Bedtime Rituals Your Kids Will Love
Posted January 24, 2020 by Fort Magic
Bedtime doesn’t have to be a time of tears and frustration. Creating a routine that your kids can count on will help them go to bed easier and sleep better. What better way to make their bedtime rituals magical than with a Fort Magic building kit!
Why Bedtime Rituals are Important for Kids
If you don’t currently have a bedtime routine in place, you’ll discover that your kids will first battle you. You might start to wonder why not just go back to what you were doing. However, there’s a good reason why the experts all agree that your kids should have consistent bedtime rituals.
1. Make them Feel Safe
Studies show that repetition makes a child feel safe. That’s why kids’ programs have the same thing over and over or why your child constantly brings the same few books to you to read. Having a structured environment also makes your children feel safe.
Providing a structured bedtime routine will help your kids feel safe and comforted. Even if they fight against it, your kids need to count on having the same structure every night to feel more confident. If you keep up with it, the struggle will become less and less as your child realizes the value of being able to count on the same thing night after night.
2. Encourage them to Talk
If children can count on your undivided attention at night before bed, they will often save up important things they want to talk about for that time. Having bedtime rituals will provide time for your kids to share what’s on their hearts. This will help them to be healthier emotionally.
This also provides a great time to talk about your values and beliefs. Your kids will be more psychologically and emotionally stable if they can count on having time to communicate in a safe environment.
3. Less Likely to Have Behavioral Problems
Having an irregular bedtime and bedtime routine affects children more than any other factor such as the amount of tv watching or whether or not they eat breakfast. These behavioral problems can include hyperactivity, irritability, acting out, and being emotionally withdrawn. Most researchers believe these problems stem from something similar to jet lag.
Going to bed at different times every night creates the same effect on our brains as jet lag. Having the same bedtime every night will encourage your child’s internal clock. It’s also important to take away all screens and other sources of light about 30 minutes before bedtime to help the natural melatonin levels to continue to rise.
Create A Reading Fort Over their Bed
One of the most magical ways to make your kids love bedtime is to build a fort right over their bed. They will go from resisting bedtime to being excited to go to bed. You can also hang lights on the inside of the fort to have light to read bedtime stories.
To create a fort over their bed, layout the sticks around the base of the bed. Next, use connectors to build up the fort in a playhouse shape above their bed. When you’re finished, cover the fort with the fabric clips and decorate the inside!
Make a Magical Hideaway Fort
Another fun idea for bedtime is to create a hideaway fort with your kids. You can build the fort in a corner of your house or even in the space under your stairs. You can hang out with your kids for a while in their hideaway fort or even have a sleepover with them in there!
You can do all your quiet bedtime activities there such as coloring, reading, or playing card games. After you’re done with all the bedtime cuddles, let your kids stay in there for a special place to fall asleep.
Create A Special Reading Fort
Reading before bed is a tried and true routine that will help your kids quiet down for the evening. It provides a time of learning and a time of your undivided attention. You can discuss the books which will lead to other important discussions so you know what’s been on your child’s heart.
You can start off reading the stories to younger kids. As they get older, you can have them read some of the words they know how to read. When they’re an advanced reader, you can read half the chapter of the book and then let them finish.
Find A Routine and Stick with It
Like any other aspect of parenting, it’s consistency is important. Before you put your bedtime routine into place, plan out how you want the evening to go. Start your routine at the same time and go in the same order of events every night.
For example, you might start the bedtime routine at 7 pm by turning off all the screens. Then, kids will brush their teeth and pick out 3 books to read (or, for older kids, continue reading in the novel you’re working on). Try setting up a lamp in their room to use instead of the lights in their room to help them get into that sleepy state.
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