Shake Up your Bedtime Book Routine
If you’re a Rockin’Blinks subscriber, you know how important a good bedtime routine is for a healthy relationship with sleep. And often one of the fundamentals of a good bedtime routine is the bedtime story. But, for most of us – there’s only so many times we can read Goodnight, Moon.
It’s so easy to stick to the classics. The Poky Little Puppy, Elmo’s Big Boy Bed. They’re classics for a reason. And your kids actually do need the repetition of those faithful favorites. The rhyme, rhythm, and repetition are all key for language development in little ones.
But adding new thoughts ideas and perspectives into your child’s worldview is important, too. It’s why we love our public library and why we follow amazing book reviewers on Instagram like Bonnie Monnier.
The sheer volume of new board books and picture books every year makes it difficult to keep up. If you aren’t constantly watching the just-released lists, you may miss a really special book that’s perfect for your child.
Bonnie Monnier is a mother and indie bookstore lover. She reviews and curates children’s books with a focus on diversity and inclusivity. She’s based out of Fredericksburg, MD, and is a great follow for literary-minded parents.
Pro tip: Get dad involved in bedtime reading. When dads read to their kids often and from a young age, the child’s language and literacy development tends to be more advanced.
Bedtime Stories By Age
Infant
Toddler
Preschool
Big Kid
Bonnie says the books she chose could easily work for multiple age groups, but she worked to group them based on average age interests and attention spans.
Check out Bonnie’s Bookhop.org page for her favorite books on a variety of topics from feelings & emotions to welcoming a new sibling. You can also connect with her on Instagram and TikTok @bonniemonnier.