How do I get my child to sleep through the night?

Sleep doesn't arrive on command — it's a rhythm you build together, night after gentle night.

In short

Most children sleep through the night more reliably when they have a consistent bedtime, a calm wind-down routine, and the chance to learn to settle themselves. Build a predictable sequence — same time, same steps, dim and quiet — and make the bedroom a place that feels safe and sleepy. Change is gradual, not overnight, so be patient and kind to yourself; broken sleep is one of the most common parts of early childhood, and it does get easier.

Building better nights

• Anchor the timing. A regular bedtime and wake time — even at weekends — sets your child's body clock. Most toddlers and young children need 10–13 hours of sleep across the day and night.
• Create a wind-down routine. The same calm steps each night — bath, pyjamas, teeth, a story, a cuddle, lights low — signal to the brain that sleep is coming. Keep it short (20–30 minutes) and predictable.
• Dim the lights and screens. Switch off screens at least an hour before bed; bright light and stimulation make settling harder. Soft lighting and a cool, quiet room help.
• Let them learn to self-settle. Put your child down drowsy but awake so they learn to fall asleep on their own — this helps them resettle when they naturally stir in the night, rather than needing you each time.
• Watch daytime naps and food. Over-tiredness can make settling harder, not easier. Keep naps age-appropriate and avoid big meals or sugary drinks close to bedtime.
• Be consistent and calm with night waking. Brief, low-key reassurance — minimal light, minimal talk — helps your child drift back without the night becoming exciting.

When to seek a check

Night waking is normal in early childhood, but a developmental check can help if your child snores heavily or seems to stop breathing, is extremely difficult to settle every night despite a steady routine, is unusually sleepy or irritable through the day, or if sleep difficulties come alongside delays in talking, play or social connection. Persistent sleep struggles can sometimes sit alongside developmental differences, and a clinician can gently tell the difference.

The Pinnacle way

AbilityScore® is part of Pinnacle’s developmental assessment. Diagnosis, where needed, requires an appropriately qualified healthcare professional — never from an app or online form. If sleep difficulties are part of a wider picture, our clinicians build a profile of your child's whole development and shape support around their strengths, drawing on occupational therapy where sensory or settling needs play a part. Explore more ways of helping your child thrive at home and beyond.

Trusted sources

American Academy of Pediatrics (HealthyChildren.org) on healthy sleep habits and routines; CDC guidance on recommended sleep by age; WHO nurturing-care guidance on early childhood wellbeing.

Next step — Worried sleep is part of something bigger? Book a developmental assessment with a Pinnacle clinician.

This is general information, not a diagnosis — individual assessment and diagnosis require an appropriately qualified healthcare professional.