Bedtime is often a hassle when you have small kids. Any parent will tell you the key is to have a bedtime routine. If your bedtime routine includes a nighttime story, then you have probably read the same story every night so often you can recite it by heart.
Goodnight Moon can only hold the attention of a toddler for so long. Don’t get me wrong; it’s an excellent story. Eventually though, your kids are going to lose interest. The question becomes what to read next. With so many storybooks out there, it can be overwhelming to choose. Here is a list of five bedtime stories to enjoy with your kids and it will hopefully keep you from reciting Goodnight Moon at your next dinner party.
If Your Monster Won’t Go To Bed by Denise Vega
What do you do if you can’t get your monster to go to bed? We’ve all been there. We try everything and still have trouble. Don’t worry! It’s not your fault. You’re a parent. You wouldn’t know.
This funny book has a step-by-step plan about how to get your monster to sleep, and the routine is not what you would think. Children love this book because the gross, silly subject of monsters is carried throughout the whole book. Suitable for children 2 and up.
Where is the Green Sheep? by Mem Fox
This book is better than counting sheep. It takes you on an adventure to find the one green sheep while checking out a bunch of other silly sheep first. The rhyming nature of this book is perfect for bedtime, and (spoiler alert) the green sheep is at the very end, fast asleep. This book is good for kids from ages 1 to 4.
Mercy Watson To The Rescue by Kate DiCamillo
Mercy Watson is a pig that lives with Mr. and Mrs. Watson. Mercy crawls into bed with the Watsons, and they find themselves waking up to their bed crashing through the floor.
This story is actually the first in a funny and creative series that follows the adventures of a pig. Each short chapter book in the series does an excellent job of introducing new characters and building upon the same cast of characters with each successive book. This repetition helps younger readers remember and retain the story while the fun illustrations allow them to watch the story unfold. Suitable for children 3 and up.
A Bad Case of the Stripes by David Shannon
This story is a classic tale of learning how to be yourself and is very popular in elementary schools. The main character, Camilla Cream, just wants to eat her lima beans. Instead, she does what other people say with hilarious consequences. Kids love the idea of someone’s whole body changing colors and patterns. Plus, the moral of the story can help you address the issues of identity and peer-pressure with kids that are a little older. Suitable for children 3 and up.
The Book with No Pictures by B.J. Novak
Exactly like it says, this book has absolutely no pictures. So how will it help you keep your child listening? Because it makes you say a bunch of funny, nonsense words, of course! This story is funny, lighthearted and will make almost any child giggle because of what you have to say when you read it out loud. A word of caution: this book just might get your child a little too giggly up before bed. If you only want serious, no-nonsense stories to put your child to sleep, then skip this one. However, it’s worth a read in the daytime. Suitable for children 4 and up.
There are so many stories, it can be overwhelming. Try these five bedtime stories to enjoy with your kids to help you and your little ones out when it’s time to go to sleep. Give them a try and let me know what you think!