Sleep & routines
What's a good bedtime routine for toddlers?
A good toddler bedtime routine is short, calm, and identical every night: dinner, bath, pajamas and teeth, one or two stories, then lights out — about 20–30 minutes total. Consistency is what makes it work.
Toddlers feel safe when they know what comes next, so a predictable sequence is more powerful than any single step. Start winding down about 30 minutes before bed: dim the lights, lower your voice, and move through the same steps in the same order. Ending with a story every night gives your toddler a calm, enjoyable cue that sleep is coming.
Keep the routine screen-free and unhurried, and try to start at the same time each night. If your toddler stalls with 'one more' requests, build the request into the routine (one story, one song, one hug) so the boundary is clear. A steady routine usually reduces bedtime resistance within a week or two.
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