10 great bedtime stories for kids

'Just one more story, please Mum!'

Sound familiar?

Reading at bedtime is one of the most important things we can do with our kids.

Sharing a bedtime story with your children will improve their memory, comprehension and ability to share attention. The short time you spend reading with them will also enhance your kids' emotional and social development, language and literacy. You can even support  their motor skills as you teach them  to turn the pages.

So with all of these good reasons to spend 10 minutes a night reading to your kids, why not visit the local library and get started?

Here are some of Kids First's favourite bedtime stories that encourage beautiful bonding and sweet dreams.

	Title	Author	Story overview
	10 Minutes Till Bedtime	Peggy Rathmann	At One Hoppin' Place, the countdown to bedtime is about to begin when a family of hamsters, including a mother and father with nine kids and a baby all wearing numbered striped jumpers, arrives at the front door. Beginners - ages 3-6
	Ten Little Sleepyheads	Elizabeth Provost	Ten little sleepyheads in colourful night clothes count down to sleep; that is, except for one bug who is not sleepy at all. And so begins the countdown again. Lovely illustrations, which include realistic drawings of the actual insects upon which the comical illustrations are based. Pre-readers - ages 0-3
	Ten, Nine Eight	Molly Bang	This countdown to bedtime begins with "10 small toes all washed and warm" until one little girl is tucked snugly into bed by her loving dad. Lovely illustrations, warmly detailed, combine with a straightforward text that children will love to hear again and again. Pre-readers - ages 0-3
	The Baby Beebee Bird	David Massie & Jane Dyer	The baby beebee bird, new to the zoo, is singing his song. . .ALL NIGHT LONG! Nothing the animals do or say will stop him. They come up with a plan to teach the baby beebee bird that nighttime is really best for sleeping. A lovely message for littlies. Pre-readers - ages 0-3
	Time for Sleep	Mem Fox	It's bedtime for an ewe and her lamb, a cow and her calf and for a mother and her child. Watercolor illustrations show mothers and their babies settling in for the night. An Australian classic. Pre-readers - ages 0-3
	In the Small, Small Pond	Denise Fleming	A child and a small green frog experience the changing seasons in a small, critter-filled pond. A beautifully illustrated book that engages children's imaginations. Beginners - ages 3-6
	In the Tall, Tall Grass	Denise Fleming	The sounds of a caterpillar munching through the garden combine with vivid illustrations for a small adventure in the tall, tall grass. The satisfying conclusion is a sleepy one, making this an ideal bedtime tale. Beginners - ages 3-6
	How Do Dinosaurs Say Good Night?	Jane Yolen	Ten sleepy dinosaurs get ready for bed in this celebration of funny, endearing, and naughty bedtime behaviour. Young children will laugh out loud as they recognise themselves in this larger than life silliness. Beginners - ages 3-6
	Too Much Noise	Ann McGovern	Peter thinks his house is too noisy. The bed creaks, the floors squeak — it's no wonder it's so hard for him to fall asleep! But when he follows the village wise man's advice, he soon discovers that his house isn't that noisy after all. Beginners - ages 3-6
	The Serpent Slayer and Other Stories of    Strong Women	Kartrin Tchana	A collection of eighteen stories about heroines: girls and women with as much courage as their better-known male counterparts. Independent - ages 6-9