Calming Bedtime Games For Toddlers
As parents, we know that winding down at the end of the day can be challenging, especially after a busy day filled with activities and excitement.
Establishing a good bedtime routine is essential for young children, helping them transition from the hustle and bustle of the day to a peaceful night’s sleep.
Bedtime games can be a fun way to make this transition smoother and create a bonding experience for the whole family.
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![A young child engaged in a fun and calming bedtime activity, helping to wind down before sleep.](https://tiredmomsupermom.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/06/bi5NDTwXS2arL6VD66uayg-1024x576.jpg)
Toddler Bedtime Games
Here are some engaging and calming activities to incorporate into your child’s bedtime routine.
Sensory Play
![A parent reading a soothing bedtime story to a toddler, creating a calming bedtime atmosphere.](https://tiredmomsupermom.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/06/calm-down-jars-1024x576.jpg)
Sensory play is one of the most effective calming activities for toddlers. It helps focus their energy and prepare them for bed.
Consider using pipe cleaners for creative and gentle tactile activities. These can be shaped into different forms, providing a relaxing activity that also stimulates their imagination.
Hand shadow play in dim light is another sensory game that can captivate your child’s attention while keeping the environment calm.
Sensory Play Ideas
- 1. Calm Down Jars
- Create a calm down jar with water, glitter, and a bit of glue. When shaken, the glitter swirls around, mesmerizing and soothing your child as they watch it settle. This can help them relax and focus.
- 2. Soft Play Dough
- Make or buy soft, non-toxic play dough. Let your child squish, roll, and shape it with their hands. The tactile experience can be very calming and helps them unwind.
- 3. Gentle Water Play
- Fill a small basin with lukewarm water and add a few floating toys. Allow your child to gently splash and play with the toys. The sensation of the water can be very soothing.
- 4. Lavender Scented Rice Bin
- Fill a small bin with rice and a few drops of lavender essential oil. Add small toys or scoops. The calming scent and tactile experience can help your child relax.
- 5. Soft Textures Box
- Create a box filled with various soft textures, like plush fabrics, cotton balls, and feathers. Let your child explore the different textures with their hands, which can be very soothing.
- 6. Sand Art
- Provide a small tray of kinetic sand and let your child create designs or simply enjoy the sensation of running their fingers through it. Kinetic sand is easy to mold and calming to play with.
- 7. Glow Stick Sensory Bottles
- Fill clear plastic bottles with water, glow sticks, and a few small objects. Shaking and watching the glowing objects move can be a mesmerizing and calming activity.
- 8. Quiet Sensory Bottles
- Create sensory bottles with items like beads, buttons, and small toys. Let your child shake and explore the bottles. The quiet sounds and visual stimulation can be very calming.
- 9. Feather Blowing
- Provide a few lightweight feathers and encourage your child to blow them gently into the air. Watching the feathers float down slowly can be relaxing and helps with deep breathing.
- 10. Soft Music and Light Show
- Play soft, calming music and use a light projector to display gentle, moving lights on the ceiling. Your child can lie down and watch the lights while listening to the music, creating a peaceful environment for winding down.
Bedtime Stories and Audio Books
![A parent reading a soothing bedtime story to a toddler, creating a calming bedtime atmosphere.](https://tiredmomsupermom.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/06/betime-audiobook-1024x576.jpg)
Reading bedtime stories is a classic bedtime ritual that never goes out of style. Choose age-appropriate books or your child’s favorite books to make this time special.
If you have a busy evening, audio books in low volumes can be a great alternative. They allow your child to relax and listen to a soothing story, perfect for a calming activity before sleep.
Bedtime story and Audiobooks Ideas
- “Goodnight Moon” by Margaret Wise Brown A classic bedtime story about a bunny saying goodnight to everything in the room.
- “Guess How Much I Love You” by Sam McBratney A heartwarming tale of a young bunny and his father’s love for each other.
- “The Very Hungry Caterpillar” by Eric Carle A beautifully illustrated story about a caterpillar’s journey to becoming a butterfly.
