How to get your Kids to Sleep This Summer

Get your kids to sleep this summer

Bedtime can be difficult during the Summertime! Summer is so awesome to not have to be so structured and…. on the other hand, sometimes that makes for tired and grumpy kids. Who wants to be around ornery kids all day? I don’t mean the commonly usual grumpy selves that show up randomly throughout the day. I’m talking about the obviously tired, outright exhausted kids who replace our mostly well-behaved kids any time they run into a schedule change.

Younger kids

If your kids are younger, it probably won’t affect their schedule quite as much seeing that you still (somewhat) have more control of their routine. If they’re used to being home all day and not in school yet, focus on your own routine and try to keep it as close to your regular timing as usual.

Older kids

For school age kids, many times summer is equated to long nights and more freedom. It’s a wonderful time for kids to be out and about, relaxing, and hanging out with friends. Let them have fun, but come up with a schedule that will help them get the sleep and balance that they need.

Many parents are surprised how much teens and tweens are even affected by lack of sleep. Yes, sometimes their behavior is just related to their age or other things going on in their life, but often it is directly related to their change of schedule or not getting enough sleep.

Ideas for getting your kids to sleep during the summer

Of course, every kid is different, but here are a few ideas that you may want to try out (depending on your lifestyle and kids of course):

Keep kids busy so they’ll fall asleep easier at night

Wear them out by keeping them busy all day so that they will be tired earlier. If your kids are older, I wouldn’t necessarily keep them busy yourself, but allow them to get out with friends so that they can explore and stay active.

You can also set up art/craft activities or things that they can easily do themselves during the day, make sure books, games, etc. are available so that they don’t end up bored and watching TV all day. My kids always loved things like this kit.

Wake up at the same time daily

Let them stay up as late as they want, but require them to wake up at a certain time each morning. This may work for some older kids who want to feel independent, especially if they are also able to self-regulate and understand that they need to go to bed so they’re not exhausted the next day.

Of course, this won’t work for every child, but the children who get this concept will be much better off in the long run. This is a great skill to learn as they’re growing up and preparing for the real world.

Provide a soothing environment

Use black out curtains in their rooms and sound machines or white music to help kids sleep. These are great for relaxation. Make sure your kids have a comfortable bed to sleep in and set the temperature at a comfortable setting each night.

Create a bed time routine

Whether your kids go up to bed on their own or you read them a bedtime story, try to set up the same routine each night. Kids do well when they know what to expect and (even though they might say otherwise) they love routine.

Check out this post: Will I Ever Sleep Again? Bedtime Tips For Families with Children

How do you get your kids to sleep?

How do you get your kids to bed at a decent hour all summer? Or do you? I would love to hear your bed time tips in the comments below.