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Although it is very difficult to study children’s dreams experimentally, studies suggest that dreaming develops alongside cognitive abilities, particularly visual-spatial skills and capacities for symbolization. The dream narratives of young children are short and simple and become more complex and lengthy as they grow up. The content of the dreams typically shows elements of life experience, emotional and other concerns. The highest frequency of nightmares is observed in 5 to10-year-olds, decreasing thereafter and stabilizing at low values in adulthood (less than one per month). In terms of function, results in children and adults suggest that dreaming plays a role in emotional regulation and that dream activity leads to a decrease in the emotional intensity of memories. Experimental research on dreaming thus converges with the practices and conclusions of clinical psychology, which sees dreams as a useful tool for therapy.