Going to bed on time after a tiresome day is a great comfort for most parents. However, this is rarely possible with a toddler at home. But you cannot sacrifice sleep, not yours and definitely not your toddler’s. Bedtime rituals for a toddler can help you relax your toddler and induce a sound and peaceful sleep.
Sleep is very important for your and your kid’s health. It is found that behavioral issues such as hyperactivity are found more in toddlers having irregular bedtime than toddlers having regular bedtime (1). The right routine and a few bedtime rituals for your toddler will help you eliminate the bedtime war and enjoy a great sleeping experience.
When to Start a Bedtime Routine For Your Toddler?
When it comes to introducing a bedtime routine to your toddler you are never too early. The faster you begin with the process, the quicker you will get its benefits. You will realize as your kid transforms from infancy towards toddlerhood that their sleeping pattern is getting more consistent (2). It is during this transitional period you can start practicing bedtime routines with your toddler. Hence, ideally, you can start a bedtime routine for toddlers between 10 to 14 months.
When is a Good Bedtime For Toddlers?
Toddlers need at least 12 to 13 hours of sound sleep for their sufficient mental and physical development (3). Therefore, while figuring out a good bedtime for toddlers you need to keep in mind that the toddler gets at least 9 to 10 hours of sleep at night. The remaining sleep they can get as afternoon naps. So you need to take your toddler to bed between 8 to 8.30 pm. This will help them get 10 hours of uninterrupted sleep.
Why is it Necessary to Have a Bedtime Ritual?
A bedtime ritual is necessary because everyone needs a series of predictable events to help them sleep peacefully. Any unnecessary delay or disturbance can therefore hamper the sleeping time of your toddler.
When we talk about kids, it is essential to have a solid routine that makes them go into sleep mode effortlessly and smoothly. Bedtime rituals for your toddler are even more necessary as toddlers are known to fight sleep and stay hyperactive, and then feel irritated and clingy when they can’t sleep. A regular bedtime routine also makes them feel safe, secure and emotionally stable which is necessary to induce sleep.
How to Plan Bedtime Rituals For Your Toddler?
You should plan bedtime rituals based on your convenience and your toddler’s sleeping preferences. Rituals that worked out for your friend may not help you in your case. Important things that you should remember are:
- Follow The Same Order– Rituals you plan must have predictable steps repeating in the same order every night.
- Do Not Skip The Routine– You should stick to your routine, even when you are on vacation. This will help your toddler to settle down even in unfamiliar situations.
- Avoid Late Night Sleeps– Some parents let their kids stay up longer, thinking that they will sleep automatically when they get exhausted. This is a big mistake because once they are overtired, a hormone called cortisol is released (4). This results in the kid taking longer to fall asleep and waking up early in the morning.
- Observe Their Sleeping Needs– Observing toddlers and figuring out the time they usually get tired is important. This will help you to fix the bedtime, which will not be too early or too late.
- Switch Off The Gadgets– Winding down brain activity before sleep is also as important as calming down physical activity. So make sure that an hour (at least) before bedtime should be a “non-screen” time. All gadgets such as computers, TVs, and iPads should be plugged off.
Best Bedtime Rituals For Toddler
The bedtime rituals for toddlers depend completely upon their likes and dislikes. While selecting the activities, make sure that it will help to make them calm, rather than excite them. Here is a list of the best bedtime rituals which will help you to plan a routine:
1. Brushing Teeth
Brushing teeth should always be included in your toddler’s bedtime rituals. Starting the habit of brushing teeth as early as possible is important for good oral health (5).
2. A Warm Bath
A warm, soothing bath will relax the toddlers. Make sure it is a simple bath (unlike the morning bath with lots of splashing and excitement). This will make them clean and dry and ease the process of going to bed.
3. Get Them Changed For Bed
Sometimes kids become fussy about wearing pajamas. They might not like the one you take. It is always better to let them choose while limiting the options to 2 or 3. This will give them a sense of authority in making decisions or agency which is necessary for mental peace (6).
4. Playing Games
Playing simple and quiet games without the demand of high energy or excitement is good to add to the bedtime rituals. You can give them simple puzzles to arrange or help them play a soothing sound out of the xylophone. In this way, you will also get to spend more fun time with your toddler before going to bed.
5. Reading Bedtime Stories
Storytime is another fun bedtime ritual that your kid would love to get into soon. Always ask your kid to pick a book. Tell them the story they want to hear. Storytime helps to improve vocabulary and language skills in toddlers (7). Bedtime stories also have various other benefits like encouraging toddler’s creativity and boosting their brain development as well.
6. Getting Into Bed With a Toy or Blanket
It is seen that taking their favorite toy or a blanket they like with them in the bed helps toddlers to settle on the bed soon.
7. Praying
Some parents imbibe a beautiful ritual of praying before they go to bed. Through prayer, toddlers take the cue that praying at night means they need to sleep. Some kids will yawn and squirm midway through the prayer!
