There are many things you, as a parent, can do to help your child feel loved and safe throughout the day. One of the most important times in your child’s day is just before they go to sleep. Creating a bedtime routine for kids that is consistent and predictable will help your child go to sleep feeling loved.
Creating a bedtime routine for kids is more than brushing their teeth and getting their pjs on. Building a bedtime routine for your kids that includes hygiene, reconnection, physical love, and a connection with God will help your child to rest well knowing they are loved and protected.
This post may contain affiliate links. That simply means that I may receive a small commission when you purchase something through the link at no additional cost to you.
Why You Need a Bedtime Routine for Kids
Children thrive on routines and expectations. Actually, we as adults do as well. When you create a consistent bedtime routine for kids and carry it out every night, this sense of predictability will help your child become more independent and feel secure.
When you create routines and follow them every day for a period of time, they become habits. This allows your child to know what comes next and they are able to predict the next bit of time. This will also encourage them to be more independent as they grow because they know what’s next.
Creating a bedtime routine for kids that includes bedtime prayer with your kids will help you remember to spend time every night reflecting and directing their worries and concerns to God.
Some children need more preparation for a transition than other children. So if you tell your child every night at 7:30 that it’s just about time to pick up the toys, they will also know that it’s time to take a bath, get their pjs on, and get ready for family worship and bedtime prayer if that is your routine.
Once you have the bedtime routine for kids established, your child can navigate through the expected tasks on their own with minor reminders on your part. This also gives a child a sense of autonomy or the ability to do things on their own. Depending on the age of your child, you can adjust these routines to fit their age.
Simple Bedtime Routines for Kids
Think about the things you, as the parent, do every night. Which of those things also applies to your child?
Some of your bedtime routines might include the following:
- Brush teeth
- Put pjs on
- Pick up toys and dirty laundry
- Lay out clothes for tomorrow
- Storytime
- Family worship & bedtime prayers
- Tuck in
Once you’ve made a list of the things that need to be a part of your routine, make a chart or checkoff list for your child and you. Put the routine items in a logical order so your child can follow down the list as they are completing the tasks. Post it on the fridge, on their bedroom door, or on the bathroom mirror.
Creating a bedtime prayer routine that is doable is very important to add to your daily bedtime routine for kids. You don’t want the routine to be too long and complicated, but there are always certain things that have to be done every night before you say your bedtime prayer and go to bed.
Bedtime Prayer and Family Worship Resources
Two timeless Bible storybook sets that will be a tremendous addition to your family worship time and teach your children about the characters in the Bible are The Bible Story set of 10 volumes. This set of books goes from Genesis through the Bible and shares the stories in a way that children and adults can understand.
The second set of classic Bible stories books for younger children is My Bible Friends. Beautiful, colorful pictures and simple text relates many of the above stories in a way that will stick in your child’s memory.
These books will help provide a guide for sharing Bible stories with your children in a meaningful way.
As you work on creating a bedtime routine for kids that includes bedtime prayers with your kids, ask God to guide you as you share the Bible stories and powerful nighttime prayers with your children.
You may also like these Biblical parenting links…
- Tips for Sitting in Church with Kids
- Bedtime Prayers – Creating an Evening Routine
- 52 Memory Verses for Kids to Memorize
- Family Worship Ideas with Kids
- Morning Prayers for Families
- Teaching Kids to Pray
- 9 Powerful Prayers for Your Daughter
❣ Sign up to get our weekly email filled with encouragement, ideas, and support for moms raising kids who love Jesus! ❣