Toddler bedtime routine A positive bedtime routine helps toddlers feel ready for sleep and settle more easily when they wake at night. Most toddlers are ready for bed between 6.30 pm and 7.30 pm.
There's no set time for when it's best to switch your child from a crib to a toddler bed; in fact, the average age for introducing a toddler bed varies widely, between 18 months and 3.5 years old.
Babies are naturally sleepy between 6.30 and 7.30pm so try to map your bedtime routine to wind down in that window. If naps have been particularly short or your baby is fussy, moving bedtime as early as 5.30pm can help.
A bedtime between 7:00-8:00 pm can help your 12 month old fall asleep and stay asleep during the night. If your one year old's bedtime is currently outside of this range and sleep is going well, don't worry about making any changes.
Wake Time for 12-Month-Olds: Rise and shine often occurs between 6 and 7am. Napping for 12-Month-Olds: Your little one is likely still clocking two naps a day, totaling two to four hours. (FYI: Most babies drop the second nap between 12 and 24 months.)
By 1 year old, experts agree that babies (or really, toddlers) should be able to sleep a solid 11-12 hours straight at night. They should also be able to take in their calories during the day like you and I do and drop nighttime feedings completely.
Most toddlers are ready for bed between 6.30 pm and 7.30 pm. This is a good time, because they sleep deepest between 8 pm and midnight. It's important to keep the routine consistent on weekends as well as during the week.
You'll be happy to know that babies who are put to bed earlier tend to sleep better. Quality sleep tends to happen before midnight for most babies (and adults!) so don't be afraid of an earlier bedtime.
Expert Tip: If your seven month old is transitioning from 3 naps to 2, we'll want to be flexible with bedtime. Just before the transition to 2 naps, bedtime may be slightly after 8:00 pm. After the transition, bedtime may need to be moved as early as 6:00 to 6:30 pm as your baby adjusts to their new nap schedule.
What time should a toddler go to bed? For most tots, lights-out is around 9pm (give or take 30 minutes), but pushing it later—or trying to force it earlier—may lead to more middle-of-the- night waking! I've found the sweet spot tends to be around 8 to 8:30pm, but every child is different.
Research supports the benefits of toddlers having an earlier, rather than later bedtime. One study found that toddlers who are 'night owls' tend to be a heavier weight when followed up three years after being studied. Overtired toddlers often have a surge of energy just as they should be winding down and relaxing.
Is 18 months too early for toddler bed? No, it depends entirely on each individual child, their mobility and the house around them. Some children will not be ready for a bigger bed until later, but some 18-month-old toddlers will be fine with the move.
Between the ages of 1 and 2, most kids need about 11–14 hours of sleep a day, including one or two daytime naps. At around 18 months, or sometimes sooner, most toddlers condense their two naps into one afternoon nap. A toddler who fights the morning nap is probably ready for just an afternoon nap.
Clues a Newborn Bedtime Is Too Early
They fight falling asleep for 30 to 60 minutes. They show no sign of fatigue at bedtime. They wake up in the middle of the night or very early the next day, refreshed and raring to go.
Studies have shown that kids who regularly get an adequate amount of sleep have improved attention, behavior, learning, memory, and overall mental and physical health. Not getting enough sleep can lead to high blood pressure, obesity and even depression.
Bedtime should be earlier if naps are shorter. Don't be afraid of a 5:30 or 6:00 p.m. bedtime. This earlier bedtime can lead to a more consolidated night's sleep and therefore a later rising.
If your toddler is waking during the night and not getting the long, restful sleep that she needs, she'll become overtired. But rather than snoozing until 8 am, overtiredness makes kids wake early in the morning. When toddlers don't get enough sleep or have broken sleep, their systems become overstimulated.
As hard as it is to admit, your toddler waking at 5am may be normal if bedtime is at 6pm. While a 12-hour stretch is ideal, not all young children need that many hours of night time sleep (especially if they're taking long naps, too). One simple way to handle early morning wakings is to adjust for a later bedtime.
It's OK to think about night weaning for healthy breastfed children from 12 months of age. At this age, most children are getting enough food during the day for their growth and development. But before 12 months, night weaning breastfed babies can reduce your milk supply.
Move her bedtime later by about 10 minutes each night until she's hitting the hay about an hour later (or you reached your goal of her sleeping later). This works best if you move her eating schedule later as well, so hunger doesn't wake her up too soon. You might also have to work on your baby's nap schedule.
One of the biggest culprits with 1 year olds waking up at night and not going back to sleep is separation anxiety at night. Your child may have had a long day filled with new experiences, making him wake up at night to check that you're still there.
Keep your toddlers room dark
The light that enters our eyes in the morning signals a biological wake-up call for the following morning. Keep your child in the dark until the desired wake-up time. Even if your child wakes up early, stay in the darkened room with them, quietly playing games or rocking in a chair.
Stay calm, but send her back. Just as you would when your tot gets out of bed in the middle of the night, simply walk her back to her room if she gets up too early. Make it short and sweet, without turning on the lights, pleading with her or discussing the need to stay in bed. Keep her active during the day.