Put The Day To Bed On A Sleepy Balloon

Children review their day, noticing the ups and downs, what they're grateful for, awed by, and who they encountered. After noticing that all these feelings and events are in the past, children are asked to use their imaginations, visualizing a pink and blue balloon with a silver basket. All the events of the day are carried away safely by a caring character on a hot air balloon. There is a gentle, acoustic guitar in the background that continues to help soothe "busy brains."

Transcript

It's time to put the day to bed.

Let's get in our comfy position,

Shall we?

Time to rest your head on the pillow and put the day to bed.

Whisper.

Think back on when you first woke up and stretched your body under the covers.

Stretch your body now and feel your bed,

Sheets and pillow,

Your soft pajamas,

Think back.

What did you say when you first got up?

What was the weather like today?

What did you have for breakfast?

What did you wear?

What toys,

Friends and games did you play with?

What grown-ups did you see today?

What did you have for lunch?

Was there a time when you were sad?

Were there times when you were frustrated or mad?

Did you notice those times didn't last very long?

What can you say thank you for today?

What about today can you say wow?

What did you notice that you loved and made you happy today?

Now close your eyes.

Wiggle your fingers and tell them to rest.

They've been very busy today.

Wiggle your toes and circle your ankles and your feet.

They've been supporting you all day too.

Give a great big yawn and a final stretch and whisper.

Thank you for another amazing day.

Now it's time to sleep.

Let yourself breathe in the quietness of the night.

With your eyes closed,

See that you are standing in a green field in the night time.

See in the starry sky a blue and pink balloon with a silver basket floating towards you.

The basket is so big it can carry people.

And it's going to carry all the memories of your day away to bring to a safe place.

In the silver basket is someone.

Someone who is smiling and calmly waving to you.

Who is it?

Is it a favorite character from a story?

Is it a family member you love?

As the balloon gets closer,

You can see who it is and it makes you very happy.

The balloon is so close now you can see the caring light in each other's eyes.

You can share about the day without having to say anything.

You share everything you did today.

Do that now.

Now you hear,

Thank you.

I'm going to carry everything you told me away in the basket of the bedtime balloon and save it for you in the cloud of memories.

Now it's time for the bedtime balloon to gently go back up to the clouds.

It floats away just as you will float away for a dream journey.

Wave goodbye and smile.

Everybody sleeps.

Everybody dreams.