Bedtime Routines for Preschoolers

Winding Down

• Slowing down household activities near bedtime helps signal to preschoolers that it's time for sleep. Winding down features calming activities such as listening to quiet music, and turning off the television and shutting down digital equipment for the entire family. Some families begin the slow-down immediately after dinner in order to spend personal time with children after a day of activity and work. The University of Florida Extension recommends starting quiet time at least 30 minutes before bedtime.

Bathing

• Evening baths give preschoolers another signal that it's officially bedtime. Putting out pajamas, turning back the bed and drawing a warm bath as part of a routine helps prepare young children for sleep. Joint bathing of young children may modify the schedule for some families, but the best time for a bath or warm shower is immediately before bed to receive the most benefit from the soothing activity. Avoid bath or shower toys that give your preschooler the urge to play during and after bathing.

Setting the Stage

• Prepare your preschooler's room for sleep to signal sleep time. The Mayo Clinic suggests dimming the overhead light or bright room lamps and closing the shades or drapes to keep outside light from the room. Ask your child to help remove stuffed animals and extra bedding such as pillows and blankets from the bed as part of the nightly ritual. Encourage other family members to turn down the sound until your preschooler dozes off to sleep, and then keep the sound low to avoid waking up the sleeping child.

Storytime

• A storytime session as part of a nightly bedtime routine calms preschoolers while enhancing basic language skills. Escort your preschooler to the bedroom, turn on a small reading light, and find a comfy chair for you and your child to sit and read a story. Select books with soothing messages, and avoid action-packed texts with spooky or scary plots. Read the story and then tuck the sheets and blankets around your child. Avoid reading until your child falls asleep, a practice that, according to the University of Florida Extension, fails to teach your child important self-calming techniques to use to fall asleep.