Do you have trouble getting your kids to sleep at night? Are they always running around and keeping you up late? It is essential to set up a bedtime routine schedule for toddlers. The routine normally including bath, brush teeth, bedtime story and sleep. In our family, we added two simple steps (~5 min each) before and after the bedtime story. That is singing! It helps a lot and I would love to share with you six perfect songs for toddler in bedtime routine.
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Table of Contents
Importance of Sleep
Sleep is an essential part of everyone’s routine and an essential component of living a healthy lifestyle. While sleeping, toddlers produce a vital hormone known as growth hormone. The pituitary gland produces growth hormone, which is essential for stimulating various biological events in the muscles, organs, blood, and bones. As adults, we produced this hormone throughout the day, but for toddlers, it is released just after a child falls into a deep sleep. According to CDC, children who get enough sleep on a regular basis have better attention, behavior, learning, memory, and overall mental and physical health. Sleep deprivation can result in high blood pressure, obesity, and even depression.
Sleep is also critical to prevent the following disease:
The recommended sleep time for toddler
A toddler needs about 11-12 hours of sleep or sometimes up to 14 hours of sleep in a 24-hour cycle. This sleep schedule is usually divided into daytime short naps and nighttime sleep. If you want your toddlers not to be cranky and in a bad mood after waking up, you have to manage their sleep schedule to provide them with their minimum needed sleep. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) has recommended the following sleep hours per day:
According to the American Academy of Pediatrics, one-quarter of children under the age of five do not get enough sleep. Furthermore, 6 out of 10 middle schoolers do not get enough sleep, and 7 out of 10 high schoolers do not get enough sleep.
The Typical Bedtime Routine for a Toddler
It is critical to establish a consistent bedtime routine. Ideally, the routine should begin at the same time every night. CDC provided the bedtime routine suggestion for teenagers and adults below:
A typical bedtime routine for a toddler looks like the follows:
- Clean up toys
- Take a bath and put on pajamas
- Brush toddlers’ teeth
- Dim the light
- Read a bedtime story
- Kiss and say “I love you”
Another nice and fun things you can do with toddler in the bedtime routine is lullaby, a soothing song that is meant to put a child to sleep with gentle rhythm and repetitive lyrics. In our family, we added it before “dim the light” and after “Read a bedtime story”.
4 Pretend Play with Songs before “Dim the light” – Bond with Parents and Release the Last Energy Out
After bath, my toddler getting excited, he does not want to lay down immediately. Since we already clean up all the toys, it is a good idea to pretend play. His favorite characters are: the little spider in “The Itsy Bitsy Spider”, the passengers in “The Wheel On The Bus”, every monkey in “Five Little Monkeys”, and every animal in “Hickory Dickory Dock”.
5 songs in total is around 10 to 15 min. My toddler gets our full attention and can decide which song papa sing and mama play with him or the other way around. So, here are the 5 perfect songs for toddler in bedtime routine before the light dimed.
1. The Itsy Bitsy Spider
The classic children’s song “The Itsy Bitsy Spider” tells the whimsical story of a tiny arachnid who bravely climbs up a water spout to escape the rain. He encounters many obstacles and must use his ingenuity and perseverance to keep on climbing. Therefore, we also use piled pillows and blanket for him to climb up and pretend we are the rains flush him down. It brings so much fun!
Through this simple song, it teaches kids valuable lessons about courage and resilience that they can apply as they grow up. The song reminds toddlers that no matter how daunting a challenge may seem, it is always possible to overcome it with hard work and determination.
2. The Wheels on the Bus
The Wheels on the Bus is a popular children’s song that has been around for generations. The theme is simple and repetitive, making it easy for young children to learn. The lyrics tell the story of a bus driver and all of the different things that happen on a bus ride. The song includes motions, which helps to keep children engaged.
Sometimes, we are riding the bus together as passengers, as papa, mama and baby. Or my son is the drivers that push the button of open and close, we jump up and down after him, or sometimes, we are the bus, he is the driver to maneuver us.
The Wheels on the Bus is a great way to teach toddlers and get them excited about riding the bus.
3. Five Little Monkeys Jumping on the Bed
The “Five Little Monkeys Jumping on the Bed” song is simple and easy to remember, and the tune is catchy and fun to sing. Most importantly, the song is highly engaging for toddlers. My toddler jumps ups and down and we play the doctors. It is always a great laugh to see his naughty smile!
4. Hickory Dickory Dock
Hickory, dickory, dock.
The mouse ran up the clock.
The clock struck one,
The mouse ran down,
Hickory, dickory, dock.
Every time, there is a bigger and heavier animal, walk slower and climb up the clock, until the last minute the clock fall apart. My toddler loves to simulate the animal’s movement.
Lullaby after “Bedtime Story” – Relax and Sleep
After book reading, I normally lay down as well, we together sing the “Twinkle Twinkle Little Star” slowly and softly. My toddler sleeps very fast then (sometime I am too)!
There is a purpose to repeating this song as we would like to be consistent at the same time and setting each night. Sometimes, we create our own lullaby by sing kids’ name in the song.
5. Twinkle Twinkle Little Star
Benefit of Singing with Toddler
There are many benefits of lullabies or singing together with toddler, from social bonding to language acquisition. Singing and playing with your toddler in the bedtime routine is an excellent way to strengthen your bond, foster a close, one-on-one connection, which improves parent-child attachment and family functioning as a whole.
Conclusion
These are songs that your toddler already know and love, they are perfect for bedtime routine because they are short, sweet, and to the point. Bedtime routine with kids is a great way to end the day and help them wind down before sleep. These songs are also perfect for young minds that need a bit of imagination stimulation before dozing.
What’s your favorite bedtime song? Please share it with us in the comments below!
About Me
Hi, there. I am Lin. Together with my husband and two kids, we live in the beautiful Netherlands in Europe. I am dedicated to self-development, creating quality time for the whole family, and fully supporting kids with their potentials with all I have learned from engineering, MBA, and 10+ years of working experience in the energy sector.
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