How to Set a Bedtime for Toddlers
Keep your child’s sleeping needs in mind when creating your bedtime routine., Make sure your child is getting enough sleep., Keep track of your child’s sleeping patterns if you are not sure when you should be putting your child to bed., Make minor...
Step-by-Step Guide
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Step 1: Keep your child’s sleeping needs in mind when creating your bedtime routine.
Toddlers are busy and use a lot of energy during the day, so most of the time they crash at night.
Children between the ages of one and three generally need 12 to 14 hours of sleep each night.
They also generally will take one nap during the day when they are 18 months of age.
Children who are three to six generally need between 10 to 12 hours of sleep each day. -
Step 2: Make sure your child is getting enough sleep.
Consider how long your child typically naps during the day and do the math to make sure that your child is getting enough sleep each day and night.
For example, if your 2-year-old child typically takes a 2-hour nap, put them to bed with the idea that they will sleep for 10 to 12 hours at night.
If they typically wake up around 7:30 am, that means they should go to bed between 7:30 and 8:30 pm.
For most toddlers, the optimal awake time is between 4 and 4 ½ hours.
So if a child wakes up from a nap around 3:00, they should be ready for bed between 7:00 and 7:30. , If you are unsure about what your child’s ideal bedtime is, spend a week observing his sleep patterns.
Write down every nap he takes and how long it lasts.
Track the time your child goes to bed, when he actually falls asleep, and the time he wakes up.
Use this schedule to look for any patterns, such as tantrums or meltdowns at a certain time of day every day, a hard time falling asleep or waking up in the morning, or if he is cranky the day after having a poor night’s sleep.
With patterns recognized, you can target where to improve his sleep.
For example, if your child has a hard time falling asleep at night, consider moving his nap to earlier in the day.
If he is groggy in the morning, put him to bed earlier. , Once you understand your child’s sleep needs, it may be tempting to switch them to the correct bedtime right away.
However, for most toddlers, this plan will backfire and create difficult nights for both you and your child.
Slowly make your way to the proper bedtime for your child.
Put your child to bed 15 to 20 minutes closer to their regular time every few nights until you reach the ideal bedtime. -
Step 3: Keep track of your child’s sleeping patterns if you are not sure when you should be putting your child to bed.
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Step 4: Make minor adjustments to the time when your child is supposed to be in bed.
Detailed Guide
Toddlers are busy and use a lot of energy during the day, so most of the time they crash at night.
Children between the ages of one and three generally need 12 to 14 hours of sleep each night.
They also generally will take one nap during the day when they are 18 months of age.
Children who are three to six generally need between 10 to 12 hours of sleep each day.
Consider how long your child typically naps during the day and do the math to make sure that your child is getting enough sleep each day and night.
For example, if your 2-year-old child typically takes a 2-hour nap, put them to bed with the idea that they will sleep for 10 to 12 hours at night.
If they typically wake up around 7:30 am, that means they should go to bed between 7:30 and 8:30 pm.
For most toddlers, the optimal awake time is between 4 and 4 ½ hours.
So if a child wakes up from a nap around 3:00, they should be ready for bed between 7:00 and 7:30. , If you are unsure about what your child’s ideal bedtime is, spend a week observing his sleep patterns.
Write down every nap he takes and how long it lasts.
Track the time your child goes to bed, when he actually falls asleep, and the time he wakes up.
Use this schedule to look for any patterns, such as tantrums or meltdowns at a certain time of day every day, a hard time falling asleep or waking up in the morning, or if he is cranky the day after having a poor night’s sleep.
With patterns recognized, you can target where to improve his sleep.
For example, if your child has a hard time falling asleep at night, consider moving his nap to earlier in the day.
If he is groggy in the morning, put him to bed earlier. , Once you understand your child’s sleep needs, it may be tempting to switch them to the correct bedtime right away.
However, for most toddlers, this plan will backfire and create difficult nights for both you and your child.
Slowly make your way to the proper bedtime for your child.
Put your child to bed 15 to 20 minutes closer to their regular time every few nights until you reach the ideal bedtime.
About the Author
Katherine Ward
Brings years of experience writing about cooking and related subjects.
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