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Bedtime game

Sleepy Countdown

Takes about:
3 minutes to play
Good for:
Baby, Toddler
You’ll need:
just you, in a dim room
Handy for:
winding down

The last count of the day is the slowest. Count a few sleepy things in the room, in your quietest voice, then count down on your fingers until there’s only one left: your little one, ready for bed.

It’s a calm way to finish the day, with the same numbers in the same order every night, and a little counting practice tucked in.

How to play

  1. Dim the lights. Once they’re in pyjamas, switch the big light off and a lamp on low, and settle on the bed or in the feeding chair.
  2. Find something to count. Teddies on the shelf, stars on the curtains, buttons on their pyjamas or their toes. Somewhere between four and ten is a good number.
  3. Count slowly, touching or pointing at each one. Use your bedtime voice: “One teddy… two teddies… three teddies…”
  4. Say how many. “Five teddies, all ready for bed.”
  5. Count down on your fingers. Hold up five fingers and fold one down at a time, a little quieter each time: “Five… four… three… two…”
  6. End on one. “…and one sleepy baby.” Then a kiss, a cuddle, and into the cot or bed.

Why it helps

  • The NHS says a simple, soothing bedtime routine may help your baby settle. It says too much excitement just before bed can wake a child up again, and suggests calmer activities as bedtime gets near.1
  • A consistent bedtime routine is linked with better sleep in babies and toddlers: falling asleep faster and waking less.2
  • In a study of 44 families filmed at home, the parent number talk linked with toddlers later understanding what numbers mean was counting, or saying how many of something the child could see, especially groups of 4 to 10. The study shows a link, not that the counting caused it.3

As they grow

  • Baby: You do the counting. Count their toes as you put their sleepsuit on, or count five kisses: one on each cheek, one on the nose, one on each hand. Keep the same things in the same order, so it becomes part of bedtime.
  • Toddler: Let them choose what to count, and count with you. Hold out your hand and let them fold your fingers down for the countdown. Older toddlers might like to count the teddies as they tuck each one in on the shelf.

Tips

  • Same things, same order. Soon they’ll know what comes next, and may whisper the numbers with you.
  • Keep it slow. If they get giddy and shout “Again!”, do one more round, even slower and quieter.
  • Read about sheep. Five Little Sheep by the Gate is a bedtime story that counts down from five, made for this moment.
  • Pair it up. Say goodnight round the room with Goodnight Room, then finish with the countdown. For counting in the daytime, try Count With Me.
  • Phone down. Switch it off before you start, so the only light is the lamp.

Keep it safe

  • Count the teddies on the shelf, then leave them there. The NHS says to keep a baby’s cot clear of pillows and soft toys, as babies under 1 can suffocate if their face gets smothered.4
  • Lay your baby down on their back for every sleep, day or night.5

About this game

Written with AI assistance. Written by Sam and Erin with help from Claude. We’re parents, not health professionals: if you have any worries about your baby’s development, talk to your health visitor or GP. For more on why games like this matter, see Why play with your baby?

Sources

  1. NHS. Helping your baby to sleep. nhs.uk
  2. Mindell JA, Williamson AA. Benefits of a bedtime routine in young children: Sleep, development, and beyond. Sleep Medicine Reviews. 2018;40:93–108. pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov
  3. Gunderson EA, Levine SC. Some types of parent number talk count more than others: relations between parents’ input and children’s cardinal-number knowledge. Developmental Science. 2011;14(5):1021–1032. pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov
  4. NHS. Baby and toddler safety. nhs.uk
  5. The Lullaby Trust. Sleeping position. lullabytrust.org.uk

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