an update from Jessica-
aj 25 months:
Sleep and AJ are two things that did NOT go together for the first 10 months of his life. We tried (and failed) several times with sleep training, but that is a story for another day/post. When I finally decided to be serious about it, we followed the ABC’s of sleep by @takingcarababies and he was trained within 3 days. Ever since then, AJ has slept wonderfully other than the occasional nightmare, illness, teething, etc.
I feel extremely fortunate that AJ is 25 months and still happy sleeping in his crib. He has only occasionally fought us to go to sleep or attempt to climb out of his crib (unsuccessfully). Therefore, I plan to keep him in his crib AS LONG AS I CAN. Especially with another baby in the house, it is much easier knowing he is safely in his crib since I know the transition will be a big one with some challenges for all of us. Not to mention, I wanted to give us some time to work on potty training before we also had to jump into another big toddlerhood change.
Other than the sleep guide, some things that have helped AJ’s get the zZz’s his little body so desperately needs:
- We also love the Hatch Baby Rest sound machine and nightlight that Janelle explains more on in her update. We have always had it on low to medium level sound (always the TV static sound to, for no particular reason!).
- Sticking to a routine as much as possible: bath, lotion, brush teeth, read books (we usually let him pick 1-2 from a selection on his bookshelf, which I try to rotate out once in awhile too!), sing songs/rock in his chair then sleep!
- Sticking to a set bedtime as much as possible. Around 1 year it was 7pm (sometimes even earlier!). Now, he does best going down around 7:30-8pm.
- Our Newton Baby mattress— if you have been following me awhile, you have probably heard me rave about it a few times. My husband, who knew very little about baby sleep (or babies in general) is even telling his friends and patients at work about it! Both of my children have loved sleeping on it and we as parents have felt comfortable knowing it is breathable since we have two tummy sleepers! Shop HERE and receive 20% off your mattress until 6/22.
Sleep is something you don’t realize how much you need until you don’t get it. I don’t think there is any one way to be “right” about it, but there are definitely things that can make it easier! Find your groove and your favorite products and stick to it!
an update from Janelle-
Emmy 29 months:
Luckily for us, Emmy has always been a great sleeper, but with toddlerhood comes big changes. While our overall routine hasn’t changed much since she was a baby (we get pajamas on, brush teeth, and read a few books), we did move Emmy into a toddler bed right at her second birthday. This transition was natural for us, as we were expecting another baby, and wanted to re-use her crib for our new arrival. So, we created a whole new “big girl room” for Emmy to make things a little more exciting. We didn’t expect the transition to go completely smooth, but we did find that a few things helped along the way:
- We introduced Emmy to her new big girl room during the day when she wouldn’t be sleeping so that she could get comfortable in there. We played in her room and read books in her room throughout the day so that she was ready when bedtime came!
- We use the Hatch Baby Rest sound machine and nightlight to help provide comfort with it’s soft light and white noise. We love that we can connect this nightlight to our phones. It also has a time-to-wake function, so that you can teach your toddler that it’s still time to sleep until the light changes to the “wake” color!
- Emmy has a book basket near her bed. If she’s not quite ready to go to bed, often she will look through her books by herself until she falls asleep. She will also grab the books in the morning if she knows it’s not time to come out of her room yet!
When baby number two arrived, we did see some sleep regression in Emmy. Her new sister was sleeping in our room, and Emmy decided that she wanted to sleep in our room too…almost every night. It was hard!!! We were consistent about returning to her big girl bed, and there may have been a few times that my husband fell asleep on the floor of her room, but overall our consistency has helped to get her back sleeping in her room every night!
Sleep is very important in our house. We know that when Emmy gets a full night of sleep, she’s in a much better mood the next day….and so are we!!!
UBAM BOOKS THAT TEACH!
How to Tuck in Your Sleepy Lion: This durable board book features a tired little lion who doesn’t want to go to sleep. It’s vibrant illustrations and rhyming text will have your child engaged throughout!
Kisses, Cuddles and Goodnight: Five animal friends are tired from playing all day, and your child can help them pick out the perfect stuffed animal to cuddle up with. With reusable stickers, this interactive book is always a top pick at bedtime.
B is for Bedtime: This timeless before-bed classic is a soothing meander towards the end of an evening. Beautifully told in gentle, rhythmic verse, it leads us through a charming A-to-Z bedtime routine.
Goodnight, Owl!: With soft, durable felt flaps your child can work on counting and colors while saying goodnight to some woodland friends!
Twinkly Twinkly Bedtime Book: The sweetest book about a bear and his dad on a walk before bedtime. It brings the magic of the stars inside with twinkly lights throughout the pages.
Night, Night Busy Town: It’s time for the busy city vehicles to go to bed, but first they must each read their favorite bedtime story! This book has pull out tabs on each page that reveal bedtime stories for each vehicle. Perfect for any little one who loves cars and trucks!
books for children who might be scared at bedtime
Lights out Leonard: Leonard doesn’t like bedtime, especially when there’s a five-nosed, seven-tailed, eleven-handed, scaly-waily monster hiding in the corner of his bedroom. It seems like Leonard will never sleep again, until he discovers a mysterious book called How to Frighten Monsters.
