War Child's LullaBombs Remind Us of the Trauma of Conflict on Children

On the anniversary of the invasion of Ukraine, LullaBombs, a collaboration between War Child and Mother, hopes to draw attention to the trauma faced by millions of children growing up in areas of conflict. It underscores how war robs children of the most basic of human needs, sleep.

In stark contrast to the white noise or soothing lullabies associated with a classic nursery sleep aid, LullaBombs uses authentic recordings of war sounds to highlight the experiences of the millions of children living in a war zone. It creates an intentional contrast between what children should listen to at night versus what children in war zones are forced to listen to. 

It has recordings of sounds captured in conflict zones - including Afghanistan, Iraq, Libya and Ukraine - by Emmy Award-winning cinematographer and documentary director*, the LullaBombs machine has three sound settings, each a real soundscape from modern-day warfare.

All funds raised by LullaBombs will go directly towards War Child’s work in helping to protect, educate and stand up for the rights of children affected by conflict.

Commenting on the sound design, our Emmy Award-winning director said*, “The authentic sound of war is very different to what we’re used to hearing in a movie. Living in the middle of muffled sounds of bombs going off in the distance, or shots being fired past where you stand, is harrowing - especially for the young. 

“Having been to multiple conflict zones I was able to record sounds first-hand. Each sound has a story attached, with effects still being felt far beyond the point of impact. LullaBombs helps to bring a devastating soundscape to life, allowing us to imagine - even for just a moment - what it is for a child to grow up with explosions, gunshots and air raid sirens punctuating their formative years. The sound of war keeps them up at night, depriving them of sleep, and stays with them long after they reach the relative silence of safety.”

Visually, LullaBombs uses design cues which purposefully collide the worlds of nursery accessories with war. Each Lullabomb is painted in eye-catching, primary colours with simple, friendly graphics.  However, instead of being housed in a classic nursery design, such as a plastic star or a cloud with a grin, the LullaBombs machine comes in a repurposed landmine, made from recycled metal. It has a built-in light feature that projects explosions and searchlights onto the ceiling to represent the night-time experiences of those children affected by war around the world. 

Oleksandra Yarova, communications officer from War Child’s Ukraine Response Team commented, “It has been a year since the outbreak of this war in Ukraine, and we are still seeing the life-changing impact it has had on so many children and families. This is what makes LullaBombs so timely and powerful; the campaign portrays the stark differences in children’s experiences across the world, and jars people into realising the harsh realities for so many children living through conflict. As a Ukrainian, and mother to a nine-year-old boy who had to flee our home in search of safety, I know first-hand how truly damaging war is – particularly for children.  

“This long-term trauma is what War Child has been working so hard to address. Delivering psychological aid, financial support, education support and training other organisations and key workers on the best ways to meet the needs of the millions of children and families across Ukraine and in border countries like Moldova, Romania and Hungary. But we can’t do that without help. My hope is that through campaigns like LullaBombs we can encourage vital donations that can keep our work going not only in Ukraine, but other conflicts too, because we can’t, and won’t give up on being there for children and families when they need us most”

There are six LullaBombs in the range and their colours reflect the flag colours of the conflict-affected countries where War Child conduct their work, these are Afghanistan, Central African Republic, Democratic Republic of Congo, Iraq, Ukraine and Yemen.

LullaBombs aims to bring to life the horror experienced by children growing up surrounded by war, to highlight the harrowing, sensory experiences of frightened and vulnerable children. This is all in aid of raising awareness and funds for War Child’s important work.  

The limited-edition LullaBombs are also available to buy at mother-goods.com where 100% of each sale goes directly towards War Child’s work helping children in conflict zones. Or to help War Child help children to sleep at night donate by texting SAFE to 70123 to give £10 (UK only). 

*due to a current danger-to-life situation the directors name is unable to be shared