If you’re a parent, the nightly challenge of getting your kids to go to bed (and stay there!) will be all too familiar. Overtired and cranky kids are no fun, so making sure little ones get enough sleep each night is important.
We’ve put together our 10 top tips to help kids drift off to dreamland (and give you some time to yourself in the evening!)
1. Keep a regular sleep schedule
We all like a lie-in on weekends and holidays, but it’s important to keep children’s sleep and wake times within 1–2 hours of each other.
2. Avoid bright, cool-toned night lights
Is your little one reliant on their night light to doze off? Choose a dim, warm-coloured light bulb, rather than a white, cool-coloured light bulb.
3. Download the Moshi app
Moshi stories, music, and meditation apps are designed to help kids sleep better, reduce anxiety and relax at bedtime. It’s an audio-only app (so no screen time!) and has content for kids aged 0–10. Moshi has been proven to help kids fall asleep 28 minutes faster!
Want to give Moshi a try for yourself? Click here for an exclusive 30-day free trial (you can cancel anytime).
4. Avoid blue light from devices
Blue light from devices imitates daylight and can keep us up at night, so it’s a good idea to switch these off at least 1 hour before bedtime.
5. Start a ‘winding down’ routine before bedtime
Half-an-hour before bedtime, encourage your child to read a relaxing story, do some colouring, puzzles or gentle yoga to begin to wind down. Keeping this routine consistent every evening will help your child understand that it’s time to relax and get ready for bed.
6. Burn off pent-up energy during the day
Making sure kids get enough exercise throughout the day can help prevent a sudden hyperactive spell just before bedtime, but it’s important that playtime ends at least 3 hours before bedtime to give them enough time to wind down.
7. Avoid excessive napping
Napping schedules vary depending on children’s ages and needs, but avoiding long naps too late in the afternoon can be a good idea if your child is struggling to fall asleep at night.
8. Try the Yoto player
Yoto has tons of sleep sounds, podcasts and bedtime stories available to help kids drift off. It also has a night light and clock, and you can use the Yoto app to set wake-up routines that work for your family (so no more 4am wakeups!)
9. Keep a cool bedroom
Sleep cycles are partly dependent on our body temperature dropping during the night, so try to keep your child’s bedroom temperature between 16 to 20°C for babies and 18 to 22°C for toddlers and older children at night to help lower their body temperature.
10. Banish bedtime fears and nightmares
It can be difficult to get young children who are scared of the dark to fall asleep. Try giving them a comfort teddy or fill a spray bottle with water and label it ‘nightmare repellent’ and spray a little bit on them before they go to sleep to help them feel safe.
We hope our tips help your child sleep soundly and give you the space to relax and recharge in the evening.
Looking for a helping hand to make your evenings go even smoother? Whether you need a part-time nanny to fill those tricky after school hours, or a home nursery for full days of care, we’ve got a childcare hero for you.
