How to get your child to stick to a bedtime routine

As summer holidays are nearing an end, parents are being provided with useful tips to help get the kids back into a bedtime routine before term time begins.

The fitted bedroom experts at Online-Bedrooms.co.uk have explored easy-to-follow ways to get the children to get back into a reasonable sleeping pattern.

With schools closed and the evenings getting brighter, sleeping routines are all over the place, as many kids are staying up on their tablets and waking up later than usual the following day.

It’s important for children to stick to a sensible sleeping routine, which can be helped by doing things such as introducing a phone ban before bedtime or having a relaxing evening routine to calm them down.

Nic Shacklock from Online-Bedrooms.co.uk said: “We know how easy it is for children to fall out of a bedroom routine once the summer holidays begin.

“We’re providing parents with these helpful tips to help get their kids back into a sensible sleeping pattern before the start of the academic year.

“Making little changes such as introducing a new cuddly teddy and making the space darker to prevent waking up in the night can have a big difference in a child’s sleep routine.”

Here are Online-Bedrooms.co.uk’s nine helpful ways to get children back into a sensible sleeping pattern:

Set a phone curfew

No phones after 7pm will help get the kids off the screens and relax into sleep later in the evening. It’s not only harmful to the eyes being on phones so late, but it keeps your mind so engaged that it’s difficult to relax and settle down for bed.

Gradually setting earlier bedtimes

Have a look at making a chart for different bedtimes throughout the week. Don’t dive straight into the deep end by making a very early bedtime after having a relaxed schedule throughout summer. In order to make it work, take it gradually by making it half an hour earlier each night.

Keeping active in the day

Going on family activities such as a walk across a local park or even a late afternoon bike ride can help tire out the kids before they hit the pillow.

Bedtime stories for the young kids

It’s a classic way to get the kids to sleep, but it’s a trick that works. Try selecting the book together so it’s something for the kids to look forward to in the evening.

Don’t forget the teddy

It’s an important part of getting to sleep easier. Most people adore a cuddly teddy to sleep with at night to help with comfort and loneliness. Have a look to see if there’s any available which your child may like and before you know it, it’ll help them nod off.

Have a relaxing evening

To make the lead-up to sleep easier for the kids, plan some relaxing activities just a couple of hours before bedtime. You can gather as a family to watch a movie together or even have some quiet time together turning down the lights and getting out the fluffy blankets.

Bath and pyjamas

When you’ve decided to fix the sleep routine, make the first night easier by getting the kids to take a bath and setting up their favourite pyjamas for them to get changed into after. It’ll help get them instantly relaxed and ready to begin the journey of going to bed early.

Make a space room

A darker space to sleep can make a sleep smoother and help speed up the process of fixing a routine. Have a look at blackout curtains which can turn the space instantly dark. You can take this even further by placing glow in the dark stars  on the ceiling to transform the space into a cosmic area to help get kids to sleep.

Wake them up earlier

It’s not just about what time they go to bed, but it’s also about what time they wake up. Consistency is key to getting a sleeping pattern back on track. Try waking the kids up 15 minutes earlier than their usual wake up time to try to fix the routine and gradually they’ll get used to the changes in time for school nights.