With a fresh lockdown in the UK straight after the Christmas holidays, you might be finding that your little ones are completely out of that bedtime routine. While we know it might be difficult to stick to bedtimes when they are stuck at home all day, keeping children in a routine can help them in these strange times.

Prepare for bedtime

Your children might not be burning off as much energy as they would be if they weren’t in lockdown but that doesn’t mean we can’t prepare them for bedtime in the same way. Each family will have their own ready for bedtime routine, whether this is a nice bath to calm them down, or a fun bath to burn that last bit of energy, this can get them cleaned up and ready to get into a set of comfy pyjamas.
Turning off electronics at least 30 minutes before bedtime, whether this be before bathtime, or to talk to your little ones about their day.
Once in bed, instead of adding extra stimulants, such as the tv, try reading your little ones a story to drift them off to sleep. You might even find that one story that makes them fall asleep almost immediately.

Energise the day

When our little ones have trouble getting to sleep, or winding down at the end of the day, look at how they are burning their energy during the day. Being stuck at home isn’t fun for us as adults, let alone for a child, so get them burning off the excess energy. While many of us are working from home, and working and occupying children isn’t always that easy, keeping them off tablets and away from screens as much as possible will help them to use up more energy (even if you find its in the form of the “I’m bored chorus”). Create some fun games to keep them moving around, including treasure hunts to keep them busy for longer.
And remember, getting them up at the same time every day will help them to keep that routine, and have them tired just in time for bed.

Make sure that your children’s beds are the right ones for them. Ensure that they are comfortable and suitable for your little ones, remember, you wouldn’t sleep on an uncomfortable bed, so why will they?
For more information on children’s beds or mattresses, you can visit our website, or contact a member of our expert team today.