Reading before naps and bedtime is a wonderful way to get your child’s daily reading in. Here are the best bedtime story books for babies, toddlers, and preschoolers!
Reading to your little one is one of the most important things you can do for your child. It stimulates brain development, promotes language and vocabulary, and teaches them all about the world. Plus, there is nothing quite like snuggling up with your little one to read a few books!
The market is saturated with wonderful children’s books that inspire the tiniest to imagine, learn, and grow. But it can be difficult to decide which books to stock the shelves with. After all, your little one will be coming back to each of those books time and time again. Everyone should enjoy them!
So, I have rounded up some of my favorite bedtime stories for both babies and toddlers. These are precious books that will fill your child’s library and be read for years to come.
1. How Many Kisses Do You Want Tonight?
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How Many Kisses Do You Want Tonight is a board book that is a sweet counting book full of easy rhymes and various animals. The sing-song nature of this book is both fun to read and very fitting for bedtime.
2. The Going to Bed Book
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Sandra Boynton’s books are known for their fun rhymes, rhythms, and short and sweet storylines. The Going to Bed Book features bold illustrations of animals going through their pre-bedtime routine while on a boat. It’s perfect for sleepy kiddos who just need a quick story before bed.
3. Where Do Steam Trains Sleep at Night?
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For those who love trains, I highly recommend Where Do Steam Trains Sleep at Night. This adorable board book describes the bedtime routine of a wide variety of trains, including subways and steam trains. They even get rocked to sleep!
4. Steam Train Dream Train
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All aboard! The Steam Train Dream Train loads all the animals into each car. This is the perfect read for babies and toddlers who love to see different animals. It’s filled with beautiful illustrations that both parents and children will appreciate. And it is so beautifully written that it is sure to become one of your child’s favorite bedtime books.
5. If Animals Kissed Good Night
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With the sweetest illustrations, If Animals Kissed Good Night is a best-selling bedtime story book featuring an eclectic array of animals saying goodnight. From animal sounds to baby animal names, children love to play along. The lyrical writing offers an easy rhythm to send your little one off to dreamland.
6. The Really Wooly Bedtime Prayers
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The Really Wooly Bedtime Prayers book captures short child-friendly devotions and prayers that make for a perfect introduction to the Christian faith. I also love that this board book is padded, so it is even safe for your toddler to fall asleep with it. As a Catholic mama, this is probably one of the best books I’ve bought for my kiddos because it introduces them to prayer and expresses God’s love in the sweetest way.
7. God Bless You and Good Night
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God Bless You and Good Night is a classic and favorite Christian bedtime story that uses rhymes to take your little one through a parade of snuggly animals getting ready for bedtime. The illustrations are super sweet and as the title suggests, children are reminded of how much God loves them. This is a great addition to a bedtime routine!
8. Good Night, Peter Rabbit
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Good Night Peter features the famous Peter Rabbit character sleeping in his own room for the first time. It’s a great read especially for those little ones transitioning to their own bedroom or even from their crib to a new big-kid bed. Growing Peter Rabbit helps to ease children through difficult and new transitions.
9. Pajama Time
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Sandra Boynton is always on my list of the best baby and toddler books. Another popular one of her titles, Pajama Time features a fun cast of animal characters dressing in their pajamas. The rhymes and rhythm make getting dressed for bed a fun occasion. I also appreciate the more subtle messaging of equality intertwined throughout the book – no matter what your jammies look like, they are perfect!
10. Goodnight, Goodnight Construction Site
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Goodnight, Goodnight Construction Site is perfect for your construction-loving toddler. All construction equipment works and all construction equipment must rest. From cement mixers to bulldozers, each vehicle gets its turn to say good night. The illustrations feature subtle nighttime colors that keep sleepy kids sleepy. Note that this one is longer, so it’s better for older toddlers who can hold their attention.
11. Don’t Let The Pigeon Stay Up Late!
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This is the fun tale of Don’t Let the Pigeon Stay Up Late! Little readers will love the comical pigeon as he tries to talk his way out of going to sleep. With simple illustrations, the emphasis is definitely on the humor of this read. Everyone will laugh before bedtime with this one!
12. Goodnight Little Me
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Personalized books can be both unique and special. I love the Goodnight Little Me book. It features the child’s name in the title, story, and within some of the beautiful illustrations. This book will easily become a regular in the bedtime routine!
13. Where Do Diggers Sleep at Night?
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For toddlers who love trucks, Where Do Diggers Sleep at Night may be the perfect book for them. Children can identify all their favorites from tractors and fire engines to dump trucks and various other construction vehicles. The mommy truck tucks them in, and the daddy truck sings the goodnight songs. With great rhymes and fun images, this book is sure to capture little readers attention.
14. Good Night, Little Blue Truck
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The Little Blue Truck and Toad help duck, cow, goat, and other friends seek shelter as a storm blows by making all kinds of scary noises. This is a reassuring bedtime read that aims to calm fears and see the nice calm moon that comes out after the storm. It’s a story of fear, comfort, and bravery. You’ll love the beautiful illustrations, too!
15. The Goodnight Train
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The Goodnight Train is a really fun book for preschoolers. With a train made of beds, children must climb aboard the Goodnight Train to travel across all kinds of exciting sites. The rhyming is the perfect lullaby with soothing train noises, it will lure any child off to sleep.
16. Time For Bed
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Time for Bed is a classical goodnight tale. With sweet illustrations and a soothing rhythmic narrative, this book depicts all the comfort your little one needs before they go to sleep. The illustrations are muted without being too dull, so it’s not overly stimulating either.
17. Night Night Farm
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Due to the subtle interactive element, Night Night Farm is an excellent choice for sensory seeking children. At the turn of every page, the animals transform from being awake to sleeping. As you might guess, this book walks children through various farm animal friends who are getting ready for bed.
18. Llama Llama Nighty Night
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Llama Llama Nighty Night is a spin-off of the original Llama Llama book. It is shorter and describes Llama Llama getting ready for bed. He splashes in the tub, puts his red pajamas on, and listens to a bedtime story. It’s a simple routine, but that’s what makes it so appealing to children!
19. How Do Dinosaurs Say Good Night?
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With short text and an easy-to-follow storyline, How Do Dinosaurs Say Good Night? is the perfect book for dino-obsessed toddlers. This is the story of the little dinosaur who isn’t quite ready to say goodnight, even though it’s time. Kids will laugh at the pictures, particularly the little dinosaur’s facial expressions. It’s a fun playful read, the best way to end the day!
20. Time for Bed, Elmo!
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Time for Bed, Elmo is a Sesame Street book written for children ages one through four. Elmo promises to go to sleep after a long set of distractions. Written with humor, it’s a sweet and short read with a fun rhythm. And it’s perfect for those little ones who are Elmo-obsessed!
21. Little Bunny’s Bedtime
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This sweet book is about a tired bunny mama and her youngest bunny, who just can’t sleep because he wants to spend time alone with his mom. Little Bunny’s Bedtime is a nice, quick read that’s perfect for bedtime reading with your little one. The mom and baby bunny on the board book are soft and fuzzy, adding texture exploration to this sweet bedtime book.
Related: 23 Baby Songs to Sing to Your Baby
Enjoy Reading Those Bedtime Stories
With stories of bravery and comfort, friendship and love, songs, rhythm, and even a little humor, bedtime stories are part of the routine for a reason. Children gain so much from reading with their parents and loved ones. It’s a special time to bond, learn, and eventually say goodnight.
I hope these books make their way into your child’s little library, and they enjoy them night after night!
Related: 25 Wonderful Baby Books for Your Baby’s First Library
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