Boss of bedtime

From the house

• Paper and a marker
• Tape
• Their pajamas, toothbrush and a bedtime book

How to play

1. Draw 4–5 simple pictures of your bedtime steps together: bath, pajamas, teeth, book, lights out.
2. They put the pictures in order and tape them to their bedroom door at their height.
3. Tonight they’re the boss: they check the chart and tell you what comes next.
4. They choose within each step, like which pajamas and which book, and mark each picture when it’s done.

Fit it to your child

• Easier: Use three pictures and offer two choices at each step: “Blue pajamas or green?”
• Harder: They copy the words under each picture and add a step of their own, like setting out tomorrow’s clothes.

Words to use

• first
• next
• last
• done
• my choice

Why it helps

Leading the routine turns bedtime from something done to them into something they run, which builds independence and cuts down on battles.