8. Switching Off The Light
You can make toddlers switch off the bedroom light and turn on the night lamp. This will give them the idea that the day is over and it is time for sleep.
9. Singing or Playing Lullabies
You can sing soothing lullabies to make your kid sleep. Kids love to hear their closed ones’ voices while they slowly drift off to sleep. If you prefer playing lullabies, play it with low volume. You can give little hugs, kisses, and small massages while playing lullabies which will help them sleep happily.
Tips For Creating Bedtime Rituals for Toddlers
Before practicing the bedtime rituals with toddlers make sure the ambience of the bedroom is apt for sleeping. Here are some tips for creating bedtime rituals for toddlers:
- Dim the lights
- Keep the temperature of the bedroom moderate
- Make the bedsheet is clean and evenly spread without any bulge
- Make sure the room is mosquito-free. You can use mosquito net or insect repellent for this purpose
- Put the pictures of your toddler with you and your partner right in front of the bed. This will make them feel secure
Mistakes to Avoid When Starting a Bedtime Routine For Toddler
Mistakes are bound to occur when you start a fresh thing. But you need to avoid them when it concerns the sleeping patterns of your toddler. Here are the mistakes you need to avoid when starting a bedtime routine for toddlers:
- Changing The Routine Frequently– Make sure the routine is consistent to habituate your toddler. Changing it frequently will reduce its effectiveness.
- Ignoring Your Toddler’s Cues – You need to understand when your kid is ready for sleep. Starting the process too early will result in your loss of energy. Starting too late on the other hand will make the kid overtired and disinterested in the process.
From the above ideas pick and choose the ones that are best suited for you and your toddler to customize a bedtime routine. Parents are quite busy during the daytime with both household chores and office work. A solid bedtime routine is therefore a great way to spend some precious time with your toddler and strengthen your bond. Bedtime rituals for toddler may vary from family to family. Instead of copying someone else’s routine, find out what works for you and your kid and build your own ritual.
FAQ’s
1. How do Sleep Rituals Help Babies And Toddlers Fall Asleep?
The sleep rituals including brushing, bathing, combing, and storytelling help the toddlers to become relaxed. These repetitive and step-by-step processes develop a sense of calm and security among them, which is necessary to fall asleep.
2. How do You Regulate a Toddler Before Bed?
You can regulate a toddler before bed by following a persistent bedtime routine every day. Maintain a fixed time and duration to practice the bedtime routines. You can regulate the toddler slowly towards sleep through reading books, drawing, and engaging in silent play.
3. What Foods Help Toddlers Sleep?
Dairy products and bananas are effective in encouraging sleep. You can give lukewarm milk to your toddler one hour before sleep. The tryptophan present in dairy products helps in producing sleep-inducing chemicals like serotonin and melatonin.
4. What is The Best Drink For Toddlers at Night?
The best drink for toddlers at night is either warm milk or water. Warm milk contains properties to produce sleep-inducing hormones in our body. Warm water on the other hand ensures better digestion and hydration throughout the night. So your toddler will not frequently wake up during the night asking for water.
References
- Spruyt K, Gozal D. Sleep disturbances in children with attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder. Expert Rev Neurother. 2011 Apr;11(4):565-77. doi: 10.1586/ern.11.7. PMID: 21469929; PMCID: PMC3129712. – https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3129712/
- Better Health Channel, Department of Health, State Government of Victoria, Australia – https://www.betterhealth.vic.gov.au/health/healthyliving/typical-sleep-behaviour-nb-1-2-years
- Better Health Channel, Department of Health, State Government of Victoria, Australia – https://www.betterhealth.vic.gov.au/health/healthyliving/typical-sleep-behaviour-toddlers-2-3-years
- Kiel EJ, Hummel AC, Luebbe AM. Cortisol secretion and change in sleep problems in early childhood: Moderation by maternal overcontrol. Biol Psychol. 2015 Apr;107:52-60. doi: 10.1016/j.biopsycho.2015.03.001. Epub 2015 Mar 9. PMID: 25766262; PMCID: PMC4385227. – https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4385227/
- Nemours Kids Health, Medically reviewed by: Amy W. Anzilotti, MD – https://kidshealth.org/en/parents/healthy.html
- Veronese G, Pepe A, Cavazzoni F, Obaid H, Perez J. Agency via Life Satisfaction as a Protective Factor From Cumulative Trauma and Emotional Distress Among Bedouin Children in Palestine. Front Psychol. 2019 Jul 23;10:1674. doi: 10.3389/fpsyg.2019.01674. PMID: 31396131; PMCID: PMC6664087. – https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC6664087/
- Isbell, Rebecca & Sobol, Joseph & Lindauer, Liane & Lowrance, April. (2004). The Effects of Storytelling and Story Reading on the Oral Language Complexity and Story Comprehension of Young Children. Early Childhood Education Journal. 32. 157-163. 10.1023/B:ECEJ.0000048967.94189.a3. – https://shorturl.at/vb7jl
