Parents, you know how tough it is when your toddler is waking up too early on the regular. An okay to wake clock is an excellent tool for not only helping your toddler to stay in bed longer, but also for helping your toddler to sleep later in the morning.

In this post, I’ll share my simple, step by step process for introducing a sleep to wake clock to your toddler. An okay to wake clock is not a magic wand that will solve complex sleep issues, but it can certainly improve early wakings (and as a bonus it often helps with battles at bedtime, naptime, or quiet time too!)

Will introducing a sleep clock help my toddler sleep later in the morning?

I have to let you in on a little secret: I thought we were those parents who would never really need the “help” of a sleep to wake clock. Our oldest son was an excellent sleeper, averaging 13 hours a night, and waking up happy and refreshed in the morning.

Then we welcomed a new baby and things changed very quickly.

Our well-rested toddler who usually woke up somewhere between 7.30-8.00am started waking a little earlier each morning. This wasn’t a huge issue to start with, as my mom had come to stay with us for a while, so we had an extra set of hands.

But those slightly earlier wakings very quickly crept from 7.30am to 6am, and even earlier some days. Our happy little guy started to struggle because he just wasn’t getting the sleep he needed on top of the adjustment of having a new sibling at home.

I’d worked with plenty of families who’d had great success using an okay to wake clock on my recommendation, so I decided to take my own advice and order one for ourselves. And we’re so very glad we did.

A sleep clock will not solve all your toddler’s sleep problems, but if your little one is generally a pretty good sleeper who has started to struggle with early mornings or bedtime battles, an okay to wake clock can be an absolute game changer.

Why does my toddler wake up too early?

There are a multitude of reasons why your toddler is suddenly waking up at 5am every day, and it’s helpful to think about this before you make the decision to invest in an okay to wake clock. It’s an excellent tool for many situations, but there are some circumstances where you might need to consider a different strategy.

Often those early morning wakeups happen when it’s time to decrease the amount of daytime sleep your toddler gets each day. This might look like capping or dropping a nap, and/or adjusting bedtime slightly earlier or later. As our kiddos get older, their sleep needs decrease, and this can usually be addressed in the timing or length of naps and bedtime.

Careful consideration of your toddler’s sleep environment is also important if you’re dealing with early morning wakeups. Blackout blinds or curtains can stop the early morning light from waking your little one. Making sure your toddler is dressed appropriately to avoid 5am wakeups due to a drop in body temperature and avoiding blue light in his bedroom are also helpful when dealing with early mornings.

If your toddler is used to having help to fall asleep at bedtime or naptime, she’s most likely counting on that same strategy to get back to sleep when she wakes early in the morning. Taking the time to teach your toddler how to get to sleep independently for nights and naps can make a huge difference in those early morning wakeups.

How does a sleep training clock work?

First of all, let’s dispel the notion that an okay to wake clock has magic powers and will solve all sleep issues. It can be an excellent tool for toddlers, but if your little one doesn’t have some independent sleep skills, it most likely won’t be much help at all.

There are many different sleep to wake clocks on the market, but the basic premise is that your toddler is able to determine if he should be asleep/stay in bed or if it’s time to get up by looking at the clock. Okay to wake clocks aren’t like traditional clocks, because most toddlers aren’t capable of telling time, so they rely on a change in colour or the appearance of a particular image to let kids know when it’s time to get up.

Some clocks can be programmed to change colour at a certain time in the morning when you’re ready for your toddler to get up. Other clocks show stars during the night and a sun appears in the morning.

Let’s backtrack a little bit to understand why a clock that changes colour at 7am will help your toddler sleep later in the morning.

Okay to wake clocks match your toddler’s brain development

This is by no means a deep dive into neuroscience, but it is very helpful to understand a little bit about how your toddler’s brain grows and develops when thinking about introducing a sleep to wake clock.

As our babies grow into toddlers, their physical growth and motor development slow down, but their social, emotional, and intellectual growth continues at a rapid rate. This is an exciting time for toddlers, as they begin to develop their sense of self and autonomy, but it is also an incredibly challenging period for them to navigate because of the way their brains grow and change.

The right side of the brain develops first for babies and toddlers, and is responsible for their wonderful imaginations and creativity. It’s also the authority for their emotions and intuition. Until somewhere between ages 3-4, the right side of the brain helps toddlers navigate their daily lives.

In contrast, the left side is the logical, rational, realistic part of the brain. It’s involved with precision, planning, and decision making. This part of the brain isn’t fully developed until closer to seven years of age, and most toddlers don’t even begin to access this side of the brain until age 3-4.

