Snuggling up with baby before bed is such a sweet time, my favorite. A healthy bedtime routine that is both soothing, and signals that it’s time to switch into sleep mode, is essential. After changing into pajamas, sitting together to read helps baby get sleepy. Books about sleep are even better, as your child learns positive sleep habits from the story. These are the best baby books to include in your reading nook for bedtime. These are ones I read with my daughter when she was little (and can’t wait to read again with grandkids!)
Nighty-Night by Leslie Patricelli
Dinner is finished, the sun is setting, and Baby is getting ready for bed, sneaking in a naked dance before bath time. Then it’s on to tooth cleaning, hair brushing, bear hugging, and getting cozy in PJs. Finally it’s time for a bedtime story (“Again! Again!”) and a song with Mommy before Daddy turns out the light. Kissy kissy!
Pajama Time! by Sandra Boyton
A jump-roping chicken and a pig on a swing. A moose in striped pajamas and an elephant in a fuzzy one-piece with feet. In sing-along nuttiness reminiscent of Barnyard Dance!, it’s time for the animals to put on their jammies and get ready for bed.
Pull on the bottoms.
Put on the top.
Get yourself set to pajama-dee-bop.
It’s PAJAMA TIME!
The Going to Bed Book by Sandra Boynton
This classic bedtime story is just right for winding down the day as a joyful, silly group of animals scrub scrub scrub in the tub, brush and brush and brushtheir teeth, and finally rock and rock and rockto sleep.
The day is done.
They say good night,
and somebody
turns off the light.
Dr. Seuss’s Sleep Book by Dr. Seuss
Dr. Seuss spins a sleep-tastic tale about a very small bug and a very big yawn that spreads and spreads. Meanwhile, the Audio-Telly-o-Tally-o Count adds up every sleeping creature from the country of Keck to the Castle of Krupp. First one, then seven, all the way to the billions and zillions, the Who’s-Asleep-Count just keeps growing and growing! This book is a perfect bedtime story that will have the most reluctant readers laughing, and the most reluctant sleepers snoring!
Sweet Dreams, Maisy by Lucy Cousins
Maisy and her friends have had a long day of play, and now the sun is setting, making pretty colors in the sky. Soon it’s time for the sleepy mouse to sing and read to Panda, snuggle in her cozy bed, and bask in the comforts of bedtime. What better way for young children to end their day than with a “sweet dreams” from Maisy?
Goodnight, Goodnight, Construction Site by Sherri Duskey Rinker and Tom Lichtenheld
As the sun sets behind the big construction site, all the hardworking trucks get ready to say goodnight.One by one, Crane Truck, Cement Mixer, Dump Truck, Bulldozer, and Excavator finish their work and lie down to rest–so they’ll be ready for another day of rough and tough construction play!
Even the roughest, toughest readers will want to turn off their engines, rest their wheels, and drift to sleep with this sweet and soothing story.
Sleep Baby Faces by Roberta Grobel Intrater
Babies are mesmerized by other babies — and the strikingly candid photos in SLEEP will keep little ones spellbound. Roberta Grobel Intrater’s vibrant photographs capture the many endearing expressions kids make as they drift off to sleep. Each book contains five spreads and sturdy board pages with rounded corners for safe handling by little ones,
Good Night, Gorilla by Peggy Rathmann
It’s bedtime at the zoo, and all the animals are going to sleep. Or are they? Who’s that short, furry guy with the keys in his hand and the playful grin?
Little night owls will love sneaking along with Gorilla and all his nighttime animal friends in this delightful, hilarious board book that’s sure to become a cherished part of children’s bedtime routines.
Big Kid Bed by Leslie Patricelli
Goodbye, crib. Hello, bed! Baby is happy to move on to the next phase of sleep furniture. There’s so much to do on a big, soft bed — lie on it, play on it, bounce on it! At bedtime, Daddy tucks Baby in, Mommy says good night, and there’s so much space, and the bed feels so . . . different. What now? Trepidation gives way to a good night’s sleep
Goodnight Moon by Margaret Wise Brown and Clement Hurd
In a great green room, tucked away in bed, is a little bunny. “Goodnight room, goodnight moon.” And to all the familiar things in the softly lit room—to the picture of the three little bears sitting on chairs, to the clocks and his socks, to the mittens and the kittens, to everything one by one—the little bunny says goodnight.
One of the most beloved books of all time, Goodnight Moon is a must for every bookshelf.
