Stick with it! Holiday travel checklist for maximum sleepĭepending on your child’s age, consider including these items in your luggage for better sleep while you’re away from home:įavorite comfort items (e.g., blanket, lovey, extra pacifiers) It’s common for children to protest the return to their sleep “rules” and routines, initially, if they’ve been receiving more help at bedtime on vacation. Have you previously sleep-trained? It may take a few days of full consistency in order to improve sleep once again and you may need to re-use the methods in your custom sleep plan to get back on track.

You’ll resume your routines when you return home. Try not to get discouraged if you end up back-sliding a bit on your progress. Travel can be challenging for families who have worked hard to improve sleep. If you’re in the latter group, be sure to communicate your expectations ahead of time with loved ones: “We’re so excited to see you for the holiday! We can stay until 7:00 PM and then we’ll have to head back to the hotel for bedtime.” 5. While some parents are okay with embracing extra desserts and super late bedtimes while in vacation mode, it can be stressful for other parents to veer so far off from their normal routines. Create boundaries with family and friends Sometimes you have to do whatever it takes while on vacation for everyone to get some sleep, even if that means relaxing your sleep “rules.” 4. Of course, this may lead to crying and many parents want to keep that to a minimum while at a hotel or in a family member’s home. We recommend giving them lots of extra hugs if needed but encourage them to fall asleep in the same way as they do at home. It’s normal for children to want more comfort while falling asleep at bedtime (or when they wake during the night) when they’re in a new location. Packing travel blackout blinds and a white noise player can help your child sleep easier when it’s noisy and/or bright outside their sleep space. On the other hand, if you’re staying with family or renting a house, your kiddo’s sleep space may be set up next to a curtainless window. While a hotel will likely have some heavy-duty curtains to block out the morning sun, there can be a lot of loud noise from nearby neighbors. Planning ahead can help prevent your child from waking the family up at dawn. Take a minute to think about your future sleep environment. Bring a few key items from home (such as their favorite blanket, a stuffed animal, and some familiar bedtime stories) to help your child feel more secure during sleep routines in their “new” bedroom. It’s understandable that a child may feel apprehensive about falling asleep in an unfamiliar setting.

Here are some tips for minimizing the impact travel will have on your child’s sleep: 1. Many parents find it helpful to balance some late nights with some earlier ones to minimize overtiredness. Overtired children often have a harder time falling asleep and staying asleep, and carting a sleep-deprived toddler around can be challenging at best. We recommend looking for that middle ground as much as possible. But, let’s face it - they aren’t always realistic when you’re away from home. They generally help kids fall asleep easier and stay asleep longer. Yes, we’re obsessed with age-appropriate sleep schedules at Huckleberry. Holiday travel checklist for maximum sleep How to manage your child’s sleep schedule on a tripĥ ways to maintain sleep routines while traveling Worried about your child’s sleep regressing due to travel? While it can be challenging to maintain your child’s normal schedule and sleep routines while you travel, there are certainly some things you can do to help preserve your progress and minimize setbacks.

Sleep time zone changes