How to Read a Bedtime Story

Start early., Make stories a part of your daily bedtime routine., Try classic books for babies., Read to babies in a gentle, relaxing voice.

5 Steps 2 min read Medium

Step-by-Step Guide

  1. Step 1: Start early.

    It might seem silly to read to your baby before they understand language or can focus on the pictures in a book.

    But reading to your baby at a young age will associate the warmth and comfort of your presence with the experience of reading, which might help to ensure that they grow into a book lover.

    Even in the womb, a baby can hear your voice and begin to associate it with you.

    As a newborn, your baby will love hearing the sound of your voice and will also learn the cadence of language.
  2. Step 2: Make stories a part of your daily bedtime routine.

    Having a routine at bedtime can help your baby settle into sleep easier and ensure that they sleep longer.

    It's also a great time to sit and cuddle together, and help your baby wind down from the day.

    Consider a nightly bath, pajamas, a story, and then bed.

    Try to do the same routine each night at about the same time., Your baby can't understand words or follow a complicated story, so choose a book that is beautiful or engaging to look at and interesting to hear.

    The sounds of the words themselves can be educational to your child, who is just learning about language.

    Choose a book with a gentle, rhyming cadence.

    Also look for a book that is brief, since a baby won't have a long attention span when they're tired in the evening.

    Some great English-language bedtime stories for babies include Goodnight Moon by Margaret Wise Brown, Bear Snores On by Karma Wilson, and Time for Bed by Mem Fox., Try to vary your pitch a bit as you read to keep your baby's attention and help them understand the flow of language.

    Because it is bedtime, avoid reading stories that are too active or upbeat.

    These might overstimulate a sleepy baby and make it harder for them to fall asleep.
  3. Step 3: Try classic books for babies.

  4. Step 4: Read to babies in a gentle

  5. Step 5: relaxing voice.

Detailed Guide

It might seem silly to read to your baby before they understand language or can focus on the pictures in a book.

But reading to your baby at a young age will associate the warmth and comfort of your presence with the experience of reading, which might help to ensure that they grow into a book lover.

Even in the womb, a baby can hear your voice and begin to associate it with you.

As a newborn, your baby will love hearing the sound of your voice and will also learn the cadence of language.

Having a routine at bedtime can help your baby settle into sleep easier and ensure that they sleep longer.

It's also a great time to sit and cuddle together, and help your baby wind down from the day.

Consider a nightly bath, pajamas, a story, and then bed.

Try to do the same routine each night at about the same time., Your baby can't understand words or follow a complicated story, so choose a book that is beautiful or engaging to look at and interesting to hear.

The sounds of the words themselves can be educational to your child, who is just learning about language.

Choose a book with a gentle, rhyming cadence.

Also look for a book that is brief, since a baby won't have a long attention span when they're tired in the evening.

Some great English-language bedtime stories for babies include Goodnight Moon by Margaret Wise Brown, Bear Snores On by Karma Wilson, and Time for Bed by Mem Fox., Try to vary your pitch a bit as you read to keep your baby's attention and help them understand the flow of language.

Because it is bedtime, avoid reading stories that are too active or upbeat.

These might overstimulate a sleepy baby and make it harder for them to fall asleep.

About the Author

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Sophia Nguyen

Sophia Nguyen specializes in architecture and design and has been creating helpful content for over 2 years. Sophia is committed to helping readers learn new skills and improve their lives.

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