If bedtime at your house feels like a nightly negotiation filled with tears, stalling, and frustration you’re not alone. Maybe your toddler refuses to brush their teeth, fights every step of the routine, or pulls out all the stops just to avoid going to sleep. And by the time they’re finally tucked in, you’re left drained, frustrated, and with zero time for yourself.

Sound familiar?

Good news: it doesn’t have to be this way.

With the right structure in place, bedtime can actually become one of the calmest parts of your day. The key? A simple but powerful tool: the bedtime checklist.

Why a Bedtime Checklist Works

There are two essential ingredients in any successful bedtime routine: structure and connection.
In this post, we’re going to focus on the structure. (Want help weaving connection into your routine too? I cover that inside my Bye Bye Bedtime Battles Course.)

A bedtime checklist provides consistency, clear directions, and promotes collaboration—all things toddlers thrive on.

Here’s why it works so well:

1. It creates consistency

A visual checklist helps your child understand what’s happening next. When tasks are laid out in the same order every night, your toddler doesn’t have to guess or resist what’s coming. They will know because it will be exactly the same as it was the night before.

It also keeps all caregivers on the same page. This helps put an end to those moments when your toddler tries to convince you that Daddy reads 3 books or that Mommy always sings an extra song. Grandma, your partner, or a babysitter, can all follow the checklist. It’s a reliable routine no matter who’s in charge. 

2. It reduces power struggles

The next advantage of using a bedtime checklist is that it becomes the one telling your child what to complete next so you don’t have to. You and your child will be on the same team, working together to check off the tasks rather than working against each other. This will naturally eliminate some of the power struggles you may have been experiencing before. 

You’re no longer saying, “It’s time to brush your teeth.” You’re saying, “Let’s check what’s next on the list.”

3. It cuts down the post-bedtime requests

You know that moment when you finally leave the room and then hear,
“Mom, I need water!”
“I forgot my stuffie!”
“Can I have just one more hug?”

We’re going to eliminate those too by including every frequent request your child uses in the checklist itself. If your child always asks for a drink, it becomes a step. If they want extra snuggles, build it in. That way, there are no surprises and no excuses for your child to get out of bed.

How to Make Your Own Bedtime Checklist

This doesn’t have to be fancy. In fact, the simpler the better. Here's how to build your own step-by-step:

1. List out everything your child needs to do before bed.
   Include everything: picking up toys, brushing teeth, going potty, getting water, grabbing a stuffie, whatever your child typically needs.
   
2. Group tasks by location.
   This reduces extra transitions that can trigger more resistance. For example, finish all bathroom tasks before moving to the bedroom.
   
3. Create a visual checklist.
   You can grab my free printable checklist here, or make your own with pictures or drawings. It doesn’t need to be Pinterest perfect. Just clear and visible.
   
4. Involve your child in the setup.
   Ask for their input on task order (by offering two options at a time). This gives them a sense of ownership, which increases buy-in.
   
5. Explain how it works.
   Where will it live? How will they move through it: checkmarks, magnets, clothespins? Will they physically cross items off or point to each one? Tell your child exactly what will happen when they use the checklist and how they will use the checklist. There's no such thing as too much information!
   

What to Expect (and How to Troubleshoot)

New routines take time. You may need a couple of consistent weeks for it to really click. Celebrate the little wins as your child begins to take more initiative. And if there’s still resistance? It’s a sign to dig into what’s underneath the struggle.

That’s exactly what I walk you through inside my Bye Bye Bedtime Battles Course. You’ll learn how to pinpoint the reason why your child is resisting (with an easy 2  step flowchart), then choose the right solution from 33+ color-coded strategies that actually work.

Final Thoughts

You don’t need a complicated system or a magic trick, you just need a clear, consistent game plan that the entire family is on board with.

The bedtime checklist is that plan.
It helps your child feel secure and empowered—and helps you reclaim your evenings, your calm, and your time.

Grab your free printable bedtime checklist here.
Ready for peaceful nights that stick? Check out the Bye Bye Bedtime Battles Course.

You’ve got this.