Getting kids (almost 3 and almost 5) to actually listen to books being read

[Anonymous]

My kids also were bouncing off the walls at bedtime at that age, but wouldn’t really settle down until I could get them to focus on a book. I’ve found two things that have helped—lots and lots of exercise (agree with the PP who mentioned evening swimming, my kids will fall asleep within minutes on nights we go to the pool), and moving bedtime earlier—the high energy at bedtime is a sign of over-tiredness in my kids.

I’ve also found that repeating the same books over and over again helps them wind down at bedtime. As they get older, I’ve started adding more variety, but in the 2-3 age range it’s fine to repeat the same book every night.