- “Brown Bear, Brown Bear, What Do You See?” by Bill Martin Jr. and Eric Carle A rhythmic, repetitive tale perfect for calming little ones before bed.
- “Goodnight, Goodnight, Construction Site” by Sherri Duskey Rinker A story about construction vehicles getting ready to rest for the night.
- “The Going to Bed Book” by Sandra Boynton A delightful book about animals getting ready for bed on a boat.
- “Llama Llama Red Pajama” by Anna Dewdney A rhyming story about Llama Llama feeling anxious at bedtime.
- “The Tale of Peter Rabbit” by Beatrix Potter The adventurous and classic story of Peter Rabbit in Mr. McGregor’s garden.
- “Where the Wild Things Are” by Maurice Sendak A fantastical story of Max and his adventures with the Wild Things.
- “Room on the Broom” by Julia Donaldson A rhyming story of a witch and her cat who make room for other animals on their broomstick.
Role Play and Pretend Play
![A parent reading a soothing bedtime story to a toddler, creating a calming bedtime atmosphere.](https://tiredmomsupermom.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/06/toddler-playing-tea-party-pretend-game-before-bed-1024x576.jpg)
Incorporating role play or creating a pretend play area can be a delightful and calming activity.
Young children love to imitate family members or characters from their favorite bedtime stories.
This can help them expend any excess energy in a controlled, imaginative way. Setting up a pretend play area in the child’s bedroom with stuffed animals or a cuddly toy can enhance this experience.
Pretend Play Ideas
- 1. Teddy Bear Tea Party
- Set up a small table with pretend tea cups and snacks. Have your child invite their favorite stuffed animals to join them for a tea party. They can pour “tea” and serve “cookies,” engaging in polite conversation with their plush friends.
- 2. Bedtime Story Theater
- Encourage your child to act out their favorite bedtime story with their toys. They can dress up as characters or use puppets to bring the story to life. This helps them engage with the story in a calming and imaginative way.
- 3. Stuffed Animal Sleepover
- Create a sleepover scenario for the stuffed animals. Your child can tuck them into mini beds, read them stories, and say goodnight. This helps them practice their bedtime routine in a fun and comforting way.
- 4. Doctor’s Office
- Set up a pretend doctor’s office where your child can give check-ups to their stuffed animals or dolls. They can listen to heartbeats, bandage “injuries,” and ensure everyone is healthy and ready for bed.
- 5. Little Chef
- Create a pretend kitchen area where your child can “cook” bedtime snacks for their toys. Use toy kitchen sets or real kitchen utensils for a more authentic experience. This can help them wind down by engaging in a familiar routine.
- 6. Royal Bedtime
- Pretend to be royalty getting ready for bed. Your child can be a prince or princess, with their stuffed animals as royal attendants. They can perform bedtime rituals like brushing hair, putting on pajamas, and having a bedtime story read to them.
- 7. Campfire Stories
- Set up a pretend campfire with pillows and blankets in the bedroom. Your child can sit around the “campfire” with their toys and tell or listen to calming bedtime stories. This can create a cozy and relaxing atmosphere.
- 8. Pirate Ship Adventure
- Turn the bed into a pirate ship, and pretend they are sailing to a peaceful island where everyone goes to sleep under the stars. They can give orders to their stuffed animal crew and ensure everyone is safe and sound before bedtime.
- 9. Zoo Keeper
- Have your child pretend to be a zoo keeper taking care of the animals before bedtime. They can feed, groom, and tuck in their stuffed animals, ensuring they are comfortable and ready to sleep.
- 10. Magical Garden
- Create a pretend garden with blankets and pillows, where your child can be a gardener tending to magical plants and animals. They can water the plants, talk to the animals, and then prepare everyone for a restful night’s sleep.
Calming Activities and Essential Oils
![A parent reading a soothing bedtime story to a toddler, creating a calming bedtime atmosphere.](https://tiredmomsupermom.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/06/image-of-diffuser-in-toddler-bedroom-for-nighttime-calming-oils-1024x576.jpg)
Introducing calming activities like sensory play can be complemented by the use of essential oils.
