10 Top Tips for Siblings Sharing a Room

Sarah Patel
Nov 6, 2023
3 min read

Updated: Oct 18

When my daughter Ivy was 3 and my son George was 18 months old, we decided to have them share a bedroom. Ivy had started saying she felt scared and lonely at night. After talking to both of them, they were excited about the idea, so we moved George’s cot into Ivy’s room.

Three years later, they are still happily sharing a bedroom!

Many parents worry that siblings sharing a room will lead to more night wakings or bedtime battles. In our experience, the opposite happened — Ivy stopped feeling lonely, and while bedtime was a little more lively at first, within a week they were both settling easily.

Here are my top tips for a smooth transition:

two young children sharing a bedroom and sleeping at night

1. Time It Right

Plan the transition when both children are getting along, and avoid periods of illness, teething, sleep regressions, potty training, or other big changes. This makes the move easier and less stressful.

2. Familiarise Them With the New Room

Let the children play in the bedroom with the new bed or cot during the day. This reduces excitement at bedtime and helps them feel comfortable in their shared space.

3. Talk to Your Eldest

Explain the move to your older child and share your bedtime and nap expectations. Being clear helps them feel included and understand what’s coming.

4. Start With Daytime Naps

Have the younger child take their nap in the new room first. This helps them adjust gradually before tackling overnight sleep.

5. Role Play Nap Time Together

If both children nap during the day, role play nap routines so they know what to expect. In my experience, Ivy and George napped together with about 90 minutes of overlap — and when Ivy dropped her nap, we would pretend we were all napping so George still got his rest.

6. Set Expectations for Night Wakings

Let both children know that if one wakes, you will come to comfort them, and the other can go back to sleep. This reduces anxiety and helps maintain a calm sleep environment.

7. Pre-Empt Sleep Preferences

Plan for differences like nightlight vs darkness. For example, if one child prefers darkness and the other wants light, eye masks or small nightlights can help both sleep peacefully.

8. Use White Noise

White noise is very effective for masking night wakings. It can help if one child wakes early or if there’s any disruption during the night.. Check out my do's and don'ts for white noise here.

9. Respect Each Child’s Sleep Needs

Honour differences in sleep routines. Sometimes this means having two bedtimes or letting one child wind down while the other sleeps.

For example, George didn’t need to go to bed as early as Ivy. I would sit with Ivy until she fell asleep while George played quietly, then he would get into bed once he was ready. He knew I was there if he needed me, but most of the time he settled independently.