Infinite bedtime stories
As a dad, I’m always on the hunt for new children’s books. But every night when it’s time to put my little one to sleep, I end up reading the same old stories over and over. It’s not that she minds, but it gets kind of boring for me. That’s why last night I decided to try using ChatGPT to generate new bedtime stories. And let me tell you, it was a game-changer. Now, I’ve got an infinite supply of bedtime tales to keep my daughter entertained – and me too, for that matter. First I was curious what it had to say about bedtime routines.
Can you come up with a good bedtime routine for a 2 year old?
Here is a potential bedtime routine for a 2 year old:
- Start by dimming the lights in the child’s room to create a calming atmosphere.
- Have the child brush their teeth and wash their face.
- Put on their pajamas and read a bedtime story together.
- Give the child a warm bath or massage to help them relax.
- Play some soft music or use a white noise machine to help block out any external noise.
- Give the child a hug and tuck them into bed.
- Say goodnight and leave the room, making sure the door is slightly ajar so the child can see light from the hallway.
It’s important to keep the routine consistent and stick to it every night, so that the child knows what to expect and can start to wind down and prepare for sleep. It’s also a good idea to talk to the child’s parents to see if they have any preferences or specific techniques that have worked well for them in the past.
That definitely seems like a solid bedtime routine. But what would really be cool is if I had an infinite supply of new stories to mix things up and keep her guessing.
Can you come up with a bedtime story for a 2 year old?
It came up with this super cute story about an animal – a bunny, at first – who goes on an adventure and has all sorts of fun. And then, at the end of the day, it goes home and goes to bed. It was short and sweet. I’m pretty sure ChatGPT has a thing for this kind of story, because it’s the same formula every time. But hey, if it works, it works, right?
Once upon a time, in a land far, far away, there was a little bunny named Bunny. Bunny loved to hop and play in the fields and forests near his home.
One day, as Bunny was hopping along, he came across a beautiful garden. The garden was filled with all sorts of wonderful things to see and do. There were colorful flowers, babbling brooks, and even a big tree with a tire swing.
Bunny was so excited that he couldn’t help but hop right into the garden. He played and explored for hours, and had the most wonderful time.
But as the sun began to set, Bunny realized that it was time to go home. He hopped back through the garden and out into the fields, feeling happy and content.
As Bunny hopped along, he spotted a cozy little burrow in the side of a hill. It was just the right size for him, and it looked like the perfect place to rest his tired legs. Bunny hopped inside and snuggled into his soft, warm bed.
And as he closed his eyes, Bunny knew that he would have many more adventures in the beautiful garden, but for now, he was content to drift off into a peaceful sleep.
The end.
I thought it was nice, and more importantly she loved it. So I asked for another one, and this time we got a similar story but with a different animal:
Could you make another story?
Once upon a time, in a magical forest, there was a little fox named Foxy. Foxy was a curious little fox who loved to explore and have adventures.
One day, Foxy was out for a walk when he stumbled upon a beautiful meadow. The meadow was filled with tall grass, wildflowers, and buzzing bees. Foxy was so excited that he couldn’t help but run and play in the meadow.
As Foxy was playing, he spotted a small pond in the center of the meadow. The pond was crystal clear and full of shimmering fish. Foxy couldn’t wait to go for a swim.
Foxy paddled around in the pond for a while, chasing the fish and splashing in the cool water. But as the sun began to set, Foxy realized that it was time to go home.
Foxy trotted back through the meadow and into the forest. He was feeling happy and content, and couldn’t wait to tell his friends all about his adventure.
As Foxy reached his cozy little den, he snuggled into his soft, warm bed. And as he closed his eyes, Foxy knew that he would have many more adventures in the magical forest, but for now, he was content to drift off into a peaceful sleep.
The end.
This story was a hit with her too. She was having fun and the stories are short so I generated a few more before she fell asleep. It felt wrong to let them all disappear forever, so I saved them here for posterity. Check them out, they’re pretty cute.