A few drops of lavender or chamomile oil in a diffuser can create a relaxing atmosphere in the child’s room.
These oils are known for their calming properties and can be part of a good bedtime routine.
Fun and Educational Games
![A toddler playing a gentle, calming game before bed, part of a soothing bedtime routine.](https://tiredmomsupermom.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/06/puzzles-before-bed-1024x576.jpg)
Evening routines can include fun games that are also educational. Simple board games or free games that do not overstimulate can be great options.
Simon Says” or a scavenger hunt around the child’s bedroom can be both fun and settling, helping to channel any remaining energy into a structured activity.
Games Ideas
- 1. Snug as a Bug in a Rug
- A cooperative game where players work together to get all the colorful bugs under the rug before the 3 stink bugs come out. It’s simple, soothing, and encourages teamwork.
- 2. Peaceable Kingdom’s Sweet Dreams Game
- A gentle and cooperative bedtime-themed board game where players help friendly creatures get ready for bed. The calming theme and cooperative play make it a great pre-bedtime activity.
- 3. The Ladybug Game
- A charming and educational game that involves helping ladybugs find their way home. The simple gameplay and friendly competition make it a relaxing activity.
- 4. Hoot Owl Hoot!
- A cooperative game where players help owls fly back to their nest before the sun rises. The game encourages teamwork and has a calm, nature-themed storyline.
- 5. Calm Mind
- A mindfulness game that includes various activities and exercises to help children relax, breathe deeply, and focus on positive thoughts before bed.
- 6. Starlight Slumber
- A storytelling game where children draw cards with prompts to create a soothing bedtime story together. The collaborative storytelling can be very calming and a nice transition to sleep.
- 7. Tummy Time Play
- For younger kids, a gentle tummy time activity with soft toys and sensory mats can be very calming. The gentle movements and tactile experiences help them wind down.
- 8. Puzzle Time
- Simple and age-appropriate puzzles can be a relaxing activity. The focus required for completing a puzzle helps quiet the mind and is a perfect calming activity before bed.
- 9. Coloring Books
- Provide coloring books with calming themes, such as nature or animals. Coloring can be a very soothing activity that helps children relax and transition to bedtime.
- 10. Zen Garden
- Create a small tabletop Zen garden with sand, small rocks, and a miniature rake. Let your child gently rake patterns in the sand. The repetitive and mindful action is very calming.
Bedtime Rituals and Quiet Time
![A collection of calming bedtime tea, healthy snacks, and bedtime stories, offering parenting advice for a peaceful nighttime routine.](https://tiredmomsupermom.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/01/xWhen-Do-Kids-Start-Playing-With-Toys-In-The-Bath-1024x587.png.pagespeed.ic.UlpX2xBS6D.jpg)
Establishing consistent bedtime rituals is crucial for younger children.
These rituals can include quiet time activities such as looking through a family photo album, which can be a soothing way to end the day while spending quality time together.
Other calming activities could be singing bedtime songs or engaging in silly games that are light-hearted and not too stimulating.
Bath Time and Bedtime Snacks
![A plate of healthy bedtime snacks for toddlers, perfect for a peaceful bedtime routine.](https://tiredmomsupermom.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/10/Healthy-Snacks-For-Kids-1024x576.jpg)
A warm bath can be a wonderful relaxing activity, preparing your child for bed.
Following bath time with a light, healthy bedtime snack can also be a part of the nighttime routine.
Avoiding heavy or sugary snacks is essential to prevent any sleep problems.
Bottom Line
Creating a structured, yet flexible bedtime routine filled with calming activities and fun games can make bedtime a cherished part of your child’s day.
By incorporating sensory play, bedtime stories, and other gentle activities, you can ensure an easier bedtime for your toddler and sweet dreams for everyone.
Remember, the goal is to create a relaxing environment that helps your child wind down and feel secure as they drift off to sleep.
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