Bedtime Stories For Kids | 2023
15 Perfect Bedtime Stories For Kids to Add to Your Nightly Routine
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Bedtime stories can be such an important part of a child's nighttime routine. Not only are books entertaining, but they are a critical foundation for learning, a love of reading, and the likelihood of future school success. Some of their favorite books and genres may be discovered through the stories read to them before they go to sleep. Not to mention, reading before bed may also serve as a bedrock for their nighttime routine — something that can help parents and kids nix nightly battles and make drifting off into a sweet slumber genuinely sweet.
But the best part? Reading to your child or a tiny loved one before they close their eyes also serves as a bonding experience and sweet memory before turning out the lights. In fact, most adults have special bedtime stories that they remember fondly, from way back when they were the little ones being tucked safely into bed. That's the power of bedtime stories for kids — they're often at the core of our coziest memories.
There are so many options to add to your child's library so you can create new memories together. From classics to contemporary (with a handful of free options thrown in too), these bedtime stories for kids are ideal for saying goodnight.
Inspirational Bedtime Stories For Kids
"A Is For Awesome" ($5, originally $10)
Send them to bed with big dreams for their future with this inspirational book by author Eva Chen as she introduces little ones to feminist icons throughout history like Amelia Earhart, Malala Yousafzai, Ruth Bader Ginsberg, and more.
Educational Bedtime Stories for Kids
"Bedtime For Bo" ($19)
Calling all animal-lovers. This cute book centers around a boy, Bo, who's not quite ready to wind down for bed — and a mom who's definitely ready to turn off the lights. Together, Bo and mom — and the reader too — learn about the sleeping habits of all different animals. And by the end, they're both ready to turn in.
Cute Bedtime Stories For Kids
"Goodnight, Goodnight Construction Site" ($15)
Some kids would try to zip around all day if they could. But this 2007-published bedtime story is a reminder that even rough-and-tumble construction vehicles need to refuel — and not at a gas station. Turn the pages for your little one as Crane Truck, Cement Mixer, Dump Truck, Bulldozer, and Excavator all power down using gentle rhymes designed to lull even the most active kiddo to sleep.
Classic Bedtime Stories For Kids
"Goodnight Moon" ($5)
So many aspects of parenting have changed over the years, from screen time to car seats. But "Goodnight Moon" has been a mainstay on babies' first bookshelves for generations. First published in 1947, the book's soothing, familiar words, written by Magaret Wise, see a narrator saying goodnight to objects in the room, from kittens to mittens and a bowl full of mush and the moon. The simple illustrations by Clement Hurd aren't over-stimulating, helping kids focus on shutting their eyes.
Calming Bedtime Stories For Kids
"Round is a Mooncake: A Book of Shapes" ($8)
Sometimes, the best adventures with children happen in our own neighborhoods, not some far-flung locale. "Round Is a Mooncake: A Book of Shapes," written by Roseanne Thong and illustrated by Grace Lin, epitomizes this idea. The young protagonist uses the world around her to discover shapes from square dim sum, rectangular Chinese lace, and a very special pencil case. The slow-paced book is ideal for a wind-down.
Short Bedtime Stories For Kids
"Time For Bed"($6)
The title cuts straight to the chase, but the narrative in Mem Fox's 1993 children's book "Time for Bed" is much gentler. The warm book with sweet illustrations shows numerous baby animals going to sleep with a bit of help from their parent, a relatable story for a child who needs a tiny nudge to sleep. The book's final scene sees a human mother tucking her baby in, setting the stage for you to do the same. At 28 pages, it's slightly shorter than other bedtime stories for kids, for bedtime is overdue.
Touch and Feel Bedtime Stories For Kids
"The Velveteen Rabbit Touch and Feel Board Book" ($10)
"The Velveteen Rabbit," initially published in 1922 by Margaret Web, has warmed the hearts of millions of parents and children for more than a century. This version shares the abridged but still-timeless story of a stuffed rabbit who becomes real through the unconditional love of a little boy. The touch and feel elements are soothing for children who need help winding down, and the story appeals to everyone from tiny tots to school-aged children more capable of understanding unconditional love.
