How to Make a Bedtime Book

A personalized bedtime book is a fun way for your child to learn and enjoy her bedtime routine. The bedtime book becomes part of the nightly routine and gives your child something to look forward to before bedtime.

Instructions

Difficulty: Easy

Things You’ll Need:

• Construction paper
• Cereal boxes
• Index cards
• Photos
• Ribbon, string or metal clip

1. Decide on the layout of your bedtime book by choosing the size, color, material and binding. Small children, such as toddlers, react best to large, sturdy books made from construction paper or cut up cereal boxes. School-aged children like small, flip books, or books the size of paperbacks, made from index cards or stock paper.
2. Make a list of your child's bedtime routine and cut out the corresponding number of book pages. Add an extra page for the title page.
3. Take photos of your child performing their bedtime routine, and glue them on the pages. For a small child, label each page in the order she performs her bedtime routine. For example, the book can start with taking a bath, then brushing her teeth, putting on her pajamas and then getting into bed.
4. Have an older child write his own labels, or include a short story about his bedtime routine, on each page. If an older child doesn't want the book filled with photos, let him draw pictures of himself performing his bedtime routine.
5. Bind the book with ribbon or string by punching holes along 1 edge and tying the book closed. For small, flip style books, punch a hole in 1 corner and add a ribbon or circular, metal clip.