Explore relaxing bedtime activities that can make evening routines with children smoother and more enjoyable. Discover ways to foster connection and calm as your child unwinds at the end of the day. With these fun and soothing bedtime ideas, your kids can ease into sleep without resistance.
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Imagine this: snug pajamas with tiny toes peeking out, reading tales filled with adventure, and cuddling under warm blankets. Sounds perfect, doesn’t it?
Yet, many nights, putting kids to bed feels more like a nightmare than a pleasant story.
Why, you ask? Well, by the end of the day, I’m completely exhausted, and keeping my eyes open past 7:30 pm feels like a monumental task after a day full of zipping snow pants, tidying up the kitchen (again), and giving piggyback rides to my 60-pound children.
Finally, the moment of truth arrives: bedtime. It’s that last transition of the night, and once it’s done, peace reigns—for a few hours at least. My internal mantra echoes the Little Engine that Could: “I think I can, I think I can…” But then, reality hits—getting through without yelling and losing my patience? Not so easy.
Despite my efforts to create a great day for my family, fraught with energy spent managing my spirited child, ending on a sour note feels like such a waste. I realize that these pre-bedtime interactions resonate with my children throughout the night and possibly into the next day. The end of the day offers a precious opportunity to connect with them. Still, getting kids to actually listen at bedtime remains a challenge.
When I considered why bedtime becomes so stressful with children, it dawned on me: I’m not the only one who’s tired.
When I call out, “Kids, it’s time to stop playing and head up to bed!” I’m greeted with silence. They’ve spent all day listening, learning, and playing, so more instructions feel like too much to handle. Honestly, they’re just like me when I finally get to relax—my kids aren’t eager to end their downtime either.
I understand, I really do—but I also know that a good night’s sleep greatly influences a child’s behavior and mood. So, how can I motivate them to embrace the bedtime routine and actually listen, while honoring their need for relaxation?
More importantly, how can I end the night with positivity and love rather than frustration and guilt?
We acknowledge that a close relationship with our children is the most effective and healthiest way to encourage cooperation. Human connection is a fundamental need. Many don’t realize that bedtime can cause anxiety in children, marking the longest stretch away from their caregiver all day. After a busy day, if children haven’t felt connected enough, their stress might increase.
Play is a major stress reliever for children and serves as their primary mode of communication. It brings joy, creativity, and laughter with its own calming benefits, including being one of the best strategies to ease kids’ nerves.
Realizing I’d been approaching it wrong, I decided to swap ‘marching orders’ for some foolproof strategies centered around fun, creativity, and connection. These activities help make bedtime smoother and reduce children’s anxiety.
Since I know you’re likely just as tired and possibly as uncreative as I am by evening, here’s a list of bedtime routines and activities to guide you toward a more peaceful bedtime with your child:
#### Activities to Ease Bedtime
1. Pick each other’s pajamas and change together.
2. Have a tooth-brushing party with music and dancing.
3. Share five things you love about each other.
4. Create a bedtime story featuring a family member and let your child guess who it is.
5. Try a wheelbarrow walk (you hold their ankles while they move on their hands).
6. Play ‘Simon Says’ throughout the routine.
7. Implement a ‘sing only’ rule.
8. Read a story using funny voices.
9. Invent your own knock-knock jokes.
10. Communicate with gestures and hand signals only.
11. Pick out the silliest pajamas you can find.
12. Try having the most serious bedtime—no laughing!
13. Take on a quick challenge with the Bedtime Adventure Challenge Book. It’s a great tool for bonding and fun.
14. Walk backward everywhere.
15. Put on your child’s pajamas while they pretend to be a ‘deadweight.’
…and many more!
Ending the day on a positive note with these activities caters to children’s need for connection and play, making bedtime easier for everyone. It also strengthens your bond, enabling you to tuck a happy and content child into bed, just in time to relax yourself. That’s a bedtime win-win.
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**P.S.** – Get a free printable list of calming strategies, making bedtime even simpler!
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#### About Angela Pruess, LMFT
Hello! I’m Angela, a Licensed Children’s Mental Health Professional and Positive Parenting coach, as well as a mom to spirited kids who challenge and inspire me daily. I believe every child deserves the best life, with emotional health as the key to lifelong success and happiness. Learn more about me and the Parents with Confidence mission.
