Some nights a book is too long, and some nights the book has run out. A story you make up with one animal can fill the gap. This post has a short story to read tonight and four steps to make your own.
We do not promise any story will help a child sleep. Every child is different. But a quiet story gives the day a calm ending, and that is a good place to start.
Tonight's story
Hold a crocheted elephant on your lap and read this slowly.
The elephant was walking home. The sun was low and the grass was gold. She was tired, and her feet were slow.
At the river she stopped for a drink. A small bird sat on a rock and said, you are late. I know, said the elephant. I stopped to watch the sunset.
The bird laughed. Then it showed her the best place to sleep: a flat patch of warm sand by the water. The elephant lay down, one leg at a time.
The river made its quiet sound. The grass did not move. The elephant closed her eyes. Goodnight, said the bird. Goodnight, said the elephant.
Four steps to make your own
- Pick one animal. Hold it while you talk.
- Give it one small thing to do, like finding water or walking home.
- Add one other animal for it to meet, and one sentence they say to each other.
- End by lying down. The animal sleeps, and the story stops.
Keep the sentences short. Slow your voice down as you go. By the last line you should be nearly whispering.
Let your child add one line
Pause and ask, what did the giraffe say? Let your child answer in a word or two. Then carry on. If they are too sleepy to speak, you can finish alone.
Use the same opening each night, such as, the sun was low. A repeated line gives the story a familiar start.
Picking the animal
- An elephant suits slow, heavy stories about walking and resting.
- A hippo suits stories about water and mud.
- A giraffe suits stories about looking down from a great height.
- A rabbit suits stories about small, quiet places.
For bedtime, we can only repeat what Mikono states: zero plastic and nothing detachable on plain animals, and easy to clean. Keep the care guide handy, and leave the animal where an adult can see it.
A story animal by the bed
Some families keep one story animal on a shelf by the bed. It comes out at story time and goes back after. That way it stays special, and it is easy to find.
A smaller size is easy to hold in one hand while you read. The Size Finder can help you choose. If you are buying for a friend, the Gift Finder can narrow down the options.
Tonight, try the elephant. Tomorrow, let your child pick the animal. By the weekend, you may find they are the one telling the story.
