Explore soothing activities to make bedtime smoother with your kids, and discover ways to strengthen your connection while helping them wind down for the night. These enjoyable bedtime strategies ease your children into a peaceful sleep without resistance.
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### Table of Contents
Picture this: cozy pajamas with tiny toes peeking out, adventurous bedtime stories, and cuddles under warm blankets. Sounds dreamy, right? Yet, why does bedtime sometimes feel like a nightmare instead of a fairy tale?
I think I know the answer. By the time night falls, I’m exhausted to the core.
Come 7:30 pm, my eyes are heavy from a day filled with tasks like zipping up snow pants, tidying the kitchen, and piggyback rides with my children. The final transition awaits—the one that promises peace for a few precious hours.
Bedtime.
I find myself echoing the mantra, “I think I can, I think I can…” But the truth? I can’t do it without the inevitable yelling and nagging.
After putting so much energy into a fun day and raising a spirited child, it feels like a shame to end on a sour note. I know our last interactions before bed linger with my kids through the night, and perhaps into the next day. I also cherish this quiet time to bond, but let’s face it—my kids don’t cooperate at bedtime.
When I pondered why bedtime is so challenging, I realized I’m not the only one who’s tired.
“Kids, it’s time to head to bed!”
*Silence.*
My children have had their own long day of learning and playing. By bedtime, adding more orders is just too much.
They probably feel like I do when I have to drag myself away from relaxation at night. I understand completely, but I also know that plenty of sleep is crucial for a child’s mood and behavior. So, how can I motivate them to join the bedtime routine and actually listen, while respecting their downtime?
More importantly, how can I end the night with positive family connections instead of frustration?
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### Why A Bedtime Connection Matters
The strongest (and healthiest) motivator for children to follow through is their bond with us. Bedtime can be an anxious time for kids as it marks the longest separation from their caregivers each day. If they’ve had little connection throughout a busy day, stress levels might be high as that need hasn’t been met.
Play is a huge stress reliever and a key mode of expression for children. It sparks joy, creativity, and laughter, which are beneficial in their own right.
It became clear I needed new tactics—ones rich with fun, creativity, and connection. Here are some bedtime activities to guide you towards a more peaceful night.
1. Choose pajamas for each other and get dressed at the same time.
2. Have a family tooth brushing party with music and dancing.
3. Share five favorite things about your child with them.
4. Create a bedtime story where your child guesses the family member it’s about.
5. Play ‘wheelbarrow’ during the routine—hold your child’s ankles as they walk on their hands.
6. Use ‘Simon Says’ during the bedtime routine.
7. Have a ‘No talking, only singing’ rule.
8. Read a story in a funny voice.
9. Invent your own knock-knock jokes.
10. Communicate only with gestures and hand signals.
11. Pick out the wackiest pajamas.
12. Try to keep a straight face during bedtime—no laughing.
13. Take on a bedtime challenge book for fun bonding (highly recommended).
14. Walk backward wherever possible.
15. Put on your child’s pajamas while they lay on the floor like a ‘dead weight’.
16. Swap roles with your child and pretend to be each other.
17. See how many stuffed animals can fit in the bed.
18. Pick an animal to imitate throughout the routine.
19. Roleplay as a favorite historical character.
20. Make a pretend ‘YouTube’ video on how to tackle bedtime.
21. Listen to each other’s favorite songs.
22. Help brush each other’s teeth.
23. Race through the routine—parent vs. child.
24. Plan breakfast for the next day.
25. Have a shadow puppet show.
26. Try guided meditation apps like Breathe Kids.
27. Do fun yoga poses together.
28. Use calming essential oils like lavender.
29. Write poems together.
30. Roleplay a team sport while getting ready.
31. Journal together.
32. Complete a puzzle together.
33. Enjoy a board game.
34. Build a LEGO creation collaboratively.
35. Write a song together.
36. Share the day’s ‘roses and thorns.’
37. Pray together.
38. List ten things you’re grateful for.
39. Enjoy a bedtime snack together.
40. Rock and sing to your big kid like a baby.
41. Color in a calming book together.
45. Have a relaxing tea time.
46. Do a calming body scan.
47. Finger knit something pretty.
48. Listen to an audiobook.
49. Give each other massages.
50. Style each other’s hair.
51. Set out clothes for the next day.
52. Put up glow stars and make a wish.
53. Share cherished memories.
54. List all the feelings you experienced today.
55. Make a ‘human burrito’ with cozy blankets.
56. Share a funny childhood story.
57. Flip through a family photo album.
58. Take a loved stuffy through the bedtime routine.
59. Share stories with a flashlight in a circle.
60. Explore your family tree together.
By understanding and addressing our children’s emotional and developmental needs through play and connection, we make bedtime smoother and nurture positive relationships. Tucking in a content child just in time to unwind is the perfect ending to the day.
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### More Bedtime Help
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Welcome! I’m Angela, a Licensed Children’s Mental Health Professional and Positive Parenting Coach. As a mom to spirited kids, I learn and grow daily. I believe every child deserves their best life, and that emotional health is key to happiness and success. Read more about me and the Parents with Confidence manifesto.
