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My First Night in My Own Room
Big Ezz remembers his first night in his own room: the bed felt so big, the room was so quiet, and Mum and Dad's room felt so far away. Three small secrets helped him through the night, and in the morning he ran down the hallway shouting "I did it!"
The three secrets
Say them together: one finger, two fingers, three!
Say your goodnight words
The same words every night. "See you in the morning!" "When the sun comes up!"
Give teddy a job
A teddy, a dinosaur, any toy can watch the window for the sun. When you've got a team, you're not alone.
Know the way
Ask your grown-up to show you the way to their room, in the daytime. Then they're never too far away.
Colouring book
Find Ezz, the three secrets, Teddy on watch, the big morning hug, and a page to draw your own teddy's job. Free to print for home and classroom.
Three-secrets card
A bedside card and four little cards to cut out. Keep one by the bed, and give one to teddy for his job.
For grown-ups
A few minutes to read, then small things to try together.
When to watch
- A few days before the first night in their own room, so there is time to talk and practise in the daytime.
- At bedtime on the first night, as part of the routine. A familiar story can be calming.
- Again after a wobbly night. Children often like to hear that Ezz felt the same.
After watching, ask
- How did little Ezz feel when the lights went off? Have you ever felt like that?
- What will our goodnight words be?
- Which toy could have a job tonight? What will its job be?
- Can you show me the way to my room?
- What did Ezz shout when the sun came up?
There are no wrong answers. Listening matters more than fixing.
Practise the three secrets at home
Say your goodnight words
Choose your words together and use the same ones every night, like "See you in the morning!" and "When the sun comes up!" Let your child say their part. The routine is the comfort.
Give teddy a job
Let your child pick the toy and the job: watching the window for the sun, guarding the door, keeping the bed warm. In the morning, ask how teddy did.
Know the way
In the daytime, walk the route from their bed to your room together, and make it a game: count the steps, touch the door. A small night light on the way helps. Agree what to do if they wake up.
If the worry stays
- A few wobbly nights are normal. Many children need a week or two to settle in a new room. Some are fine at first and wake up later.
- Keep the bedtime routine short and the same. Bath, story, goodnight words, lights. Predictable is reassuring.
- Praise the brave part, not only the result. "You stayed in your bed until the sun came up" or "You knew the way to our room."
- Make the room their own. Let them choose a pillow, a picture or where teddy sits. A room they like feels less far away.
- Talk to your doctor or health visitor if night-time fears are very strong, go on for weeks, or affect daytime play, eating or mood.
Did this help?
We'd love to know, or hear which "first" you'd like next. Send us a note. Please don't include your child's name or school.