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How to Keep Kids’ Sleep Schedules on Track While Traveling

Traveling with kids is a happy activity—until bedtime when your exhausted tot will try to persuade you that, no, actually, it is not nighttime in a new and unfamiliar place. Maintaining a child’s sleep schedule in a new environment can be a challenge, but it can most surely be achieved. With a bit of sneaky know-how, your little one can get the sleep that they need, and everyone can have a successful vacation.

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Adhere to Consistent Bedtime Habits

Children respond best to routine, and sleep is no exception. Wherever you’re off to, holding onto your routine can make a big difference. Where your routine involves a bath, a book, and a specific lullaby, try to replicate them in your new location. Bring a comfort toy and a comfort blanket with them, even in a hotel room. All these little but significant cues will remind their brain that it’s sleep time.

As Much As Practicable, Regulate the Sleep Environment

Not all hotels and vacation rentals have a child’s sleep in consideration. Bright lights, new settings, and unfamiliar noises can disturb them at night. Wherever feasible, request a room off elevator floors and high-traffic floors. Blackout shades, such as a portable blackout, can darken a room and make it quiet, and even towels can cover windows to shut out excessive daylight. For background sound, a white noise device can muffle distracting sounds, and an ordinary phone app can have a similar function. Simple accommodations can have a big impact on creating a sleep-conductive environment.

Be Careful with Nap Timing

Forgetting about naps altogether, or having them run too long, can make bedtime a horror. It’s easy to fall out of routines when life is hectic, but an overtired baby won’t sleep any faster—just the opposite. If your daily schedule is full, try fitting in a nap at roughly the same time they’d usually sleep. Whether it’s a quick one in a stroller or a full break in the room, keeping them on a routine helps prevent bedtime meltdowns.

Adjust to Time Zones Step-by-Step

Traveling across multiple time zones? Adjust sleep times gradually in the days leading up to your trip. Small shifts of 15 to 30 minutes per day can make a big difference in easing the transition. Once you arrive at your destination, try to spend as much time as possible outside in natural daylight. Sunlight helps reset the body’s internal clock, making the adjustment easier for little ones.

Keep Them in a Room Together

Bedtime can get tricky when sharing a single hotel room with a toddler. If they see mom and dad lying just a few feet away, they might be less motivated to settle down. If possible, book 2 bedroom suites, giving them a quiet, separate space for naps and bedtime. More room to spread out means fewer disruptions and better sleep for everyone.

Avoid Television and Video Before Bed

Midnight snacks and television can become a recipe for disaster. Sugary treats, heavy meals, and screen time too close to bedtime can make it almost impossible for kids to calm down. Try to keep evening snacks light and limit screen time at least an hour before bed. If they need something soothing, a bedtime story or soft music can work wonders.

Travel and sleep don’t always go hand in hand, but they don’t have to be at odds either. With some preparation and a whole lot of patience, your little one can get the rest they need—so everyone can wake up ready to enjoy the adventure.

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