How to introduce a toddler clock.

Has your toddler recently moved into a toddler bed? Are they waking earlier than you would like them to? Are you thinking of moving them from a cot to a bed soon?

It could be time to introduce a toddler clock to your little one.

There are lots of different versions on the market now so it is a little bit up to personal choice as to which one you choose. However they do all offer very similar features.

A toddler clock is a child friendly version of a clock that typically has pictures to go along with the time. Depending on the brand, this may be an owl or a sun and moon. We have one with a sun for daytime and a moon for nighttime. When you get one, you then set the times for when the daytime picture will show (in our case the sun) and when you want it to be nighttime.(the moon)

This can be really helpful in giving your toddler a bit of independence and control. But it is important to explain it clearly at the start and set it up for them to achieve. I will explain this in a bit more detail.

If your toddler has been waking at 5:30am and wanting to start their day then but you ideally want them to stay in bed and not begin the day until 6:30am then this is how you would support them with that using the toddler clock.

Firstly, you want them to have success with it at the beginning so that it has some value to them. So do not start by setting the daytime picture to show at 6:30am. They will have a long wait and will unlikely be successful. They will very quickly cause the clock to lose its value and they will end up not paying much attention to it.

Instead, set the daytime picture to come on at 5:40am. It may be a lot earlier than you would like but your toddler will be able to achieve it and you can then celebrate their success and offer lots of praise. Toddlers love praise and so this will go down well with them and they will start to like their new clock.

Over the next few days you can gradually adjust the ‘morning’ time on the clock so that it becomes a bit later each day or every few days. Gradually, over time, you should find that your toddler is able to stay in bed and wait for their daytime picture to appear for them to begin their day.

Toddler clocks can be a great tool for developing some independence and boundaries. It is important to put in some ground work initially with them but they can then be worth their weight in gold.