I have been compensated by AVEENO® for this post; however, I am sharing my own thoughts. All opinions are my own.

Our bedtime routine for big kids has evolved as our children have grown.

It goes fast. All of it. While you’re caught in one of those moments where your babies, toddlers, big kids are crying or hurting, laundry needs to be put away, dishes need to be washed, the dogs need to be let out, and dinner needs to be prepped, the moment may feel like it lasts forever. But when you look back, you forget about the piles of laundry and dirty dishes. You realize it doesn’t matter if you served up a frozen meal. And the dogs? They were let out eventually. But you remember that once the tears went away, your kids were smiling together while playing with a toy, laughing at their favorite movie, snuggling under a blanket, and enjoying life while making a mess. Some of our favorite memories have been made during our bedtime routine.

Here are some tips for a bedtime routine for big kids.

Bedtime Routine for Big Kids: Mealtime

Growing up, my sister and I joked about how my mom was constantly planning meals. She’d know each day around breakfast what we were having for dinner {this was especially true while on vacation}. I try to do the same. I’m not so good at meal planning a week or two in advance, but I do make sure I know what I’m cooking for dinner during the first half of the day so that I can get it prepared easily and serve dinner around 6 pm.

Bedtime Routine for Big Kids: Playtime

After dinner, assuming the kids did a good job eating, they have earned some playtime {about 15 – 20 minutes}. I prefer a technology-free playtime. Building blocks, play dough, and small figures pretend play are my preference. Sometimes we let them play an age-appropriate video game together. This is time to unwind and prepare for bedtime.

Bedtime Routine for Big Kids: Bathtime

My kids generally prefer a bath over shower. They still love bubbles, bath toys, and lots of water splashing all around! We try to give the kids a few minutes to relax and play in the bathtub, but not too long or we end up with a giant puddle of water to clean up afterwards. AVEENO® Baby is a line of products we’ve trusted since they were babies. The Calming Comfort® Bath and Wash & Shampoo are perfect for bathtime. Made with ingredients like oats and lavender and free of paraben and phthalate, the products are gentle on your children’s skin, whether they are newborn babies or big kids like my two.

Bedtime Routine for Big Kids: Storytime

This is probably my favorite time of our bedtime routine. What used to be little board books, pop-up books, and touch books are now chapter books and informational texts. We have started a few series that we read aloud to the children, and it’s a great time to cuddle up and share a special moment at the end of the day. Richard and I take turns reading to them each night, and sometimes the kids have the opportunity to read as well.

Bedtime Routine for Big Kids: Bedtime

Years ago, a friend gave me a very important piece of advice. She told me to get my children to bed earlier {we were doing about 8 pm and moved to 7 pm when she made this suggestion}. This was a great recommendation. My kids wake up around 6 am regardless of when they go to bed, so why not get them to bed a little earlier? For us, it’s around 8 pm now. I stay with Bryce in his room until he’s asleep and Richard stays with Lydia until she’s asleep. And to soothe them before bedtime, a relaxing massage with AVEENO® Baby Daily Moisture Lotion is perfect. 

Head to Walmart where you can purchase so many of your child’s favorite essentials for a bedtime routine for big kids. Whether it’s toys for playtime, our favorite AVEENO® Baby products for bathtime, books to read for storytime, or snuggly blankets for bedtime, Walmart has you covered!

What ideas do you have for a Bedtime Routine for Big Kids?

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