Support Your Child’s Emotional Health With This Fun Bedtime Activity

It can be hard to know what our young children are thinking and feeling, especially when their words for such complex thoughts have not yet developed. But did you know that talking to an imaginary character helps children express themselves more easily? Try out this fun and calming shadow play bedtime activity that offers huge emotional benefits for your child. Bonus: you gain a better understanding of your child’s inner world, can acknowledge their feelings, and support them to feel understood. It’s easy and accessible for anyone to do.

 

1. Start shadow play with Woof Woof. Turn off lights, hop into bed next to your child, illuminate your flashlight, and ask your kid to call out for Woof Woof. “Can you help me call out for Woof Woof? Ready…1,2,3 Woof Woof!

 

2. Project your hand shadow dog on the wall. Say hi to your child as the voice of Woof Woof. Have fun and don’t be shy to make your own character voice. Children express themselves more easily to an imaginary character. Look at the photos below to see how to make your own shadow pup.

 

3. Ask your child specific questions about their day, like ‘did you have fun playing at Jordan’s today?’ rather than a general ‘how was your day?’ Make sure to listen and respond with understanding. Dive deeper into a subject that may come up that seems important to the child. We want to leave our conversations with Woof Woof open to expressing our many feelings that we experience throughout the day.

 

4. Some kids enjoy Woof Woof every night while others choose to speak to Woof Woof when they have something to explore. So next time your child gives you a hard time getting to bed, throw a little Woof Woof shadow play into the mix for an enticing new element for the bedtime routine, with so many wonderful emotional health benefits for both you and your child.