If sleep has felt unpredictable, exhausting, or even overwhelming lately, you’re not alone.
Many parents of babies, toddlers and preschoolers go through phases where sleep seems to unravel just as it starts to feel settled. Night wakings return. Bedtimes stretch out. Naps change or disappear. It can leave you wondering whether you’re doing something wrong, or whether you should be “fixing” something.
At Milestones, we want to gently reassure you of this first: you’re not doing anything wrong - sleep is developmental.
Children’s sleep changes as they grow, learn and develop, and it’s completely normal for routines to shift along the way. With patience, consistency and support, healthy sleep patterns tend to re-emerge over time.
Why sleep matters in early childhood
Sleep plays a vital role in early childhood development. It supports emotional regulation, physical growth, learning, memory and overall wellbeing. Children who are well rested are generally better able to manage their emotions, engage in play and learning, and cope with the demands of their day.
Research consistently shows that children’s sleep patterns change significantly from infancy through to the preschool years, often in response to developmental milestones such as learning to crawl, walk, talk or adjust to new environments.
In other words, disrupted sleep is often a sign of growth, not a problem with parenting.
Gentle, educator-led tips to support better sleep
Create a calm and predictable bedtime routine
Children feel safest when they know what’s coming next. A consistent bedtime routine helps their bodies and minds recognise that sleep is approaching.
The routine itself doesn’t need to be complicated. What matters most is that it happens in the same order each night.
A simple routine might include quiet play or reading together, bath time and getting into pyjamas, dimmed lights and a calm environment, followed by cuddles, a song or a familiar goodnight phrase.
Aim to begin your routine around 30 minutes before bedtime so your child has time to wind down gently.
Keep sleep cues low-pressure
Sleep isn’t something children can be forced into, it’s something they gradually ease into when they feel calm and secure.
Creating a low-pressure sleep environment can help. This might include dim lighting, quiet voices, removing stimulating toys or screens before bed, and keeping bedtime calm even if sleep takes time.
Children are very sensitive to stress and urgency. When bedtime feels relaxed and predictable, their nervous systems are better able to settle.
Understand that sleep needs change with age
Children’s sleep requirements shift as they grow. While every child is different, general guidelines suggest that babies around 6-12 months need approximately 12-16 hours of sleep across the day, toddlers around 11-14 hours, and preschoolers around 10-13 hours.
These ranges include both night sleep and naps. Some children sit at the higher or lower end of these ranges and are still getting healthy rest. What matters most is not comparison, but whether your child seems generally rested, settled and able to engage during the day.
Expect sleep to shift during developmental leaps
It’s common for sleep to change during periods of rapid development, such as teething, learning new physical skills, big language leaps, dropping naps, or starting childcare or moving rooms.
As one member of the Milestones Education Team explains, “We often see families worry that they’re doing something wrong when sleep suddenly changes. In reality, these shifts are often linked to development. With gentle routines, reassurance and time, most children settle back into a rhythm that works for them.”
These phases are usually temporary, even when they feel long in the moment.
How Milestones supports sleep and rest during the day
At Milestones, we understand that good sleep is supported across the whole day, not just at bedtime.
Our educators work closely with families to follow individual sleep routines where possible, provide calm and comfortable rest environments, support children gently if sleep patterns change, and communicate openly with families about how children are resting during the day.
When home and early learning routines work together, children feel more secure, and that sense of safety supports better rest over time.
Practical reminders for busy families
Trying to keep bedtime and wake-up times reasonably consistent can help, as can limiting screen time in the hour before sleep. Naps are still important, particularly for children under three, although late afternoon naps can sometimes make bedtime harder.
Most importantly, focus on progress rather than perfection. If routines don’t work every night, that’s okay. Consistency over time matters far more than any single evening.
You’re doing better than you think
Sleep doesn’t improve overnight, and it doesn’t need to.
With patience, consistency and support, children find their rhythm. And when it feels hard, remember this: you are doing your best, and that is enough.
If you’d like to talk with your child’s educators about sleep or routines, our teams are always happy to work alongside families.