This means most toddlers need support with emotional regulation, impulse control, and making rational, logical decisions, all of which can play a role in early morning wakings. When your toddler wakes up at 5am, he’s not thinking about the fact that he doesn’t feel refreshed, that he’ll be exhausted by 3pm, that it’s still dark outside, or that the rest of the house is still asleep.

He wakes up at 5am and thinks that it’s a perfect time to hang out with his favourite people (mom and dad), to build an even taller Lego tower than he did yesterday, to watch an episode of Cocomelon, or to have a brownie and a glass of milk. Rational, logical thinking is not at work here.

Enter the sleep to wake clock - no rational thinking needed. If the clock is red, it’s time to stay in bed. If it’s yellow, it’s time to get up. Zero thought or consideration needed on the part of your toddler.

Here’s the kicker: toddlers need support to make rational decisions, think logically, and regulate their emotions, but they also want to make allllllll their own decisions (and everyone else’s decisions as well) without parental support. Having a conversation with your toddler about why a 5am wakeup is not a good idea is like pouring fuel on the fire in many situations.

Introducing an okay to wake clock removes you from the equation. There’s no debate or discussion about why it is or isn’t time to get up; your little one only has to look at the clock to know. If you’re the parent of a toddler, you understand that negotiations are never easy, and a clock can remove that pressure.

Using a sleep to wake clock also gives your toddler the independence she’s craving. Toddlers want to do things by themselves, and introducing a clock allows them to do just that. Your little one will know exactly when it’s time to get up without having to rely on a parent, and she’ll be pretty proud of that accomplishment.

A sleep training clock helps you to set safe, healthy, firm boundaries around sleep, which is exactly what your toddler needs to navigate this stage of development. The routine and predictability of an okay to wake clock helps to foster feelings of safety and security during a time when your little one is experiencing a huge amount of growth and development.

What’s the best okay to wake clock for your toddler?

I’m asked this question all the time when I’m working with families, and it’s just simply not a one-size-fits-all answer. If you’re considering purchasing an okay to wake clock for your toddler, you’ll want to consider the price, the colours or images it uses, how it operates, and any additional features, such as Bluetooth, white noise, etc.

My personal favourite (and the one I use with my own toddler) is the Hatch Rest. It’s one of the more expensive options on the market, but it’s been a worthwhile investment for us. I chose the Hatch for two main reasons: it has an app which allows you to easily control the clock from your phone, and you can choose any colour (or no colour at all) for the night and the morning.

The option to choose a colour was a deciding factor for us. Sleep can be negatively impacted by light, especially blue and white light. These colours can actually cause the brain to suppress the secretion of melatonin, which is the hormone that makes us feel drowsy and fall asleep. So we wanted a clock that would let us avoid blue or white light.

Initially, I didn’t want another device to control from my phone, but after almost a year of using the Hatch, I’m so glad we’re able to do just that. While we have the clock set to turn on at a specific time each morning, it’s so easy to adjust the time if necessary. We also use it for quiet time, and our toddler loves being able to choose his own colour on the phone.

Some clocks only offer one colour option, and if that’s blue or white, you might want to look at another clock. Other sleep to wake clocks also have an app that connects to your phone for easy adjustment of bedtime and morning time. Some okay to wake clocks have a built in white noise option, which is attractive to many families. Others are shaped as animals or use graphics to represent morning and night, such as a sun and stars.

Alongside the Hatch Rest, I also recommend the following sleep to wake clocks:

Little Hippo Mella

Mirari OK to Wake!

The best advice I can give you is to do your research. Figure out which price point fits your budget best, think about which features are most important to your family, and as always, read the reviews for a bit of real life feedback.

How to introduce a clock for toddlers

As I mentioned earlier, a sleep to wake clock is not a magic fix for toddlers who struggle with sleep. But when it’s introduced thoughtfully, and as part of a routine, it can be incredibly helpful for older toddlers. Use the checklist below to set your toddler up for success.

