A good bedtime routine isn't about strictness; it's a predictable runway that lets a busy little brain power down. Same steps, same order, every night.
Four or five calm steps, 30 minutes, identical nightly. Predictability is what does the work, not length.
Bright light blocks the sleep hormone. Lower the lights for the last half hour to cue the body.
Screen light and stimulation push sleep back. Swap them for books and quiet play.
Do the last steps where they'll sleep so the room itself becomes part of the wind-down.
Free: 5 word-for-word scripts for toddler meltdowns Grab five of our most-used calm-down scripts, free to your inbox — the fastest way to feel ready for the next hard moment. Send me the free scripts →A simple, repeatable sequence such as bath, pyjamas, teeth, two books, cuddle, lights out — calm, short and the same every night.
About 20 to 40 minutes is ideal. Long enough to wind down, short enough that it doesn't become a stalling marathon.