Tackling Daylight Saving with Kids: Tips for Babies, Toddlers & Young Kids
Daylight Savings can be a bit tricky (not just for us grown-ups), but also for babies, toddlers and children aged 4–6. That one-hour shift can really throw off their sleep, meals and moods.
In Victoria, Daylight Savings in 2025 starts on Sunday, 5 October (clock goes forward 1 hour at 2:00 AM) and ends on Sunday, 6 April (clock goes back 1 hour at 3:00 AM). The good news? With a little planning and consistency, your child can adjust smoothly and you can avoid the chaos of bedtime battles and cranky mornings.
Everyone has an internal body clock, also called a circadian rhythm, but for little ones, these rhythms are still developing and can be even more sensitive than in adults. Their body clocks tell them when it’s time to sleep, eat and play. A sudden shift, like Daylight Saving, can lead to:
Even though it’s just one hour, it can feel like a big deal for little ones.
For parents, the key to a smooth Daylight Savings transition is consistency. Children thrive on predictable routines, and maintaining these during Daylight Savings can make the adjustment much easier. You can start gradually one or two weeks before Daylight Savings and continue adjustments up to a week after if needed.
Children feel secure when bedtime rituals stay the same. That might look like:
Keep the order the same each night. Even when the clocks change, it tells them it’s time to sleep.
A gentle approach is to shift routines every 2 days by 10–15 minutes. This gives children time to adjust without feeling overwhelmed. Gradual adjustments can start one or two weeks before Daylight Savings and continue up to a week after if needed. This works well for babies, toddlers, and children up to 6 years old.
Some kids adjust in a couple of days, others take a week. Extra cuddles, reassurance and keeping the routine as consistent as possible is the secret.
We’ve put together a simple schedule to help with your child’s adjustment. There are two ways you can use it:
Both approaches work, it just depends on what suits your family best.
| Option 1 | Option 2 | Bedtime | Wake-up | Breakfast | Lunch | Nap(s) | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 10–9 days before DS | 5-6 days before DS | 10–15 min earlier | 10–15 min earlier | 10–15 min earlier | 10–15 min earlier | 10–15 min earlier | Two consecutive days of this shift |
| 8–7 days before DS | 3-4 days before DS | 10–15 min earlier again | 10–15 min earlier | 10–15 min earlier | 10–15 min earlier | 10–15 min earlier | Repeat two days |
| 6–5 days before DS | 1-2 days before DS | 10–15 min earlier | 10–15 min earlier | 10–15 min earlier | 10–15 min earlier | 10–15 min earlier | Two consecutive days |
| 4–3 days before DS | Day 0-1 of DS | 10–15 min earlier | 10–15 min earlier | 10–15 min earlier | 10–15 min earlier | 10–15 min earlier | Two consecutive days |
| 2–1 days before DS | Day 2-3 of DS | 10–15 min earlier | 10–15 min earlier | 10–15 min earlier | 10–15 min earlier | 10–15 min earlier | Final 2-day adjustment |
| DS day (5 Oct) | Day 4-5 of DS | New bedtime (1 hour earlier than original) | New wake-up (1 hour earlier) | New breakfast time | New lunch time | New nap schedule | Keep routines consistent, use morning light, calm evening |
If your child struggles a bit, it’s totally normal. You can continue this gentle schedule for a few days after Daylight Savings until everyone feels settled.
Some families naturally adjust their child’s bedtime with the seasons and don’t make any changes when daylight savings starts.
In winter, it can feel nice to have children tucked into bed a little earlier and starting the day a bit earlier too. In summer, families often enjoy keeping little ones up and spending more time outside and letting them sleep in a little more.
For these families, the daylight savings shift often blends in without much fuss, their children are already in a seasonal rhythm, so the change isn’t really noticeable. And that works perfectly well too!
The good news is that daylight savings doesn’t have to be stressful. Whether you follow the seasons or use a gentle adjustment plan, consistency is what matters most. Predictable sleep, nap and meal routines give children a sense of security, help their body clocks stay on track, and make life easier for parents too.
