Some Materials for Bedtime Routines
Stress Relievers
Start in a squatting position. Count from 0 to 10 growing slowly to straight and tall. Then shrink slowly and sloppily from 10 to 0 back to starting position.
Engage children in exercises that tighten, then relax their muscles. The exercise can be varied during the week by changing its name: Ice and Snow, Soldier and Rag Doll, Tree and Leaves. Demonstrate for your child standing like the first, stiff, tensing up muscles and then becomes soft, free, and relaxed as the second. Repeat the exercise, alternating tense and relaxed posture.
Finger Plays
Here is the Baby
Here is the baby ready for his nap, (hold up one finger)
Lay him down in his mommy’s lap. (lay finger in palm of hand)
Cover him up, so he won’t peep, (close hand over finger)
Rock the baby fast asleep.((rock hands back and forth)
As your child grows older, let him/her help you change the words. For example:
Here is the Big Girl (Boy)
Here is the big girl ready for her nap,
Lay her down on her teddy’s lap.
Cover her up, so she won’t peep,
Sing the big girl fast asleep
Night (Adapted from the traditional Night and Morning)
This little one is going to bed (first finger of right hand on palm of left)
Down on the pillow lays a sleepy head (thumb of left hand is pillow)
Wrap around the covers tight
This is the way to sleep all night.
Follow this with Twinkle, Twinkle Little Star or another quieting classical music. (Baroque works best.)
Play tapes of environmental sounds such as the rain forest or ocean.
Read Good Night Moon by Margaret Wise Brown, Harper, 1947
A little rabbit tells the objects in his great green room goodnight.
- You and baby can say goodnight to favorite objects in the room
- Young children can say goodnight to different people or things each night: the children they played with that day; the places they passed in the car; or their relatives and friends.
This is a sample of thematic units requested from participants.
