How do you make a bedtime story video for kids?

10 scenes · about 90 seconds

1. Scene 1

   When the sun goes down behind the hills, a little blue train wakes up. It's the night train to Sleepy Town.

   Visual: A small round blue steam train with a gentle smiling face and glowing yellow windows waiting at a tiny country station at golden sunset, soft watercolor illustration.

   On screen: The Night Train to Sleepy Town

2. Scene 2

   First stop, Pillow Hill. A sleepy rabbit climbs aboard with her blanket. Chuff, chuff. Hush, hush.

   Visual: A soft white rabbit holding a folded patchwork blanket stepping into the train carriage on a grassy hill, the sky turning pink and orange, soft watercolor illustration.

3. Scene 3

   Next stop, Blanket Bay. A little seal yawns and flops into a seat. Chuff, chuff. Hush, hush.

   Visual: A small grey seal with a big yawn settling into a cushioned train seat, a calm bay with gentle waves outside the window at dusk, soft watercolor illustration.

4. Scene 4

   Then Yawning Woods, where an owl says she isn't tired at all, and closes her eyes anyway.

   Visual: A fluffy brown owl perched on the luggage rack with her eyes slowly closing, dark blue woods passing by outside, first stars appearing, soft watercolor illustration.

5. Scene 5

   The train rolls slower now. The windows glow. Everyone's breathing soft and slow.

   Visual: Inside the train carriage lit by small warm lamps, the rabbit, seal and owl all dozing under blankets, the dark countryside outside, soft watercolor illustration.

6. Scene 6

   Chuff. Chuff. Hush. Hush.

   Visual: The little blue train crossing a quiet stone bridge under a big round moon, its windows glowing, soft watercolor illustration, deep blue night.

7. Scene 7

   At last, the night train reaches Sleepy Town, where every window has a lamp turned low.

   Visual: A tiny village of crooked cottages with softly glowing windows under the moon, the train arriving slowly at the station, soft watercolor illustration.

8. Scene 8

   The rabbit is asleep. The seal is asleep. The owl is fast asleep.

   Visual: Close view of the three animals curled up together asleep on one wide seat under one blanket, moonlight through the window, soft watercolor illustration.

9. Scene 9

   And the little blue train closes its eyes too.

   Visual: The blue train at the dark station with its eyes gently closed and windows dimmed, the moon above, soft watercolor illustration.

10. Scene 10

    Goodnight, night train. Goodnight, Sleepy Town. Goodnight.

    Visual: A wide, almost dark view of the whole valley under moonlight, a few tiny lights glowing, stars, soft watercolor illustration.

    On screen: Goodnight

• Exciting stories at bedtime. Save the adventures for daytime; a bedtime story shouldn't have a climax.
• Bright, bouncy captions and fast scene changes. Use Subtle captions or none and longer scenes.
• A cheerful energetic voice. Choose Elli, Brian or Lily and let the pauses do the work.
• Visuals that stay bright from start to end. Write the light getting darker scene by scene.
• Ending with a cliffhanger or 'see you next time!'. End with sleep.
• Forgetting the made-for-kids setting on a channel for children.