My Favorite Bedtime Books for Babies & Toddlers!
There are so many benefits to reading with your children, especially starting at a young age! Reading before bed is a great way to establish a bedtime routine, it teaches about communication, introduces letters and numbers, and builds listening skills!
When a baby is born, the retina is not fully developed. Your baby can only detect contrast between light and dark. Providing visual stimulation, such as black and white picture books, will help the retina thrive. As your child grows, his/her love for reading will blossom and his/her imagination will soar!
Here are my personal favorite bedtime books and their descriptions. You can click on the title to view and purchase the books:
Babies:
1. Hello, Animals!– by Smriti Prasadam
A charming introduction to ten of baby’s best-loved animals, featuring high contrast black-and-white patterns. A glittering burst of colored foil brings a vivid splash of color to every page. These stunning book will captivate sparkly little babies everywhere!
2. Black & White– by Tana Hoban
It’s never too early to look and talk together! Perfect for babies from birth to age two! This accordion style fold out book is sturdy enough to stand by itself, and it is just the right size for little hands.
3. Good Morning, Good Night– by Teresa Imperato
This touchable book is perfect for bedtime! Feel the soft, fluffy fur of each animal as you say, “good night!”
4. Night- Night, Little Pookie– by Sandra Boynton
It may be bedtime, but Pookie still has a whole night-night routine to finish: picking out pajamas, brushing teeth, washing up, and a little hide-and-seek. With Sandra Boynton’s signature charm and piggy pizzazz, this not-quite-ready-for-bed story proves that every Little Pookie loves a good night’s sleep.
5. Bedtime– Dorling Kindersley
With padded covers, simple images, and an amazing range of novelty textures, Baby Touch and Feel books will immediately capture the attention of the very youngest children, and create an experience they’ll want to repeat over and over again. Baby Touch and Feel: Bedtime features all kinds of friendly animals and soft textures that relate to theme of going to bed.
Toddlers:
1. Llama, Llama Red Pajama– Anna Dewdney
In this infectious rhyming read-aloud, Baby Llama turns bedtime into an all-out llama drama! Tucked into bed by his mama, Baby Llama immediately starts worrying when she goes downstairs, and his soft whimpers turn to hollers when she doesn’t come right back. But just in time, Mama returns to set things right. Children will relate to Baby Llama’s need for comfort, as much as parents will appreciate Mama Llama’s reassuring message.
2. How Do Dinosaurs Say Goodnight?– by Jane Yolen
Substituting children for dinosaurs, Jane Yolen explores a world where dinosaurs are animated and with nightly routines. These anthropomorphized reptillians (a cast of 10) run the spectrum of different species, from the Pteranodon to the Stegosaurus. Composed of familiar bedtime scenes, it’s the perfect book to read and share with your child right before they go to sleep. With delightfully and humorously drawn illustrations that never grow tiresome or ordinary, it will instantly become one of your child’s favorites on its way to becoming a classic.
3. Guess How Much I Love You– by Sam McBratney
The cherished story of Little and Big Nutbrown Hare as they playfully vie to express their love for each other has been a favorite of children around the globe for nearly twenty years. Now it’s available in a beautifully designed big board book to share over and over again.
4. I Love You, Stinky Face– by Lisa McCourt & Syd Moore
A mother and child discuss how the mother’s love would remain constant even if her child were a smelly skunk, scary ape, or bug-eating green alien.
5. Harold and the Purple Crayon– by Crockett Johnson
One evening Harold decides to go for a walk in the moonlight. Armed only with an oversize purple crayon, young Harold draws himself a landscape full of wonder and excitement. Harold and his trusty crayon travel through woods and across seas and past dragons before returning to bed, safe and sound. Full of funny twists and surprises, this charming story shows just how far your imagination can take you.
For Transitioning to a “Big Kid Bed”:
1. Big Enough for A Bed– by Apple Jordan
Elmo is just too big for his crib! He’s finally ready to sleep in a big kid’s bed! It may take a little while, but with his favorite snuggly blanket and his teddy bear, David, by his side, soon Elmo feels comfortable in his new bed.
2. A Bed of Your Own– by Mary McQuillan and Mij Kelly
Suzy Sue can’t fall asleep, because she simply can’t get comfortable in her bed. She soon discovers why. A cow and a horse and a sheep and a goat are all crowding in and trying to share space with her. Children will laugh at this comical fantasy–and many kids will identify with the little girl who can’t fall asleep at bedtime. Big, funny, full-color illustrations complement the story on every page.
3. Your Own Big Bed– by Rita M. Bergstein
A little boy learns that the animals around him at the beach, at the zoo, and on his family’s small farm are growing bigger and bigger. He is growing too, and soon he leaves his crib for his very own big bed!
For Calming Movement Before Bed:
1. Goodnight Yoga– by Mariam Gates
Kids love yoga—and it’s great for them, so much so that the President’s Council has added the practice to the fitness activities in the annual President’s Challenge. For parents and caregivers looking for a fun and effective new routine for bedtime, innovative educator Mariam Gates presents Good Night Yoga, a playful yet wholly practical book for preparing for sleep.
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