Have a plan. Familiarize yourself with the clock before you introduce it to your toddler. Decide when/how you’ll use it - for nights, mornings, naps, quiet time, or maybe all four. Think about where you’ll put it in your toddler’s room, which colours (if any) you’ll use and what time you want “morning” to be. If you have a partner or other caregiver, make sure you’re on the same page.
Share your expectations with your toddler. Show him the sleep to wake clock and explain how he’ll be able to know when it’s morning time. Make sure he’s able to identify the colours you’ve chosen.
Choose a colour that promotes sleep. If you choose to have a colour showing during the night, when you expect him to be sleeping or laying quietly in bed, stick to red, yellow, or orange. These colours cause the least amount of disruption to our sleep. Avoid any other colours during the night, especially blue (this affects the secretion of melatonin), and choose any colour you like to signify morning time.
PRACTICE! Before you actually start using the clock as part of your sleep routine, practice with your toddler. Have her lay in her bed and imagine it’s nighttime. Practice what to do if she wakes up and the clock isn’t showing morning time yet. Share with her you expect her to lay quietly in her bed until the clock shows morning, and then she’ll know it’s time to get up. Practice both scenarios a few times during the day so she’s ready for the morning.
Set achievable goals. If your toddler is currently waking up at 5am, and you’d like morning time to be 7am, don’t set your sleep to wake clock for 7am right from the start. It’s unrealistic to expect your little one to lay quietly in bed for 2 hours on day one, and most likely neither of you will have a good start to the day. Start off with a time you feel your toddler can be successful with (in this case it might be 5.15am) and slowly work your way toward your ideal morning time. If you’re using your clock for quiet time, start out with shorter intervals and slowly build up to longer periods of time. You might do just 15 minutes of quiet time on the first few days, then 25 minutes the next, and so on, until you reach your goal.
Build confidence. Tell your babe just how proud you are when he’s able to lay in bed quietly and wait for the clock to come on before getting up, even if it’s only 10 minutes later than usual. Let him know you see him working hard at something new and share the good news with other members of your family. Some families choose to offer a reward, such as a special activity with mom or dad, a small toy, or a sticker. Others find giving verbal praise along with a hug and a smile works best for their family.
Be consistent. Anyone who has worked with me one-on-one will know that this is the most important way you can support your toddler while she’s working on a new skill. If you’ve set the expectation that your babe is to lay in bed quietly until the clock shows morning, it’s important to stick to it. If she’s getting out of bed before then, gently guide her back to her bed, tuck her in, and remind her of the expectations you’ve set. You may need to do this more than once, especially in the beginning, but if boundaries are not consistent from the start, your toddler will most likely find it incredibly challenging to succeed.
Be realistic. An okay to wake clock is an excellent tool for older toddlers, starting around 2.5 years old. For most kiddos, starting any younger means their brains just aren’t developed enough to understand the expectations around a clock. Ensure your toddler is able to recognize the colours you’ve chosen. If you introduce a sleep to wake clock at 1.5 years old, you’re most likely not going to have success.

What are the benefits of a sleep trainer clock?

I mentioned earlier that I never thought we were the parents who would need an okay to wake clock for our toddler. I thought we had sleep in the bag. I thought wrong.

Not only did the sleep to wake clock help our little guy with early mornings, it was also incredibly useful for quiet time too. And many of the families I work with share with me that it’s a great support for their toddlers at bedtime and naptime as well. If your babe is struggling to get to sleep on his own, it’s not going to change that. But if your toddler is generally a good sleeper, introducing an okay to wake clock can have a myriad of benefits.

Your toddler can learn to stay in bed longer and sleep later

This is definitely the number one reason I recommend using a sleep trainer clock with my clients. If your toddler is waking earlier in the morning than you’d like, an okay to wake clock can not only help your little one stay in bed until you’re ready for him to get up, it can actually help him sleep longer.

Setting clear expectations around what to do if he wakes up before the clock is showing morning means encouraging him to lay quietly in bed at that time. And if he’s laying quietly in bed and his body hasn’t had enough sleep during the night, there’s a good chance he’ll actually fall back to sleep and get more of the rest he needs.

If your toddler won’t nap without a battle, an okay to wake clock can help

Some kiddos are ready to drop that last nap right around 2.5-3 years old, but there are many who aren’t. That said, it’s not uncommon for your toddler to go through a phase of protesting her nap around the age of 2-3. A sleep trainer clock can be a great support for her in this situation. Choose a colour for naptime (or involve her in choosing the colour), make turning it on part of your routine, and keep the same expectations you have at nighttime for naptime. Be consistent with this, and it can be a useful tool for getting you through a stage of nap protest when you know your toddler still needs that sleep during the day.

A sleep trainer clock can help when implementing toddler quiet time

If your toddler is ready to drop his nap, I always recommend implementing quiet time right around the same time she was napping. Decide on where you want quiet time to happen, what activities will be on offer, and how long you’d like it to be. Start off with a short period of time and build up to a longer interval. Involve your toddler in choosing a colour on the okay to wake clock, and share that quiet time will last until the colour changes. This eliminates the need for those “how much longer?” questions and sets your toddler up for success.