I’m Not Very Afraid of the Dark: The dark can be scary, but it can be other things too – it depends on how you see it. With hundreds of tiny holes that show shadows and a starry sky, this gorgeous picture book tells the story of a little boy’s fear of the dark.
-ORIGINAL POST BELOW-
We’re so excited to bring you the final post in the series “Developing Daily,” and this one is all about bedtime!
For those of you that are new here, Developing Daily is a series that I’ve worked on in collaboration with Janelle Ritchie of The Play Effect. Our hope is empower you to support your child’s development through everyday tasks.
Janelle Ritchie is a certified pediatric speech-language pathologist at a private practice in Michigan. She has a sweet daughter named Emmy, who just turned 1. She is passionate about working with toddlers first learning to talk as well as the effect play can have on speech & language development.
You can find Janelle on her blog The Play Effect or on Instagram @the_play_effect.
A consistent bedtime routine is so important for your child’s development and crucial for a good nights sleep! Keep reading for our favorite tips and tricks to support your child’s development during bedtime:
How to support social emotional skills during bedtime:
Use bedtime as an opportunity to talk about thoughts and feelings. Talk about how your body can tell you that it’s tired and what you may think about when it’s time for bed (putting pajamas on, brushing teeth, reading a bedtime story).
Allow older toddlers and children to choose pieces of their bedding or bedroom…paint color, bedding, stuffed animals, etc. This will help them to be comfortable within their room and happy to sleep there!
Foster a sense of gratitude in your child. Share your favorite part of the day or something that you were grateful for with each other.
Discuss the plan for tomorrow (daycare, school, family outings, etc.). Children often have anxiety when they don’t know what their schedule will be. When children know what to expect, we can lessen their anxiety of the unknown.
Encourage responsibility by having your child make their own bed (or help you with it) in the morning.
How to support language skills during bedtime:
Continue to build vocabulary and language skills while undressing and putting on pajamas! For more details on this, see our previous Developing Daily post all about getting dressed.
Sing songs and lullabies together. Singing is a perfect way to build connection, vocabulary and wind down.
Work on predicting by asking your child what he or she thinks they will dream about tonight. Encourage them to give you as many details as possible. When they wake up, ask them if they remember what they dreamt about and see how many details they can remember!
Give bedtime kisses while working on body parts. Ask your child where they want their kisses! On their head? On their toes? On their belly? Have fun with it!
How to support cognitive skills during bedtime:
Bedtime is the perfect time to talk about opposites: day/night, awake/asleep, open/close, on/off, etc.
Have your child help as much as possibly when changing into their PJ’s.
Read lift-the-flap books before bed. Have your child practice their fine motor skills by lifting the flaps. These books are also great for building hand-eye coordination.
How to support play skills involving bedtime:
Encourage your child to pretend to put a baby doll or stuffed animal to bed. Have them practice making their doll go through the entire bedtime routine.
Make bedtime extra fun every once in awhile by reading with a flashlight, building a tent/fort to sleep in, tuck their stuffed animals into bed, etc.
What do I do if my child protests during bedtime? Here are a few troubleshooting tips:
- Have a routine. Many parents already do this with babies, but it’s just as important for toddlers and young children. Routines and consistency help children know what to expect.
- Ease the transition to bedtime by engaging your child in calming activities before bed. Some ideas we like are reading a book, taking a warm bath, turning on a sound machine, listening to lullabies, rocking and snuggles.
- Start your bedtime routine early. By starting early, you can ensure that your child won’t stay up too late or be over tired. Do this especially if your little one tries to delay bedtime!
- Provide your child with a verbal warning 5-10 minutes prior to initiating the bedtime routine. This is especially helpful if your child has difficulty with transitions.
- Use a night light or sound machine. We especially love the Hatch Baby Rest night light and sound machine, as it has a time-to-rise feature, which changes the light to cue your child for tricky transitions.
What else can you do to support your child during their bedtime routine?
Read books about bedtime! We love these books for this purpose:
- The Goodnight Train by June Sobel
- The Going to Bed Book by Sandra Boynton
- Pajama Time! by Sandra Boynton
- Llama Llama Red Pajama by Anna Dewdney
- Goodnight Stories for Rebel Girls by Francesca Cavallo
Janelle’s Favorite Bedtime Products:
(Burt’s Bees pajamas are the BEST! Want $15 off your first order of $75 or more? Click HERE!)
Jessica’s Favorite Bedtime Products:
I cannot say enough positive things about our Newton mattress. 100% worth the investment to have that breathability reassurance–especially for a belly sleeper!
*Disclosure: I may earn a small commission for my endorsement, recommendation and/or any link to products or services from this website. Your purchase helps support my work in bringing you valuable content regarding play and it’s impact on child development.
