A Calming Bedtime Routine: Winding Down Active Toddlers Without Screens

Bedtime with a toddler can be the sweetest part of the day or the most exhausting. Many children are at their busiest just when we need them to wind down. In Malta, long summer evenings, late family dinners and warm nights can make it even harder.

A calm, predictable routine helps. It signals to your child that the day is ending and gives their body and mind time to slow down. Screens can make this harder for some children, so many families find a screen-free hour before bed makes a real difference. Here is a simple routine and the ideas behind it. Every family is different, so adapt it to what works for you, and speak to your doctor about any ongoing sleep concerns.

Why routine matters

Toddlers thrive on predictability. When the same things happen in the same order each night, they know what is coming next, and that makes them feel safe. Over time, the routine itself becomes a cue for sleep.

Why screens can get in the way

Many parents notice that their children are more wound up or take longer to settle after screens. Fast-moving images and sounds can be stimulating, and the light from screens is thought to affect sleep for some people. Switching off an hour before bed is a simple step to try.

Step 1: Signal the change

Start the wind-down at the same time each evening. Dim the lights, close the shutters and lower the noise in the home. Put on soft music if you like. These small changes tell the body that night is coming.

Step 2: Gentle play

Rather than stopping play abruptly, move to quieter activities. A simple wooden puzzle, a basket of soft toys, stacking cups or threading beads are calming and absorbing. Avoid running games and tickling, which tend to rev toddlers up.

Some families create a special basket of evening toys that only comes out at this time. It becomes part of the ritual.

Step 3: Tidy together

Invite your toddler to help put the toys away. Singing a little tidy song makes it fun. It is also a gentle way to close the day's play. If your play corner has a place for everything, as we describe in our play corner guide, this is quick and easy.

Step 4: Bath or wash

A warm bath is relaxing for many children. In Malta's hot summers, a lukewarm bath can also help cool them before bed. If a bath every night is too much, a gentle wash and fresh pyjamas works too.

Step 5: Books together

Reading together is one of the best parts of bedtime. Choose two or three books, ideally with a calm rhythm and gentle pictures. Let your child choose one. Reading the same favourites again and again is good: repetition is comforting. A small front-facing book nook makes it easy for them to choose.

Step 6: Lights out and a song

Finish with the same song, phrase or cuddle every night. Then lights out. Keep the room dark and cool. In summer, a fan or air conditioning at a comfortable setting and light cotton sheets can help. Our guide to keeping baby cool in a Maltese summer has more tips.

A sample routine

• 6.30: dim the lights and switch off screens
• 6.40: quiet play with evening toys
• 6.55: tidy away together
• 7.00: bath and pyjamas
• 7.15: books in bed
• 7.30: song and lights out

Adjust the times to suit your child. Many toddlers need an earlier bedtime than parents expect, especially after busy days or when starting childcare. Our starting childcare guide talks about this.

When routines are disrupted

Family celebrations, festa nights and holidays will sometimes push bedtime late. That is part of life in Malta, and it is fine. Keep the steps the same, even if they are shorter, and return to normal the next day. Our festa guide has tips for those big nights.

The calm parent

Toddlers pick up on our energy. If we are rushing, they feel it. It can help to treat bedtime as a slow, connected time rather than a task to finish. Easier said than done after a long day, but even a few slow breaths before you start can change the tone.

Toys that help wind down

• A simple wooden puzzle
• Threading beads
• A soft fabric doll or animal
• Stacking cups
• A basket of books

Summer evenings

In June and July, it can still be light well after a toddler's bedtime. Blackout curtains or closed wooden shutters help the room feel like night. Keeping the routine the same in summer and winter, even when the sky outside says otherwise, helps children settle more easily.

For more on calm play, read our article on independent play. Little Curio is a small Malta-based shop curated by a mum, and you can preview the shop while our first collection comes together.

More from the Journal: Play Silks and Scarves: The Simplest Toy with Endless Uses, Dolls and Soft Toys for Toddlers: Why Caring Play Matters.