Sleep is an indispensable part of a healthy routine and lifestyle, no matter what age you are. Getting enough sleep helps improve one’s mood, attention span and overall mental and physical health. This is why for young kids, adequate sleep is highly recommended. However, in today’s digital age where distractions surround our children, tucking them into bed at night has become a lot more difficult. Find yourself caught in the same dilemma? Read on and learn some tips to help you create a successful bedtime routine for your little one.
Set a specific time for sleep
Determine a specific time of the day for your child to go to bed and follow this schedule consistently every day. This may depend on your family’s activities and lifestyle but setting a fixed time for sleeping can help ease them into the bedtime routine. A consistent pattern will also help their body clock adjust to the specific time for sleeping.
Make sleep a priority for the whole family
Creating a bedtime routine for young kids is a lot easier when they feel that the whole family is into it, too. Be sure all family members follow the same bedtime and wake-up time schedules. Follow this schedule even on the weekends. Make your little one understand that getting to bed early can help them wake up easily in the morning and that it provides them ample energy to enjoy their day.
Help them with the transition
Transitioning from a busy day to a relaxed, sleep state can be difficult for kids. Help them be ready for bed by ditching any kind of stimulating activities. Go for the ones that will help them relax and calm down. For example, take away any gadgets or turn off the television an hour or 30 minutes before bedtime. Also, don’t let them binge on sweet and sugary snacks at night time or they could be staying up a little longer than they should.
Some of the things you can try to help your toddler unwind include playing quiet games, taking a warm bath or reading bedtime stories.
Work together with your spouse
To help you carry out an effective bedtime routine for your little one, you can try tapping on your spouse for help. Discuss and agree on a sleep strategy and work together as a team when it comes to rolling it out. If you’re starting out a new sleep routine, it helps to get your child involved in the discussion and make them part of the team, too.
Offer them bedtime snacks
Spending the night sleeping doesn’t mean your child no longer needs anything to keep them fueled through the night. Offering them bedtime snacks also helps in keeping them from feeling hungry before hitting the sheets. Go for the healthy options, such as whole-wheat bread, a small piece of cheese, whole-grain cereal with milk, or some fruits. The right amount of snacks can help induce sleep and keep their sugar at the right levels until breakfast time. Make sure they’re not given large snacks before going to bed because it might interfere with their sleep.
Read their favorite bedtime stories
Reading bedtime stories to young kids is one of the most effective ways to get them to bed. This is particularly relaxing and comforting as it eases them into a sleep state. Make them look forward to bedtime by making it a habit to read storybooks as you tuck them into bed. Offer them several stories to choose from and let them take their pick. Before you know it, they’ll be the one to initiate getting to bed early to have their storytime!
Make their bedroom conducive for sleeping
Does your child like a dark and quiet room? Or do they prefer having a small night light? Make their room conducive for sleeping according to their preference. Also, make sure their room is neither too warm nor too cold.
Establishing a foolproof bedtime routine may not come easy at the start, but with the help of these tips, bedtime will soon no longer have to be a constant battle with your child.
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