Meet Barnaby, a happy little dinosaur. He wasn't a big, scary dinosaur; he was just the right size for playing! Barnaby loved spending his day in the big green meadow. He would run with his little legs, splash gently in warm puddles left by the rain, and eat the yummiest, softest leaves he could find. His long tail would swish back and forth, back and forth, as he played.
When the sun in the sky started to turn soft colors like orange and pink and purple, Barnaby knew something special was happening. Soon, he would hear a soft, rumbling sound, like a gentle cuddle in the air. It was Mama Dinosaur. "Barnaby," she would rumble kindly, "look, the first little stars are starting to peek out. It's time for little dinosaurs to start getting ready for sleep."
Barnaby knew just what to do next. The first step to getting ready for sleep was supper! He would find the freshest, most tender leaves and munch them slowly. Munch, munch, munch! Eating his supper always made his tummy feel warm and full, which was the perfect start to feeling sleepy.
After supper, it was time to get clean. Barnaby would find his special smooth rock bath spot near the quiet stream. The water was just the right temperature, warm from the day's sun. He would dip his long tail in, then his little legs. He splashed just a tiny bit, washing the dust off his nose and his little dinosaur toes. Feeling clean felt very, very nice.
Clean and full, Barnaby would walk slowly towards his cozy sleeping spot. It was under the biggest, leafiest fern tree in the meadow. This spot felt safe and quiet, just for him. As he walked, he would see some of his friends, like little fuzzy insects or sleepy little birds, also getting ready for their own beds. Barnaby would give them a quiet, gentle wave with his tail.
When he reached his spot, Barnaby would circle around just once, making the soft moss just the way he liked it. Then, he would snuggle down. He found his favorite smooth, grey pebble, the one that felt cool and comforting, and put his nose near it. It was time to close his big dinosaur eyes.
Barnaby took a big, slow dinosaur breath. In... out... He thought about all the fun playing he did today. Running, splashing, munching leaves. The meadow was quiet now, with only the gentle sounds of nighttime, like the soft rustle of leaves above him.
He felt his body getting heavy and warm on the soft moss bed. He was safe and sound in his cozy spot under the fern tree. His breathing was slow and steady, like a quiet rhythm. Sleepy feelings were filling him up from his toes to his nose.
Soon, little Barnaby the dinosaur was completely still and quiet. He was fast asleep, dreaming sweet dreams of running in the sunny meadow and eating delicious green leaves. Goodnight, Barnaby. Sweet dreams, little dinosaur, until the morning sun wakes you up for another day.