MedTime bedtime stories work in a number of ways. The combination of breathwork, meditation and somatic exercises helps children relax their mind and bodies, all while they're enjoying evocative stories that they're at the centre of. Find out more about how MedTime bedtime stories work over on our 'About' page.

We love audio stories and content, though there are a few reasons why we prefer MedTime bedtime stories to be read by a parent or favourite adult. Here's why:

• The Power of Presence: Children feel safest and most secure when they are with a trusted adult. Your calming presence, your voice, and your proximity create an environment where they feel completely protected. This feeling of safety is paramount for relaxation.
  
• Relaxation Leads to Sleep: When children feel truly safe and secure, their bodies and minds naturally relax. This deep relaxation is the ideal state for drifting off to sleep peacefully.
  
• Strengthening Your Bond: Sharing a story at bedtime is a precious ritual. It's a dedicated time for connection, warmth, and love. Reading aloud fosters a deeper bond between you and your child, creating lasting memories and reinforcing their sense of belonging and cherishedness. It's an opportunity for snuggles, gentle whispers, and a shared journey into imagination before sleep. Plus you get to discuss their story experiences with your child(ren) in the morning!
  
• Mindful Bedtime Routine: Our stories encourage a mindful and intentional bedtime routine. By actively participating in reading, you're not just delivering a story; you're creating a tranquil space, free from distractions, where your child can wind down and prepare for a restful night.

The ideal environment for reading bedtime meditation stories is one that is calm, quiet, and comforting. Think of it as creating a cozy "sleep sanctuary" for your child. Here are a few key elements:

• Dim Lighting: Turn off or lower the lights to signal to your child's body that it's time to wind down. A soft bedside lamp or a gentle nightlight is perfect.
  
• Quiet Space: Minimize distractions. Remove noises from outside the room such as TV or music, and ensure the space is as free from loud noises as possible. This helps your child focus on your voice and the story. If there are noises outside your control, playing gentle instrumental music in the room (quieter than the volume of your voice) is a great remedy.
  
• Get Comfortable & Cozy Yourself: Snuggle up at the end of the bed, on a soft chair, or even on the floor with pillows and blankets. Your relaxation will be contagious. Just be sure not to obstruct your child's space as some of the somatic exercises require light movement.
  
• Warmth & Security: Ensure the room temperature is comfortable, neither too hot nor too cold. A favourite blanket or a cherished stuffed animal may add to your child's sense of security.
  
• A Pre-Sleep Transition: These stories are read at the end of the bedtime routine. Make sure children have completed their nightly rituals (teeth brushing, toilet etc) so that they're comfortable and ready. The goal is for children to fall asleep during the story or shortly afterwards. If they need to get up to go to the bathroom then the efficacy of the story will be lost.

Ultimately, the best environment is one where your child feels completely safe, loved, and ready to relax into the magical world of our stories.

The stories come as PDFs for you to download. From here you can either print them out and read next to dim lighting, or if there is no night light in the room, you can read off a device (just be sure to face the bright screen away from the child so they're not distracted).

If you're printing the stories, it's a great idea to store them safely in a folder, ring binder or even laminate them so you can reuse them over and over.

Yes! We so want to hear the marvellous ideas our little sleepers come up with. Please use our Contact Us page to share any story or theme suggestions. We'd love to know the name, age and location of the child who's come up with the idea.

You'll need to channel your inner zen when you're reading a MedTime bedtime story!

We have a few tips you can follow to ensure that you're on point. These focus on tone of voice, pace, engagement with the exercises and environment around you. Head over to our 'How to' page for the full list of recommendations.

There is never any guarantee that your child will fall asleep by the end of the story, but there are things you can do to help them relax more and feel sleepier.

If you have a child that is physically hard to settle (i.e. constantly up and down, jumpy, erratic, legs up the walls, faffing with the bedding) you can help them calm their bodies before the story by helping them with some gentle somatic exercises. Have them lie down and pull back their bedding. Gently squeeze up and down their legs, lightly twist their legs at the knees (keeping their whole legs floppy), and flex and point their toes for them. Putting a gentle pressure on their chest while rubbing small circles can also be relaxing.

If they struggle to engage with the exercises at the start of the story, skip straight to the storyline and go back to the exercises at the end. Or, start with the exercises and repeat them again at the end of the story if they have calmed down in between and seem sleepy but not yet asleep.

Regardless of your child's bedtime temperament, if you have finished your story but think your child needs a bit more, have them place one hand on their chest and one hand on their tummy and take deep breaths - as deep as they can go - and blow out slowly through pursed 'owl' lips*. Repeat this and exaggerate the breathing along with them. Do this as many times as needed and then gradually make your breathing quieter and quieter.

*To make 'owl lips', have your child(ren) practice saying 'tu whit tu whoo' and pay attention to their lips as they say 'whoo'. Ask them to make this shape and blow out