It’s rare that a seasoned parenting editor will rave about a particular toy. It’s even rarer still to have two editors, each with her own kids and distinct personalities and likes, fall in love with the same toy. That’s the case with the Little Tikes Story Dream Machine, though! Both me, the vice president of Content at CafeMom, and CafeMom contributor Kristina Nagle were won over by the super-cute story time and bedtime fun that this toy provides. It helps bring story time to life as it projects books for kids to read along.
Bedtime story time is back!
During the last year or so, reading before bedtime has gone the way of the bottle with my youngest daughter, 3-year-old Saide. With hectic nighttime routines to get my older kids into bed for school, getting Saide bathed and ready in her PJs, among other craziness that goes on in the Delgado household at night, it’s been hard, to say the least.
But Saide has found a reading partner in the Little Tikes Story Dream Machine! And not just at bedtime. She will set up one of the stories in the morning as she’s waiting for breakfast or wherever she can get the story to project. It's been such a perfect way to get her to love story time and, by extension, interacting with books more.
Saide loves listening to the stories from the Little Tikes Story Dream Machine.
At 3 years old, Saide is going into Pre-K 4 in September and I've been trying to instill a love of reading so that she progresses and becomes an avid little reader. This is another one of the things that I loved so much about this little toy. I could see Saide looking at each of the book cartridges, examining the cover, loading them in, and happily waiting for the story to get started. That story time fun carried from bedtime into her everyday — and I couldn't be more thrilled.
We’ve already decided on our next set of stories for the Little Tikes Story Dream Machine: We’re getting the Elmo collection!
George needed some focus during bedtime.
My colleague Kristina has also found that the Little Tikes Story Dream Machine helped her youngest, George, at bedtime: "George, my spirited 4-year-old, has boundless energy and we are met with the nightly challenge of transitioning from his daytime dynamo mode to a peaceful slumber," she told me. George requires a thoughtful approach that goes beyond simply dimming the lights.
"The Little Tikes Story Dream Machine has quickly become an indispensable part of our bedtime routine,” Kristina explained. “The calming, familiar tales soothe George and help him get ready to close his eyes. Since it’s not a screen device, it doesn’t wind up his already buzzing system.”
The Little Tikes Story Dream Machine transitions into a sound machine and night light once story time is over, creating a serene atmosphere, so George is able to doze off easily.
George is starting kindergarten this fall!
"As he eagerly anticipates starting kindergarten this fall, George has been embracing his independence more than ever,” Kristina told me. “He wants to do everything himself, and the Little Tikes Story Dream Machine allows him to take charge of his bedtime stories. George is able to pick the story he wants and project his chosen story wherever he pleases.”
With a variety of stories that keep kids of all ages engaged, the Story Dream Machine is a family favorite. “Even George’s 7-year-old sister can’t resist joining in on the fun, especially when he selects stories from the DreamWorks Animation Trolls and Kung Fu Panda collections.”
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