Best Bedtime Story for Older Kids
"João by a Thread" ($17)
This dreamy book, published in 2022, feels like those moments when you hover between waking and sleeping. It's best for slightly older kids — ages 5 to 8 — who'll love exploring the stunning drawings and trying to parse the slightly vague end.
Imaginative Bedtime Stories For Kids
"Lesedi's Sandbox" ($6)
As your child drifts off to dreamland, read them the story of a little boy named Lesedi who has a big dream of his own: Going to the beach. His parents come up with a plan to make it happen. The short story is 32 pages, giving a little one some extra time to get in a few more snuggles before shutting their eyes.
Sweetest Bedtime Stories For Kids
"Love You Forever" ($5)
Children grow, and no day is perfect, no matter what the 'Gram tells us. As kids push boundaries, they may try our patience as parents. But this book by Robert Munsch, published in 1986, takes readers through a lifetime of heartfelt lullabies from a mother who loves her son, even when she doesn't like what he's doing. The book begins with a mother softly singing to her newborn son, "I'll love you forever/I'll like you for always/As long as I'm living/My baby you'll be." As for the ending, fair warning: Have some tissues handy — it'll get you every time.
Heartfelt Bedtime Stories For Kids
"I Love You to the Moon and Back" ($5)
"I Love You To The Moon and Back" by Amelia Hepworth reminds parents and kids alike of the simple pleasures of a day through the eyes of a parent and baby polar bear. Think of playing with friends, splashing in the water, and touching noses. The gentle, rhythmic nature of the tale and simple illustrations by Tim Warnes exude calmness. As the day ends and bedtime nears, the parent polar bear lets their baby know, "I love you to the moon and back, my precious little one" — a line that will resonate with the caregiver reading the best-selling book.
Joyful Bedtime Stories For Kids
"On the Night You Were Born" ($5)
Written by Nancy Tillman and published in 2005, "On the Night You Were Born" became a New York Times bestseller and contemporary classic. The book is a beautiful celebration of birth that parents, grandparents, and all caregivers can apply to the joy their children bring them day in and day out (even when it's time for lights out).
Beautiful Bedtime Stories For Kids
"The Snowy Day" ($5)
This Ezra Jack Keats book shares the wonder a little boy named Peter had after playing in the first snowfall of the year. He makes snowmen and snow angels and even tries to keep a snowball in his pocket. At the end of the day, he recounts his adventures with his mother before going to sleep and dreaming of snow. The next day, he wakes up and heads out for another day of fun, a reminder to a young child that new adventures await tomorrow.
Timeless Bedtime Stories For Kids
"Harold and the Purple Crayon" ($6)
The classic book, published in 1955, tells a simple tale of a little boy with an active imagination and a purple crayon. He sets out on a walk in the moonlight. There is no moon, so he draws one. Along with his trusty purple crayon, Harold hops aboard a little boat, sees a dragon, and has a whole lot of pie. But he eventually makes his way home, falling asleep in the light of the moon right outside his bedroom window.
Fun Bedtime Stories For Kids
Sandra Boyton's "The Going to Bed Book" frames bedtime as a time of fun. A family of animals "brush and brush their teeth" and "rock and rock to sleep." The upbeat (but to-the-point) nature of the book will make bedtime something your kids actually look forward to — seriously.
Free Bedtime Stories For Kids
If your little one is tired of all your usual bedtime stories and you're looking for a quick downloadable option, try AmericanLiterature.com, which has dot com versions of all the classics. If you're looking for something more modern, Storyberry.com has online picture books and audio books organized by length, appropriate ages, kids' interests, and parenting topics to make choosing an option easy. And for nights when you're totally pooped, cue up Bedtime.FM, which contains audio files of bedtime stories for kids, all about 20 minutes long — long enough to help them unwind, without being so long that they lose focus.
