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Inside: When it comes to how to get kids to sleep, there are a lot of tips that parents try! But one thing that can really make a difference between a chaotic evening and a peaceful bedtime is choosing the right activities for kids to do before going to sleep. Here are some of our favorite activities.
My son was running through the house, screaming and protesting like never before. I was looking at him, and I couldn’t believe that my sweet little boy could act so wildly without any clear reason.
We were already past bedtime, and the chaos continued for 30 more minutes. When he was finally in bed, I felt like I would have just finished a marathon.
I sat on the couch and thought about what happened. Bedtime used to be a peaceful moment after we discovered these very helpful tips. But that week they didn’t seem to work.
So I tried to understand what I did differently. And I couldn’t find anything changed about my approach.
The next evening, as we were close to bedtime, I suddenly realized what was different!
That week I was very busy with a project, and my son’s evening schedule changed. Instead of spending time with me, he played some games on the tablet or watched a DVD with his favorite movie.
At the end of the screen time, he was very agitated and used to run all around the house or jump in the bed. Calming him down and following the bedtime routine was an almost impossible task.
Observing his behavior made me realize how important the activities before bedtime are. They have a huge influence on the child’s state of spirit! And they can play a big role in having either a peaceful or an exhausting bedtime routine.
In the next days, I paid more attention to the activities that we did in the evening. We came back to our screen-free evenings, and we planned some relaxing activities that I knew my son would enjoy.
And the change in his behavior was huge!
Bedtime stopped being a struggle. Our evenings became more peaceful and enjoyable for all of us.
For me, that chaotic and exhausting week was a great lesson. I’ve learned that paying attention to the activities that my child does in the evening is important. And it can make my life a lot easier when bedtime comes.
So I’ve decided to gather here a list of great activities that help kids unwind and relax before bedtime. If you struggle with convincing your child to go to sleep, I’m pretty sure that you’ll love these ideas!
First of all, if you notice that your child is very agitated before bedtime and has a hard time calming down, make sure that they don’t spend time in front of screens with a few hours before going to sleep.
Replace screen time with more relaxing activities, and you’ll certainly see good results.
Here are some activity ideas that work great for us!
Update 2020: I wrote this article 2 years ago, but I decided to update it now because I discovered many new ideas in the meantime, especially during the lockdown, when all our routines were put to a test.
1. A special storytime before bedtime
To make storytime more relaxing, I usually turn off the big lights, and I leave a little light on. This creates a perfect atmosphere for enjoying the books and calming down.
Recently I’ve discovered a nice idea that my son likes a lot: flashlight reading. We cuddle under a blanket and read our favorite books using a flashlight. It’s fun and great for preparing for bedtime!
Bonus idea: Instead of reading books, you can create a special character and tell your child a short story about this character every night. The character can be a girl or a boy of a similar age to your child, an animal that they like, or a superhero with awesome powers. You can use these stories also for addressing different concerns or worries that your child has, in a playful way.
photo credit: Evgeny Atamanenko / shutterstock.com
2. Listening to audiobooks
A good alternative for story time is listening to audiobooks. My son has many audiobooks that he loves, and he listens to them over and over again.
His favorite series right now is “The Magic Treehouse” series.
You can discover a lot of great audiobooks using a free Amazon Audible trial. During the trial, you’ll be able to listen to many audiobooks and find out what your child likes the most.
You can check out some of the audiobooks you can try during the free trial here.
3. Listening to relaxing music
This is a perfect way to relax before bedtime!
You can create a playlist including your favorite slow songs, and enjoy them with your child!
Classical music is also a very good choice! And it will also be a good opportunity for your child to discover different rhythms and sounds.
photo credit: Evgeny Atamanenko / shutterstock.com
4. Watch the stars and connect
This is a lovely activity with two big benefits: it will help the kids relax, and allow you to connect with them.
