Playlist to help 8 year old sleep..

[Nosleeptillgodknowswhen]

I thought I qould create a spotify playlist that my 8 year old could play when she is trying to get to sleep. At the moment if she can't sleep she reads, but of course that just stops her going to sleep as she has the light on and is reading!

My only problem is I can't think what to put on the play list. So far I have twinkle twinkle by Fredrika Stahl - any other suggestions? whale music might be too dull for her to listen to but something slumber inducing would be good.

All suggestions welcomed....

Ds goes to sleep to Radio 3 or Classic FM.

At uni when it was too noisy in halls to sleep I put on a tape of the Bach Orchestral suites. I'd have thought most Bach would be good. Likewise Mozart. I think DS likes the romantics (Brahms, Tchaikovsky, Rachmaninov etc)

I always put Saties Gymnopedia on my peaceful play lists...

Aah the classical route. Then she would get a subliminal education too!

Also Ludvico Einaudi does some very lovely music.

I think mostly classical style music can be more peaceful than popular music, so better for a going to sleep play list.

I am sure there is nice film soundtrack music too that would be suitable - and some artisits like Loreena McKennit, or Clannad...

Mine used to listen to story CD's before they went to sleep - maybe they would help?

Thanks for all suggestions so far - the play list is buliding nicely.

Bigtilly - I did think about stoires but we don't have a tape/cd player any more and I'm not sure you get them on spotify.

Have you heard of the Relax Kids CDs? They are special story CDs which get your child to breathe calmly and use relaxing imagery as part of child friendly relaxation and medititation techniques. The stories are based on well know classic tales (or the one we have is - Little Mermaid, Alice in Wonderland etc)

My DDs (now 11 an 9) have used them on and off for a few years when struggling to sleep and have never got past the first couple of stories as they fall asleep.

There is a Relax Kids website which explains more about it.

Just seen you don't have a CD player - the Relax Kids website also says they're available as MP3 downloads if that helps.

Sounds interesting - thanks. Do they have someone whispering 'go to sleep...' in the background??

"Close your eyes, keep very still, and imagine....." I'm usually asleep when it gets that far - too relaxing for me when I've stayed in the room with them for a few minutes!!

Will try the classical approach tonight and see how that goes. BUt good to have a back up idea.

If anyone has other music suggestions please do add them - my classical knowledge is slim indeed.

Byrd
Britten
Bach
Buxtehude (that might be a bit 'far out')
Arne
Chopin
Delius
Debussy
Wagner (that's very good at putting me to sleep... oh what a nice tune... oh, its still going.. My goodness me how long can that tune carry on zzzzzz....)
Elgar

Try string orchestra music (English is particularly good), chamber music, masses, symphonies, concertos.

If you want some music with words I love these:

Oh oh and

And

Christiane Kerr does some lovely meditation cds. My girls are younger, but love Bedtime Meditations, Mermaids and Fairy Dust and Enchanted Meditations (all available as downloads from Audible) and she does some for older kids too (though doubt eight is too old for those. Also the Just So Stories (because they go on for ages). My girls have stories on the Ipod (with dock) every night before going to sleep and it works like a charm!

Wagner might be a good idea and long as there's not too many viking types bellowing in the middle (that's the mental picture I have of wagner). Doesn't the Ring last for days??

Thanks Elephants - for some reason youtube only wants to bring up the Giro d'Italia at the mo (I blame DH) but will check them out later.

Off on school run soon so will check back later.

Ds slept happily through Belshazzar's feast rehearsal, aged 5 weeks (Full symphony orchestra, large choir and 2 brass bands) so I'm not sure that the actual volume is that critical. I specifically don't use anything that's story-like as DS tends to listen to those rather than go to sleep (experience in the car). Similarly, we can't use music that he specifically wants to listen to - if its pleasant but not too interesting its perfect.

I second classic fm as a playlist