Bedtime routine for a 3-year-old?
What's a good bed time routine for a three year old? And what should I do if she doesn't want to go to bed and fights me to let her have 5 more minutes then 15 then so on...?
Submitted by cutekitty4x4

Bedtime routines help little ones settle down from a busy day and get ready for bed. A recent study that we just conducted found that a bedtime routine not only helps children fall asleep faster but also helps children sleep better through the night. 

 

The best bedtime routine is one that has 3-4 quiet activities that are enjoyable to everyone and head in the direction of bed.  For example, a bath, brushing teeth, pajamas, and two bedtime stories make a great bedtime routine.  To help little ones (and parents) stay on track, make a chart that depicts each step of the bedtime routine – including pictures of two books. A chart will help solve the stalling and let your daughter know what is expected at each step.

 

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Answered by jodiparents
Community Answers (5)

After dinner the kids take turns showering or bathing, brushing teeth and putting on pajamma's youngest to oldest. Then we take turns each night picking out a bedtime story and then creating a story of our own. Next we say our night time prayer.Usually before we're finished with our bedtime prayer they're fast asleep!
Submitted by amanda_panda3
We put pj's on, brush teeth and while laying in bed we sing songs. She is now at the point she sings with me and by about the third song she no longer is singing but sleeping.
Submitted by coll552683171
bath, pj's, brush teeth, bedtime stories, and then put her in the bed. dont let her turn it into a power struggle. she will if you let her. bedtime is bedtime, and if you make it clear that you don't play any games with it,when she will get the message. so what if she cries, she will fall asleep eventually. when she gets out of bed, calmly tell her to go back to bed, and end it there.
Submitted by rayjeffus
I think a consistent routine is definitely the way to go. We usually give our 3 year old a bath, and then we do "Jammie Time", and then brush his teeth. Then we pick a book that we read while he is in his bed. Also, recently I've started telling him made up stories in a very quiet voice and it seems to be helping him fall asleep faster.
Submitted by bosmeetsmem