A toddler bedtime routine chart you can print

A bedtime routine chart is a picture of the evening in order, so a toddler knows what comes next without being told. Print this one and put it where they get undressed. It uses the same steps the pal plays on the SlumberPal screen, so the chart and the screen tell the same story.

Download the bedtime routine chart (PDF, A4)

The steps

1. Tidy up. Toys away, two minutes, together.
2. Bath. Warm, not long.
3. Teeth. Two minutes. SlumberPal’s pal brushes along with a song.
4. Pyjamas.
5. A book. One book, the same rule every night.
6. Into bed, lights low. The pal settles and six stars glow.
7. Morning. When the sun comes up, it is OK to get up.

How to use the chart

• Do the steps in the same order every night. The NHS: “Make sure you are consistent with bedtimes and naptime.” Source: Sleep routines for toddlers and children, Cambridgeshire and Peterborough NHS (https://cambspborochildrenshealth.nhs.uk/sleep/healthy-sleep-routines/sleep-routines-for-toddlers-and-children/).
• Let your child point to the next step. Some families tick each one off with a peg or a magnet.
• Start the routine at the same time, and keep it short: twenty to thirty minutes from tidy-up to lights low.
• The Sleep Charity, which the NHS points to for children’s sleep advice, suggests: “Dim the lights in the hour before bed to create a relaxing environment.” Source: Relaxation tips, The Sleep Charity (https://thesleepcharity.org.uk/information-support/children/relaxation-tips/).

The same steps on the screen

With Plus, the pal plays the steps on the Pal Screen: brush teeth with its song, a bath with bubbles, a book, and more. You start one from your phone, or let your child start it from the screen, and the screen goes back to the day scene when it is done. The chart is free either way.

Questions