Toddler sleep can be a mysterious journey, as even if you felt you mastered shuteye with your first child, your second’s chosen route to the land of Nod may be completely different. In this article, we’ll look at some of the ways you can keep routines in place and get better rest for the entire family.

If your toddler won’t stay in bed, set them boundaries

Some young toddlers have trouble with the transition from cot to bed, resulting in night visits to your room and general restlessness that could prompt you to sit up with them for hours. In this situation, setting boundaries with your child is important. This doesn’t mean ignoring them at lights out; they should still understand you’re nearby, just that it’s time for sleep now and they can do it with some distance. Having a boundary won’t stop your child from calling you if they need you.

Remember that their cot was a cosy nest with external barriers and try to emulate this with their bedclothes, discouraging exploration by tucking them in snugly, perhaps with a familiar toy, and keeping distractions off the bedside table.

Show them you have your own sleep needs by sticking to a schedule of your own. Try not to celebrate your late nights or forfeiture of sleep for work as a badge of honour. Have a positive attitude to sleep as a family, willingly putting the day out of your minds and focussing on a calm, restful transition. You are your child’s most significant teacher in life, and your example makes a difference.

Keep your child’s bedtime snacks light

If you’ve ever allowed your child pizza or some other high-carb food close to bedtime, you probably know they’ve stayed up that bit later. If they ask for food at night, try to make sure they're really hungry and not just stalling at bedtime before you give them something to eat. You don’t need to ban bedtime snacks if they’re really hungry; apple slices or some toast is usually fine, but try your best to keep it light. You could even make it part of your bedtime routine with them, offering something light thirty minutes before you tuck them in to ensure there are no delays. That said, if they have had dinner, it is not harmful to be firm with them about going to bed without snacks. A little hunger shouldn’t interfere with their sleep.

Keep their sleep routine consistent—even on holiday!

The school holidays can be a joyful break, but if you’re living with small children, you’ll know that the structure provided by nursery or school days is part of what sends them off to sleep around the same time each night. Adults’ desires play a role here, as we also want a break from routine at times and can let the kids stay up a bit later than we might do if we had the morning alarm to think about. If you are away from home with them, plan to adapt their usual routine—warm bath, lights dimmed, screens put away, etc.—with as little disruption as possible, and don’t forget to bring a beloved toy or blanket along for the holiday.

Give them enough time outdoors or at play.

Physical activity and creative play are essential for your toddler’s healthy physical and cognitive development. They come with the bonus benefits of giving your child respect and appreciation for the environment and improving peer-to-peer relationships. They can also help to tire your child out and quiet their minds in preparation for their (hopefully) calm transition into sleep. If scheduling time outdoors isn’t realistic, a playroom or play area of your home equipped with toys, games, and creative activities can help tire them to the degree you need.

Explore Unii’s sleep resources.

Unii offers a variety of options for learning about your baby or child’s sleep, all expert-led and evidence-based. Our award-winning Sleep Expert, Ms. Sam Sadighi, is a mum of two who had insomnia and helped hundreds of parents improve their own sleep as well as their families’. You can hear Sam’s actionable advice on the Unii Babies podcast, her Unii Baby Sleep Journey, and her Unii Toddler Sleep Journey, and follow us on social media to hear her answer questions from parents in our shorts and IG lives.

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