Make Evenings Easier with a Bedtime Chart

Parents are exhausted by the end of the day, and children rarely go to bed willingly. This, of course, means that evenings can become a source of tension in your home. Luckily there is a simple solution to relieve some of this frustration and create a new, easier bedtime routine for your family.

Create a bedtime chart…

Routines can help children immensely during the day and especially at bedtime. You can provide added incentive when you involve your children in the process of creating their very own bedtime chart. You can discuss the steps involved in the bedtime routine and then sit down together to work on the craft aspect of this project.

The visual nature of a bedtime chart will help your child follow the routine independently, and you can customize it to any child and their interests. You could make a treasure map for your little pirate (follow the steps to find the treasure), a train station themed chart for your little engineer (make all the stops with your train), or a fairy forest themed chart (make your way through the forest to reach the castle).

How to Make a Bedtime Chart

• Get a large piece of poster board.
• Gather colorful markers, crayons, & stickers.
• Cut out pictures of children from magazines that represent different steps of the bedtime routine such as children brushing their teeth. You can also take pictures of your own child doing these steps & have them printed.
• Use the pictures and art supplies to create a fun, personalized poster that clearly outlines the steps to bedtime.
• Hang the poster on your child’s bedroom door right at their eye level.
• Each night have your child help you follow the steps on the chart.
• Praise your child for following the steps and turn it into a positive experience.

An Example of a Bedtime Chart

Lily Gets Ready for Bed

• Eat a snack
• Put on pajamas
• Brush teeth
• Go potty
• Read three books
• Sing the nighttime song
• Turn on night light
• Give kisses and hugs
• Lily goes to sleep
• Mommy and Daddy go to sleep

~ For more tips see The No-Cry Sleep Solution for Toddlers & Preschoolers