Stories at bedtime provide an excellent way to end the day. You get quiet(er) one-on-one time with your little ones. The routine of always winding down with stories will help ease the transition to bed. And you're even sneaking in more time for early literacy skills.
If you're looking for an idea to mix things up a little, try a story train. Have your child place a book in several locations in your home - on your bed, in the bathroom, on the sofa - wherever! Then start the story train - pick the first station and read that book together. Then have your child drive the "train" to the next station and curl up to read the next book. I find it helps to always make the last station your child's bed - then when they bring the train to the last station, you're in just the right spot.
Here are some of my favorite bedtime books that maybe you can add to your story train. Check and see if you can get these at your local library!
Roar of a Snore by Marsha Diane Arnold (ages 3-6)
What in the world is causing that roar of a snore at the Huffle house? The repetitive, rhyming text bounces from page to page as the whole family is awakened and joins the midnight search.
In a Blue Room by Jim Averbeck (ages 3-5)
At the end of the day, this springy little girl requires everything to be blue before she could possibly fall asleep. Her patient mom guides her through the routine until, at last, that wave of blue light befalls the whole room once the sun has finally set.
* A Cozy Up and Read All Time Favorite
Mitchell's License by Hallie Durand (ages 3-6)
This young driver is hilarious as he learns all the intricate workings of his "vehicle" and this dad is a good sport - although when the time is right, the dad-car drives his son right off to bed.
Sleepy, Oh So Sleepy by Denise Fleming (ages 1-4)
In this sleepy time story, readers send off several animal babies to dreamland - a panda, an ostrich, a lion, a human baby and more - with the comforting refrain of "sleepy, oh so sleepy".
Hide and Squeak by Heather Vogel Frederick (ages 2-5)
This playful baby mouse and dad mouse make a hide-and-seek game of bedtime - something that might be fun to try!
Peekaboo Bedtime by Rachel Isadora (ages 1-3)
The busy toddler in this bedtime book pops and peeks from all over the house while going through the evening routine that will be so familiar to the youngest readers.
Tell Me the Day Backwards by Albert Lamb (ages 4-6)
What better way to end a busy day than be recreating all the dramatic details from end to start? There is no arguing the soft, coziness of this story - it begs for a cuddle-fest.
Stars by Mary Lyn Ray (ages 3-6)
Ray beckons the reader to think about all the places in the world that we might find stars - in gardens, in our pockets, in the sky. Marla Frazee's illustrative style and detail is the perfect complement.
Dinosaur vs. Bedtime by Bob Shea (ages 2-5)
Adding dinosaurs to a bedtime story will hit a home run for many preschoolers. And this dinosaur is attacking every aspect of his evening with awesome success, beating the spaghetti, the talking grownups, the slide...but what about bedtime? Can dinosaur beat bedtime?
Bedtime Bunnies by Wendy Watson (ages 2-4)
As this darling bunny family progresses towards bedtime, your little one will recognize the same routines and patterns. Each page is brought to life with short, sound or action words.
* A Cozy Up and Read All Time Favorite
For storytime this week, we took a moment to close our eyes and think about what sounds we had heard that morning. Their responses and observations were terrific - school buses, sirens, mom talking, dad snoring, birds chirping, dogs barking. And discussions ensued as the children called out, "Oh, I heard that, too!" We have so many noises all around us and sometimes we forget to stop and listen. What do you hear this morning? I've got an amazing symphony of birds outside right now - along with constant hum of my fridge, a distant, early morning flight probably heading towards O'Hare, and my dog scratching at the back door to be let inside. And since my family is still asleep, I would have said that this morning was "quiet"...
These are the books that I had at-the-ready to share and think about sound. Check them out from your local library!
Sounds Around Town by Maria Carluccio (ages 2-4)
Spend the day with this toddler's family listening to all the noises from morning until night. Detailed collage illustrations invite lots of sharing and expanding of the text.
Listen, Listen by Phyllis Gershator (ages 3-6)
Alison Jay's illustrations have a unique look - you'll never mistake them for anything else. Her books invite a cuddly lapsit when you can share one-on-one time with your young reader as you pour over the hidden pictures and surprise details. Take a trip through a season of sounds.
Shhh! by Valeri Gorbachev (ages 2-6)
The young preschooler in this story would be every mom's joy - he loves his little brother so much, that he shushes all his noisy, loud toys during nap time. This one is fast becoming an all-time-favorite - the repeating refrain of Shhh! invites young readers to join in and the active illustrations capture preschoolers perfectly.
Polar Bear, Polar Bear What Do You Hear? by Bill Martin, Jr (ages 1-4)
Listen to all the zoo animal sounds in this Bill Martin, Jr classic.
Zin! Zin! Zin! A Violin by Llyod Moss (ages 3-6)
This Caldecott winner combines music, instruments, counting, and beautiful illustrations all into one - enjoy!
Rattletrap Car by Phyllis Root (ages 2-6)
On this too-hot summer day, Papa decides to see if the family jalopy can get them to the lake. Along the way, the car breaks down one part at a time, but with some quick thinking and some sticky chocolate marshmallow fudge delight, they're on their way in now time. Filled with onomatopoeia and great rhythm.
* A Cozy Up and Read All Time Favorite.
