Between announcing it's bedtime and your little ones falling asleep, every parent may find their evening routine, shall we say, a little unpredictable. Whether you're dealing with the 'witching hour', or an overstimulated toddler, here at Ladybird, we understand the challenges.
One easy addition to your evening routine is to share a bedtime or even a pre-bedtime story and we have collated some of the most soothing and sleep-inducing books to share. From books designed to countdown to sleep to learning how to get ready for bed with their favourite TV characters, we have a book for every little reader.
Explore the full list or click on the links below to suit your child's favourite format.
Board books
Do you know someone who would like their 'getting ready for bed' badge? Well, Duggee and the Squirrels are here to show us all the steps to get to sleep. From tidying up their toys and enjoying a bath to cleaning their teeth and counting sheep to help them drift off to sleep. With handy tabs for each step, you and your little one can easily follow along.
Recommended reading age: 1-5 years old
Struggling to get your little ones into the bath? Why not let Niko, a small bear who is learning how to get squeaky clean, show you how to do it? In this interactive board book, packed with sliders and flaps to push and pull, you can give Niko a thorough soaking with mishaps that will make you all giggle and make bath time fun.
Recommended reading age: 2-5 years old
If Niko did the trick and your little one is also enjoying their bath, then this water-proof book will continue the fun and keep them entertained while you can get on to the more serious business of washing their hair and getting them cleaned!
Featuring an octopus, shark and a shimmering mermaid, these bath-time friends will magically transform and change colour when the book is dipped in water. This magical, waterproof book can be wiped clean after use and left to dry for their next bathtime adventure.
Recommended reading age: 0-5 years old
It’s nearly bedtime but there is one very important person missing – Peppa Pig’s beloved Teddy! If she wants to find him before she must go to sleep, she’s going to need to start searching right away. Can you help Peppa find her teddy by lifting the flaps on every page?
Recommended reading age: 0-5 years old
Little Penguin has had a jam-packed day of fun, but when she yawns, she realises it’s time to settle down for the night. She needs to sing a goodnight song to the whale, blow a goodnight kiss to the seal pups and more! Help Little Penguin say goodnight to all her friends in this gentle board book from the new Say Goodnight, Little… series .
Recommended reading age: 0-3 years old
Young babies sleep a lot. But sometimes even they need a little help settling down in the evening. Baby Touch: Night-Night is an interactive touch-and-feel book that invites little ones to say ‘night-night’ to all the sleepy animals, plants and vehicles. As you read along looking through the peepholes and stroking the touch-and-feel patches, the colours fade from light to dark until it’s time to say ‘night-night’ to your baby.
Recommended reading age: 0-2 years old
Introduce mindfulness to your little one’s life with Starfish Stretches and Bedtime Breathing . Written in consultation with a mindfulness expert and child development psychologist, this tabbed board book features eight simple exercises children can follow. From morning stretches to bedtime breathing, this collection will help calm little bodies and minds making for a more restful night’s sleep.
Recommended reading age: 0-5 years old
Duggee has been teaching the Squirrels about all the different ways that animals sleep – bats sleep upside down and otters sleep holding hands. But all this talk of sleep is making the Squirrels tired. It’s time for a nap! Duggee gathers all the cushions and teddies for the Squirrels to sleep on and earn their Sleeping Badges!
Recommended reading age: 1-2 years old
It’s nearly bedtime and Little Koala is nowhere to be found! So, it’s up to little readers to search the Land of Nod and find the sleepy bear. Lift the flaps on each page to reveal who is hiding – is it Twinkle the Little Unicorn? Rumble the Little Dinosaur? It could even be Poppy the Little Fairy! This sweet and calming story will help settle children down for bed.
Recommended reading age: 2-5 years old
Little Libraries
Hey Duggee The Tooth Brushing Badge , then The Calming Down Badge , followed by The Story Badge and finally, The Sleeping Badge (the most important badge of them all). Children will love winding down alongside the Squirrels and feel part of the club.
Recommended reading age: 2-6 years old
For little hands at bedtime, this chunky mini board book collection from the hit Ten Minutes to Bed
Recommended reading age: 2-4 years old
Even the littlest of piggy’s need their beauty sleep. Peppa Pig Bath Time , Story Time , Bedtime and Dream Time. Plus, the back covers of these books can be turned into a pint-size jigsaw puzzle. Oink oink!
Recommended reading age: 2-3 years old
Picture books
The countdown to bedtime is on, and this new title in the bestse lling Ten Minutes to Bed
Combining a fairy-tale-themed story and beautiful illustrations that grow darker as we progress through the sleepy countdown, Ten Minutes to Bed is the perfect story to help little ones drift off to sleep.
Recommended reading age: 2-5 years old
Perhaps one of the most tear-inducing episode to date from Bluey, Sleepytime is the story of Bingo's determination to do a 'big-girl sleep' and wake up in her own bed. Mum reminds her though, ‘…I’m always here if you need me’. It’s not long before Bingo is in dreamland but whilst she’s there, those in the real world are struggling to get some rest…
Recommended reading age: 3-7 years old
As many parents may attest, bedtime can be troubling, especially for autistic children , no matter how tired they are. So this bedtime story from the award-winning TV show Pablo , written by autistic writers and based on their own experiences, may be the perfect book for bedtime.
In Goodnight Pablo , Pablo and his friend Wren are scared of the dark and are worried that if they fall asleep they’ll disappear. Luckily, their friends Noa, Draff, Mouse and Llama show them they don’t need to be frightened as everyone will still be there in the morning. Even Tang who can’t stop snoring!
Recommended reading age: 3-5 years old
Poor Chilli thought she had put the kids to bed and had an evening to herself but Bluey is struggling to fall asleep, so she agrees to read one final bedtime story. Just as they have settled down to read their book, Unicorse appears and brings nothing but mayhem with him! From chewing loudly to interrupting the bedtime story, it seems unlikely Bluey will ever go to sleep. Will she and Mum be able to deal with this unicorn’s annoying antics?
Recommended reading age: 3-7 years old
Another story from the Ten Minutes to Bed
Recommended reading age: 2-5 years old
Our favourite Squirrel Club members are getting ready for bed as they've had a long day playing with Duggee's little nephew Duggly who has come to visit. But Duggly won’t go to sleep! So, it’s up to the Squirrels to share all the different ways they fall asleep. Can the Squirrel's handy tips make your little ones get to sleep too?
Recommended reading age: 2-4 years old
There are many fantasy world's to explore in this best-selling series but we had to give a shout-out to this fun-loving dragon duo. In just ten minutes, dragon siblings Flicker and Flash are meant to be settling down for the night. But that’s easier said than done when there’s so much fun to be had soaring through the skies. Follow along as Flicker and Flash spot a lost egg that needs to be reunited with its mother and rush to return home before bedtime!
Recommended reading age: 2-5 years old
