The Bedtime Box

Bedtimes in our house started to get later and later and we had got into a comfortable routine of watching something on the TV after dinner as we were all tired. Then Craig or I would notice the time and announce it was time to turn the TV off and get ready for bed which was never well received and bedtime began to feel like a chore.

I decided to shake up our routine and add the bedtime box. The bedtime box is full of games and activities which we play together before we go up to bed. We keep the box under our sofa and only get it out at bedtime so that it feels special.

When I first set up the bedtime box, I grabbed a box and raided our cupboards for things we didn't use very much but that would be calming and relaxing. I wanted a mixture of things that could be completed together and individually. I have shared more details about what we added further down the blog post.

Our Routine

I created a set of routine cards to keep inside the box. I switch the lamps on and lay out the bedtime routine cards to signal the start of bedtime. My children love choosing something from the bedtime box so much that they don't even moan about the TV being turned off!

Bedtime Box Routine Cards

.pdf

Download PDF • 1.60MB

This is our bedtime routine:

• Curtains closed, big lights off, lamps on

• Get changed into pyjamas

• Bedtime snack (I've shared some examples below)

• Bedtime box

• Upstairs to brush teeth, wash and use the toilet

• Read a story together

• Cuddle and chat with my youngest (my eldest reads by herself)

• Cuddle and chat with my eldest

I haven't shared times because they change depending on after-school clubs, whether it's a bath/shower night and my children's bedtimes have become now they are older. But on nights that allow, I have been aiming to start the routine about 1 hour before their lights are turned off for them to go to sleep. If they get changed quickly they have more time for the bedtime box. I have been using a visual timer so they know how long is left until we go upstairs but we keep it flexible e.g. we might finish a game but have a little bit less reading time. I aim to create a calm, relaxed bedtime rather than a rigid timed routine.

My children each choose to do something from the box. If it's a game/activity that we can all do, we play together. If they don't want to do the same thing as each other I will take turns and they can do something else from the box when it's not their turn.

We have been using the bedtime box for a couple of years and it has had such a positive impact on bedtimes. Our bedtime routine starts downstairs and they look forward to it. By the time we go upstairs they are much calmer and getting them settled in bed seems easier. I used to take my phone upstairs and scroll as I willed them to fall asleep. Now I try to leave it in another room when we start the bedtime box so I am not distracted and I look forward to ending our routine with a cuddly and a chat.

My son used to hate being left in his room and would often appear downstairs 5 minutes later. We have a cuddle and a chat while his older sister goes to her own room to read a book. After 15 minutes I go to his sister's room for a cuddle and chat. He always asks me to come back in afterwards, and when I do, more often than not he has fallen asleep.

Here are some ideas to try if you want to give the bedtime box routine a go.

Bedtime Snacks

I put a question box in my stories asking what bedtime snacks you give your children and here are some of the responses if you wanted to add one to your routine.

• milk/warm milk

• banana

• toast (with peanut butter)

• oat cake and peanut butter

• crumpets

• cereal/dry cereal (warm if it's a cold night)

• rice cakes

• yoghurt

Bedtime Box Activities

Here are some activities and games we have added to our bedtime box. We started using ours when my children started Year 1 and Year 3. I have linked the games at the end of the blog post.

I added some quiet activities that use both their hands and eyes together to help them feel calm and relaxed ready for bed such as jigsaws and colouring in. I also added some board games like Tummy Ache which involved taking turns. Avoid games with winners and losers if this wouldn't create a calm atmosphere before bed in your house.

I use plastic wallets to store games and colouring pens so they fit into our bedtime box more easily.

I added some step-by-step how-to-draw style books and LDC tablets to save on paper. Sticker books have also been a big hit. A top tip is to peel off the white background to make it easier for your child to get the stickers off independently.

Now they have become older, we have added more games to the bedtime box. I avoided games that get them too excited like Taco, Cat, Goat, Cheese, Pizza and Dobble and tried to pick slower-paced games.

We play a game with the pop its where you take it in turn to pop as many bubbles as you want on your turn as long as they are in the same row. The aim is to avoid popping the very last bubble!

The Harry Potter tile game is a family favourite. It's a bit like Connect 4 but up to 4 people can play at once - it gets very strategic!

They are currently loving Uno and these card holders make it easier for them to sort their cards out.

Genius Square is my daughter's favourite game and she often solves it faster than I can. My son doesn't like this game so he will either set up another game while we play or choose something he can do by himself whilst we play.

My son loves this Star Wars memory game. I tried to sneak it out of the box this year because the cards all look the same to me but he wanted to keep it in there! It's a great way to develop visual memory skills though!

We have a few packs of Top Trumps in the box but we play the bedtime version to speed it up. Instead of giving your card to the other player we have a discard pile in the middle. The last player left with cards is the winner.

If we are short of time, we pick one card instead and get the other players to guess the number for one of the categories. They can ask 10 questions e.g. is it odd, and have 2 guesses.

I have added a Bedtime Box section to my Amazon Affiliate Store* so I can share and update examples of what we put in our bedtime box, but I recommend shopping your cupboards and using things you already have.

*Amazon Affiliate Links: Clicking the links below doesn't cost you any extra but as an Amazon Associate, I earn a small percentage from qualifying purchases.

I have discovered that it's less about what's inside the box and more about what it means. When my children hear "bedtime box" they know they have our attention and it's a lovely time to connect after busy days spent apart. If you have a go at setting one up, give it a couple of weeks to see the impact.

Let me know if you have any questions in the comments section below. I'd love to hear what you put in yours - either tag me on Instagram or come back and add a comment below.

Anna