Looking to strengthen your relationships? Abide can help. Download the app for Christian meditations on relationships specifically designed to foster love, understanding, and forgiveness within your connections with others.
Having trouble getting a good night’s sleep? Download Abide for Christian sleep meditations that use calming techniques and Scripture verses framed in calming stories to lull you into a peaceful slumber.
Most every parent struggles with getting their young children to sleep soundly. From over-stimulation to anxiety, young children face more issues today than ever before. Helping your child to sleep well may seem impossible, but here are 4 tips to help your child sleep soundly.
Note: Some sleep issues in children may be medical in nature and therefore should be checked by your child’s pediatrician.
Tip #1: Keep a Consistent Bedtime
While sports activities and family busyness can get in the way, in order for children to develop good sleep habits, their bedtime needs to be the same every night, or at least as many nights as possible. You might think this cramps your style, but your child’s health can be adversely affected by poor sleep.
Tip #2: Transition to Quiet Activities in the Evening
Again, we know that activities can cause late nights, but if your child has a hard time sleeping, your family needs to reconsider your evening habits. Young kids not yet trained in quieting their own bodies will be hyper-aroused by lots of lights, noise, and stimulation. Transitioning from being around a lot of people doing a lot of active things to being alone in a quiet room can be difficult.
Help your child wind down by slowing down in the evening after dinner. Maybe build a puzzle together or play some quiet game. Older siblings who get to stay up later than their younger brothers and sisters can be encouraged to help this process by winding down themselves.
Avoid screen time as the blue light from electronic devices can stimulate our brains and cause sleeping difficulties.
Tip #3: Give Them a Light Snack
A small bowl of applesauce, a healthy granola bar (one not packed with sugar), fruit, yogurt, or cheese are all good choices. Allow them a little bit of liquid, but not enough that they will be awakened by the need to go to the bathroom. Going to bed with a small amount of food in their stomach can help a child feel comforted and content.
Tip #4: Enjoy a Calming Bedtime Story
Children love stories, and they don’t mind listening to the same ones night after night. But if you’re tired of reading the same bedtime stories every night, consider a kids’ sleep stories from Abide. Watch your kids fall asleep faster and stay asleep longer when you say goodbye to the same old books and introduce faith-based sleep stories into their nightly routine. Check out a sneak peak of some of our favorites below.
Flower the Fox: Walking in the Meadow
The kids are going to love joining Flower the Fox on her nightly adventure. As you tuck them into bed, they’ll imagine they’re walking through the sweet-smelling, soft, grassy meadow toward Flower’s cozy den. Click play below to listen to this 15-minute story that is a great reminder of all of the beautiful, lovely, and praiseworthy gifts God has given us. Let your child fall asleep filled with God’s peace—dreaming of all the beauty in his creation.
Giovanni the Giraffe
Tonight sounds like the perfect night for a one-of-a-kind bedtime safari with Giovanni the giraffe. Before you click play, take a deep breath together as a family and make sure everyone is comfy cozy. The Bible reminds us that every type of animal—even snakes and sharks—can be tamed by mankind. You may have seen a giraffe at the zoo, but Giovanni lives in the trees of Africa, exploring the grasslands every day with his best friends. Rest easy as you listen to his story, and fall asleep in God’s warm embrace—just like the giraffes do! Click play to listen to this 15-minute story.
Pinkie the Dolphin
Have you ever seen a pink dolphin? You’re about to meet one! Meet Pinkie—the only pink dolphin in the Calcasieu River in Louisiana. God made Pinkie special, just like he made all of us—unique in his image. As you listen to her story, remember that God delights in all the critters he created, no matter how unique or weird they might be! Close your eyes and remember that everything, including you, is perfectly and wonderfully made and loved by God. Click play to listen to this 12-minute story.
Skyship Dreamer: Noah Walked with God
Skyship Dreamer stories will transport your child aboard a dreamship carrying them to stories that will teach them biblical lessons. This Bible story about Noah and the ark will teach them about what it means to follow God. Click play below to listen to this 23-minute story. Your child will feel God’s warming peace and love surround them like a blanket, as they drift off into a deep sleep.
Jesus Loves Me
For the very young child, this short story with the strains of the classic Bible song “Jesus Loves Me,” will tell even the smallest child about God’s love. As your children snuggle up in bed, surrounded by their favorite stuffed animals, they’ll know that God is watching over them—keeping them safe and warm. Watch them fall asleep to this sweet lullaby, and remember that we are all God’s children. Click play to listen to this 10-minute story.
Following these 4 tips to help your child sleep soundly will start your kids on the path to peaceful, restorative sleep.
Download the Abide app now with this 25% off link to access our complete library of meditations and bedtime stories for the whole family. With hundreds of stories to chose from and new content added daily, your kids will never run out of new bedtime meditations to fall asleep to.