An okay to wake clock helps keep your toddler’s bedtime routine on track.

Many families I work with use a sleep to wake clock to help with their toddler’s bedtime routine, and the most common way is to set your clock in three stages or colours. The first colour to signify the first part of your bedtime routine (this might be a bath, brushing teeth, last visit to the toilet, clean diaper, cream, clean PJs, etc), a second colour for the second part of your routine (maybe a story, song, prayer, or cuddle), and the third colour to let your little one know it’s time to snuggle down and go to sleep.

If you think this might be helpful for your baby, it’s important to set out your expectations in advance and stick to them. Being consistent with boundaries and routines is one way we can help our toddlers to feel safe and secure at bedtime.

A sleep to wake clock can act as a night light for a toddler afraid of the dark

I always encourage complete darkness for sleep, but sometimes older toddlers can develop a fear of the dark. This usually isn’t an issue for younger babes, but if your toddler has expressed anxiety or fear in the dark, a sleep trainer clock can be a reassuring light during the night. Set your clock to red, and choose the very dimmest setting during the night. This will have the least effect on the secretion of melatonin, that hormone that makes us drowsy and helps us sleep.

Next steps

If you’re the parent of a toddler who is all of a sudden ready for the day at 5.30am, I’ve been in your shoes. I know what it’s like to wonder what went wrong with your little one who was a star sleeper waking happily at 7am for the longest time. I know what it’s like going to bed at night feeling anxious about how early your babe is going to wake and how you’ll survive the day on such little sleep.

A sleep to wake clock is a fantastic tool for those toddlers who have previously been sleeping well. If your little one is able to get to sleep independently, generally naps well or has quiet time in place, and typically wakes up at a reasonable time in the morning, BUT has experienced a sudden shift in any of these areas, a sleep trainer clock can be a huge part of the solution.

I want to be ultra clear: an okay to wake clock will not solve complex sleep struggles.

It will not stop multiple nighttime wakings.

It will not teach your toddler how to fall asleep without you laying beside him.

It will not fix the daily bedtime battles.

For those things, your little one will do best with the opportunity to develop independent sleep skills in a safe, secure environment, an age-appropriate schedule, and tools to create connection and reassurance with you. And that part, I can help you with. If this sounds like your toddler, I’d love to chat with you about how you can make some positive changes around your babe’s sleep.

Book your free, zero-obligation Hello Call today to find out more.

FAQs about how to get your toddler to sleep later using an okay to wake clock

The sleep to wake clocks are outside my budget. Is there an alternative?

Yes! If your toddler is able to identify numbers 1-10, you can use a simple digital clock in place of a sleep to wake clock. Look for a plain digital clock that has numbers glowing red.

Cover the minutes display with a piece of tape so that only the hours are showing. Explain to your toddler that morning is when he sees “6” (if you want your morning minimum to be 6am) or “7” (if you’re aiming for 7am) on the clock and follow the same process for introducing a sleep to wake clock. If he sees any number other than what you’ve set, it’s still time to lay quietly in bed.

Will an okay to wake clock stop early morning wakings?

Introducing a sleep to wake clock is not an easy fix for kiddos who struggle with sleep in general. If your little one has previously been sleeping well at night and you’ve noticed a sudden change, a sleep trainer clock can be an excellent tool for extending those early mornings. There are also lots of other tools you can use to solve early morning wakings for your toddler.

At what age should I start to use an okay to wake clock?

Most toddlers are capable of using a sleep to wake clock with success from approximately 2.5 years old. Prior to this, most kiddos are not developmentally ready to understand the norms and expectations you set around a clock. You know your toddler best; if you feel he’s not quite ready for a sleep to wake clock, wait a few weeks and try a different solution in the meantime.

What is the best okay to wake clock?

We love the Hatch Rest in our family - you can choose any colour you like, you can control it from an app, and it’s easy to program for multiple times of the day. It also has a built in white noise machine. I also recommend Little Hippo Mella and Mirari OK to Wake!.

Regardless of which clock you choose, look for one that can be red, orange, or yellow at night as opposed to blue, green, or white. Those colours can be disruptive to the release of melatonin, our body’s hormone that helps us sleep. My best advice? Do your research, decide on your price point, and read the reviews.

What colour should I use on my okay to wake clock?

If you choose to have a colour on at night, go for either red, yellow, or orange. These colours have the least effect on the secretion of melatonin, that hormone that makes us drowsy. Avoid any other colours during the night, but choose any colour you or your toddler like for the morning!

How to Get Your Toddler to Sleep Later Using an Okay-to-Wake Clock