My little one falls asleep to new horizon sleep meditations. I have a few sound files downloaded and will put one on repeat all night (I tried playing them just until she fell asleep, but she woke me up in the middle of the night upset that her stories were off). We still do our normal reading routine (she reads us 1 book, we read a picture book, we read a chapter in a chapter book, then she can look at books by herself until her clock turns red at 8pm) then I put on the meditation and set a timer to stop playing just before her morning routine. It’s worked for the past 6 months or so.
this post was submitted on 19 Jul 2026
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I read her books and sing to her. Sometimes I play rain sounds or crickets if I intend to make noise after she's asleep.
interestingly, after we read 3 (short) books, my little one chooses which "sleepy sound" in the app, and they go to sleep to that. She mostly chooses beach, but sometimes forest. I usually choose crickets, and rain if it is a rainy night 😊
My kiddo would have a conniption if they just listened to sounds.
What happened to reading bedtime stories? I just failed to finish the Dr. Seuss Sleep Book for the 100th time. They never make it to the end.
Reading books and singing lullabies are timeless for a reason.
It’s way more interactive and a great way to connect with your kids at the end of the day. The face to face connection is so important for their development, fostering an healthy relationship with them, and your own mental health.
Plus it can be a way for both of you to explore creatively a little. Try doing the voices, ask them questions about the story, etc. If you enjoy signing and/or playing music, that can also foster a similar collaborative experience.