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We’ve been chatting to the fabulous Jess (Twilight Tots Sleep Consultant) who has put together these super tips to help babies and toddlers aged 18 - 24 months get a restful nights sleep…
1. Daytime sleep - at this age, babies should be getting around 13 - 14 hours sleep in a 24hour period and this is split between nighttime sleep and 1 daytime nap. Take a look at the recommended wake windows on our social pages for each age group.
2. Daytime activities - to support development and keep your little one stimulated, active play and fresh air are key. This will help regulate their circadian rhythm and give them the chance to practice the new skills that they have learnt during the day rather than when they should be sleeping!
3. Consistency & routine - creating a routine that works for your family and that you can stick to 5 nights out of 7 will help your little one feel calm and relaxed. They like to know what is coming next and following the same few steps before bedtime will let them know it’s time for sleep. This doesn’t need to be a long routine, the key is to keep the environment quiet, calm & dark to help with producing the sleepy hormone melatonin.
4. Self-Settling - now is the time to help your little one fall asleep on their own (if they aren’t already doing so). This will mean that when they wake during the night they can get themselves back to sleep independently. For more information and tips on self-settling check out our social pages.
5. Choices & Boundaries - at this age the desire for independence is something that can lead to bedtime battles so offering choices where possible such as which book to read can help. Alongside this, boundary setting and not introducing new sleep associations will help too. If your little one is going through the 18 month regression they may need more support than normal, however, stick to your routine as much as possible and the regression will pass a lot smoother. Now is not the time to change things or introduce anything new.
Thanks so much to Jess and we hope these wonderful tips help all of our Floss & Rock friends get a more restful night’s sleep! Check out the Twilight Tots Sleep Consultant Instagram page here.
Need some ideas for daytime activities to keep your child stimulated during the day? Here are 3 of our favourite activities for little ones:
1. Our Magic Water Easel Pads are great for developing hand eye coordination, using the ‘magic water pen’ your little one can reveal colourful illustrations over and over again. 18m+*
2. Our fun range of Memory Match games are a great first introduction to board games, helping children learn how to take turns, match colours/designs and name characters or animals from the pictures. 2+*
3. We have a range of My First Puzzles in fun, bright designs. A brilliant introduction to the world of jigsaws for little minds and hands, children can work their way through the 3, 4, 6 and then 8 piece puzzle using the chunky puzzle pieces. The sturdy, reusable puzzle tub comes with a lid which is a nice feature for little ones who like to tidy away, or indeed empty out things! 3+*
*IMPORTANT: Please always supervise small children when playing with these items as they can contain small parts.
