How To Create A Sleep Routine For Children In 7 Steps

Putting children to bed is easy but getting them to sleep is a whole other thing. You can spend all day tiring a child out, but sometimes all they want to do is play at bedtime or have one more story (and then one more).  

Creating a sleep routine for your children is the best way to get them to sleep. With a consistent schedule, you can ensure your kids are well-rested and able to concentrate when in school or performing activities throughout the day.

This article reveals how to create a sleep routine for children with tips from our resident parents and sleep experts.

Let’s jump in!

• Start by setting a consistent bedtime.

Set a regular bedtime that leaves enough time for your child to get the recommended amount of sleep for their age. A too-early or too-late bedtime can leave your child feeling overtired or sluggish during the day.

Going to bed too late can also make your child overtired, making it harder for them to fall asleep and stimulating them. 

Children need between eight and nine hours of sleep, but the younger they are, the more sleep they need to feel rested.

• Keep the routine consistent.

Every night should consist of the same activities in the sleep lead-up, which will help them associate those activities with sleep and wind down more quickly. Ensure your bedtime routine is short, usually at most 30 minutes.

We recommend spending those 30 minutes in your child’s bedroom reading books. Rather than skipping through short stories, try a longer book that makes your child look forward to the next page – this will help them look forward to bedtime.

• Include pre-bedtime activities.

Pre-bedtime activities provide a calming transition that will help your child relax and start to associate certain activities with sleep.

This could include eating a nutritious snack, bathing, brushing teeth, putting on PJs, reading a book, and singing a lullaby or a song together.

• Leave the room while your child is sleepy.

To encourage healthy sleep habits, leave the room while your child is sleepy but not yet asleep. This way, your child learns to fall asleep independently and won’t panic if they wake up in the middle of the night.

This is best introduced after age five when most young children can self-soothe without a parent next to them.

• Ensure the bedroom is conducive to sleep.

Your kid’s bedroom should be dark, calm, and relatively quiet for optimal sleep. A dim nightlight can help if your child fears the dark. Try to keep noise levels to a minimum in the rest of the house, as this can disrupt sleep.

An often-overlooked factor for bedtime comfort is room temperature. Check out our guide to bedroom temperature for more information. 

• Avoid activities and substances that disrupt sleep.

Certain activities and foods can undermine healthy sleep patterns. For example, caffeine (relevant if your kids eat chocolate) impacts sleep consumed up to six hours before bedtime.

Avoid mentally or physically stimulating activities, such as watching television, doing homework, or playing video games right before bedtime. Also, keep sugary treats to a minimum and avoid giving your child caffeinated drinks like cola in the evening. 

• Make gradual changes.

When adjusting the routine, try not to introduce more than one change at a time and delay changes if other life changes occur, such as a new house or starting school.

When possible, involve both parents in the routine, as consistency is essential, and don’t become impatient with your child as they adapt.

Summing up

Creating and sticking to a sleep routine can take a while for you and your children, so don’t be discouraged if it takes some trial and error.

Remember to adjust the routine as your child’s sleep needs change and keep the routine consistent for a few weeks for the best results.

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