Comments on: Toddler Bedtime Rituals

By: Stacy @ Moderate Means

Stacy @ Moderate Means — Tue, 01 Dec 2009 00:34:10 +0000

No toddlers anymore but I just wanted to add that calm down time and regular routines aren’t limited to the early years :) Mine are 6 and 7 and we still have energy time, chill out time and then bedtime. Of course, mine put themselves now – woohoo! – so our routine is a lot quicker.

We used to do a book at bedtime but never had an ‘every night’ book – I liked the variety of pulling something off the bookshelf.

However, my kids still request a singing of the mockingbird lullaby (“Hush little baby, don’t say a word, Momma’s gonna buy you a mockingbird…” every week or so. And when they aren’t feeling well, they love to hear it as they rest on the couch.

By: Heather

Heather — Sun, 29 Nov 2009 21:13:57 +0000

You know, I have “Goodnight Moon” totally memorized and haven’t used the book in forever? lol Also “Zoophabet”.

Sounds like a nice, relaxing routine. However, some children are the opposite and struggle at bedtime if they don’t get a big burnoff right beforehand. That would be Lilly. If she’s peaceful and calm for an hour before bed, going to bed is going to be like going to a trampoline, lol. Lots of toddlers are like that, too. Of course, the routine can simply have hard play as a part of it instead of wind down time.

By: Katje Sabin

Katje Sabin — Sun, 29 Nov 2009 17:57:41 +0000

“Grandfather Twilight” and “The Little Fur Family” are two of my favorites.

By: Jessica

Jessica — Sun, 29 Nov 2009 16:33:32 +0000

London is so great at bedtimes that we just say it’s time for bed, brush his teeth and tuck him in and he is out. Often we will read stories, but most of the time he crashes out too fast!

By: Tonia

Tonia — Sun, 29 Nov 2009 15:46:05 +0000

We mainly do couch quiet time. About an hour before bed, we turn all the lights down and we either play with her quiet toys quietly while sitting on the couch or watch a quiet show. Then we go up to bed, depending on the time I either hum a song or we read a story. I am actually not sure what the book I read is called, but it has 6 stories in it and she gets to pick one. She picked it a long time ago, and it’s what she always asks for at bedtime.