Creating soothing bedtime rituals with the Coach House
At Wellness at the Coach House, we understand that bedtime isn’t always the peaceful, picture-perfect moment we’d hope for. Little ones are sensitive souls—easily overstimulated by the day’s energy and resistant to transitions when they’re overtired. And yet, restful sleep is one of the most important things we can support as they grow.
That’s why creating a calm, consistent evening rhythm can be such a powerful gift. It helps children feel grounded, safe, and gently guided into sleep—while giving you a little breathing space too.
Children Thrive on Rhythm
More than routine, rhythm brings a sense of security. It tells the body and brain: you are safe now, and it’s time to rest. These nightly rituals, repeated with love, can become soothing signals to the nervous system—cueing it to unwind, to slow down, to let go of the day.
Research backs this up: studies show that children with consistent bedtime routines experience better sleep quality, fewer night-time awakenings, and improved emotional regulation.* Even simple steps, done regularly, can make a profound difference over time.
Step 1: Begin with Sensory Calm
To ease the transition from activity to rest, begin with something tactile and grounding. We love starting the evening wind-down with our GROUND Wellbeing Doughs—a sensory invitation to stretch, squish, and shape away the day's remaining energy. It's play, yes—but it’s purposeful. A few minutes with the dough helps shift focus inward and encourages the kind of calm attention that bedtime calls for.
This gentle activity also provides a moment of connection between parent and child—soft conversation, shared creativity, and a signal that the evening rhythm has begun.
Step 2: A Warm Soak and a Familiar Story
Next, invite your little one into a warm bath or short soak. This doesn’t need to be elaborate—just a few quiet minutes in warm water can be enough to lower cortisol levels and prepare the body for sleep.
Once they’re dry and cosy, settle into a story. Choose something soft and familiar, something they know by heart. The predictability of a well-loved book helps slow racing thoughts, and curling up under a blanket together adds another layer of emotional safety. These are the moments they’ll remember, and the rituals their bodies will respond to night after night.
Step 3: Soothe With Scent
Just before lights out, complete your ritual with a gentle touch of GROUND Calm Balm—applied to their wrists, chest, or the soles of the feet. The soft, earthy scent acts as a sensory cue, grounding their little body and mind in calm.
Over time, this scent becomes part of the rhythm—a subtle but powerful signal that it’s time to sleep. Like all GROUND products, the balms are crafted with care and tailored to different developmental stages:
The ingredients are gentle, the texture soothing, and the application process itself a moment of connection and reassurance.
A Gift That Grows
What begins as a few simple steps—stretching dough, a warm soak, a calming scent—can grow into something far deeper: a sense of rhythm that supports your child’s nervous system, builds emotional resilience, and offers the comfort of consistency in a busy world.
At the Coach House, we believe wellness begins with the smallest of rituals. A bedtime routine isn’t just about getting them to sleep—it’s about teaching them, from an early age, that rest is sacred, and their wellbeing matters.
Here’s to gentler evenings, calmer nights, and little ones who drift off feeling safe, loved, and held.
