The Dreamtime Blog
Bedtime story ideas
& sleep tips for parents
Better bedtimes, happier mornings.
Practical guides on bedtime routines, storytelling, and raising well-rested children.
How to Help Your Child Cope With Bedtime When They're Going Through a Big Friendship Problem
When your child is hurting over a falling-out with a friend, bedtime can feel impossible — for both of you. Here's how to use the quiet of the evening to help them process, heal, and drift off feeling safe.
How to Use Bedtime Stories to Help Your Child Build Confidence (And Why It Works)
Bedtime stories aren't just a lovely wind-down ritual — they're one of the most powerful tools parents have for quietly building a child's self-belief. Here's how to use storytime to nurture confidence, one night at a time.
How to Handle Bedtime When Your Child Has Just Started School (And Everything Feels New)
Starting school is one of the biggest transitions in a young child's life — and bedtime is often where all those big feelings come flooding out. Here's how to make evenings calmer, more connected, and genuinely restful during those first weeks and months.
How to Use Bedtime Stories to Help Children Through Grief and Loss
When a child is grieving — whether they've lost a pet, a grandparent, or something else they love — bedtime can feel especially hard. Here's how to use the quiet power of story to help them process loss, feel safe, and find their way through.
How to Handle Bedtime When Your Child Is Going Through a Regression (And Why It Happens)
Sleep regressions can blindside even the most seasoned parents — just when bedtime felt settled, everything unravels. Here's why they happen at every age, and exactly what you can do to get through them with your sanity intact.
How to Handle Bedtime When You Have More Than One Child at Different Sleep Stages
When your children need to go to bed at different times — and want completely different things from the experience — bedtime can feel like juggling with your eyes closed. Here's how to make it work for everyone, every night.
How to Help Your Child Cope With Bedtime During a Period of Illness (Yours or Theirs)
Illness throws even the most reliable bedtime routine completely off course. Whether your child is unwell or you are, here's how to keep bedtime gentle, reassuring, and workable — for everyone.
How to Help Your Child Cope With Bedtime When They're Sharing a Room With a Sibling
Sharing a bedroom can be wonderful for siblings — and an absolute bedtime nightmare. If one child is keeping the other awake, here's how to make room-sharing work for everyone.
How to Handle Bedtime When You Have a Highly Sensitive Child
Highly sensitive children often find bedtime the hardest part of the day — overwhelmed by noise, light, big feelings, and the weight of everything that happened. Here's what's really going on, and how to make nights calmer and more connected for both of you.
How to Help Your Child Fall Back in Love With Bedtime After the Clocks Change
Daylight saving time can throw even the most reliable sleeper completely off track. Here's what's actually happening in your child's body — and the gentle, practical steps that help them settle back into a healthy bedtime routine.
How to Help Your Child Deal With Bedtime Anxiety About the Next Day
Many children lie awake worrying about what tomorrow holds — a school test, a new activity, or simply the unknown. Here's how to recognise the signs of next-day anxiety at bedtime and what you can do to help your child feel calm, safe, and ready to sleep.
How to Help Your Child Cope With Bedtime When a Parent Is Away
Whether it's a work trip, a family visit, or something more complex, bedtime is often the hardest part of the day when one parent is absent. Here's how to help your child feel safe, loved, and ready for sleep — even when someone special isn't there.