Pack a Dream Bag
Here’s a creative new night-time ritual you can try with your child: packing a dream bag! A special kit filled with goodies (pictures, toys, snacks... and of course LEGO® bricks) to help them create the world of their wildest dreams when they fall asleep.
It’s a fun way to create anticipation for bedtime and help kids look forward to being asleep and feel in control of their dreams (and those pesky nightmares that crawl up sometimes).
Steps
- Step 1
Set the Stage
Gather your kid before going to bed, sit in your favorite cozy creative spot, and tell them you’re going to be packing a dream bag together: a special kit filled with all you’ll both need to create awesome dreams when you fall asleep.
A fun and creative bonus is to help your kid make a drawing of their planned dream adventure – the more detailed the better! - Step 2
Pack the Bag
You could make a list together of all the items needed for a dream adventure. Add something that your kid loves: for example, if they love cars, make sure to add a toy car – or let them make a drawing of one and add it to the bag. What else would they like to dream about tonight? Dinosaurs, aliens, pizza...? Find a fun related item, or help them make a drawing, then in the bag it goes!
Finally, make sure to add enough LEGO bricks to build whatever they may need in a pinch during their dream adventures. Zip it up, and they’re ready for bed!
- Step 3
Get in the Habit
Packing the dream bag makes for a great one-off activity, and an even greater night-time habit: doing it daily or semi-daily helps kids connect with the creative power of dreams and explore different kinds of stories depending on what they choose to pack in the bag.
And if you start planning and packing your own dream bag along with them, it can become a lovely family ritual. One they may remember forever, and then pass on to their own kids one day! Now that’s a beautiful dream right there.
