How to Help a 3-Year-Old to Sleep

Getting a 3-year-old to fall asleep and stay asleep through the night can be difficult. Often, the child's fear of the dark or separation from his parents will cause an insecurity that leads to anxiety. There are steps that parents can take to ensure that their child feels comfortable, secure and tired enough that he will easily drift off to sleep and not wake up feeling afraid in the middle of the night.

Instructions

    • 1

      Plan a consistent bedtime routine that helps to make your child sleepy and prepares her to go to sleep. A bedtime routine will often include a small snack, a bath, story time and cuddling with parents.

    • 2

      Sit near your child until he falls asleep. This is helpful if he is afraid of the dark, as he will know that a parent is close by and there to protect him.

    • 3

      Plug in a night light in her bedroom to help her see during the night if she wakes up. Some children are afraid of the dark, and a night light allows them to sleep more soundly.

    • 4

      Provide the child with a walkie-talkie system if he feels afraid without a parent in the same room at night. This will allow him to contact you during the night if he wakes up. You can calm him down over the walkie-talkie system or go to his room and comfort him face to face. Having a device to communicate with parents will help him to sleep better, knowing that he is safe.

    • 5

      Avoid stimulation from electronics -- computer, television and video games -- during the evening, especially in the hours just before bedtime. Instead, encourage her to read, write, draw, talk or enjoy some other quiet activity.

    • 6

      Give him a comforting item that he can keep with him in bed, such as a stuffed animal or soft blanket.

    • 7

      Serve her a glass of warm milk before she goes to bed. Warm milk heats up the body and has a soothing effect, which leads to an easier time falling asleep.

    • 8

      Comfort him during the night if he wakes up and comes to your bedroom. He may have had a bad dream or he may just feel afraid. Cuddling with parents from time to time keeps children feeling secure and may provide a better night's sleep than he would have had in his own bed.

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