Toddler Bedtime Routine: Dos And Don'ts For Easier Nights

It’s the end of the day and everyone is tired! Bedtime can be downright challenging. Developing a toddler bedtime routine can help the evening go more smoothly and help your little one fall asleep and stay asleep. Which is, of course, exactly what you want!

And those of us at Babo Botanicals are here for it! In this article, we’ll take a look at the importance of having a bedtime routine and a few dos and don’ts when it comes to what that routine should consist of.

Easier nights, here we come!

The Importance Of A Toddler Bedtime Routine

First of all, when we talk about a bedtime routine, we’re talking about doing the same activities in the same order every night before putting your little one to bed.

The advantage of having a bedtime routine is that it cues your toddler (and their body) into the fact that it’s time to wind down, get sleepy, and go to bed soon.

In fact, the same principle applies to adults, although things like singing a song and playing in a bubble bath might not be part of your bedtime routine as a grown-up!

So, if you’re searching for something to help your toddler’s bedtime go more smoothly, a bedtime routine might be just the thing.

While the routine itself is part of the magic, it also matters what the bedtime routine consists of. For example, running around playing tag is not the same as calmly reading a book.

We have a few ideas that will really up your game, which is why we’ve created this list of dos and don’ts for your toddler’s bedtime routine.

Dos And Don’ts For Your Toddler’s Bedtime Routine

Bedtime is a special moment in the day, and bedtime routines are quite specific to each family.

Below are a few guidelines to consider when creating a bedtime routine for your toddler. Some will jive with your family and others won’t, but they’re all important to keep in mind!

1) Don’t Use Bright Lights

If you fumbled around in the dark during midnight feedings for your newborn, the idea here is similar. Not turning lights on in the middle of the night aids sleep, but it’s also important to start lowering lights well before bedtime rolls around.

Dimming lights a couple of hours before bedtime can have a big impact on nighttime sleep! It’s a major cue to our bodies that it’s time to sleep. This applies to adults and toddlers alike.

An hour or two before bed, turn off bright lights, put lightbulbs on a dim setting, or use fewer lights. You’ll also want to stop using screens.

And don’t mess up the magic when it’s time to brush teeth! Even in the bathroom, avoid bright lights.

2) Don’t Play Active Games

As we mentioned earlier, playing tag is not as calming and relaxing as reading a book.

While you want the bedtime routine to include activities that your child enjoys, make sure they’re activities that will calm your toddler and not rev them up to run a marathon.

Unless, of course, we’re talking about a sleeping marathon.

All pre-bedtime fun and games aren’t off the table, though! You know your child best and what will work to soothe them. For example, a bath can be loads of fun but calming at the same time. That brings us to our next point.

3) Do Use Calming Bath Products

Most little ones love bath time!

If you’re making it part of the nighttime routine, take full advantage of your toddler’s bath by using products that are safe for their delicate skin and will calm them at the same time.

Babo Botanicals’s Calming Shampoo, Bubble Bath & Wash fits the bill. As an EWG Verified™ product that’s packed with organic ingredients, this formula will gently cleanse your toddler’s hair, scalp, and skin while Meadowsweet Oil gently moisturizes their delicate skin.

And what makes this 3-in-1 bath product especially beneficial for bedtime? One word: lavender. To put it simply, the scent of lavender has a chill-out effect on your active toddler’s body!

Lavender relaxes, slows heart rate, increases the amount of deep sleep, and can help your little one fall asleep more easily. That’s why we put the soft, soothing scent of French Lavender into our Calming Shampoo, Bubble Bath & Wash.

To make the most of this combo product, don’t use it only to wash your little one’s skin and hair — use it to also create a fun bubble bath, too! Make bathtime calming and fun at the same time.

Tip: This bubble bath uses plant-based bubbling agents, which means it does not bubble like synthetic formulas. To create bubbles, run at least 2 capfuls of the bubble bath under vigorously running water when you start filling the tub.

4) Do Apply Lavender Lotion

Speaking of lavender and all of its sleepy-time benefits, why not keep it up by applying a lavender lotion after bath time?

Babo Botanicals’s Calming Baby Lotion will facilitate more restful sleep with the scent of French Lavender and Chamomile while moisturizing your toddler’s kissable skin with Meadowsweet Oil and shea butter.

And you can rest easy knowing it’s gentle, gluten-free, and paraben-free.

5) Do Give Your Toddler A Massage

Another great way to use Calming Baby Lotion as part of your toddler’s bedtime routine: a massage. Some parents get into the habit of giving their baby a massage to relax them, but as your little one gets older, massaging is still beneficial!

Massaging your toddler is shown to work similarly to baby massage in reducing stress and stress hormone levels. A quick massage can relax and calm children as well as relieve anxiety.

Whether or not you bathe your toddler before bed, a short, lavender-scented massage might be a great addition to the bedtime routine!

6) Do Ease Cold And Cough Symptoms

Getting your toddler to fall asleep and stay asleep can be hard enough! Add a cold or cough to the mix and you might start feeling a little desperate.

If your little one is stuffed up with a cold, ease their symptoms before putting them in bed. One way to do that is by using Babo Botanicals’s Eucalyptus Remedy™ Organic Soothing Chest Rub.

Eucalyptus has tons of benefits, but one of our favorites is that it’s known to help relieve coughs and congestion. That means better sleep!

Plus, since this chest rub is also made with lavender, it calms and relaxes your toddler before bed. Simply rub Eucalyptus Remedy™ Organic Soothing Chest Rub onto their chest, neck, back, and feet before bedtime.

Who else benefits from you using this delightful chest rub? The koalas! The eucalyptus we use in our products is harvested with 100% renewable energy on a farm and koala sanctuary in Australia.

By growing eucalyptus, the farm has created a Koala sanctuary near the lagoon on the back end of the farm. This food source encourages the koalas to use this natural habitat as a safer way to travel in the area to avoid being hit on the busy roads.

Not only that, but we contribute 10% of Eucalyptus Product Sales to WIRES (Wildlife Information Rescue and Education Service). Babo Botanicals loves caring for your family as well as wildlife!

7) Don’t Make Loud Noises

Just as you start winding down active games and dimming lights an hour or two before bedtime, it’s also a good idea to keep loud noises to a minimum.

You might also find that a white noise machine helps your toddler fall asleep and stay asleep since it drowns out street noise (and you in the kitchen, the dog barking, and any other typical busy-house noises!).

8) Do Snuggle Your Toddler

Finally, incorporate something into your bedtime routine that will help your toddler feel especially safe and protected.

For example, right before you put them in bed and send them off into dreamland, sing a song, snuggle them in the rocking chair, or give them a hug and kiss. Let your sweet one know how much they are loved!

Goodnight, One And All!

Bedtime can be a challenge, but it can also be one of the sweetest moments of your day! A routine can help make nights easier.

Decide on a bedtime routine for your toddler that will work for your family, incorporating the dos and don’ts we mentioned above as well as a lavender-scented product, like Babo Botanicals’s Calming Baby Lotion.

It’s not always a piece of cake to get into a routine, but stick with it! You’ll thank yourself later. Goodnight, one and all.