When I was a child my dad would read Mr. Men books to us over and over again. How I loved that. Mr. Bump was always my favourite closely followed by naughty Mr. Tickle. My dad would do funny voices and make us giggle then tuck is in and say night night. Wjat lovely memories I have.
Until they were about 6 and demanded time to read to themselves before sleep I always read a bedtime story to my children. Well to be honest they normally got 3 each…or the same story 3 times! or sometimes a poem thrown into the mix. We loved Room on a Broom, chapters from the Magic Faraway Tree, The Owl and the Pussy cat and oh so much more.
How I loved that time with them. Lots of snuggles and cuddles and seeing them relaxed and enchanted at the same time. There are so many benefits to bedtime stories.
- Routines help children relax and feel confident thetthey know what is coming next and what is expected of them. Bedtime stories lead to sleep and it is a great way to help a child prepare for this.
- Stories help quieten the mind from any worries, or upsets of the day and take it to quite another place. Stories help children be still and quiet and so prepare for sleep.
- Time together just the two of you is precious and not always easy to squeeze into our fast paced world. Story time is together time, cuddle time, precious time and sharing stories is memory making.
- Taking time to share bedtime stories with your child allows you to enter into their world, a world of dragons and wishing chairs, elves and princes, talking animals and flying carpets. It is a great way to connect with your child, check out their understating and really find out what makes them giggle, cry, gasp and wonder.
- Transition form running around and playing to sleep needs stages and bathtime and story time are a way to slowly wind children down that they rarely resist. Even now I love a bath and a story before bed and I am 44!
Last week was World Book day. My daughter dressed up as Dobby and son as Sherlock!
To celebrate Carpetright aim to use children’s audio books to add more adventure to bedtime, make the bed a fun place to be and also encourage families to read together. Do have a look at their fabulous bedtime stories campaign page to find out more.
Carpetright aren’t just about carpets you know they sell an amazing selection of beds mattresses, headboards, frames, children’s beds and more.
This has to be my favourite!
Free Audiobooks
They will be releasing a children’s audio book on the Carpetright site each week in March along with a blog post talking about the benefits of a bedtime story. They are beginning with The Selfish Giant a story we adore, so do pop over and have a listen with your child. It’s a classic and very moving.
Competition
Throughout March Carpetrightalso be encouraging people to vote for their favourite ever children’s book across social media for the chance £500 to spend at Carpetright, as well as an awesome Amazon Fire Kids Edition. All you have to do is take to Facebook or Twitter and tell them the title of your all-time favourite children’s story using #BedtimeStories for your chance to win!
I think bedtimes stories are one of the precious bits of parenting when all the days cares and worries can be forgotten and its just you and your little one on a wonderful imaginary world. Screen time absolutely has nothing on story time and getting your child into books and a love of reading will encourage them to read for pleasure, a fabulous hobby and an educational aid to last a lifetime.
Definitely something to celebrate and to cherish.
