The Bedtime Play box was sent to Citrus Lane subscribers in 2011. This box is no longer available, but check out our current offering!

Herding an energetic toddler through her bedtime routine can make exhausted parents wish for someone to come and send the grown-ups to bed too. We’ve found that the best cure for bedtime battles is playfulness, which is why we’ve created a box all about bedtime play. Have fun, and sweet dreams!

Featured Brands

Skip*Hop Dunck Stacking Bath Toys
Many parents recommend a bath to help their toddler wind down at the end of the day. These stylish duck bath toys float, pour, then stack up neatly for storage. Plus they’re dishwasher-safe and BPA-free. Parents can use one duck for rinsing shampoo while baby plays with the other two. Tip: if you have a reluctant hair-washer, attempt a distraction by using a silly voice to have the duck ask baby, “Water? Water?” You may not get cooperation, but you’ll probably at least get a giggle.

Kushie’s Baby Toothbrush
This adorable baby toothbrush is perfect for beginning brushers. Our test crew parents report that their kids loved having the shark swim in to tickle their teeth! Made of flexible food-grade silicone, it’s super-gentle on baby’s mouth, but the bristles are still firm enough to get little teeth clean. It’s even safe to throw in the dishwasher after it gets dropped on the floor. (A word of warning: don’t allow your child to use this or any toothbrush as a teether.)

Branam All Natural Xylitol Tooth Gel (Bubblegum)
Until toddlers learn how to spit out toothpaste, dentists recommend using fluoride-free products that are safe to swallow. We picked Branam bubblegum because our kids love the taste, and we love the added xylitol. In case you hadn’t heard of xylitol (we hadn’t!), it’s a sweetener found in natural sources like fruits and vegetables. Xylitol has been shown to reduce tooth decay, so it’s a great alternative for kids too young for fluoride.

Aura Cacia Calming Foam Bath
Toddlers love bubble baths, but many moms tell us they avoid them for fear of causing a rash. Aura Cacia Foam Bath uses sodium bicarbonate to create gentler bubbles for sensitive skin, plus essential oils for a calming effect. We can’t guarantee the calming, but we can say that the ducks will have a great time floating in a bubble ocean. (P.S. If your child has a urinary tract infection, doctors recommend you avoid using this and other foaming products; they can worsen an existing infection.)