We are celebrating a new book release from the creator of Goodnight Moon thanks to our sponsor HarperCollins!
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Raise your hand if Goodnight Moon is on your babies’ bookshelves right now… everyone’s hand is up in the air, right?! We, like so many other families out there, have a long standing love affair with the classic Margaret Wise Brown children’s book that is a staple on so many bookshelves worldwide. I would be willing to bet that the words of the book are among the top 5 things mothers of little ones have permanently etched into their memories for the rest of their lives- even long after their little ones are grown. I know I can recite the book without even glancing at it!
Goodnight Moon always makes it into our bedtime reading routine. One of the three girls is bound to pick it up and now that Gracie can read by herself I often find it under her covers near her flashlight. I know she enjoys the sing songy rhymes and predictable text paired with Clement Hurd’s classic illustrations. That’s why I’m so excited to share about Margaret Wise Brown’s previously unpublished book- Good Day, Good Night– that was just released this year. The storytelling is reminiscent of the classic we already know and love with stunning illustrations by the ever so talented Loren Long. Click here for the beautiful book trailer! I love that we have a new classic to add to our staple book pile and the girls get to enjoy another classic for so many nights to come.
When life is hectic and crazy I love knowing that my girls have a reliable bedtime book routine to count on that helps us all wind down at the end of the day. These “last moments” of the day are so important to me because they’re the moments my girls will take with them as they slip into dreamland hopefully thinking about all the good parts of our day and not the stress and chaos that sometimes comes with busy evenings of activities and homework and dinner time. Do you have bedtime book rituals with your kids? Here are my top five tips for incorporating books into your children’s nightly bedtime routine.
1. Pick up the books after everything else is done– teeth brushed, jammies on, clothes picked out for the next day. It’s hard to get all snuggled up with a book then need to get back up to work on other things.
2. Let your kids keep their favorite books nearby. If they can pick up the books easily, they’re more likely to look through them on their own. I’m not sure how long my girls all “read” at night but I know they each spend a decent amount of time with their stories long after I’ve left the room. And I love that!
3. Invest in some flashlights. It’s not really an investment- they’re so cheap. But it makes staying up to read so much fun and imaginative.
4. If your kids need extra incentive to get excited about reading, consider a sticker book chart– add little stickers to a worksheet every time you read a book together before bed. When the chart is full let your kids head to a half price book store (if you have one close!) or a regular book store and pick out a new book for their shelves.
5. Talk about the stories again in the morning. This is a really great literacy and comprehension activity for even the littlest babes and helps with recall and understanding. Having your children revisit what you read together the night before can be such a nice calming part of the morning too!
I’ve got an exciting book giveaway for you lucky readers- head over to Instagram to see how to win! It includes both of these Margaret Wise Brown titles, plus a cool event kit, PLUS an adorable bunny rattle from Kids Preferred . And be sure to take a peek at this wonderful activity booklet designed to highlight these favorite classics and more.
Have a wonderful -book filled- rest of your week!
Xoxo
-J
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