There are many ways to help your children fall asleep. Some people might think that the best way is just to rock them or let them watch TV for a while before bedtime, but other strategies work even better than those! We’ve compiled our ten favorite tips for getting kids to sleep in this article.
These methods can help your little ones settle down and ready them for a good night’s rest. They’re gentle, easy to do, and they will have great results!
Stay Calm.
It sounds like common sense, but it’s essential to be calm and relaxed when you’re putting your kids down for bed. Tension can make children feel anxious about falling asleep, so take a few deep breaths before trying anything else.
If your child sees that you are tense or frustrated, they might get nervous as well! Keep the mood light and positive by finding ways to have fun with these tips. If something doesn’t work out one night, try again another day instead of getting upset about it. Your little ones will quickly pick up on any negative emotions if there is tension in the room while they’re resting!
Read a Book.
Reading is one of the best ways to calm down at bedtime. Your children will love hearing stories before they go to sleep, and reading has been shown to have many other benefits for kids as well!
Bedtime books can also help children relax by taking their minds off of the day’s activities. Make sure to pick a book with engaging characters and an interesting plot so that your children will have fun but not stimulating enough to keep them awake!
Before bedtime is not a good time for educational books because children should be winding down for bed, not learning new things; keep the book light and fun so that your children will love it when they’re settling down to sleep!
Once they get into the routine of reading at night before bedtime, your kids will be eager for it every single night.
Once you’ve found a book that your children love, you can read passages from it each night to help them settle down. This method has worked for many parents in the past and will work well for yours too!
Try a Little Music.
It’s always nice to have soft music in the background when you’re trying to fall asleep, and kids are no different! Picking out calming tunes for your children will help them relax before bedtime. If they can’t decide what type of music is best, try starting with classical—that tends to be one of the most popular genres among little ones who need some quiet time after an active day.
You might want to leave it up to your child if you know that they’ll enjoy picking their songs! Experimenting together is a good bonding activity and will help you understand your children’s musical preferences.
The key is finding music that has low tones and no lyrics because this type of instrumentation can create a sense of relaxation in the body.
It might take some trial and error for your child but once they find something soothing, stick with it so that bedtime becomes easier each night! Just make sure to stay away from any loud music or upbeat tunes before bed—you don’t want your children to get too excited right before they try to go to sleep.
Try A Nightlight.
Nightlights can be a great way to help your children feel more comfortable at night, especially if they’re afraid of the dark. By keeping some low lighting on in their room as you tuck them into bed, you’ll give them a sense that there’s nothing too scary going on while also giving yourself enough visibility to check up on them from time to time.
Try to find a nightlight that uses an LED bulb because these will use much less energy than other types, and they’ll last for years without needing replacement. This is important if you want the light fixture to be reliable so your children can always feel safe! The brightness of the light should also match your child’s preferences—if they’re older, brighter lights might help them fall asleep faster, whereas younger kids often prefer dimmer lighting.
Try A Relaxing Bath.
Before bedtime is not the time to take a long, hot bath—but having one an hour or two before will help your children feel better and more relaxed. It might be difficult for younger kids to stay still and quiet for that amount of time, but you can try taking them out if they seem like they’re getting restless.
Older kids should love this idea because it’s something that parents often forget about when trying to get their little ones into sleep mode! The key here is finding products made with natural ingredients so that your children aren’t exposed to harsh chemicals that may disrupt their sleep.
Try adding some lavender oil into the bathwater because this plant extract has been used for years by moms and medical professionals alike as a stress reliever, and it’s known to be especially effective in kids! Just a few drops of the oil will give them a pleasant scent and induce relaxation.
Try A Humidifier.
If your home is too dry, it can make the air feel stuffy and uncomfortable for children as they try to sleep. This discomfort will only increase their stress levels, preventing them from feeling sleepy enough to go into dreamland on time!
To help kids fall asleep faster at night, you should look into getting a humidifier for your child’s room so that their breathing doesn’t have trouble while they rest. The right humidity level in a bedroom varies depending on who you ask—some say 30% is perfect, whereas others believe it needs to be higher or lower than this number.
You’ll need some measurement tools if you want an exact figure, but most parents would agree that having a humidifier in the room will make their children feel better when they’re trying to sleep. You’ll want to find one with multiple settings so you can regulate how much moisture is released into the air—putting this device on a low setting might be perfect for your kids at night because it won’t disturb them too much!
