We’ve adjusted to the dreaded time change that occurred early spring and now we love that the sun is staying out longer as we approach summer. The longer days call for more time spent outside and enjoying our favorite summer hobbies. While this is a wonderful time of year, it can also be a challenge for parents with younger children who still need 10-12 hours of sleep. Do you want to know how to get your kids to sleep while the sun is shining? Check out these helpful summer bedtime tips for young children.

The most important tip is to stick to your child’s bedtime routine. It’s great to stick with it all year-round because it will ensure your children go to sleep easier and it will be familiar to them. Even if your children fight you on this occasionally, they really do like routine. While the sun may still be shining, they will get tired when you go through the motions of bath, pajamas, brushing teeth, reading a book, and having quiet time.

Another helpful tip is to control the sleep environment. Even though the sun stays out longer, you can control the level of darkness with curtains or drapes. You might want to consider buying blackout curtains for use during the summer because your kids will sleep better when their rooms are dark. It’s also important to keep the room cool even with the temperature outside heating up. You may want to knock the air conditioner down a few degrees or use a fan in their bedroom during the warmer Texas months.

Take advantage of the daytime fun and wear out your kids! There is so much to do during the day that will make your kids tired at night. Swimming, outdoor fun, and summer camps are all great ideas. It’s important to keep your children hydrated throughout the day because dehydration can affect the quality of your kids’ sleep. Offer your children plenty of water throughout the day so that they won’t ask for water right before bedtime. Keep in mind that if they do ask for more water at night, they could really be thirsty. You know your child best.

Older children, and even adults, often stay up late to enjoy the extra time outside. This can create more noise that could be distracting for your little ones to fall asleep. Try to drown out outside noise as much as possible. Usually, a fan or white noise machine will do the trick, muffling out those sounds.

Enjoy the extra sun time and your sleep this summer with our helpful tips!