Toddler Laughs Before Bedtime

I'm a big fan of having a few laughs at bedtime and DD is a big joker so I just thought I'd start a thread sharing what things our babies/toddlers get a kick out of at bedtime. BTW, I know that some childhood experts don't recommend this and think that it can get them too over-excited but pffft to them, it doesn't interfere with DD going to sleep.

When she was just a few months old, I noticed that she would smile and laugh when I got her wrap ready and sort of shooshed it in the air before putting it on the bed. So that was our first laugh.

When she got a little older, she would roll on to her tummy in her cot and bang her feet up and down - that's her sign that she wants a tickle. So we would have big tickles.

We also have upside down kisses with dad where he will sit on the couch and I will run (it's not really a 'run') holiding DD upside down and he will smother her in kisses.

Now her latest thing is that when she's in her cot, she pokes her hands out of each of the gaps in turn and I have to shake her hand and say "hello, how do you do, pleased to meet you." She loves it. Then when we're finished, I have to say, "is it sleepy time now?" And she makes a big show of nodding her head. So we do that a few times too.

Ahhhh ... bedtime. Sometimes takes a while but I always walk out feeling so lucky to have her.

That sounds so lovely Fiona, I'm quite jealous.

How awesome! I am a big believer in bedtime giggles too :)

I prefer bedtime giggles over anything else!! a pffft to the 'experts' as well :D DD#2 grabs my face when I'm holding her (we sing twinkle little star together - so cute how serious she is with her 'singing') and she'll kiss my nose, my mouth, head etc which makes me giggle, which makes her giggle and then its on! DD is the bestest fake laugher ever!! The hilarious part is how eventually it dissolves into a real laugh! Daddy sometimes comes in and in a fun way says, "excuse me you two, its bedtime" and gives mummy a fun telling off, lol :D Ah, love it! :heartbeat:

Oh we love the giggles here too - Izzy loves her bed and will come to us and say nigh nigh's and grab our hand to take her there! :) She also regularaly has a huge nudie run around the house after a bath which has her and us in hysterics followed by lovely cuddles and a bottle with daddy to get her calmed down. For day naps we have cuddles and tickles and then quiet cuddles. I lovethat she loves bedtime and sleep and is happy to go to bed on her own!

How gorgeous Fiona!

We love night time giggles too. It all starts when I get DD out of the bath, like Tan's Izzy she does the nudie run down the hall laughing and squeling as I chase her with the towel! Then after her milk, DH puts her to bed and then we all have to play 'peek a boo' with the bars of the cot whilst she laughs hysterically. For some reason this is still funny lol!

There must be something about the nudie run, Jasmine has to do her nudie run before she will let us dress her so cute seeing her nude butt speeding around the lounge room, she also says good bye to multiple inanimate objects before bed eg bye bye teddy, bye bye daddys juice, bbye bye daddys mote (thats daddy's remote not mummys) lol'

yep our night times are set off with the wild nudie rudie run all around the house! DD just loves it. in fact she loves it when the bath is being run and starts trying to rip her clothes off.

we also still play peek-a-boo on the changetable when we are getting her dressed for bed. and our other bedtime ritual is saying night night to all the people in the house (furbabies included). she likes to give everyone a big gaping kiss before bed! just love it!

Fiona thats is so gorgeous! I cant see why making your child happy and relaxed can be bad before bedtime, *pokes tounge out at "experts"*

DS loves to play on the bed with daddy, pretending to go to sleep under the covers. I alos sing him a song and kiss his tummy nad blow raspberries on his back and bottom! I am sure he would do nudie runs if i let him lol!

We love night time giggles too! Ours start off with DS going on DH's shoulders and I have to hide and jump out at them. Then we go into DS's room and put the radio on and have a dance together.. we sound like a dorky family don't we :lol: but we love it!

what beautiful rituals...

experts, shmexperts... ppfffftt!

OK, we added a couple of other bits of silliness today. DD refused to lie down for her day sleep until I put a tube of gift wrap in her cot (!) that she'd spotted in the bedroom so I sang her a few short songs through that which she enjoyed immensely. She also giggled her head off when I stroked her bare arm with her fluffy blankie saying "that's soft" and then alternating with a probing finger in her armpit saying "... and that's TICKLY." Is there any better sound than a laughing baby?

That's great & yes we always have giggles too. Charlie tonight went to bed with his "wombat stew" book...he can't get enough of books atm. Most nights he gets a good laugh out of upside down kisses & lots of them & them thinks it's very funny when I kiss each of his teddies good night & they kiss him also.

The bed time giggles are so much fun. Nothing like going to bed with happiness in your heart.

DD1 does the nuddie run too. Then she climbs into bed and hides under the covers. I pretend I can't find her then sit on her lumpy, giggley bed. Makes me smile just thinking about it!! :D

She certainly doesn't have trouble going to sleep.