How to Use a Toddler Clock Successfully

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As a child Sleep Consultant (and as a mom), I am a BIG fan of toddler clocks or ‘ok-to-wake’ clocks. They are an amazing tool to help your child have clear expectations around sleep and helps them recognize that they have control of their decisions and actions. 

However, the toddler clock isn’t a magic solution. Often, I hear from parents that say they tried to use the toddler clock - their child that was waking up at 5:30 a.m. just won’t stay in bed until their clock turns green at 6:00 a.m. And, I typically say I’m not surprised. There is work that we as parents have to do around the toddler clock to help us be successful using it. Below I’m sharing exactly how I have found it most helpful to use a toddler clock with your child. 

First of all - When to Introduce a Toddler Clock?

• Anytime around 2 years old, is a great time to begin using a toddler clock with your little one! It’s around this age that most children can recognize a couple colors and can understand them as a cue - that when the light turns on in the morning, it’s time to begin the day! 

• That being said, I don’t hesitate to encourage using it with kiddos around 18-months old and with kiddos that are ALREADY sleeping well. If seeing the clock change in the morning has always been part of their routine, it’s likely it will continue to be a strong cue for them moving forward. 

• Also, if you have a 3/4/5 year-old and are wondering if it’s too late - it’s never too late to use a toddler clock! Your older child will have even more ability to understand the rules and expectations around the clock. 

Which Toddler Clock to Use?

In our house, we use the Hatch. I love it, as it acts as a nightlight, sound machine, and ok-to-wake clock. I can control it with my phone or program it to change the color, sound, dimness, and volume each morning/evening. However, if you already have a sound machine and are just looking to add a toddler clock to your child’s room, I also really like the Little Hippo, as if you want to use it as a nightlight, you can set the overnight color to red, which is less disruptive to sleep than other colors.

Steps for How to Introduce a Toddler Clock

Make a Plan

First, it’s important to decide how you will handle when your child tests the boundaries around their clock (because they will). How will you handle when your toddler/preschooler comes out of the room before the light turns on. How will you handle it if your child is calling for you before the light turns on? It’s important to think about this beforehand, so that you can be prepared for the ways your child may test these boundaries and discuss with them what your response will be. 

Family Meeting - Introduce the Clock and Expectations Here! 

I LOVE the family meeting, partly because it sounds a little cheesy, but it truly sets the tone for expectations around sleep. In fact, I’ve had multiple 1:1 clients say they felt it was one of THE parts of their child’s sleep plan that set them up for success. 

Show your child the clock at the family meeting - show them how it works and allow your child to have some control by making some choices with regards to the new clock. 

*If you are going to use the clock as a nightlight as well, I always recommend using red as the color for overnight, as it is the least disruptive to sleep for our children (and ourselves). Blue, green, and white lights stimulate our brains and tell them to be awake, whereas red and warm colors (orange/amber) don’t send that message to our brains.*

Use the family meeting as an opportunity to tell them about how sleep is important and the new rules around sleep. 

“We are going to use this clock to help us know when it is time to sleep and when it is time to start our day in the morning. Red means it’s time to rest! When the red light comes on, it means it’s time to say goodnight, close your eyes, and go to sleep until morning. What color would you like the clock to turn for the morning?” 

(For young toddlers, you can give them two choices: would you like green or yellow for the morning?) 

“When the light turns yellow in the morning, it’s time to start the day!” 

For children in a bed, this may mean that they are either allowed to come and get you in the morning or you will come get them when the light turns on and for children in cribs, let them know that you will come to get them when the light turns on.

Discuss with your child what they can do if they wake BEFORE their light turns on and how you will respond if they aren’t following the expectations around their new clock. Perhaps you say something like - 

“If you wake up before the light turns on, that’s ok! You can still keep your eyes closed and rest your body/snuggle your stuffies. But, you cannot call out for mommy or come out of your room until the light is on, because the rest of the house is still sleeping. If your body forgets to stay in your room, I will walk you back to your room without talking to you, because it is still nighttime and I don’t want to wake your body or my body up.” 

Role Play

During the family meeting and VERY OFTEN in the first days/weeks of introducing the clock, it’s important to continuously talk about these expectations, the clock, and even practice with your child during playtime. You can set the clock, lay down together and practice waiting for the light to turn on. You can practice breaking the “rules” around the clock by showing your child what will happen if they come out to start their day before the light turns on.

Set your Child up for Success

It’s really important to help your child succeed, by not making the expectations around the clock out of reach. If your child has been consistently waking up at 5:45 a.m., I don’t want you to set the clock to 6:30 on the first night you use it. By giving your child a goal out of reach, you aren’t helping them succeed. 

I would want you to set the clock for 5:45 a.m. or even 5:40 a.m. That way, when they wake up at their usual time - they still reached their goal and will likely be VERY excited about that. “Mommy!!! The light is on, it’s morning - I did it!” 

Then, over the next few days, gradually move the time back, perhaps 5 minutes each day, until you are at your goal start time for the morning. While you are gradually shifting the clock back, utilize your boundaries and rewards to help your child make this their new normal. (see below)

Celebrate the Little Wins

It’s really important that we celebrate every little win along the way. After that first night, that they slept until their normal time, yet still reached their goal because we set the clock early - CELEBRATE with them. “Yay, buddy, you did it!! You slept all night until your light turned yellow. I bet you can jump higher with all that healthy sleep you got. Show me! Yup, you jumped higher today!” If your child thrives on rewards, you can utilize a sticker chart each time they waited until the light was on to start their day.

Lovingly Hold Your Boundaries

When your child tests the rules that you’ve put in place around the toddler clock, it’s on you to stay consistent in holding the boundaries around those rules.

If you told them you would walk them back to the bedroom each time they come out before the clock, then do that, with next to no engagement - as many times as it takes. If you told them that if they are calling for you; you will check on them and remind them it’s nighttime, but not start the day, then do that.

It is our children’s job to test the boundaries we put in place as parents, and it is our job to hold those boundaries, with calmness and confidence. Children feel secure when we hold these boundaries consistently, even if they don’t particularly like the boundary initially. 

Patience, Consistency, and the Whole Sleep Picture

We also have to look at the sleep picture holistically, in it’s entirety. A toddler clock isn’t going to help if your child is going to bed too late (hello cortisol kick and overtiredness!) or their environment isn’t conducive to sleep (DARK, cool, and quiet), or they have no consistent wind-down routine/connection with you before bed. So, before just adding a toddler clock to your toolbelt, make sure you have everything in place to help your child sleep better. 

Overall, it’s important to remain patient and stay consistent when making changes to your child’s sleep. If your toddler or older child has been having early morning wakeups, they aren’t going to go away overnight because you’ve started to use an ok-to-wake clock. Celebrate the small successes (your child didn’t return to sleep BUT they stayed in their room - that’s a win!) along the way and continue to hold your boundaries. Eventually, with everything in place, it WILL click and your child will become a superstar sleeper. 

If you want personalized help with improving your child’s sleep situation, please reach out. It’s never too late to make changes and help your child sleep well.