How to Transition into Daylight Saving with a Baby or Toddler

Just when you feel like you've finally nailed your baby or toddler's sleep routine, along comes daylight saving.

While moving the clocks forward by an hour might not sound like a big change, babies and toddlers can be particularly sensitive to changes in their sleep schedule. Add lighter evenings into the mix and suddenly bedtime can become a little more challenging. The good news? A little preparation can make the transition much smoother.

Daylight saving begins on Sunday 4 October 2026 in NSW, the ACT, Victoria, Tasmania and South Australia. Here are some simple tips to help adjust your little one's body clock, protect their sleep routine and make bedtime easier for everyone.

Why does daylight saving affect babies and toddlers?

Our sleep patterns are closely connected to our internal body clock, or circadian rhythm, which responds to environmental cues such as light and darkness. For babies and toddlers who are used to eating, napping and sleeping at relatively consistent times, suddenly moving the clock forward by an hour can temporarily throw that rhythm off.

Then there's the light. With daylight saving bringing brighter evenings, your child's usual bedtime might arrive while there's still plenty of daylight streaming through the window. A bright bedroom can make it harder to create those familiar cues that tell them it's time to wind down and sleep. Thankfully, there are a few things you can do to help.

7 tips for a smoother transition

1. Start adjusting bedtime before the clocks change

Rather than changing your child's routine by a full hour overnight, try making small adjustments in the days leading up to daylight saving. Around three or four days beforehand, begin moving bedtime approximately 10 to 15 minutes earlier each night. You can gradually shift naps, meals and your morning wake up time too.

For example, if bedtime is normally 7pm, you might try:

By making the transition gradually, the new schedule is less of a sudden change for your baby or toddler. And if you forget to prepare beforehand? Don't panic. You can use the same gradual approach after the clocks change.

2. Make their bedroom as dark as possible

One of the biggest challenges when daylight saving begins is putting a child to bed when it still looks like daytime outside. Creating a dark sleep environment can help reduce that disconnect between what the clock says and what your child can see outside their window.

Blackout blinds are particularly useful at this time of year because they allow you to create a darkened sleep space well before the sun actually goes down. We think the best portable blackout blind is by Porta Fox, designed to provide 100% blackout while giving parents the flexibility to create a darker sleep environment at home or away.

Porta Fox offers two options depending on your space. The Cut to Size Blackout Blind can be trimmed to fit your window and attached around the window frame, while the Portable Blackout Blind uses suction cups to attach directly to flat glass, making it easy to take with you when travelling or staying away from home.

A blackout solution can also be particularly useful for daytime naps, when bright Australian sunshine can make creating a dark sleep space difficult.

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3. Keep your bedtime routine exactly the same

When the clock changes, resist the temptation to change everything else at the same time. Familiar routines provide important cues that bedtime is approaching. Keep following the sequence your child already associates with sleep, perhaps bath, pyjamas, feed, book, cuddle and bed.

The actual time might be shifting, but the experience of going to bed remains reassuringly familiar. Try to keep the hour before bed calm too. Dim the lights, reduce stimulating activities and create a clear transition between daytime play and nighttime sleep.

4. Use light strategically during the day

While darkness can help at bedtime, natural light during the day can also help support the sleep and wake cycle. Once your little one is awake for the day, open the curtains and let natural light into the house. Getting outside for some daylight and activity during the day can also help reinforce the difference between daytime and nighttime.

Think light and active during the day; dark and calm at night.

5. Keep familiar sleep cues consistent

Babies and toddlers thrive on familiarity, so think about the little signals your child already associates with going to sleep. That might be their sleeping bag, favourite bedtime story, a particular song or white noise.

A white noise machine can provide a consistent sound cue at bedtime and can also help mask household and environmental noises that might otherwise disturb sleep. A rechargeable, portable option makes it easy to keep the same familiar sleep sound at home, at grandparents' houses or while travelling.

Pairing consistent white noise with a darkened bedroom can help you maintain the same sleep environment even when the world outside is suddenly brighter for longer. Browse our full range of Sleep & Settling Aids.

6. Don't forget about naps

Bedtime tends to get most of the attention, but naps form part of your child's daily rhythm too. If you're gradually shifting bedtime before daylight saving, consider moving nap and meal times by similar small increments so the whole day starts moving towards the new schedule.

Try not to compensate for a difficult night with a dramatically later or longer nap, particularly for toddlers, as this can make bedtime more challenging again. Instead, aim for consistency while giving your child a little flexibility as they adjust.

7. Be prepared for early wakes and give it time

Even with preparation, your baby or toddler might need a few days to adjust. You might see earlier wakes, resistance at bedtime, changes to naps or a generally tired little person while their body clock catches up.

Try to stay consistent with your new routine rather than changing your approach after one difficult night. Every child responds differently, so give them, and yourself, a little time to settle into the new rhythm.

Brighter evenings don't have to mean later bedtimes

Daylight saving can take some getting used to, but it doesn't have to undo the sleep routine you've worked hard to establish. Start making small adjustments before the clocks change, keep your child's bedtime routine familiar and focus on creating a consistent sleep environment.

And when the sun has other ideas about bedtime, a Porta Fox blackout blind paired with a white noise machine can help you recreate those familiar sleep cues, even when it's still bright and busy outside.

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This article was written by Porta Fox in collaboration with babyshop. Find out more about the brand at portafox.com, or shop the full Porta Fox range here at babyshop.

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