Sleep and Starting Daycare: Adjusting Your Child's Routines

Your child has finally started daycare. But suddenly bedtime has become a battle, night wakings are back, and the afternoon nap is gone. Sound familiar?

Starting daycare is one of the biggest changes in a young child's life. New people, new routines, loads of new impressions — all of this affects sleep. The good news: it's completely normal, and there are concrete things you can do.

Why Does Daycare Affect Sleep?

Starting daycare means overstimulation for a young child. The brain takes in enormous amounts of new information throughout the day — new adults, new children, new sounds, new rules.

This overload affects sleep in several ways:

• Overtiredness makes it harder to fall asleep, not easier
• Separation anxiety can cause restlessness at bedtime and night wakings
• New sleep routines at daycare don't always match home routines
• Shorter or missed naps lead to accumulated sleep debt

Prepare Sleep Routines Before the First Day

Start adjusting 2–3 weeks before the first day at daycare. Sudden changes stress young children. Gradual adjustments are the key.

Adjust Bedtime and Wake Time

Find out when daycare opens and work backwards. Does your child need to be up at 6:30am? Then bedtime should be adjusted accordingly.

Move bedtime 15 minutes earlier every third day. Do the same with the morning schedule. This way you avoid the shock of a suddenly early morning.

Establish a Predictable Evening Routine

Children who know what's coming settle down more quickly. A consistent evening routine signals to the body that sleep is approaching.

Example evening routine (30–45 minutes):

1. Quiet play after dinner — no screen time
2. Bath or wash
3. Pajamas and teeth brushing
4. Goodnight cuddles with a book or song
5. Say goodnight to the stuffed animal or comfort blanket
6. Lights down, sleep music or silence

Naps: Daycare vs. Home

One of the biggest challenges is the difference between napping at home and napping at daycare.

Common Challenges

At home, your child may sleep in their own room, in darkness, with white noise. At daycare, 12 children lie in the same room with sounds and movement all around. Some children fall asleep fine. Others refuse.

Children who skip their nap at daycare often compensate by:

• Falling asleep in the car on the way home (which can ruin the evening routine)
• Becoming extremely cranky and restless in the afternoon
• Falling asleep at the dinner table

What You Can Do

Talk to the daycare. Ask for information about their sleep routines — when are children put down? How long do they sleep? Is any flexibility possible?

Send a familiar object. A comfort blanket, stuffed animal, or sheet that smells like home can help your child settle in unfamiliar surroundings.

Accept the transition period. During the first few weeks, your child may sleep less well at daycare. Most children adapt within 2–4 weeks.

Compensate at home. If your child skips their nap at daycare, put them to bed earlier in the evening. Even 30 minutes makes a big difference.

Night Wakings During the Settling-In Period

Many parents find that their child suddenly starts waking again at night after starting daycare, even if they've slept well for months.

This is a completely normal sleep regression. The brain processes impressions at night, and all those new experiences from daycare need to be worked through.

How to Handle It

• Be available, but brief. Offer comfort, a hug, calm words. Avoid starting long conversations or turning on the lights.
• Keep the morning schedule firm. Even if the night was rough, try to get up at the usual time. A shifted body clock makes things worse.
• Avoid new habits you don't want. If you bring your child into your bed for the first time, it can be hard to change later.

Separation Anxiety and Sleep

Separation anxiety is common in children between 8 and 24 months, and starting daycare can trigger it.

Children who struggle with the morning goodbye often carry that anxiety into bedtime. They fear that their parents will disappear again.

Strategies That Help

• Have a consistent and brief goodbye routine in the morning. Show that you'll come back. "Mommy will pick you up after your nap."
• Use the same goodbye ritual at bedtime. "I'm right outside the door. You're safe."
• Don't sneak out. Disappearing while your child is distracted creates insecurity. Always say goodbye.
• Read books about feelings. Your child learns to put words to what they feel.

Have you read our article on separation anxiety in children? It offers more concrete strategies.

Communication with the Daycare

Daycare staff are your partners. They see your child for several hours each day and have valuable insights.

Ask about:

• How your child falls asleep at daycare
• How long and when your child sleeps
• Whether your child seems tired or restless during the day
• What works to settle your child down

Tell them about:

• Your child's usual sleep needs and home routines
• Things that help your child fall asleep (stuffed animal, comfort blanket, a specific song)
• How the night went, especially during the settling-in period

When Does It Normalize?

Most children find a new sleep rhythm within 2–4 weeks of starting daycare. Some need up to 6 weeks.

Signs that your child has adapted:

• Falls asleep again without major protests
• Night wakings decrease or disappear
• Your child is in a good mood when picked up from daycare
• Naps at daycare are going better

If things don't improve after 6 weeks, it may be worth discussing with your pediatrician or asking for advice from the daycare.

5 Quick Tips for Better Sleep During the Transition

1. Protect evenings. No playdates or activities during the first few weeks. Your child needs calm after daycare.
2. Natural light in the morning. Help the body clock by opening the curtains as soon as your child wakes up.
3. Full tummy, good mood. A small afternoon snack after daycare prevents hunger from disrupting bedtime.
4. Brief connection at pickup. 10–15 minutes of undivided attention fills your child's need for security.
5. Be patient with yourself. Bad nights are temporary. You're doing a great job.

Common Questions

Should my child nap at daycare even if they don't at home?

Children over 2 don't necessarily need a nap, but they do need rest. Talk to the daycare about whether your child can have a quiet time with a book or calm play instead of being expected to lie still.

My child falls asleep in the car on the way home — is that a problem?

Short naps under 20 minutes are rarely a problem. But longer car naps can ruin bedtime. Try keeping your child awake in the car by talking, singing, or offering a snack.

The daycare says my child sleeps poorly there. What can I do?

Send a stuffed animal or comfort blanket that smells like home. Ask whether your child can have a specific spot to sleep. Be patient — most children adapt within a few weeks.

Read More

• Sleep Problems in Toddlers and Bedtime — concrete strategies for difficult bedtimes
• Starting Daycare: How to Prepare Your Child — complete guide to the transition
• Separation Anxiety in Children — understanding and managing anxiety
• Sleep Tracker — log and analyze your child's sleep patterns

Sources

1. WHO — Sleep in early childhood
2. American Academy of Pediatrics — Healthy Sleep Habits
3. AAP — Sleep Guidelines