Picture books are wonderful, but there comes a point in the evening when looking is the last thing a child needs. Their eyes are heavy, the room is dim, and every bright page is one more reason to stay awake. That’s when a story to listen to, with the lights off, really comes into its own.
Eyes rest, ears keep listening
Listening is a quieter kind of attention than looking. A child can lie still, close their eyes and follow a story entirely in their head. With no pictures to turn to and no pages to point at, their body has nothing left to do but settle.
It also hands the story to their imagination. The forest, the boat and the friendly bear are theirs to picture, exactly as they like. For many children, that inward drift is the start of sleep.
It’s a good habit for grown-ups to share, too. Instead of sitting up with a book under the lamp, you can lie down beside your child in the dark and listen together. Many parents find it’s the calmest few minutes of their own evening.
Let the screen go dark
A bright screen at the end of the evening works against everything else your routine is trying to do. Even a picture on a dimmed tablet is light in a dark room. With a story to listen to, the screen can go dark, the lights can go off, and the only thing left is a voice.
Older children often love this too. For 9 to 12s, a longer story to listen to can feel grown-up rather than babyish, and it gives them a gentle way to wind down after a busy day.
A softer ending
The best stories for this moment are gentle all the way through and slower still at the end. Long, calm sentences, a quiet setting and a warm, sleepy finish help a child drift off rather than wait for the next exciting bit.
Keep the same voice and, if you can, the same time each night. Before long, the sound of the story becomes part of the signal that the day is done.
And don’t worry if they’re asleep before the end. That isn’t a story wasted, it’s a story that worked. If they ask in the morning how it finished, you have a lovely excuse to hear it again tonight.
Some nights call for pictures, pointing and giggles. Others just need the lights off and a voice in the dark. Both are bedtime done well.
Sweet dreams,The BellaBye teamWritten byThe BellaBye teamWe’re a family making bedtime stories for every child, read in the voices they love.
