Key points about bedtime fading
- for tamariki beginning school, bedtime should ideally be no later than 8.30pm
- putting tamariki to bed when they are not tired can lead to bedtime struggles
- work out when your child usually falls asleep and use this as a temporary bedtime
- try your strategies for several nights
- being consistent will help improve your child’s sleep patterns
This page is about sleep in primary school tamariki.
When is a good bedtime for my child?
For tamariki starting school, bedtime should ideally be no later than 8:30pm.
Choose a suitable bedtime and keep it consistent to help set your child’s body clock. Make sure your child is ready for sleep before putting them to bed.
What is bedtime fading?
Putting tamariki to bed when they are not tired can lead to bedtime struggles. For some tamariki, it helps to start with a bedtime close to when they usually fall asleep, then gradually make it earlier.
For example, work out when your child usually falls asleep and use this as a temporary bedtime.
What does a temporary bedtime mean?
Being consistent will increase your chances of success with improving your child's sleep patterns.
If you want your child to go to bed at 8:30pm but they usually fall asleep at 10:30pm, start with 10:30pm as the temporary bedtime. This helps your child fall asleep more easily after getting into bed.
Once your child is falling asleep quickly, move bedtime earlier by 15 minutes every few days. Be patient as moving bedtime too quickly can make it harder for your child to fall asleep.
Stop when you reach your preferred bedtime (for example, 8:30pm).
Try each step for several nights and stay consistent. It also helps if everyone caring for your child follows the same plan.
Example of bedtime fading with temporary bedtimes
Here is an example of how bedtime fading could work over a number of nights to reach a new preferred bedtime:
- nights 1 and 2 – temporary bedtime 10:30pm
- nights 3 and 4 – temporary bedtime 10:15pm
- nights 5 and 6 – temporary bedtime 10:00pm
- nights 7 and 8 – temporary bedtime 9:45pm
- nights 9 and 10 – temporary bedtime 9:30pm
- nights 11 and 12 – temporary bedtime 9:15pm
- nights 13 and 14 – temporary bedtime 9:00pm
- nights 15 and 16 – temporary bedtime 8:45pm
- nights 17 and 18 – new preferred bedtime 8:30pm
Online sleep programme
The Good Nights Programme is a New Zealand developed sleep programme. It was originally developed to support tamariki with autism-takiwātanga. Much of the content is helpful for all parents and whānau who want to support their child to sleep better. You can work through the modules in your own time.
Find out more about sleep and the best way to support your child to improve their sleep.
Module 1: Understanding your child's sleep
Module 2: Sleep scheduling
Module 3: Creating optimum conditions for sleep
Module 4: Teaching children healthy sleep habits
Module 5: Relaxation
Module 6: Promoting sleep-conducive behaviour
Module 7: Creating a sleep support plan
Visit the Good Nights Programme website to see all the modules
Acknowledgements
Starship Foundation and the Paediatric Society of New Zealand thank the Centre for Community Child Health at the Murdoch Childrens Research Institute and Royal Children's Hospital, Melbourne, Australia, for making this content available to parents and families.
© Copyright – Centre for Community Child Health at the Murdoch Childrens Research Institute and Royal Children's
Hospital, Melbourne, Victoria, Australia 2014. Except as permitted under the Copyright Act 1968 (Cth), no part of this content may be reproduced by a process, electronic or otherwise, without the specific written permission of the Murdoch Childrens Research Institute.
