Calming Bedtime Routine for Kids

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Anyone else's kids get wild and crazy before bed? Mine too. I try to focus on keeping things on the calmer side so when bedtime rolls around, they are not jumping on the bed and running back and forth but are ready to go to sleep. We are so lucky because Oliver is really good about going right to sleep but Adalyn is another story. My spirited girl can go to bed and stay up for another 3 hours, no joke. It is really tough because she is tired the next day when she doesn't get enough sleep. We have a calming bedtime routine that is great for calming the kids before bed!

Calming Bedtime Routine for Kids

1. Give them a 15 minute warning

It seems to help to let Adalyn know that bedtime is coming up instead of springing it on her. Just letting her know that she has a little playtime left before bed can help a lot in knowing that she is going to have to get ready soon.

2. Take a bath

A bath before bed is a great way to help calm the kids down, though they do like to splash together in the bath! The kids take a bath together which they absolutely love and play so nicely. A bath is a great way to relax before bed, especially when they get out in a nice cozy towel and I cuddle them.


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I like these products because they work well on the kids and are gentle on their soft skin. They are affordable and can be purchased right at our local Rite Aid. They have been around for forever and are now newly reformulated. We are loving the new package design and new formula. I bought them at Rite Aid which has tons of wellness products for the whole family and lots of these JOHNSON'S® products so that I could choose what works best for my family.

Adalyn was shocked and so excited to see so many JOHNSON'S® products on the shelves!

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3. Read books

My kids favorite thing to do before bed is to read books together. Adalyn could read 5 books in a row and be thrilled about it. It took Oliver a long time to want to sit and read a book and now, he loves it. As long as it is about animals, trucks or tractors, he enjoys it. This is a great time to cuddle up and spend time together. 

4. Pajamas, Lotion and Hair

After bath, we always put pajamas on, even if I gave the kids a bath a little early in the evening. This is a cozy way to let them know that bedtime is coming up. I brush Adalyn's hair with JOHNSON'S® detangler and lotion up the kids with JOHNSON'S® lotion. Funny story about the detangler. A year or so ago, Troy was headed to Rite Aid and asked if I needed anything. I asked him to pickup Adalyn's first bottle of detangler because her hair was getting knots in it. He came home with this JOHNSON'S® Baby No More Tangles Detangler Spray and ever since, Adalyn thanks Daddy for buying her the best detangler and that he chose it for her. What about that Mommy sent him for it! 

5. Talk about our day

Adalyn loves when I get into bed with her and talk about our day and cuddle up. We say prayers, we talk about different things like what we did that day and what we are going to do the next day, etc. It is a special one on one bonding time that is special to both of us.

6. Brush teeth

Of course brushing teeth is an important part of bedtime routines. Oliver now loves brushing his teeth too which is cute!

7. Dim lighting

When we are doing bedtime routines, we keep the lighting low and Adalyn likes having on little nightlights in her room which helps to signify bedtime.