After Christmas or a birthday your child will have some exciting new games but have you wondered if will they help your child sleep? All parents want a break from their children and rightly so, yet you may not realize that the very toy or new gadget you bought is actually delaying or impacting your child’s sleep.
Toys that are given to a baby or toddler which have flashing lights or make lots of noise can over stimulate your child and this can be hard to manage, especially if it is bought for its educational value. Gaming and screen time for older children gives off a ‘blue’ light and again may take your child a lot longer to settle.
Here are my top 5 tips to get you some rest and your child to sleep fast!
1. Do not allow your child to play with technology or watch TV before bed.
2. Restrict use of toys with very noisy music or continuously flashing lights – if your child doesn’t agree to this you can always take the batteries out!
3. Sit with your child and read a story or play a quiet card game.
4. Talk about your own childhood and make up stories that will have your child riveted and engaged.
5. Use calming music or a story CD to help them drift off to sleep.
Let us know if you have any other techniques or games that your child loves.