Sharing a Room with a Toddler on Vacation

We always took the pack and play with us. We sat it at the end of the bed and the little ones went right to sleep. They stayed asleep due to us just keeping the TV turned down and not having the brightest lights on.

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You should try the sleepytime herbal tea (it's caffeine free and safe for toddlers). My daughter gets over excited on vacation and doesn't sleep very easily. It didn't matter whether she was in a separate room or with us lol.

Update: Something that worked for me is a lot more physical activity. Plan your trip so that you get there with at least a couple hours to spare so you can just run her around. Play in the grass. Bring a big bouncy ball and throw it to each other. Tire her out and then she will refuse to sleep because kids just get wired on vacation, but she will just pass out probably by 930-10pm because of being tired. That's what worked for me, I just made sure to tire her out before bedtime so she would fall asleep.

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We put the pack n play on the window side of the room and then either drape the curtains over it or rig a sheet from where the curtains hang to make a sort of tent over the pack n play. We also use a sound machine to drown out all the hotel noises. Sometimes we do turn out all the lights until they fall asleep, then we can turn the tv on quitely or a lamp to read books. We have done this a bunch and it works every time!

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We've actually put the pack n play in the closet a few times (left the door open and used a fan to keep it from getting stuffy. It's worked well with both kids. Of course you have to put them to bed first and quietly slip in when you're ready for bed, and hope the fan drowns out your husband's snoring.....but it works. :)

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You cant expect a nearly 2 yr old to leave a blanket on top of a pack n play, if she hears you in the same room so I dont see that working. What you need is something to use as a room divider. I have a large folding carboard cutting board for my sewing that would work. You can make one easily. When you get to the place you are going, go to an appliance store and get a large cardboard box and cut it open and make a room divider. Or you could line up a couple tall backed chairs from the dining room and hang a sheet over them. Set it up between the pack n play and your bed, blocking her view of your bed and the doorway into the room. If you put her to bed first, (Im assuming she needs to go down about 8pm,) then you go to bed hours later and she should be asleep already. Have all your nighttime things out and ready in another room or bathroom, so theres no suitcases opening and closing and tip toe in and be as quiet as possible.

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Can you take her pack n play with you along with her usual bedding. I suggest that having the familiarity of those things will help her go to sleep. Keep the bedtime routine as much the same as possible.

How long will you be on vacation? Why is it you don't want her to see you. You can drape a blanket over her pack n play but she'll still be able to hear you. Without knowing why I can't really tell you how to achieve the no seeing.

Put her down to sleep before you go to bed. If you're not in the room when she's going to sleep or you're just sitting quietly and not interacting with each other or her she'll get the idea and go to sleep. I suggest that not being able to see you but if she can still hear you she'll still want to play.

A lightweight blanket over the pack n play will work as well as a tent. I suggest it'll be better because she'll think a tent is something new to play with.

When I was a girl and we stayed with my aunt and uncle my 3 yo brother slept in the laundry room.

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Been there, done that! We have three kids, and all of them are great sleepers at home, but lousy sleepers everywhere else! We usually bring a dark sheet and some tacks to hang it from the ceiling in a corner, then put the pack & play in there. We've also had to put the baby to bed, then go hang out in the bathroom till he falls asleep (which is not fun!). Our kids are very light sleepers, so we've never been able to watch TV after they fall asleep, which means we get more sleep than usual when we're on vacation - I guess that's the up side!

Good luck!

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I once went on vacation and got zero sleep the first night since my daughter did that same - she kept trying to climb out or cried or just sat and talked to me. I tried having her sleep in the bed with me, which did not work either. By morning I was so worn out and tired, I packed up the car at 5 AM and went back home. My parents who were with me said I should have spoken to them and they could have watched her for the morning while I got some rest, but instead I presented them with the packed car and the cranky announcement that we were driving the hour+ back home. So if all the other advice fails, ask for help. Maybe explain in advance what the problem is, and if you are night owls and in-laws early birds it may help to trade off where the pack and play resides. Eventually she will get so tired that she will sleep, but probably at the most inconvenient time. I wish I had tried sleepy time tea or even baby benadryl, depending on how many nights you have to deal with this. Good luck.

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Even with a room divider she'd be able to hear you and sense you, which would bother my guy more than seeing me, and I don't know how that would affect her. So other than putting her pack n play across the bottom end of your bed with a light blanket across the top, the only thing I can think of is to put her in another room, like the living room or a hallway where it is quiet and no one will be walking around in. And if she wakes and wants to play simply whisper, "It's time to sleep" and quietly get into bed and hopefully she'll return to sleep.

Take her blankets and any security items she uses, and try to keep her bedtime routine as close to the one at home. And be prepared to deal with any possible sleep problems while on vacation or when you return home...it happens.

We travel often so both of our girls are used to strange sleeping locations but since everywhere is different there's always a new challenge. Im typing this response while on vacation in the Florida Keys and in the same room with my 2 1/2 year old daughter sleeping in a pack n play beside the bed. Its a 2 br condo however the bedrooms are super small so navagating around the room without hitting them makes this situation interesting. My 18mo old daugher is in the other bedroom with my MIL, the pack n play fits perfectly inside the closet, thank goodness because there was no room for it in the bedroom. Depending on the size, we use the closet as a quiet spot, move furniture around so that a large chair or sofa is blocking out some of the light and the view. I've even put a large suitcase in front to impair her view. While we have thought about puttting the pack n play in the bathroom when its large enough we have yet to actually do it. Even though the oldest can easily climb out and is now sleeping in a big bed at home, we have found she still likes the coziness when given the chance. I agree with Rebeccca G's response, utilize the closet whenever possible and put them to bed first. Of course find a safe spot away from blinds, cords or anything they can pull down and then treat the temp bed just like you would any other bedtime routine, we always travel with their favorite blankie and wear them out before going to sleep. Turn off as many lights as possible, and if they are used to a sound machine/ or even if not, turn on the bathroom fan to drown out hallway noise. If you are in a traditional hotel room then maybe even put them to sleep, turn off most lights, act like your leaving and hang out in the hallway until they fall asleep.
Good luck and have a great trip!