How to protect your child’s sleep while travelling this summer
A practical guide for parents. Written by Karli Elliott, The Sleep Squad
Holiday season is hands-down one of the hardest times to keep your child’s sleep on track. New places, later nights, extra stimulation, cousins everywhere, long car rides… it’s a lot. And the pressure of “Please, just sleep so we can all enjoy this trip” is VERY real.
However… Your child absolutely can sleep well while travelling, you just need a few small, intentional tweaks that make a big difference.
Here’s exactly what I recommend to every family I work with.
1. Practise the “holiday sleep setup” at home first
One of the biggest mistakes parents make is waiting until day one of the holiday to try a portacot, pram nap, front-pack nap, or new room layout. If the very first trial run is in a hot bach with ten people waiting for lunch… yep, stressful.
Instead, practise at home:
- Set up the portacot in their room and try 1–2 naps in it or even overnight
- Try a pram or front-pack nap if that’s what you’ll rely on
- Test any sleep aids so there are no surprises when you travel
- (especially if they will be using a Snooze Shade)
The beauty of practising at home is that if it falls apart, you can pop them back in their usual cot, reset, and try again tomorrow. No pressure. No audience. No meltdown (from baby or you).
You can even set up their travel cot early using something like the ORIGIN portacot from babycity® so they’re already familiar with it before you go.
2. Bring familiar bedding + familiar cues
Travelling comes with so much novelty, new room, new smells, new temperature, new noises. So familiarity becomes everything.
Bring their actual sheets from their bed, milk stains and all. Your baby’s brain recognises that smell instantly. It tells them “This feels safe. I know this Space.”
Other familiarity boosters:
- Their usual sleep sack
- Their comforter (if age-appropriate)
- The exact same white noise you use at home
- Same bedtime routine, same order
you go.
2. Recreate their sleep environment as closely as possible
Kids don't need perfection, they need predictability.
When you arrive, set up their sleep space first:
- Make the room as dark as you can
- Set up their white noise before putting them down
- Match the room temperature to what they sleep in at home
- Use their familiar bedding + comforter
- Keep the same settling routine
A familiar sequence lowers cortisol, which makes settling so much easier.
4. Protect the BIG lunchtime nap
Holiday naps won’t be perfect, that’s normal.
But if you can only protect one nap each day, make it the big lunchtime nap.
Why?
- It’s the longest, most restorative nap of the day
- It balances out the whole sleep pressure curve
- It prevents the 4pm meltdown spiral
- It keeps bedtime from blowing out
- It’s your best “reset” nap if the morning has gone off track
Do the morning nap on the go, pram, carrier, whatever works. But aim to be home or settled for the lunchtime nap whenever you can. This single choice can save your entire day.
5. Use assisted naps strategically
Some naps will need help while travelling, and that’s absolutely fine.
Pram naps, carrier naps and contact naps… these are your holiday superpowers. They keep sleep ticking along without keeping you trapped inside. Focus on awake windows rather than the clock. Sometimes a well-timed 25–40 minute pram nap is all they need to stay regulated.
If you're doing long drives, having a comfortable, well-fitted car seat from babycity® makes resting on-the-go more comfortable.
6. Keep your expectations flexible, not perfect
Holiday sleep isn’t meant to look exactly like home.
Your goal is “good enough to get through the day,” not textbook sleep.
Here's what's normal on holiday:
- Shorter naps
- More stimulation
- More assisted naps
- Later bedtime
- Earlier wakes
- A bit of extra settling needed
None of this undoes your routine! Most babies bounce back within 2–3 days of being home.
7. When things wobble, return to the basics
- If sleep suddenly feels off, go straight back to the foundation:
- Dark room
- White noise
- Age-appropriate awake windows
- Full daytime feeds
- Calm, predictable settling
Predictability, not perfection, is how babies sleep well anywhere. Travelling with young kids is magical… and messy. Sleep won’t be perfect, and it doesn’t need to be. Your goal is just enough sleep that everyone can enjoy the trip.
With a few simple tools, a familiar sleep environment, and the right prep, your child can sleep beautifully, at home and away. If your little one ends up sleeping a bit further from you than usual, having a simple baby monitor from babycity® can be a real lifesaver. It lets you check in without tiptoeing in and gives you a little extra peace of mind.”
And my favourite holiday sleep tip… Know that the holiday memories you'll make with family and friends will be much more special to look back on than a perfect sleep routine.
Written by Karli Elliott, Baby Sleep Consultant, The Sleep Squad, in partnership with babycity®
Explore babycity®’s trusted sleep solutions and tools recommended by Karli
For more expert guidance on helping your child sleep well, whether at home or while travelling, Karli Elliott from The Sleep Squad is here to help. Offering practical, compassionate support for families without the BS. As a mum of three and experienced baby sleep consultant, Karli has helped thousands of parents regain restful nights and peace of mind. Discover her tips, from newborn sleep strategies to sleep progression and personalised solutions, on her Instagram @karli_mysleepsquad
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