I really admire parents who don’t often use the phone as a babysitter. I will be the first to admit that we really fail at the “no screen time before bed” recommendation. Recently I’ve read quite a few articles (although the WSJ says “Screens Before Bed Are OK for Kids—Just Keep It Calm”), and had well-meaning friends caution against screen time before bed, and also seeing how quickly the children get used to watching stories before they go to sleep, we had to find some alternatives. Finding a bedtime routines that don’t involve screen time is becoming increasingly difficult as your children get older. Here are some bedtime ideas that don’t involve a screen.
Reading
Although this seems like a no-brainer, convincing a toddler to switch off the phone or tablet so that Mommy or Daddy can read a story, takes quite a bit of convincing. When I notice the children are tired I say “Ok, 5 more minutes of screen time, and then Mommy is going to read you this awesome book on [topic they’re interested in at the moment]”. And then I try and give them a choice of 2 or 3 books on that topic. I follow this approach since Maria Montessori’s core tenets was the directive to “follow the child.” In the classroom, this means allowing your child to experience and engage in activities that interest them, according to the Maria Montessori International Academy.
Bedtime books the kids love at the moment:
- Usborne’s Peep Inside series
- The Ten Minutes to Bed series by Rhiannon Fielding
- The Tiniest Mermaid by Laura Garnham
Non-messy Crafts
After watching an episode of Moriah Elizabeth where she makes a Pom Pom wreath, Cara and I were very excited to start making Pom Poms. So I did what any inspired Mom would do, and ordered a cute Djeco Pom Pom craft set from Takealot. (Djeco has some incredible craft items, by the way). The set includes a magnetic Pom Pom maker, but you could save loads of money and easily make one from thick cardboard.
I really love knitting (but I’m not the world’s most dedicated knitter… I start a new scarf every winter, but never complete it….), and Cara said she wants to learn to knit as well. I discovered I Love Yarn, and they have the most beautiful wool and knitting accessories (including Addi Children’s knitting needles, pictured below). Doing an activity with your hands that includes something soft (sensory stimulation), is quite soothing and helps to relax us before sleeping.
Card games
The children recently started getting into Snap, and we try to play with them at least once a week. 3-year old Conrad still doesn’t get the rules, and shouts “NAPS” every time he puts down a card, but we have so much fun, and it’s a great way to teach the children recognising patterns and colour.
We’ve also created our own customisable playing cards, and it’s available in our shop:
Sometimes you don’t even need a toy or distraction. Singing, tickling or laying in bed together, listening to the Calm Kids meditations is enough to get them ready for bed. What are your go-to pre-bedtime tools?
