This is not medical advice. Check with your pediatrician.
How this jet lag calculator works
The calculator compares your home and destination IANA time zones on the travel date, including daylight saving. It then moves bedtime and wake time toward destination time in small steps. The youngest child sets the step size: 15 minutes for babies under one, 20 minutes for toddlers, 30 minutes for preschool and school-age kids, and 45 minutes for teens.
Eastbound trips ask for a slightly earlier bedtime. Westbound trips ask for a slightly later one. If the raw gap is more than 12 hours, the plan uses the shorter clock path so you are not shifting almost a full day the long way.
A few days before you fly
Start the shift at home when the gap is more than about an hour. Keep the usual wind-down: dim lights, the same bath or story, the same comfort item. Do not skip meals or force a huge jump on night one. The plan spreads the change across a few days before you leave and a few days after you land.
Pair the sleep plan with the rest of the weekend. A nap-first outline for young children lives in how to plan a weekend trip with a toddler, and a reusable bag list is in the family weekend packing list.
Light, naps and the first night
Light is a cue, not a treatment. Morning daylight helps an earlier clock (east). A little evening light helps a later clock (west). Dim the hour before the new bedtime, and keep screens out of that window when you can.
Naps depend on age. Babies keep their usual pattern as far as the day allows. Toddlers and preschoolers often still need one daytime sleep: place it earlier, not later. School-age kids usually do better without a late catch-up nap. On the plane, set watches to destination time when you board, and aim for the destination night as the main sleep.
What this is not
This is not medical advice. Check with your pediatrician.
It does not store family details, and it does not replace a clinician if your child has a sleep disorder, is unwell, or you are unsure. Use your child's usual times, and stop a shift that is clearly making the night worse.
Questions
How does this kids jet lag calculator work?
It reads the IANA time zones you pick, including daylight saving on the travel date, then steps bedtime and wake time toward destination time. Steps stay small and follow the youngest child's age band. Light and nap tips change with age and whether you are flying east or west.
How do I help with toddler jet lag?
Toddler jet lag is often about protecting one daytime nap and moving bedtime in small steps. Keep the nap earlier rather than later so it does not push bedtime back. Keep the usual wind-down, and give the first mornings at the destination a few days to settle. This is general advice, not a plan for every toddler.
What should we do about baby jet lag?
Baby jet lag is usually gentler when you keep the usual feed and nap pattern as far as the day allows. Shift in small steps rather than one big jump. Dark, quiet naps still help night sleep. If you are unsure, check with your pediatrician. This is general advice, not a feeding or sleep-training plan.
How long does jet lag last for kids?
How long jet lag lasts for kids depends on the clock gap, the child's age, and how much sleep they get on the way. Many families feel off for a few days after landing, then settle. There is no single number that fits every child. Keep stepping toward destination time, and talk to your pediatrician if nights stay hard.
What are tips for flying east vs west with kids?
Tips for flying east vs west: eastbound trips ask for an earlier bedtime, so morning daylight and dim evenings help. Westbound trips ask for a later bedtime, so a little evening light is fine and you can let morning light wait. Most families find flying west gentler. Keep steps small either way.
How many days before a trip should we start shifting bedtime?
For a one or two hour gap, one or two days is usually enough. For a longer gap, start up to four days before, then keep stepping after you land. You do not need to finish the whole shift before the flight.
Should we keep naps on destination time?
Younger children often still need a daytime nap. Keep it earlier rather than later so it does not push bedtime back. School-age kids usually do better if late catch-up naps are skipped. This is general advice, not a rule for every child.
Is this medical advice?
This is not medical advice. Check with your pediatrician.
Do I need an account?
No. The calculator runs in your browser. Nothing is saved to an account. You can print the plan or copy it into your notes.