13 Toddler Travel Sleep Tips from a Child Sleep Expert

Sleeping well is one of the biggest challenges of traveling with babies and young children. Nothing ruins a vacation faster than a lack of sleep, regardless of age. Help your whole family get a good night’s rest during your travels with these toddler travel sleep tips from Davis Ehrler, a postpartum doula and child sleep counselor.

I interviewed Davis Ehler about her 3 Day Sleep Solution program, which teaches parents of children to instill good childhood sleep habits. The focus is on understanding children’s biological needs, from newborn to 8 years old. As the mother of three daughters, she knows how challenging it can be to sleep soundly while traveling with children. Here’s her expert advice for a restful vacation.

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1. Be patient.

According to Ehrler, your child will need two to three nights to adjust to the new surroundings and schedule while traveling. She says, “The first couple of nights, you don’t sleep well on vacation. We adults might watch TV until we fall asleep or read longer than usual, even if we don’t do that at home. And some of us will even have a glass of wine or two.”

Ehrler advises, “Children are no different than we are. Parents expect too much from themselves and from children while traveling. Know that we all need some time to adjust. Period.”

2. Squeeze in nap time.

If your child still takes naps, Ehrler suggests returning to the hotel room to put your child down midday when possible. 

I asked what she thinks of using long car rides or stroller walks to induce vacation naps. Although Ehrler insists on regular naps in the child’s crib or bed at home, she says, “On vacation, the naps may take place in strollers or the car seat and at the beach. It’s sleep, but it’s junky sleep. But you have to do what you can to make the naps happen.”

3. Arrive before bedtime.

According to Ehrler, reaching your destination before your child’s bedtime lets the family start your vacation on the right foot. Getting a good night’s sleep from the start is better than playing catch-up throughout your stay.

Remember this when scheduling flights with babies and car trips with toddlers. Consider different time zones and attempt to get on the new schedule right away. Booking a red eye might seem like a good option, but it will likely set up your family for toddler jet lag and all-around crankiness.

4. Recreate bedtime routines.

Ehrler says, “You might blow their naps, but be sure to get them to sleep at night.” To do that, you should stick to at-home bedtime rituals even while on vacation.

Whatever you do at your house, maintain the same sleep routine in your hotel or vacation home. This includes reading stories, taking a bath, or singing lullabies.

The Benjamin Royal Sonesta in New York City helps parents prioritize rest with their Kids Sleep Program. It includes a goose-down children’s pillow, sleep mask, Sweet Dreams: Bedtime Visualizations for Kids Book, and Oscar the Owl plush toy.

5. Make new environments feel familiar.

Ehrler recommends packing crib sheets your child has already slept on at home. You can put these on the hotel crib, toddler bed at grandma’s house, or your packed travel toddler bed at the vacation home. This will help make the new place feel like home.

Ehrler says babies and young children rely more on their sense of smell than older kids and adults. A favorite blanket or beloved stuffed toy from home can be comforting, too.

6. Use the right crib or bed for toddler sleep.

Ensure your child has a cozy and safe place to sleep when traveling. There are many travel cribs and toddler travel beds to choose from for a variety of budgets and needs.

Best Toddler Travel Beds

• Hiccapop Inflatable Toddler Travel Bed with Safety Bumpers (Best inflatable toddler travel bed)
• INTEX 66810EP Inflatable Kidz Travel Bed Set with Electric Pump (Inexpensive toddler travel bed)
• Guava Lotus Travel Crib with Lightweight Backpack Design (Deluxe travel crib)
• Pamo Babe Portable Crib Baby Playpen with Mattress and Carry Bag (Affordable travel crib)

7. Book more than one room.

When possible, book more than one room while traveling with children. Ehrler says, “If you can, get a suite or condo. It will always make your vacation so much better.”

Take a look at VRBO vacation rental homes or doing a home exchange for plenty of room to spread out and sleep well while traveling with kids. Of course, you’ll want to pack your baby monitor if sleeping separately.

8. Divide the sleep space into two.

Sometimes, your family vacation budget or circumstances don’t allow for more than one room on vacation. Ehrler recommends using a visual barrier between the baby and parents when you must sleep in the same room as your children.

She says, “If they can see you, they’re going to want mommy and daddy.” She suggests hanging a bed sheet so your kids can’t see you. 

9. Break some rules.

According to Ehrler, you should follow strict guidelines to ensure good sleep most of the time. She says, “Break the rules 20 percent of the time. Vacation should be your 20 percent.”

That may mean allowing a child to co-sleep with you, even if you don’t co-sleep at home. Or you may do naps in the stroller instead of the crib. She compared strict sleep habits to a strict diet while on vacation, saying, “No one wants to eat salad every night on vacation!”

10. Make the room dark.

A dark environment encourages the sleep cycle. Try to book a hotel room or vacation rental with curtains that can be drawn. Tip: use pants hanger clips to keep curtains shut so sunlight doesn’t wake your family earlier than you’d like. To be on the safe side, you may want to pack travel blackout curtains.

11. Use white noise for better sleep.

Controlling all noisy neighbors, hallway noise, and other disruptions while traveling is impossible. Bring a portable sound machine or download a white noise app for your smartphone to drown out the sounds of an unfamiliar place, especially if your baby or you are light sleepers. This Dreamegg Portable White Noise Machine offers 21 soothing sounds and comes highly recommended on Amazon.

12. Rent baby travel gear.

Lighten your load during family travel. Instead of lugging bulky and expensive sleep equipment, rent baby travel gear like a Pack N Play, a standard crib, toddler beds, and inflatable mattresses. Additionally, you can find an assortment of things to make your vacation space feel more like home, from white noise machines and humidifiers to blackout curtains and bouncy chairs.

13. Get back on track at home.

Ehrler says, “Have a blast on vacation. Then, have the tools to get back on track when you get home.” 

She warns that it will take another two to three days for the family’s schedule to return to normal after the trip, just as it took a few days of adjustment at the start of the vacation.

Get back into a normal routine for naps and bedtimes right away. “Don’t bring your vacation habits home with you,” advises Ehrler.

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From hotels that cater to families to activities for little ones, explore Cancun with young children.

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Do you have any toddler travel sleep tips or questions? Let us know in the comments below!

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