Christmas Eve Calm: Kids’ Bedtime Routine & Wind Down Tips

Chris McFadden of The Daddy Sleep Consultant, Ireland & the UK’s first male sleep consultant, is offering advice to parents on how to maintain children’s sleep schedules during the Christmas break.

Christmas Eve Wind-Down Schedule

Tiring children out with activity during the day on Christmas Eve can make bedtime easier. A walk around the neighborhood spotting Christmas decorations, or even a Christmas-themed scavenger hunt, can provide stimulation and tire little ones out.

For children under two, maintaining daytime naps is crucial for a restful night, as an overtired baby can experience more disturbed sleep. Parents should also avoid stimulating Christmas movies close to bedtime, opting for them as a pre-dinner activity instead.

Minimizing sugar intake after dinner is also recommended to help normalize excitement levels. Sticking to a normal bedtime routine, with slight Christmas-themed adjustments like reading a Christmas book, can provide consistency.

To help older toddlers and children prepare for bed, a countdown to bedtime can reduce anxiety. For example, announcing “30 minutes until your bath” or “10 minutes until lights out” can help with the transition.

Keeping a Sleep Schedule Over the Holidays

Traveling during the Christmas holidays should ideally coincide with scheduled nap times for babies and toddlers. Even a shorter or longer nap at a consistent time can help maintain a regular bedtime.

For all ages, maintaining the same bedtime and routine is beneficial. Bringing familiar items like books and bedding can help create a sense of normalcy, even when away from home.

If staying in unfamiliar accommodations, bringing used bedding can be reassuring for young children. When visiting family and friends, ensure babies under one year old have a safe sleep space – uncluttered, enclosed, with a firm mattress and no loose bedding.

Ultimately, enjoying the Christmas holidays is important. In the last few days of the school break, slowing down and re-establishing a routine can help ease the transition back to normal schedules.