Toddler Sleep Tips
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Do you have a toddler that just doesn’t want to sleep? I’m guessing you probably do if you’ve landed on this page. I’ve had my fair share of toddler sleep regressions, and after talking with other friends will little kids, it’s totally common. I also found that nothing really guarantees that your toddlers will sleep well on command, but there are simple things you can start doing to help encourage good sleep hygiene and help them get a more restful sleep. Fortunately, I’ve been able to get my kids to sleep well in their own rooms somewhat consistently, so I am able to have that coveted time of peace, snacking and catching up on all the shows at the end of the night! And, just because I believe every parent deserves a break, I want to share the simple things that we did to achieve bedtime success (most of the time).
Create a Bedtime Routine
Creating a bedtime routine should be the first thing you do to set yourself up for bedtime success with toddlers. It doesn’t have to be complicated, but it should be predictable. Our current night routine consists of bathtime, getting into pajamas, brushing teeth, then we play with a building type toy, such as Legos, for about 30 minutes until it is officially bedtime. Then we read a book, turn on the sound machine and go to sleep. We do this pretty much every single night. Our kids have grown accustomed to the routine and know that bedtime is coming. Because my kids’ bedtime routines are no surprise, on most nights, they are tired and ready to sleep in their own rooms with no fuss. I know setting up a routine this easy seems like it is too good to be true, but from experience, it is true and it worked for us! Having a familiar sequence of events gives our kids ample time to prepare themselves for bedtime. If you are afraid that your toddlers won’t adhere to a bedtime routine, I would encourage you to try a simple one, consistently, for a few weeks before deeming it impossible. Despite what some may think, toddlers actually do crave routine.
Keep the Room Dark
Keeping the room dark is going to be key to year round success with helping your toddlers sleep. With the changing seasons, natural sunlight may creep in and wake up your child way too early or you may run into problems getting them to fall asleep when the sun sets later in the summer months. Getting some good black out curtains will help you take more control over bedtime by letting you create the perfect atmosphere for sleep in their room during their designated bedtime. We use these portable blackout curtains from Amazon in each of our kids’ rooms. They are easy to stick on their windows, behind their shut blinds, so that they block out sunlight, while they are also kept out of sight.
White Noise
We initially got a sound machine with my first baby because it was considered a must-have item amongst many experienced moms. Let me tell you, years later, we are still using our Hatch sound machines as our kids go through and past their toddler years. Since we’ve used sound machines since they were babies, I think that the sound of white noise serves as another signal to them that it is now time to sleep. It also doesn’t hurt that white noise blocks out the sound of anything fun going on outside their rooms, so they won’t have FOMO.
Physical Activity During the Day
I found that the more active my kids are during the day, the better they sleep. Who wouldn’t have a restful night's sleep after working out for hours? So, let your kids run and jump around for as much as their hearts desire! I think most parents would agree that during the day, it’s time to play, especially if that means the day will end with a peaceful night's sleep.
Wind Down with Quiet Play
If you haven’t tried this already, try winding down with some sort of quiet activity instead of screen time. We usually have about 30 minutes to burn before my kids’ bedtime after getting into pajamas, so we’ve gotten into the habit of building something before bed. My kids can be rowdy at times, so building with Legos isn’t always a “quiet” activity, but it keeps them busy and focused on something before bedtime. And 30 minutes is more than enough time for them to be over an activity and feel ready to go to sleep. Playing with Legos is just one example of quiet play, but you can literally do anything that you want as long as it doesn’t involve a screen or a show that might keep them up.
Consistent Mid Day Naps
If your toddler is still taking a nap during the day, I would make sure that to the best of your abilities, you keep their nap consistent and scheduled midday so that they do not nap too late into the evening. I usually aim for a 1:30 nap time, so that it is less likely to interfere with my daughter’s bedtime that may land between 7 or 8pm. Of course, toddlers go through periods of regression and exercising their autonomy to skip their naps, but I find that the more consistent I am about offering a nap, the faster my kids get over their nap regressions and the smoother bedtime goes.
Decide on Keeping Toys in the Room
Keeping toys inside bedrooms is a personal choice and definitely has its ups and downs for the really little ones. I have to admit, the way that I’ve set up my kids’ rooms is a little boring… for now. There’s not much in their rooms except for a bed and a dresser with clothes, and dunt, dunt, duh… no toys. But, at a young age, I preferred to keep the toys in communal areas of the house. I do this because I wanted to make their rooms a place for sleep and the communal areas of the house a place to play. I just know that if we keep fun, interesting toys in their room, it might keep them up when it is time to nap or sleep. With that said, I do practice this with some flexibility since I am not opposed to keeping a couple stuffed animals in there for comfort. And, I know that as my kids get older, things will definitely change. For example, my son ended up dropping his last nap around 3 years old. And at that time, when it was a toss up whether he’d have a successful nap or not, we allowed him to choose a couple toys to bring to his room during nap time, so that he could either have quiet time playing with his toys or fall asleep while playing in his room. I can also see how helpful it might be to take a toy or two in the room during bedtime if you find that you have an early riser on your hands that may be convinced to stay in their room and keep busy playing with toys before the rest of the family wakes up. So, as you can see, choosing to limit or not limit toys in the bedroom has its advantages and disadvantages depending on your child’s age and personal preferences. Choose what works best for your kids at whatever stage they’re at!
With all that said, sleep regressions are hard and I feel for you if you’re in the thick of it. I hope that you find these simple sleep tips helpful, but know that every child and family is different and you may need time to figure out what advice works best for your family. Kids are their own people and will exercise autonomy when they can and all you can do as a parent is offer consistency to help guide them back to a good bedtime routine. Good Luck!!
