Once Upon Today
The Bedtime Blog
Gentle ideas for ending the day well — stories, reflections and calm
4 October 2026 · Lotty Coy
The 10 Best Bedtime Story Apps for Kids in 2026, Compared
Comparing the best bedtime story apps for kids in 2026 — Moshi, Epic!, Vooks, Readmio and more — and how to choose the one that actually helps your child settle at bedtime
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4 October 2026 · Lotty Coy
How to Create a Personalised Bedtime Story for Your Child
Wondering how to create a personalised bedtime story for your child? This gentle step-by-step guide turns today's small moments into a calming tale — no writing skills needed, ready in minutes
Read the Post →4 October 2026 · Lotty Coy
Bedtime Stories for Kids Who Won't Settle: Why Reflection Beats Generic Story Apps
If your child won't settle at bedtime, a generic story app may be why. How bedtime stories made from your child's real day help kids — including those with ADHD or autism — wind down and sleep
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Bedtime Story Generator for Kids: How to Get a Story That Actually Helps Them Sleep
Not all story generators are made for bedtime. Here's what to look for in a bedtime story generator for kids — and how to get a calming tale in under a minute
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4 October 2026 · Lotty Coy
Personalised Children's Stories: Why the Best Ones Are About More Than a Name
Personalised children's stories often just swap in a name. The ones children truly love are built from their real day, feelings and choices — here's the difference
Read the Post →4 October 2026 · Lotty Coy
7 Tips for Using a Bedtime Story Generator for Kids (So It Actually Calms Them Down)
A bedtime story generator for kids can make every night fresh — if you use it well. Seven simple tips for calmer, sleepier, more personal stories tonight
Read the Post →4 October 2026 · Lotty Coy
Personalised Children's Stories by Age: What Works at 3, 5 and 8
Personalised children's stories change as your child grows. What lands at three, what five-year-olds ask for, and how eight-year-olds make the story their own
Read the Post →4 October 2026 · Lotty Coy
How to Make a Custom Children's Book Your Child Will Actually Ask For Again
A step-by-step guide to making a custom children's book that goes beyond a name in a template — built from your child's real day, feelings and choices
Read the Post →4 October 2026 · Lotty Coy
Custom Children's Books as Gifts: What to Look For (and What to Avoid)
Choosing a custom children's book as a gift? Here's how to tell a keepsake a child will treasure from one that gets read once — and why the best ones grow
Read the Post →29 September 2026 · Lotty Coy
Why Parents Choose Bedtime Stories Made from Their Child's Day
We asked ourselves why families keep coming back to stories woven from the day they've just had. The answer, it turns out, is the same reason children ask for them night after night
Read the Post →29 September 2026 · Lotty Coy
Our Free Printable Story Pack: Make Tonight's Story Together
Five printable pages — bedtime questions, a story planner and a sample story — to turn tonight's highlights into a story you make together, screens off and pencils out
Read the Post →29 September 2026 · Lotty Coy
The Five-Minute Bedtime Storytelling Ritual (and How to Start It Tonight)
You don't need a book, an app or a storyteller's voice to end the day with a story. Five minutes, one question and your child's own day will do the rest
Read the Post →29 September 2026 · Lotty Coy
Why Your Child's Day Makes the Best Bedtime Story
The moments your child actually lived — the wobble, the win, the wish — are the ones that settle them fastest at night. Here's why a story built from their own day works so well.
Read the Post →29 September 2026 · Lotty Coy
How to Talk to Your Child About a Tricky Day (Without a Big Chat)
Big conversations rarely work at bedtime. Small, gentle questions do. A story-shaped way to help your child reflect on a hard moment and let it go before sleep.
Read the Post →29 September 2026 · Lotty Coy
Personalised Bedtime Stories vs Traditional Books: When Each One Shines
Classic picture books and personalised stories do different jobs at bedtime. Here's how to choose — and why the best nights often use both.
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