Wind Down Routines for Toddlers That Don’t Take An Hour

Here are some connecting peaceful wind down routines for toddlers that help them calm down quick and get ready to sleep.

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The day is winding down and you know your little one needs to sleep.

Great, you think, maybe my toddler will just bop off to bed, lie down, and drift off into dreamland.

Fat chance, mama.

No, nope. Instead, what many mamas find happening is that right near bedtime their babies get a second wind. And then, well, it’s Game Time.

But it doesn’t have to be this way.

What are wind down routines?

Wind down routines are essentially habits, practices, and… well… routines that you do night in and night out that help calm down baby’s nervous system so they are ready to sleep.

They are calming, peaceful, and get your toddler into a state where they are ready and willing to drift off and hopefully take a good long night sleep. Without night terrors or nightmares.

Do I do wind down routines for nap and bedtime?

Absolutely, you sure can! They’re important anytime you want your toddler to settle into sleep. Naptime wind downs will typically be different since it’s daylight, but the principles remain the same. I typically do a shorter condensed version of the nighttime routines during nap time.

If your toddler is resisting sleep then a wind down routine is a good idea.

How soon do you start a wind down routine before bed?

A general rule of thumb is around 30 minutes before you want your child’s lights out, you can start your wind down routine. I’ve gone into bedtime with toddlers here in detail, but in short: you want to take the time you want your toddler in bed, say 7:00 pm and go back 30 minutes.

So we’d start our wind down routine at 6:30pm for a 7pm lights out and bedtime.

What types of activities are in a toddler wind down routine?

There are some typical things that are happening before bedtime that go well into a routine. Generally speaking, these are things that are quiet, calm, and connecting.

• brushing teeth (self-care and hygiene routines for toddlers)
• putting on pajamas
• going to the bathroom (this should be put at the FRONT if your child gets into bed and then frequently asks to go #2)
• reading books (why bedtime stories are so good for kids)
• putting on white noise or night lights
• prayer

Is bath time part of a toddler’s wind down routine?

While baby bedtime routines often include baths, I’m not going to put that in for toddlers because that can tack on a lot of time.

Toddler bath time can be a Monumental Feat and can also be done at various times of the day. In fact, bath time is so fun it often amps up a child’s energy and moods and can send them into a second wind quicker.

If you like having bath time after dinner before bed – and of course many mothers do – then do it but the wind down routine activities come after.

Why won’t my toddler go to sleep on their own?

There are a variety of reasons that toddlers don’t go to sleep on their own. Many times they want one of the following from mom to get to sleep:

• a parent lying in bed with them
• twisting someone’s hair
• back rub

The list goes on. But ultimately the reason your toddler won’t go to sleep on their own is they don’t know how to get to sleep independently. Toddlers need boundaries, security, and they need mom to be confident they’ll be okay.

Sleep issues are often behavior issues by the time kids are 2 and above. Meaning, they don’t want to go to bed alone and they don’t want to stay in bed alone. The key is to do a more formal sleep intervention where you help your child feel confident to stay in bed.

And knowing that there’s a boundary there. Meaning, they can’t come out a bajillion times. So… onto my next point.

Why does my toddler keep coming out of their room?

Good question!

There are a variety of reasons children come out of their room but the #1 reason is they simply want to and know that you’ll let them.

Now, let me back up. I’m not saying we need to leave our kids in their rooms scared and alone.

No. But kids who know how to get to sleep on their own can transition through sleep cycles on their own. This means they simply don’t wake up as much at night. Or at all.

So that’s the goal, and the good news is that once a child realizes they don’t have to come out of their room all the time they will eventually stop trying and just sleep.

• get a snuggly animal for them
• establish new boundaries: if you need me call for me, don’t come out
• practice going in, comforting, and going back out

Ultimately, the dark can be scary to your kids. But it isn’t going to envelop them. And they’re not actually scared of the dark, they’re scared of their fear of the dark.