Three Steps to Establish a Toddler Bed time Routine

This post has been sponsored by Cetaphil®. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

The daylight is finally long here in Michigan and the second we get home we are outside working on the farm and garden. There is nothing Otto loves more than racing around on his little tractor riding through dirt and puddles and “helping me” in the garden. When it stays light outdoors until 9:30pm it’s been so important to establish a healthy toddler bed time routine. These three steps include; letting Otto know how much time is left outside, a warm bath using Cetaphil Baby Wash and Shampoo, and Cetaphil Baby Daily Lotion available at Walmart, and a story before turning on the white noise machine and placing Otto in his crib.

A few nights ago I was planting a row of radish seeds in the garden and the next thing I knew Otto was sitting in his little water table rather than playing in it. Since it was warm and he was dirty already I just let him keep going. At 7:45 I walked over and told him fifteen more minutes of playing outside. Not that I think a two year old can comprehend what that amount of time is but I think it helps him get a sense that his time outside for the night is limited. After those fifteen minutes we put away our toys and walked towards the house.

I found that Otto sleeps so much better at night when he has a warm bath. It’s a last chance to play a bit in the tub and a much needed scrub down. Otto has fair skin and sometimes bathing so often can cause him to get irritated skin. We use Cetaphil Baby Wash and Shampoo to get the dirt and mud out of his curly hair. I have to wash his hair and face fast because he just wants to play play play. The shampoo is tear-free and leaves him smelling fresh and clean. We follow up bath time with fresh pajamas and Cetaphil Baby Daily Lotion. The lotion has a blend of calming organic calendula extract, and almond and sunflower oils to nourish Otto’s delicate skin. The lotion and hot bath calm him town after a long day of play. You can try the products for your self both products are available at your local Walmart in the baby care aisle. Click here for a $1 off coupon! 

The last step in Otto’s bed time routine is our story. Currently he is really into a book called Toot’s. You can pretty much guess what it is about. We have read it every night for the last three weeks so I think it’s clearly a favorite of his. There is a part that has all different instruments and he loves to hold my hand over each instrument and make the sounds with me. However, the benefit of reading his favorite book over and over is he knows that the last page means afterward comes bed time. While he is not the biggest fan of heading into his crib, he knows it’s coming and settles down within a few minutes of lying down.

Summers are so fun and full of activities but I’ve learned that a good healthy bed time routine is so important for Otto’s sleep. As much as I want to keep him up late to play a good nights sleep keeps his growing mind sharp and his behavior fun for the next day.

more toddler stuff here.