Watching the stars from the bedroom window is not always a choice, but you can try a playful alternative instead. These glow in the dark stars are great for decorating the child’s room. And turning off the light will become much more fun!
If your child’s room is not well lightened before bedtime, these stars might not be a good choice because they will not be able to charge up and glow.
But there is another alternative that you can try: a start light projector. If you prefer an even more child-friendly option, this night light turtle is awesome!
No matter what alternative you choose, watching the stars with your child is a perfect opportunity to talk about their day and make plans for the next day!
You can also use this relaxing time to tell your child a story about your childhood. Kids love to hear stories about their parent’s life, and you’ll enjoy remembering those moments!
5. Invite your child to do relaxing activities before bedtime
The activities that kids do in the evening have a great impact on their mood and their willingness to participate in the bedtime routine.
When kids have the chance to do calming activities in the evening, their bodies relax and are more prepared for bedtime. Also, it’s great to give them the opportunity to unwind after a busy day!
Here are some of the best activities to try with your kids:
- Painting or coloring – This activity is great for helping kids calm down!
photo credit: Dusan Petkovic / shutterstock.com
- Puzzles – They are perfect for helping kids focus on a relaxing activity! And they are a good learning opportunity too!
Here are some of our favorite puzzles:
- Melissa & Doug Solar System Floor Puzzle (especially if your child likes learning about the solar system)
- Wooden Tetris Puzzle (a smart and creative puzzle that encourages problem-solving)
- Glow in the Dark Puzzle (this puzzle adds some fun to the activity because at the end the kids can enjoy the fact that it glows in the dark)
photo credit: FamVeld / shutterstock.com
– Sensory play
This activity can be messy at times, but it’s also one of the most efficient activities when trying to get kids into a calm and positive mood!
And it works great for grown-ups too! I feel really relaxed after playing with kinetic sand of play dough, and I enjoy doing these activities with my son!
You can create a lot of different sensory bins for your kids using items that you have in the house, like rice, pasta, or dough.
If you prefer a ready-to-play solution, here are some ideas that kids love:
- kinetic sand – This is so fun and relaxing that I also play with it all the time!
- play foam – Using play foam is a good way to prevent mess and still let the kids explore and be creative.
- play dough
- liquid motion bubblers – My son discovered these at preschool, and he loves them! I’m still surprised to see how much time he can spend watching them.
6. Journaling
Another great idea that I’ve discovered recently is to invite your child to keep a journal and write (or draw) in it every evening.
This can be a good opportunity for the kids to share their thoughts and feelings. And it’s also a perfect activity to do before bedtime.
We also have two journals that we use together in the evenings: a daily Q&A journal and a gratitude journal.
7. Go for a walk before going to sleep
This activity is both helpful and fun! It will help the children relax, and it will also offer you the chance to connect with your kids after a busy day.
We usually go for a walk in our neighborhood and enjoy the silence on the quiet streets. This walk is also great for me and my husband because we can clear our heads after a tiring day.
This activity doesn’t have to take much of your time! Even a 20-minute walk close to our home after dinner can become a wonderful family tradition!
photo credit: karnavalfoto / shutterstock.com
8. Make bath time more fun and relaxing
Making bath time a fun activity will prevent many power struggles that appear during the bedtime routine.
One way of doing this is by using bath toys that your child likes. But there are also other ways to make bath time more enjoyable and relaxing.
- This Epsom salt is great for helping your child relax.
- Preparing a bubble bath is always fun and easy to do!
- These Bath Dropz are one of my son’s favorite things for bath time! They color the water and make bath time more fun!
I hope that you enjoyed these ideas and that they will help you have fewer power struggles and more relaxing moments before bedtime!
If you need more inspiration for making bedtime easier and more peaceful, here are the tips that really made a difference for us: 5 easy tips that will make bedtime easier and more peaceful {+ printable bedtime routine checklist}.
photo credit preview photo: Olga Bogatyrenko / shutterstock.com
