Once upon a time, deep in the sparkly blue ocean, lived a little starfish named Sunny. Sunny wasn't quite sleepy. He wiggled his arms and legs and looked all around. 'Too much energy!' he thought. Old Man Turtle, wise and slow, smiled at Sunny. 'Sometimes, little one,' he said, 'we need to find a quiet place inside ourselves.'
Old Man Turtle showed Sunny how to close his eyes. 'Now,' he said, 'let's pretend you are a tiny boat, floating on the waves. Breathe in… and out… like the gentle rocking of the ocean.' Sunny closed his eyes and tried it. He breathed in, feeling his tummy get a little bigger, and breathed out, feeling it get smaller. It felt… nice.
With each breath, Sunny imagined the waves washing away all his wiggles. He thought about the colorful fish swimming by, the soft sand on the ocean floor, and the warm sunshine above. He noticed how the water felt cool against his starfish points. He wasn't trying to *stop* wiggling, he was just *noticing* the wiggles, and then letting them float away with his breath.
Old Man Turtle continued, 'Now, listen to the ocean. Can you hear the gentle swoosh of the waves? That sound is calming. It's a sleepy sound.' Sunny listened. Swoosh… swoosh… It *was* a sleepy sound. He imagined the sound filling him up with peace.
Sunny breathed in… and out… slower and slower. He thought about all the good things that happened today – playing hide-and-seek with the seahorses, finding a shiny shell, and sharing seaweed snacks with his friends. He felt grateful for all the fun.
Soon, Sunny’s arms and legs felt heavy and relaxed. His wiggles were almost gone. He was feeling very, very sleepy. Old Man Turtle smiled. 'You found your quiet place, Sunny,' he whispered. 'Now you can drift off to dreamland.'
Sunny opened his eyes just a little and smiled back. He took one last deep breath in… and out… and closed his eyes again. He was finally ready for sleep. And you, little one, can close your eyes now too. Breathe in… and out… just like Sunny the starfish. Sweet dreams.