How to Get a Toddler to Sleep

It can be challenging to get an active toddler to bed, but most children will respond to a comforting, consistent routine designed to help get them to sleep.

Difficulty:

Moderately Challenging

Instructions

Things You'll Need

• Baby Quilts
• Safety Gates
• Children's Books
• Electric Fans
• Gliders
• Night Lights
• Healthy Foods
• Milk
• Bubble Baths
• Toddler Toothbrushes

1. Keep him busy during the daytime. Most toddlers have lots of energy and enjoy going to the park or playground to work some of it off.

2. Choose a realistic bedtime for your child. Like adults, most children have distinct sleep preferences ' some are night owls, and others are morning people. While you can control this to some degree, consider a slightly later bedtime for a child who just doesn't seem tired by 7:00, or a slightly earlier bedtime for a child who falls asleep over his dinner plate.

3. Adjust nap lengths and times. If your child still naps, but then has trouble getting to sleep at night, try shortening the nap, or moving it ahead by an hour or so. If your child doesn't nap, a brief period of quiet time during the afternoon may be enough to rejuvenate him and keep him happy until bedtime.

4. Start your bedtime routine early, and take your time. After your child has dinner, begin the sequence of events that gradually leads up to bedtime.

5. Be consistent. In some families, the bedtime routine involves a bath, a snack, brushing teeth, and a story before bed. In others, it may be a shower, a video, a snuggle, brushing teeth, then bed. Once you have developed a routine that works for everyone in the family, it will become an important part of your child's "winding down" process.

6. Set clear boundaries and stick to them. Many children will beg for "just one more story" to keep from going to sleep, so decide in advance how many stories you will tell, how many crackers you will offer for a bedtime snack, and when the light will go off ' then stay within the limits you have set.

7. Create a soothing sleep environment. If your child's sleeping area is a calm, pleasant and secure place, this will help him get to sleep. He may also have a favorite toy, blanket or other attachment object that helps him sleep.

8. Stay as close as he needs you to. Some children are happy to go to sleep after a quick goodnight kiss, while others prefer to snuggle, hold hands or go to sleep with an adult in a nearby chair. This will change as your child grows and becomes more self-confident, so don't worry ' you won't have to rock your teenager to sleep.

9. Let him know you will be there if he needs you. Many toddlers have nightmares and night terrors, while some just need more nighttime comforting than others. Some families welcome children into the parents' bed, while others choose to set up a bed or couch in the child's room. Try to get to the root cause of your child's night waking, and remember that the phase will pass soon enough.

Tips & Warnings

• Offer your child a cup of warm milk before bed, if he drinks milk ' this may help him get to sleep.

• Some children go to sleep more easily with "white noise" from a fan or sound machine ' this helps to block out other household sounds and can help soothe a child to sleep.

• If your child sleepwalks, or if you are worried about your child wandering, attach a bell or noisy rattle securely to the door handle.

• If one parent has trouble getting a child to sleep, let the other parent or another support person try ' some children seem to respond better if Dad handles bedtime, and it helps to give Mom a break.

• Don't lock your child in his room. This can be emotionally traumatic, and can be very dangerous in the event of a fire or other household emergency.

• Avoid excitement too close to bedtime ' try to stay away from dancing, lively exercise, loud videos or music, or anything else that will keep your child awake past his natural bedtime.

• Be patient. If your toddler has trouble getting to sleep, that doesn't necessarily mean he has a sleep disorder ' it may just reflect the fact that being awake is so much fun. Work on the sleep routine at a rate your child can handle, and everything should be OK.