what book to read at bedtime that will make my child sleep

[angel24711]

Anyone have any recommendations for books that will encourage/ make my 2.5 year old boy sleepy that I can read to him at bedtime. He's just moved to a toddler bed and we've found - 'a bed of your own' - Kelly Mij quite good, but we've done it every night for 2 weeks now.

I'm currently doing 3 books a night a the mo, I'd love it to be less, but he's used to 3 currently. So we read something short first ( like 'the very busy spider'), exciting next (like 'the snail and the whale' and then I need recommendations for books that will make him sleepy and help me exit the room with minimum grumbling/protests!!

[meglet]

'tell me something happy before I go to sleep' is lovely.

[boardblonde]

My daughter loves Five Minutes to Bed. It's about pirates and rhymes.

[Iggly]

I know of no story to make my DCs sleepy. Nothing exciting obviously. They need to lie down in the dark (with me) to wind down and relax. Usually we have a little chat about the day.

[HeyMicky]

Could you make up a story? I tell DD (2.10) a short story every night about her toy rabbit.

Sometimes he does what she has done during the day, sometimes I use it to reinforce ideas, sometimes I foreshadow big activities or changes that are coming up.

But often it's a really dull, quiet tale about him having a picnic or doing some gardening. Very easy to make it boring if required

[beanandspud]

DS had a Gro-clock which came with the Sleepy Farm book.

Night after night we read about grumpy old Percy the Pig but it did the trick and became the signal that it was time to sleep.

[MoominaMama]

We read Goodnight Moon as our last story everynight.

[ch1134]

At the moment my 18 month old falls asleep every night to 'Guess how much I love you', but maybe that's a bit young for you?

[domesticslattern]

Goodnight Moon

[JiltedJohnsJulie]

Lord of the Rings. It makes me fall asleep after about half a page...

[knittingbee]

Dictionary over the back of the head? ;) jokes!

Goodnight Moon worked for us, it goes around and says goodnight to everything in the room.

[TravellingToad]

The night night book

[JamHoneyMarmite]

Another vote for Goodnight Moon here

[FadedRed]

Hansard - politics is soooo tedious

[Lozzapops]

I keep hearing people talk about a book called The Rabbit Who Wants to Fall Asleep. Not used it myself, but apparently it works wonders at helping kiddies relax and settle to sleep.

[KatharineClifton]

Pride and Prejudice. Our whole A Level class fell asleep once reading it.

[Clutterbugsmum]

I resorted to using story CD's. I would (still do Dc are 6,7 and 11) read a book or 3 then put on a story CD for them to listen too.

[TheFirstOfHerName]

I lived with my grandmother when I was a child. She used to read The Song of Hiawatha to get me to go to sleep. If I hear it now, I immediately start to feel drowsy.

[minipie]

Ha - I read Goodnight Moon as DD's last story for ages, then she started crying as soon as I opened it! (she's always been a sleep fighter, sigh)

I tend to find it's more about the tone of voice than the book itself iyswim? I always turn the light down for stories and read the last one very softly and sleepily (whatever it is!). That said, I suggest:

Bear Snores On
Any of the Big Bear and Little Bear ones (eg Can't you sleep, Little Bear)

[Strawberrybubblegum]

Another vote for Goodnight Moon. I really like it and it always calms DD down ready to sleep, but 2.5 is probably at the upper end of the age range.

'Bear on a bike' also has a very soporific effect on DD but I'm not sure why. It's a really lovely book, but again at 2.5 it's perhaps a bit young to buy now.

I used to make up boring stories like HeyMicky too. It worked pretty well for a while - but now she refuses them and demands a book! Sadly, I don't think my story telling skills are up to the job!

[Hippymama]

My 3 year old loves on the night you were born and guess how much I love you

[Happy36]

I read in the "sleepy voice". Slow and a little groggy.

[ditavonteesed]

this one is


PS dont open it when little people are around its sweary.

[whatsagoodusername]

We do a lot of AA Milne poetry or Winnie the Pooh. The rhythm of classics seems to send DS2 to sleep.

We do Goodnight Moon, too. The DC are 4.5 and 3.5 and still enjoy it, but doesn't put them to sleep anymore.

[Mummy2ben14]

What the ladybird heard here. DS gets all excited when I pick it up :)