Daylight saving time routine
Shift bedtime by 15 minutes a day for younger kids, or 20 minutes over two or three days for older ones, and keep evenings calm and predictable.
The routine, step by step (bedtime in the days before the change)
- 7pmStep 1: Dinner 15 minutes earlier or later than usual, matching the shift30 min
- 7:30pmStep 2: Bath and pajamas20 min
- 7:50pmStep 3: Story15 min
- 8:05pmStep 4: Lights out at the shifted time1 min
- 8:06pmStep 5: Morning: open the curtains for daylight at the new wake-up time2 min
About 68 minutes, 7pm to 8:08pm.
Adjusting it by age
- Younger children
- Start four days ahead and shift by 15 minutes a day.
- Older children
- Two or three days of 20-minute shifts is usually enough.
The next clock changes
| Date | Where | Clocks go |
|---|---|---|
| Sun, Mar 14, 2027 | US and Canada | forward |
| Sun, Mar 28, 2027 | UK and EU | forward |
| Sun, Oct 31, 2027 | UK and EU | back |
| Sun, Nov 7, 2027 | US and Canada | back |
A four-day shift plan
| Days before | Bedtime if clocks go forward | Bedtime if clocks go back |
|---|---|---|
| 4 | 8:15pm | 8:45pm |
| 3 | 8pm | 9pm |
| 2 | 7:45pm | 9:15pm |
| 1 | 7:30pm | 9:30pm |
For a 7-year-old whose usual bedtime is 8:30pm for a 7am wake-up (our bedtime calculator).
Why a daylight saving time routine helps
Daylight saving time moves the clock, not your child’s body. Children from 2 to 12 take cues from dinner, bath, story and the light in the room. When those cues stay in the same order, the new time feels less like a jolt and more like a small nudge. You are not forcing sleep. You are giving the evening a shape your child can predict.
Calm matters as much as the clock times. A rushed bath and a skipped story tell a child that something is wrong. A slow bath, pajamas laid out, one story and low lights tell a child that the evening is safe. That is why this routine keeps the same steps and moves them together, 15 minutes at a time for younger children or 20 minutes at a time for older ones.
Morning light is the other half. Open the curtains at the new wake-up time. Two minutes of daylight and a normal “good morning” is enough.
The steps, one by one
Start with dinner. On the base night, dinner is at 7pm and lasts about 30 minutes. In the days before the change, serve dinner 15 minutes earlier or later than usual, matching the shift. Keep the meal simple. Then bath and pajamas at 7:30, about 20 minutes. Wash, dry, pajamas, teeth. Lay out the pajamas before dinner.
Story at 7:50 for 15 minutes. One book or two short ones, in the same spot, with the light low. Lights out at 8:05 at the shifted time. If your plan for that night is 8:15, 8:00, 7:45 or 7:30, move the whole chain with it. A night that ends at 7:45 might look like dinner at 6:40, bath at 7:10, story at 7:30 and lights out at 7:45. The order is the same.
In the morning, open the curtains for daylight at the new wake-up time. Two minutes is enough. Say “Good morning, it is morning now,” and start the day. Do not open the curtains early to make up for a rough night.
Adjusting it by age
Younger children do better with a longer run-up. Start four days ahead and shift by 15 minutes a day. If the clocks go forward, bedtime can be 8:15 four days before, 8:00 three days before, 7:45 two days before and 7:30 the night before. If the clocks go back, the same days can run 8:45, 9:00, 9:15 and 9:30. Keep nap and meal times in step with the bedtime shift.
Older children can handle a shorter change. Two or three days of 20-minute shifts is usually enough. A 9-year-old who sets the kitchen timer and chooses the story may not need four days. A 12-year-old can read the clock and say, “So tonight is 20 minutes earlier?” Let that be a conversation, not a lecture.
Watch your child, not just the calendar. Some children move easily and some need an extra night. If your child is 2 and the first 15-minute shift goes badly, stay there for two nights. If your child is 11 and the 20-minute shift feels easy, keep going. Children develop at different speeds. The plan is a guide, not a test.
Getting children on board
Tell your child what is happening in plain words. “For four nights we are going to bed a little earlier. You still get your bath, your story and your kiss.” For a younger child, show the order on a paper strip: dinner, bath, story, bed. For an older child, write the times on a kitchen board.
Give choices that do not move bedtime. Which pajamas, which book, which cup. A child who chooses the story is less likely to argue about the story ending. Use the same phrase each night: “When the story is done, lights go out.” Keep your voice low and slow. If you feel rushed, your child will too.
A small reward can help. A sticker on a paper chart, a high five, or breakfast together. Do not take away the story or the kiss as a punishment. The routine is the safe part of the night. If your child is anxious, say, “The clock is moving. We are not. We still do bath, story, bed.”
When it falls apart
Some nights will not follow the plan. A child may be wide awake at the new bedtime, or up before the new wake-up time. Start with the room: dim lights, quiet voice, no screen. Sit on the edge of the bed and say, “It is still night. You can rest.” Do not turn on the big light or start a game. If your child is young, rub their back and keep the same short phrase. If your child is older, let them read in bed with a small light.
If bedtime turns into a long battle, stop adding steps. Go back to the last calm thing, usually the story or a song, and end there. The next night, return to the order. One rough night does not ruin the plan. Two rough nights in a row may mean the shift was too big. Go back to the last time that worked and stay there for a night or two.
If your child is unwell, very upset, or you are worried about their sleep, call your doctor. This routine is everyday parenting, not medical advice.
Making it yours
Fit the plan to your real evenings. If dinner is usually at 6:30, use 6:15 or 6:45 for the shifted meal. If bath has to happen before dinner because of work, keep that order and move the whole block. The times here are a template, not a rule. What matters is that dinner, bath, story and lights out stay in the same order and move together.
If your child moves between two homes, write the plan down. A short note with the four bedtimes and the morning curtain time can keep both homes on the same page. For a younger child, pack the same pajamas and the same book. For an older child, send the plan as a message they can read. Small differences are fine. The order is what travels.
Keep the first morning gentle. Open the curtains at the new wake-up time, eat breakfast, get dressed. Do not try to catch up with a long sleep-in on the first day. A normal morning helps the new time settle. Then repeat the same evening, with the same small cues your child can count on.
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Questions parents ask
What time should my child go to bed when the clocks change?
Use the shifted bedtime from your plan, not the old clock time. Younger children can move 15 minutes a day over four days; older children often do well with two or three days of 20-minute shifts. Keep dinner, bath and story in the same order.
When are the next clock changes?
In the US and Canada, clocks go forward on Sunday, March 14, 2027, and back on Sunday, November 7, 2027. In the UK and EU, clocks go forward on Sunday, March 28, 2027, and back on Sunday, October 31, 2027.
Should I start before or after the clock change?
Start before. Four days ahead for younger children, two or three days for older ones. Open the curtains at the new wake-up time on the first morning and keep the rest of the day ordinary.
What if my child wakes up too early after the change?
Keep the room dim and quiet until the new wake-up time. Open the curtains at that time and say good morning. If your child is young, sit nearby and keep the message simple: “It is still night. You can rest.” If you are worried about your child’s sleep, call your doctor.
Keep reading
Step times are typical for the ages shown and clock times count from the start time; nothing here is medical advice. The guide text is drafted with AI from these numbers and checked automatically before it is published. Updated November 9, 2026.