Your guide to activities and fun things to do with your preschoolers, toddlers and kids in Charleston, SC

This month the national Savvy Source theme is exploring books, and all the ways in which they enrich our lives and those of our children!  I'm thrilled to get some help and expertise on the topic of best bedtime stories from Susan Norman, a children's librarian at the main library in downtown Charleston.  Miss Susan has been with the library for over 14 years and is the go-to person for all things preschool.  She's also the host of the popular "Time for Twos" storytime at the main library!   ~Nicole

Reading to young children stimulates their development, their imagination and gives them a head start when they reach school age.  Apart from helping their reading abilities, sharing a bedtime story with a child promotes their motor skills and their memory.  It also improves their emotional and social development.  With today's families being so busy, it is more important than ever to establish bedtime stories.  It is a wonderful opportunity to wind down a hectic day, to create calmness and a routine by opening a book.  This allows parents to experience that special bond of shared attention, time, emotion, and opens up avenues for conversation.  All of this reinforces reading as a pleasurable activity.  Children ultimately learn to love books because they are sharing them with someone they love. So tonight, and every night, snuggle up with your little one, get cozy and open a book at bedtime!  



Time For Bed  By Mem Fox :  As darkness falls various animal parents get their children ready for sleep.

Goodnight My Duckling By Nancy Tafuri :  As a mother duck leads her ducklings home, one gets left behind but, luckily, a friend is there to help the little duckling back to his nest in time for bed.

Golden Bear By Ruth Young : Golden Bear, Golden Bear, I have seen him everywhere.  Rachel Isadora's vibrant illustrations combine with Ruth Young's rhythmic read-aloud text to capture the friendship between a young child and his special friend.

Poppy The Panda By Dick Gackenbach :  Katie O???Keefe has a toy panda.  When Poppy refuses to go to bed, children will be amused by Katie's attempts to solve Poppy's dilemma.

Russell the Sheep By Rob Scotton : Russell the sheep tries all different ways to get to sleep.  Beautiful illustrations.

Sing-Along Song By Joann Early Macken :  Vibrant illustrations and a toe tapping sing aloud story take the reader throughout a child's busy day to bedtime.

Goodnight, Copycub By Richard Edwards :  When copy cub can't fall asleep, his mother tells him a story about how other animals rest 'safe and sound.???

Sleepy Bears By Mem Fox :  How do you convince six not-so-sleepy bear cubs to go to bed?  With this tender bedtime story, certain to inspire sweet dreams all through the night.

Can You Cuddle Like a Koala? By John Butler : Copy these creatures and rest your head.  Snuggle up now.  It's time for bed.

I Know a Rhino By Charles Fuge :  Follow all the animals as they make their way to bed.

How Do You Sleep? By Louise Bonnett-Rampersaud :  Shhh! Don't say a peep the animals are showing us how they sleep.

Cornelius P. Mud, ARE YOU READY FOR BED?  By Barney Saltzberg :  Children will love the illustrations in this book, and will laugh at learning what not to do.

Stay Awake Sally By Mitra Modarressi :  Sally is sleepy and ready to go to bed but her parents want her to stay up and play with them.

Naptime. Laptime By Eileen Spinelli : In rhyming verse a little girl describes where animals like to sleep as well as her favorite place, on grandma's lap.

Hush, Little Ones by John Butler : Drowsy animal parents and their young nestle down together for the night.

[Editor's note:  All the titles above are linked to the book listings on Amazon.com, or you can check them out from your local library, of course!]