If you're struggling with getting your kids to bed on time, help is on the way! I've partnered with Little Tikes to share my best bedtime hack for a peaceful evening.
I've got a 6-year-old and a 3-year-old, and some days I am simply running on fumes by bedtime. Then, it starts. The whining. The tears. The excessive thirst and need for just a little bit more water. The need to use the restroom just three more times. It's exhausting! I've realized that there's got to be a better way, and that's when I turned to Little Tikes.
It may sound odd, turning to a toy brand for help, but stick with me here. Little Tikes has been encouraging active and imaginative play since 1969. Their entire goal is to create products that get small bodies moving. I just so happen to have a few small bodies that needed to get moving... and more importantly, tired! Seriously, my daughter is ALWAYS on the move.
I was trying to think of ways to wear my kids out before bedtime when it hit me. Our next door neighbor has a trampoline in her living room and my kids always hop on it as soon as they walk in their door. Why don't we get one?!
An unexpected bedtime hack
The Little Tikes Easy Store™ 3ft-Trampoline was exactly what I had in mind. It's perfectly sized for my kids and my home. The recommended age for this toy is 3-6 and jumpers should be under 55 pounds. My kids fit the bill and were literally jumping for joy.
I love that the Easy Store 3ft-Trampoline helps them get all of that extra energy out by encouraging active play. My daughter just bounces and bounces until she's worn out. I also love the safety bar so she can hold on for a little extra support at times.
I know the whole purpose of this trampoline was to wear my daughter out, but it's also been really helpful with my 6-year-old son. He comes home from first grade with a folder full of homework most afternoons. I was trying to sit him down right after school to get it over with, but he just had a hard time sitting still. Now, I'm letting him jump for a few minutes to get those wiggles out and burn off a little extra energy. By the time he sits down to complete his homework, he's much more focused.
If you live with a minimalist (like I do), you might be wondering where you could possibly store the trampoline when not in use. I mean, it does have a safety bar and all. Well, Little Tikes to the rescue again because that safety bar folds down for easy storage.
When my daughter isn't using the trampoline, I simply fold the bar down and it easily fits through our doorways and goes into her closet. Perfection!
I've been letting my kids bounce in the evening for about a week now, and bedtime is going so much more smoothly! The Little Tikes Easy Store 3ft-Trampoline has been a great unexpected bedtime hack for our family.
Do you have a bedtime hack to share?
I'd love to hear them!
Disclosure: This post is sponsored by Little Tikes. As always, all opinions are my own.
Leave a Reply