreams
Appendix 3: The Dreams and Nightmares of Harry Potter
Appendix 4: Activities to Stimulate Wonder in Childhood
Appendix 5: Questions for a Study Group or Book Club on Childrens Dreams

References and Suggested Readings
Index
About the Authors