Chair Method (Camping Out)

How the method works

The parent sits on a chair (or lies on a mattress) beside the child's bed until the child falls asleep. Every 2 to 3 nights the chair or mattress is moved a little further from the bed, until the parent is eventually outside the room. The parent can soothe verbally but avoids picking the child up. If the child wakes during the night, the parent returns to the latest position in the process and stays until the child has fallen asleep.

What the research says

There is not much research on the chair method/camping out specifically, but it has some support in Australian research. Hiscock et al.¹ included camping out as part of their sleep training with positive results.² It is generally seen as a milder method that may suit families who prefer more gradual weaning. The evidence is largely based on practical experience of helping families rather than controlled studies.

Potential benefits

• The parent is physically present throughout the process
• Often involves less crying than extinction methods
• Can feel more secure for both child and parent

Challenges

• –Takes longer to implement (often 2 to 3 weeks)
• –May involve uncomfortable nights sleeping on the floor or a mattress
• –Risk that it becomes a new habit rather than a transition