A good night’s sleep is vital to our health and wellbeing, especially for growing children. Sleep is an indispensable part of a child’s healthy growth and development. Sleep is fundamental when it comes to a child’s mood, behavior, cognitive functioning, and overall mental and physical wellbeing. Sleep deprivation, on the other hand, can lead to difficulties with learning and information retention, and can result in irritability, anxiety, and depression. Unfortunately, making sure our kids get ample rest each night can be more easily said than done. This is where incorporating calming activities can come into play.
For many parents, the bedtime routine often feels like a never-ending battle. This is especially true for kids who want to play non-stop or stay up using electronic devices. If these dilemmas sound familiar in your home, you’ve come to the right place. Here’s a list of some calming activities that can help make your children’s bedtime routine easier and smoother.
Relaxing bath time
A nice and relaxing bath works wonders for both kids and adults alike. This can be part of a calming bedtime routine as it can help reduce stress and improve your child’s quality of sleep.
Try to set aside time for a calming bath for your child every evening before bedtime. Consider using a bubble bath that’s infused with essential oils that help to promote sleepiness. Let your kids enjoy their relaxing bath so they can head to bed feeling relaxed, refreshed, and ready for sleep.
Calming music
Playing soft music at bedtime can be another helpful calming activity for kids. Because of its soothing effects, relaxing music can be a useful tool in inducing sleepiness so your child can drift off to a deep slumber in no time.
Find out what songs or types of music relax your child the most. You may try using meditation music or lullabies, these are great options.
Storytelling
If reading books or telling stories aren’t a part of your child’s bedtime yet, now is a great time to incorporate this into your routine. Not only is listening to stories helpful when it comes to enhancing a child’s literacy and language skills, but it can also help to relax and soothe your child’s mind as they approach sleep time.
Whether you and your child decide to read books together or read stories aloud, make it a habit to spend time at night together for bedtime stories. Consider asking your child what story he or she would like to hear. Your little one might have a favorite book, or your child may want to suggest something new and interesting. You can even be creative and make the experience more enjoyable by creating a reading nook or a fort made of blankets lit up with fairy lights!
Coloring and painting
If your little one has a penchant for arts and crafts, you can use this interest as a tool to help your child wind down as he or she gets more in the mood for sleeping. Engage your child in coloring and painting activities during the evening after dinner. These are excellent alternatives to screen time and electronics. Unlike TV and video games, which keep children’s minds stimulated and awake, artistic activities are soothing and relaxing.
Provide your little one with the materials he or she will need to create some artwork. Give children coloring books, markers, crayons, or paint. You can also encourage kids to use their imaginations and create something from scratch. In addition to being an excellent calming activity, creating artwork also serves as good practice for children’s developing motor skills and promotes imagination and creativity.
Puzzles
Working on puzzles can be an enjoyable activity for both kids and adults. It can help relieve stress after a long and tiring day, and it works wonders for young children, too!
Why not incorporate puzzles into your family bonding activities in the evening? Puzzles are a good way to enjoy quality time together, and relax and soothe your minds, as well.
Getting kids to bed each night isn’t always a walk in the park. In fact, it is one of the many struggles many parents face. Because adequate quality rest is vital to your children’s health and development, try adding some of these calming activities to your family’s night time routine to help make bedtime easier and smoother in your home. These tips and tricks are worth trying!
For more parenting tips and resources, please visit Wee Care Preschool.
