Children between 1 and 4 years old should be getting 11 to 12 hours of sleep each day, according to the Healthy Sleep website. If your toddler is unable sleep through the night or nap successfully during the day, adopt a set of sleep strategies to create a smooth transition from playtime to bedtime.
Create Routine
Encourage your child go to sleep by scheduling calming activities before bedtime. Provide a "countdown" 10 to 15 minutes before you begin the bedtime routine to allow your child to transition smoothly from playtime to nighttime mode. After a warm bath, dress your child in his favorite pajamas and complete steps in the same order each night, such as getting a light snack, brushing teeth, reading a story or singing a song together, and snuggling with a comfort item, such as a blanket or stuffed animal. The Safer Child website stresses that the routine should be performed near the toddler's bed instead of your bedroom or the playroom so he'll know it's time to sleep and not time to play.
Find Right Bedtime
Help your child fall asleep easily and stay asleep by ensuring she goes to bed at the right moment. In addition to establishing a consistent toddler bedtime, the University of Michigan Health System website suggests putting your child in bed when she's ready to go to sleep. The site notes that by the time you see signs of fatigue, it's already too late since your child may get a "second wind" by the time you complete her bedtime routine. If you typically notice that she appears tired at 8 p.m., for example, start the bedtime activities at 7 or 7:30 p.m. to ensure she's in bed by 8.
Manage Meal Time
The Akron Children's Hospital website recommends serving dinner at least four hours before your toddler goes to bed and avoiding caffeinated beverages, such as hot chocolate in the six hours before bed. Although a light snack, such as crackers is OK, eating a heavy meal may keep your toddler awake at night if she's having trouble digesting it.
Repeat Routine
If your toddler has trouble sleeping through the night and wakes you up to be comforted, do not "reward" the behavior with playtime. Take your child back to bed and complete an abbreviated version of the bedtime routine, such as giving your child a quick cuddle and handing him his comfort item. Keep talking to a minimum to ensure he doesn't continue to wake just to spend more time with you.
Address Fears
Toddlers with active imaginations may have difficulty falling asleep or staying asleep. The Children's Hospital of Philadelphia website suggests acknowledging your child's fears and discussing worries, such as monsters under the bed or vivid nightmares. Let your child keep his bedroom door open, use a nightlight or pour water into a bottle and spritz the "monster spray" around his room to ward off scary creatures.
