How to Help Your Kids Sleep While Traveling

This time of year is perfect for traveling to see friends and family for the holidays. Whether you’re dashing through the snow in a one-horse open sleigh, or waiting on a layover in an airport, traveling can be tough on adults, but it’s even more difficult for kids. Sleep disruption is a common part of a child’s developmental experience, and they can adjust over time. However, when you travel, the excitement of the trip, time changes, daily routine disruptions, and being in an unfamiliar environment can make it difficult for kids to sleep well. Here are some ways that you can help everyone get the best sleep possible while on vacation.

Start before traveling

If you have a newborn or toddler who is sleep-trained, they will most likely sleep better when they’re away from home than those who aren’t. When kids are used to a seamless sleep schedule, it’s easier for them to stay asleep even if they’re in a different bed. Children also thrive on consistent routines. If you can—try to keep your sleeping arrangements similar to what you do at home. If you have to have a different sleeping arrangement, use the few days before you travel to have your littles practice sleeping in a different place like a pack-n-play so they get used to it. If you’re going to a different time zone, slowly adjust sleep and nap times a few days before so it’s not such a shock when it comes time to travel.

Make it feel like home

Your little ones can have a tough time sleeping away from home. Make sure you bring any items that they normally use at bedtime. If you have a newborn who sleeps in a sleep sack or swaddle, don’t forget to pack it. If you have a toddler or older child who sleeps with a special stuffed animal or blanket, or who likes a certain bedtime story before bed, bring that with you too. This can help them understand that just because you’re not at home, you still have the same bedtime routine. When you keep the same routine, it tells your child’s mind that it’s time to go to sleep and will signal to their body to start relaxing and creating melatonin.

Bring sleep accessories

Depending on where you’re staying, you might need to bring some accessories to help everyone sleep better while enjoying your vacation. To keep the room as dark as possible, think about bringing something to cover the windows so the room you’re in is completely dark to help sleep set in. You can also bring a white noise machine to help soothe your kids. If you’re in a hotel, there can be a lot of traffic and other noise that makes it difficult to sleep. A white noise machine can help block some of the background noise out and help everyone get deeper sleep.

Don’t change sleep and nap times

It can be easy to deviate from normal nap times and bedtimes when on vacation, but being in a new space is tough enough for kids. Make sure to try and keep their sleep schedule as close to normal as possible. That might mean they have to nap at a family member’s house, so make sure you arrange somewhere dark and quiet for them to sleep if needed. If you’re out and about sightseeing, try to make it back to where you’re staying so little ones can nap before continuing your day. When your baby (regardless of age) is well-rested on vacation, it helps everyone have a well-rested vacation.

Your family vacation shouldn’t be stress-filled with trying to calm down a child who won’t sleep. And while it’s impossible to actually stick to an exact sleep schedule while on vacation, trying to keep some kind of routine is the most important part. When you get home, you want to help everyone readjust to being home and back to your regular daily routine. One easy way to do that is to ensure you have a mattress at home that gives you comfortable and supportive sleep. Sometimes vacation means sleeping on a less than comfortable mattress. When you get home, make sure your bed is ready to give you a rejuvenating night of sleep. Visit your local Mattress Hub today and find the perfect mattress for your sleep needs.