Why do we forget details of dreams shortly after waking up?

We forget details of dreams because our brain is like a busy kid who doesn't have time to write everything down.

Dreams are like stories we make up while we're sleeping, fun, wild, and sometimes confusing. But when we wake up, it's like the story gets put back into a backpack that's already full of stuff from the day before. Our brain has a lot to do, like remembering where we left our toys or what time school starts. So, just like you might forget part of a song if you're too busy playing with your friends, we forget parts of our dreams because they didn't get noticed again.

Think about drawing a picture on the sand at the beach, it's beautiful while the water is still, but as soon as the waves come in, it gets washed away. Dreams are like that picture, clear when we're in them, but once we wake up and start thinking about other things, they fade just like the drawing.

So, dreams stay with us for a little bit, but without being reminded again, they become a memory we don’t notice, kind of like a toy you leave under the bed and forget about.