What makes a good bedtime story for kids?

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A good bedtime story for kids is fun, magical and a little bit silly. If your kids are still young enough to enjoy pictures, the more dreamy and beautiful, the better. Does the story keep them engaged without getting them too hyped up? Is it something you are genuinely enjoying too? If so, you know you are onto a winner. 

As parents and caregivers, we all know how challenging bedtimes can be. While they might look like frickin’ angels in their fleecy pyjamas, be warned. Beneath that sheep-like exterior is a wolf that’s about to have an almighty tantrum unless you fall in line. If you find yourself committing to an increasingly elaborate bedtime routine night after night, you are not alone. Perhaps yours involves making up agonisingly long songs that include the names of all your relatives , or organising their 8 million teddies in exactly the right positions, lest you be condemned to hell for all eternity. Or perhaps yours has somehow ended up with you and your partner pretending to sizzle like sausages in a pan on the bedroom floor, in a bizarre skit that you know that you definitely got yourself into - but now it’s six months later, 8.45pm and you are convulsing on a cold carpet wondering how the hell you ended up in this madness.*

However, one part of the bedtime routine that can actually be quite nice, is when you snuggle up together to read a bedtime story. Just picture the scene; they are warm and sleepy, gently resting against you as you turn the pages of a beautifully illustrated, perfectly silly, marvellously magical picture book, or dive into the next chapter of the rip-roaring, brilliantly executed adventure story. It's precious time, sacred time, and it's well worth remembering that in the blink of an eye they'll be fifteen and being permitted across the threshold of their room will feel like a VIP event, and sleepy bedtime cuddles will be a thing of the past.

With research showing that bedtime routines including reading, singing or storytelling improve cognitive development and sleep duration, taking the time to get cosy and read a bedtime story seems like kind of a no-brainer. A clever kid who sleeps for 10 hours a night - who doesn’t want to be the deliciously smug parent of that child?  I know I do.

But what is that secret sauce that actually makes a good bedtime story for kids? This can depend on many factors of course - their age, what they're into, whether your dinner is currently overcooking and you only have two minutes to spare before there is a real danger your house might catch on fire. However, despite these variables some components to a good kids bedtime story remain pretty much universal throughout.  Let's find out what they are.

When it comes to what makes a good bedtime story for your child, it's worth considering what kinds of things they are currently going through. If they are just starting school, have recently welcomed a new sibling, are having bad dreams or feeling afraid of the dark, there are great children’s books out there that can help them see things from a different perspective. Weaving real-life experiences into a bedtime story makes it instantly engaging and comforting. Whether the main character is a child or a chinchilla, if they are experiencing the same kind of worries and struggles that your child is, this can make them feel less alone.

It is important to note that not all stories have to teach our kids a lesson or have some deep underlying moral that will undoubtedly turn them into exceptionally well-rounded and stable human beings upon reaching adulthood. Some stories can just be about adventure, silliness and fun - making your child feel calm and relaxed before bedtime is the main aim after all - so try to judge the room. If they are being bullied at school they might not want to read a story all about being bullied right before they go to sleep. Rather a lighthearted book about a unicorn that farts rainbows and is on an endless quest for peanut butter and jam sandwiches might be your best bet. 

Talking of unicorns who fart rainbows and are obsessed with peanut butter and jam sandwiches, (hope you appreciate that smooth transition into this next point), the best bedtime stories for kids typically include some silliness and fun. Though this should always be nicely balanced alongside heartwarming wonder that leaves them drifting off to dreamland with a smile. Giggling is good, giddiness is not - so save stories that rely solely on fart-based humour for when the sun’s up and it doesn’t matter if they then crack themselves up repeating the word over and over and over again. 

 If your child is still young enough to be engaged by magical worlds where the impossible becomes possible, keep that going for as long as you can. There will come a time where they will question everything and roll their eyes at anything that’s not firmly based in reality. So enjoy diving into worlds where kids pilot rockets, where forests are full of glitter, where snow-pigs come to life, and everything in between. It doesn’t hurt to get yourself lost in these magical worlds from time to time either - even if it is just for a few minutes.

Studies have shown that how they spend the hour before bedtime can hugely impact a child’s ability to fall asleep and to stay that way. Factors such as a consistent bedtime routine, the chosen activities before bedtime, and parent-child interactions can have positive or negative consequences to sleep patterns. Keeping bedtime stories calm and gentle is a way to connect with your child, to help them wind down, and  to increase feelings of emotional and physical security - both of which, (surprise surprise) are highly conducive to sleep. 

Good bedtime stories for kids should, ultimately, be calming. They can include simple lessons about kindness, courage, and problem-solving, or can be light-hearted and fun (remember no one appreciates a huge life lecture when trying to get some shut-eye - no matter how much you want to impart your wisdom upon them). The key is to find a bedtime story that’s been created with bedtime in mind. Adrenaline-inducing adventure, sibling safaris, and dinosaur discos might be fun, but stories that at least end on a soothing note are going to be your bedtime best friend. The goal is to send your little one off to dreamland feeling safe and loved. A warm, soft-around-the-edges resolution that ties up loose ends is key. Think tender snuggles, a reassuring message, or a promise of exciting adventures to come. What you don’t want to encourage is 10 million questions about what just happened, or them leaping out of bed to charge into battle with a pillowcase on their head.

There is no getting away from the fact that reading a bedtime story to your kids comes with loads of benefits, and making sure you take ten minutes to get comfy and enjoy a restful story together before you expect them to go to sleep can mean you actually make life easier on yourself in the long run. Just think, you could be feet up in front of the TV much sooner than you think!

 If you are looking for the ideal ten-minute bedtime stories for kids we are here to help. Our stories have been crafted soothe your child to sleep, and the best part is that 33% of any profits will be donated to children’s charities - so you can sleep easy too!

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*these are all genuine examples of things that have become part of my own child’s insane bedtime routine.