5 Steps To A Good Bedtime Routine For Your Toddler

This post was developed via a partnership with BetterHelp.

Sleep: the one thing everyone wants more of but nobody has time for. Many Americans do not get enough sleep or quality sleep. Proper sleep is essential for your cognition, awareness, immune system, cardiovascular system, and scores of other health markers.

If you’re a parent of a toddler—that’s a child between one and three years old—you know that nobody in your house gets good sleep unless your toddler gets good sleep. Your toddler probably called the shots the first few months of their life, but following a routine is important by the time they turn one. Without a bedtime routine, your toddler may be more likely to develop several health conditions.

Before we dive into some guidelines for getting your toddler to sleep, we should note that bedtime routines are also important for adults. Giving your partner a sweet message before they go to sleep, as this BetterHelp article explains, is a nice way to maintain emotional intimacy: https://www.betterhelp.com/advice/intimacy/are-you-looking-for-a-cute-way-to-say-goodnight/

Start On Time

A bedtime routine is the last thing you want to rush. The purpose of a bedtime routine is to get your toddler to wind down and be as calm as possible so that falling asleep is no chore. Most bedtime routines for toddlers last 30 minutes to an hour, so subtract an appropriate amount of time from when you want your little one to nod off. Most toddlers should be in their beds by 8 p.m.

Pick Three Activities Before Bedtime

Some parents try to fit too many things into their toddler’s bedtime routine. Toddlers can sometimes be over-stimulated with too many activities. A group of researchers concluded that a bedtime routine involving just three items is effective for most toddlers. Some of the activities you have to choose from include:

Some of these activities might excite your toddler—some little ones are obsessed with splashing in the tub with their favorite rubber ducky—so be prepared to shift activities as needed.

Take Care Of Needs Before Bedtime

Does your toddler have a fresh diaper? Are they well nourished? Do they need to visit the potty one more time? Is their bedroom a comfortable temperature? Have they brushed their teeth and taken their medicine? Is their nightlight plugged in?

These are essential for toddlers to feel comfortable drifting off to sleep. Forgetting a task and having to go back for it can interrupt the natural rhythm you had going with the routine.

Dim The Lights—All Of Them

Before you start the first activity on the list, it may be helpful to dim the lights and turn off the electronic devices. A darkened room can set the mood for a relaxing nighttime routine. Getting rid of the smartphone can keep your focus on your child and prevent blue light from disrupting your body’s circadian rhythm.

Don’t Get Discouraged

As much as we might want it to, a bedtime routine will not take hold overnight (pun intended). Your toddler needs to go through the same motions a few nights in a row to get used to the schedule. Many parents have succeeded with bedtime routines in as little as two weeks, but the key is to be consistent unless a tweak is absolutely necessary. You got this!