A calm evening is the foundation of a good day at daycare. Children who sleep well arrive settled, eat better and cope with the ups and downs of a room full of friends. Here is the routine our educators recommend to Moorebank families, and why each step matters.

Work backwards from wake-up

If your child is up at 6:30 for drop-off, a preschooler needs to be asleep by around 7:30 and a toddler earlier. Set bedtime from wake-up time, not from when the evening happens to finish.

Wind down for an hour

Big play, screens and sugar all push bedtime later. Aim for a quieter hour before bed: dinner, a bath, pyjamas, a story. The order matters less than the fact that it is the same each night.

Keep the sequence short and identical

Three to five steps is plenty. Bath, teeth, two books, a song, lights out. Children stop negotiating once they know the sequence does not change, in the same way they stop arguing about pack-up time at daycare when it always comes after afternoon tea.

Dim the lights, lower the voices

Bright light tells a child’s body it is still daytime. Dimming lamps, closing blinds and speaking softly from the bath onwards helps melatonin do its job.

Handle the call-backs calmly

One more drink, one more cuddle, a monster under the bed. Respond briefly and consistently, then leave again. Every extra ten minutes of chat teaches your child that calling out works.

Line up daytime sleep

If your child is still sleeping at daycare, ask their educators what time and how long. We record every rest in the OWNA app so you can adjust bedtime on a big nap day rather than fight it.

Expect wobbles

Illness, a new sibling or a new room at daycare can unsettle sleep for a week or two. Hold the routine steady and it will settle again.