Sleep & routines
How do I get my toddler to sleep through the night?
To help a toddler sleep through the night, keep a consistent bedtime and wind-down routine, put them down drowsy but awake, and keep night responses brief and boring. Most toddlers settle within 1–2 weeks of a steady routine.
Consistency is the single most effective tool. Aim for the same bedtime every night, a predictable 20–30 minute routine, and a dark, cool, quiet room. Putting your toddler down drowsy but still awake teaches them to fall asleep on their own — the same skill they need to resettle when they wake in the night.
When your toddler wakes overnight, keep your response calm, quiet, and low-key: minimal light, few words, no play. This reassures them without making waking rewarding. Also check the basics — an overtired toddler (bedtime too late) wakes more, so an earlier bedtime often means fewer night wakings. Give any change a week or two before judging it.
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