This is a suggested 15-minute routine for a toddler or preschooler who is ready to start getting into bed. It does not promise sleep within 15 minutes. Some children need more time, help or company after the routine ends.
Before the clock starts
Finish meals, baths and lively activities earlier if they take longer in your household. Leave a screen-free gap before bedtime; our guide to ending screen time explains the recommendation and ways to work towards it.
Have pyjamas and a book ready. Choose a time that fits when your child is usually ready for sleep. The sequence should save decisions, not become a race.
Minutes 0–3: bathroom and teeth
Use the toilet or change a nappy, wash and brush teeth with the help your child needs. Give a simple next step: “Teeth first, then pyjamas.” If this takes longer than three minutes, allow the time it needs.
Minutes 3–7: pyjamas and a cuddle
Help your child get comfortable, offer water if needed and spend a few minutes together. You might ask for one thing they liked about the day. Save a complicated conversation for a time when you can give it attention, unless your child needs support now.
Minutes 7–15: one short story
Offer two familiar choices that fit the time available. If using audio, set the volume and timer first, turn the display off and keep the device out of reach. If a printed book takes longer, shorten another optional step or allow a longer routine.
Use a closing phrase such as “That’s our story for tonight. I’m here while you get comfortable.” Stay if your child needs you. The timer controls playback, not how much reassurance you are allowed to give.
If your child is still awake
Look at the whole day, including nap timing, the usual wake time and whether your child seems unwell or uncomfortable. A bedtime that is too early for them may mean a long wait for sleep; a very tired child may also need extra help settling.
Adjust one thing and observe the pattern. Keep the parts of the routine that help, even if your family’s version takes twenty minutes rather than fifteen.