Evening Rituals with No Screens: How to Calm a Child After Video Games

The aftershock of gaming: why transitions matter

It's 7:15 in the evening. Your child has just finished playing their favorite video game, eyes still bright, mind still racing—and bedtime feels miles away. You ask them to brush their teeth, and a meltdown brews. You're not alone. Many parents struggle with this exact moment: the emotional and psychological whiplash kids often experience when transitioning from a highly stimulating activity like gaming to quieter bedtime routines.

Video games can be exciting, immersive, and for some kids ages 6 to 12, downright hard to walk away from. But understanding their impact helps you reconnect with your child with more empathy—and create a smoother, screen-free landing into the evening.

Why does winding down feel so hard after gaming?

Games, especially fast-paced or competitive ones, can elevate cortisol and adrenaline levels. For a child, this means that their bodies are physically revved up—even if they're just sitting on the couch. Add rapidly shifting visuals, rewarding dopamine loops, and immersive storytelling, and you have a brain that’s very much on alert—not one that's ready for pajamas and bedtime.

Frustration, resistance, or even tantrums after gameplay aren’t signs of a "spoiled" child—they're usually signs of a nervous system that needs help shifting gears. And transitions are especially tough if your child already experiences difficulty disengaging from screens.

Designing a screen-free evening ritual that works

If you're hoping to reclaim calm evenings, structure and consistency are your best allies. A predictable, soothing routine—not crammed with commands, but guided with care—can help signal to your child's body and brain that it's time to power down.

Rather than suddenly turning off the console and expecting immediate cooperation, try creating a soft buffer between screen time and bedtime. Here’s how you might transition away from games without a fight:

Step 1: Pre-warning and transparency

Give your child a 10-minute and 5-minute warning before games need to end. You might say, “In 5 minutes, we’re closing the game and switching to our evening routine.” Over time, this predictability helps reduce the element of surprise—which can often trigger emotional pushback.

Step 2: A transitional activity—not a command

Once the game is off, jumping straight to instructions like "Turn off the TV and go brush your teeth" can fall flat. Instead, offer a transitional activity that helps your child release energy and ease into a quieter mode:

• Have a short dance party to their favorite non-stimulating music
• Engage in a simple game of charades or hide-and-seek
• Invite them to stretch or do a silly yoga pose challenge

This isn't just fun—it gives the nervous system time to deselect “game mode” and shift gently into human connection and self-regulation.

Step 3: Introduce screen-free comfort rituals

Once the energy arc has dipped, you can start incorporating simple rituals that feel grounding and pleasant: a warm bath, pajamas chosen together, or a special nightly drink like chamomile tea or warm milk. But the key? Your presence. Sit with your child as they unwind—not as a supervisor, but as a safe calm space after a rapid-fire virtual experience.

Many parents find that slowing down together creates a stronger emotional bridge. Instead of viewing nighttime as a solo routine, it can become a brief time of warmth and reconnection.

When silence speaks: storytelling without screens

If your child is used to a lot of visual and sensory input, reading physical books might feel a bit too "still" at first. This is where audio storytelling shines—it offers narrative immersion without overstimulation. Platforms like the iOS or Android versions of the LISN Kids App provide gentle, original audio stories and series designed specifically for kids aged 3 to 12.

With calming voices and age-appropriate storytelling, it’s an incredibly helpful way to satisfy a child's narrative hunger (so often fed by video games) in a screen-free format that actually supports rest. It can easily become the most anticipated part of their bedtime routine.

Knowing your child—and their screen habits

Of course, not all video games are created equal. Some might overstimulate more than others. Choosing gentler options when possible can make transitions easier in the first place. If your child is on the younger side or particularly sensitive, you might explore calm video games suitable for children under 10 as part of your long-term strategy.

This is also a good time to reassess how gaming fits into your broader family life. If drama erupts nightly, it may help to review when and how gaming happens—especially before bedtime. Our guide to managing screen time at home offers a solid starting point.

The goal isn’t to get rid of gaming—but to manage the moments after

Behind the resistance, the refusals, the bedtime chaos, your child is not trying to make your evening harder. They're struggling to let go of something engaging and familiar. That doesn’t mean you should give in—but it does mean they need your help to do that hard emotional work.

A calmer night doesn’t require perfection. But small, intentional changes to how you end their screen time will make a big difference. And the more consistent the ritual, the easier those transitions become, because the routine itself begins to carry your child away from the screen and into something slower, safer, and more connected.

For further reflection

If you're currently exploring when your child should begin playing independently, this article on what age kids can start playing video games alone may help frame reasonable expectations. And if you're looking ahead to weekends or school holidays, we’ve also shared insight on how to help kids unplug during breaks. Every step counts—especially the small, quiet ones at the end of the day.