Research what type of humidifiers are available if you have pets or young children in the household since there are some models out there that could harm certain animals and little ones with asthma. Also, take care not to use essential oils in these machines unless directed otherwise by an expert. Adding scents directly into water vapor isn’t always safe without taking proper precautions first.
Try A Sound Machine.
Sound machines can be a lifesaver for kids who have trouble falling asleep because they help block out any distracting or disruptive noises on the other side of their bedroom walls. These appliances are great at helping children get to sleep even when there’s activity going on in another room!
Older toddlers might not enjoy this idea so much, but if you have an infant still learning how to fall asleep independently, it could make all the difference in making them feel safe and comfortable while resting.
Most parents will opt to purchase one that has a variety of sounds. Hence, children have options available when they wake up in the middle of the night and are afraid—just playing some soft white noise could be enough to help them feel safe again, even if it’s just for five minutes before they fall asleep!
Older kids who like technology might enjoy having Bluetooth speakers since there are plenty out there that double as white noisesome sound machines.
Some parents are concerned about the volume of these devices because they’re afraid that they could be too loud for kids. Still, there’s usually a control panel on all sound machines, so you’ll always be able to adjust the noise levels if necessary!
Try A Projector Lamp.
If you have an older child, you’ll want to find something that projects images onto the ceiling or walls because it can be fun for them and help them relax their minds before bedtime.
Some kids like having a projector lamp on in their room when they rest so they can stare at all of the shapes, colors, and designs that are displayed.
There are tons of different projector lamps out there, so take some time to look around and find something that will work for your child! If this is an idea that excites your little one or enjoys looking up at the stars while lying in bed, consider getting one of these devices to make their bedroom a place they want to go at night.
These types of lamps help kids stay calm before bedtime because they can watch the shapes move around and focus their attention on something that could be calming.
Some kids might not mind sleeping in complete darkness, but others would struggle greatly without some light, so this device is perfect for those who need a bit more comfort while resting.
Try A Routine.
Kids love routines, and if yours is a fan of schedules, you should consider giving them something they can look forward to when it comes time for bed.
You’ll want to have a routine that will be the same every night so your kids know what’s going on before they close their eyes. It could involve having a particular snack or drink, watching a TV show together, participating in some activity, saying goodnight to household pets, etc. Having this special moment at night might help children feel safe while they’re sleeping because it feels familiar and predictable, which are both great feeling when someone has just closed their eyes!
Children have lots of different ways they might want to engage in routines with their parents, so find something that works best for you and your child!
The key is finding what will work best so kids won’t have trouble falling asleep on time because they’ll know exactly what will happen every night, which removes unnecessary stress from the equation.
Snacks.
Having kids snack before bedtime can be a great way to promote sleep, especially if you make the snacks they enjoy most.
Some children like having sweet treats at night because it makes them feel calm and ready for rest, while others prefer savory options like crackers or chips.
You’ll want to talk with your child about their favorite types of food that are best eaten in the evening so everyone is on board with what’s going down right before bed. This will give kids something else to look forward to when closing their eyes which could help motivate them more than just watching TV together!
There are tons of different snacks you could provide your child with, so take some time to think about what would be best! If an apple or banana is the perfect treat, consider making sure those items are readily available once night falls; otherwise, try thinking of something that they enjoy that might be unique.
Conclusion.
There are many different ways that you can help your children fall asleep at night, but these ten ideas should give you a great starting point for making sure they’re getting their rest. If you follow these tips and tricks, then your kids should be sleeping like little angels in no time—just make sure to adjust whatever methods work best for them, so they don’t feel anxious about what’s going on.
I hope that these tips help you in your journey to promote a good night’s sleep for everyone involved!
Discover the dynamic world through the eyes of Joanna Perez: a celebrated Cognitive Behavioral Therapy Practitioner and an ardent blogger. Not just a writer, Joanna is also an explorer, partner, and a proud mother. Her expertise goes beyond penning thoughts on parenting, health, and lifestyle; she’s also a certified Women Empowerment Life Coach. With training in Life Mastery, Health, Happiness, and Success, she’s equipped to guide you through life’s complexities. Her dedication to education shines as she’s dived deep into the realms of Neuroscience for Parents and completed the Skilled Helper Training Course.
Reviewed By: Anna West and Brenda Tillman
Edited By: Lenny Terra
Fact Checked By: Marcella Raskin
Photos Taken or Curated By: Matthew Mansour