Three tips for helping kids adjust to daylight savings this October, according to a sleep expert

Clocks go forward one hour on Sunday October 1, 2023 in most of Australia’s states and territories.

By Chris Advansun, Head of Sleep Stories at Calm

Every year when daylight savings rolls around, our minds feel like they’re programmed to reject the time change. For many parents, it’s not just the change in sleep patterns that’s challenging; it’s also the stress that comes from having to readjust your kids’ routine that they’ve just settled into from the start of the year.

According to research, children can take longer than adults to adjust as they struggle to understand the concept of it – and for younger kids, it can be even more difficult.

As clocks in most of Australia’s states and territories will go forward an hour on Sunday October 1, 2023, daylight saving starts for another year. Here are a few tips to help your little ones transition as smoothly as possible.

3 ways to help kids when the clocks change

1. Start bedtime routine a little later

Getting to bed later is usually far easier than earlier! Try making incremental changes to your and your child’s evening routine by settling them into bed 15 minutes later than their usual bedtime each day, a few days before the switch.

Many parents struggle to keep their kids up longer as the day is already, well, long. This way kids will slowly settle in when the transition happens so that the time change doesn’t feel too abrupt.

2. Control the  environment 

A positive routine in the lead up to bedtime helps create consistency the body recognises, helping families wind down. Bedtime routines often work best when the atmosphere is calm and relaxed. You might find that a gentle stroll after dinner and before bedtime helps burn off any excess energy and that being outdoors helps keep them going a little bit longer.

Putting on some soft soundscapes is a great way to help relax their mind and can effortlessly blend into the background of your pre-slumber activities: try any of Calm’s nature melodies, soundscapes or sleep music tracks to start.

3. Try a sleep story

Another great way to help kids get to sleep soundly is through sleep stories. Not to mention, they’re great alternatives for parents who want to sit back and relax, too!

Sleep Stories involve a soothing mix of words, music and gentle sounds to help your little one drift off into dreamland. Calm offers over hundreds of great Sleep Story options, including reimagined classics such as Pinocchio and the Sleepless Cricket or original stories I authored including Sienna the Sleepy  Sloth and The Lavender’s Valley.