Living / 12 March, 2018 / My Baba
Bedtime stories often form an integral part of the nighttime routine. No story, no sleep — or so the kids like to pretend so they can stay up that little bit later. Bed retailer Happy Beds — whose motto is “because everybody needs a good night’s sleep” — have conducted some research into the top tales to send your tots off to sleepland.
“For years, psychologists and parents have sworn by a good book at the end of a busy day to help children’s development and guide them serenely to the land of nod,” explains Sleep Specialist Joy Richards. What better way is there to calm them down at the end of the day? It’s a great time for parents to switch off too.
Here are the nation’s 10 favourite children’s books for bedtime.
At 10, a surprisingly modern entry from Sherri Duskey Rinker about the sun setting on a building site. It follows a classic sleepy tale of all the characters, in this case construction vehicles, all finishing work and lying down to rest. Enough to make your little one doze off too…
The only other 21st century tale to make the list, Bear Snores On comprises of the classic concoction of cute and cuddly animals, a very sleepy bear and snuggling up out of the cold.
The spell-binding classic is the only non-picture book to make the cut. It can certainly be enjoyed by all ages with J.K. Rowling deftly unlocking children’s imaginations. Definitely witchcraft.
With its sleepy lambs on the cover, Time For Bed is a one-way ticket to snooze-land. Darkness is draped over the landscape, with a yawn and a hug, the only place to be is safely snuggled up under the covers.
Eric Carle’s greedy caterpillar tale has been and will be told for generations to come, though it couldn’t have been told so beautifully without the writer’s own illustrations to accompany it.
Such a simple tale of a baby rabbit, Little Nutbrown Hare showing his daddy how much he loves him. Making Big Nutbrown Hare guess (probably to draw out actually going to bed).
The title is a huge give away to the impending sleep session, but apparently it does the trick as The Going to Bed Book comes in at number four. The animals scrub up in the tub before bushing their teeth and trotting off to bed.
The Gruffalo has all of the essential ingredients of a successful children’s book AND is successfully sends children off to sleep. The bestseller tells a rhyming tale of a mouse and his fantastical friend, The Gruffalo.
Where The Wild Things Are really taps into your child’s imagination. As a forest begins to grow in little Max’s room, the Wild Things crowns Max their king and he rules their mythical world. But, is he really happy?
The results are in! Margaret Wise Brown’s Goodnight Moon is the people’s favourite!
A little bunny is tucked up in bed, preparing for sleep time by saying ‘goodnight’ to all of his surroundings. “Goodnight room, goodnight moon.” Be warned, wishing goodnight to everything in the house may ensue.
About Happy Beds
Happy Beds is an independent bedroom and furniture retailer. With all beds built to order, Happy Beds have recently been voted as Best Bunk Bed and Best Storage Bed by the Independent, and one of The Best Mattress Guide’s 10 Best Mattresses.
Introduce a whole new world of fun to their playtime with this incredible personalised wooden doll’s house gift set. Complete with furniture to decorate the living room, kitchen, bedroom, nursery and bathroom, and an adorable wooden family, this set is truly the ultimate doll’s house for little storytellers.
Make this charming doll’s house gift set all theirs by adding a sweet plaque to the front with their name on it.
My Baba Measure / 29 November, 2023
