How to Get Your Toddler to Sleep All Night

Toddlers are active and most toddlers fight sleep. Children do not want to miss anything. Surely when they are supposed to go to sleep is when all the exciting things happen and they miss it. Some toddlers just do not sleep because they are not tired. They seem to have an endless supply of energy. How can you get your toddler to sleep all night when they are bouncing off the walls while they are awake?

Routine and consistency go a long way towards accomplishing a full night's sleep. If the toddler knows the same thing is going to happen every day and every night, he or she will be more willing to go to bed. The toddler will know what is happening and will follow his or her pattern. A lot of stimuli or different activities may keep a youngster up at night. Big changes in food, diet, or eating times will also affect your child's sleep.

Transfer objects such as "security" blankets or bedtime toys will let your child know it is time to go to bed. He or she will associate the object with bedtime. The transfer object will help keep your child calm and feeling secure about being alone and sleeping.

Lighting plays an important role in a child sleeping all night. I was having a problem with my son waking up around three or four in the morning. He would quietly play or talk to himself, which are unusual actions for him. I could not figure out why he would wake up and then, he would go back to sleep. This may be normal for some children, but not mine. When my child is ready to get up, he wakes the whole house and probably the neighbors. Finally, my curiosity got the best of me and I went into his room. The neighbors have a dog that they let out every morning at the same time and their outside light lights up my son's room. Heavy curtains are a fix to this situation.

Noise can also trigger a toddler to wake up, especially if the noise is loud or new. I awake at midnight to hear our neighbor's labs barking. I noticed the first couple of times this happened, my son would wake up too. He still does once in a while, but not nearly as often. I think he is used to hearing them now.

The absolute best way to make sure your toddler sleeps through the night is exercise. If your child is worn out he or she will be less likely to have the energy to get up in the middle of the night. I joined a gym recently and the daycare is running him pretty hard while I am exercising. He has started sleeping through the night and sometimes even sleeping during the day. I am happy we are not getting up so early in the morning. We are saving a lot of electricity.