Do bedtime stories still work?

[JayGardener]

is it just in movies or do kids actually love bedtime stories? If yes, what kind?

Wait have you not read to them since babies? Do it!! So important.

That is honestly just beautiful

I've had mixed experiences with bedtime reading for my two - they've each gone through phases where they've found it too overstimulating rather than calming, and we've switched to audiobooks or singing/music for a while.

Now my 5 year old tells me to go away after a goodnight cuddle so he can read his book by himself, so it can't have done much harm 🤣 We've always read to them at other times though, even when bedtime hasn't been the right time for them, so this is probably the main thing.

It does make me sad how many households don’t have a routine which includes a bedtime story, or too often any sort of story time. It’s such a simple but effective way to spend some quality time with your child.

Of course! My now 4 and 2 year olds have had a story with milk before bed since being a few weeks old. They love it and regularly read/ask me to read to them in the day too. Setting an example to love reading was very important to both me and my husband.

Well.. no.. but I'll start now thank you😅

I love reading to my 11 year old - he is dyslexic and can listen to much more advanced books than he would read himself. We are working our way through Tolkien and Phillip Pullman. We both look forward to it and it’s a lovely way to connect at the end of the day.

Im honestly so surprised! I dont get how people put kids to bed without it 🤣 like what else do people do? Pjs on right in bed goodnight? Maybe that’s why my bedtimes always take so long. 🤣

What kind of genres do they like? My 11 year old has loved Cressida Cowell (how to train your dragon series, the wizards of once series, which way to the future series), Harry Potter, northern lights, fire born, skandar, impossible creatures. They are all fantasy though.

On he other side of this my eldest hated being read to, we did a bedtime story from newborn, Dad would give him a bottle so I could pump and then sleep and he would read him a story and as soon as he was old enough to object he did. Then he had the attention span of a gnat but particularly hated books. We persevered and tried. Eventually got him a yoto player and he would tolerate yoto stories or music while one of us cuddled him at bedtime. He only started enjoying being read to once he learnt to read, which was just before turning 7 and turns out he's dyslexic and was confused by the whole affair, literally distressed by words on a page. It gives me so much joy reading him roald dahla and Enid blyton and Terry Pratchett and him genuinely enjoying the stories and the time.

My youngest has devoured books since birth. Adores being read to. A trip to water stones and then a cafe is her favourite day out. She can read and write a little at 4 and still at nursery

They are all different and some kids genuinely hate being read to, wouldn't have believed that before.

If you want to get them develop a love of books maybe get some books that have been made into films then have a project of reading the book together - either you read to them or you all read the same book at the same time (like a book club) and then when finished watch the film together to compare and decide which version was best.
You can get books cheap from websites like World of Books so you can easily get 3 copies of the same book.

I'd vote for Harry Potter or Mr Gum books. It's better if you do different voices for different characters. I stopped reading to the kids when they started reading for themselves and didn't want me to read to them any more. I do remember a holiday when I was a child and an uncle read a group of us kids Swallows and Amazons every evening. I loved that.

I read to my DCs from the time they were babies until they were about 11 or 12 when it just sort of fizzled out. As they got older it was a really nice time to chat to them.

As long as your child enjoys what your are reading there is no right or wrong. Perhaps let them choose some books in the library.

12 is definitely too late. Give him a book to read himself.

8 might still enjoy it for a bit.

Absolutely. I read my 3 year old 4 x short books before she snuggles down for the night and the duration that takes, my husband is reading the 6 year old something Roald Dahl, Harry Potter, Julia Donaldson, Tom Fletcher etc. It's everyday routine and they wouldn't be happy or settled if we didn't do it.

Totally agree.

My DD is 12 and I still read to her every night! One of the best parts of my day. We've read so many super books together. We did all the Harry potters when she was younger. The wild robot series is also really good.

DH also reads to her (we take bedtime in turns) and he picks totally different books to me so she gets a good variety.

It helps that I'm a voracious reader so it's just part and parcel of daily life in our house.

Its never too late. I would add that reading yourself may help. I was the only member of my family to read growing up, we didnt really have books in the house and I always felt the odd one out.

It's not too late to start!

The key is to just make it part of a routine. Get a selection of books, let them keep them in their room and read to them every night. Remember the most important thing is to encourage love of books and for it to be a positive experience.

Once reading us established, maybe join a library and get into the habit of letti g them chose new books to read, or visit a local bookshop with them for a treat, if you have one. The Waterstones near us had a lovely children's section and the DC loved choosing new books.

My partner and I took turns to read to our DC every night until they were plenty old enough to read themselves. But we all enjoyed it so did it for years. It was a lovely thing to do.

Both DC are avid readers now.

My 3 year old daughter loves bedtime stories - she sits and "reads" books to put her dollies to bed. We are a big book family so the house is filled.

Her current faves;
Cinderella
The Beginners Bible (for toddlers)
Anything by Julia Donaldson

Ps we do give her tv time as well, its not a purist household!

I think I read to both of mine every night til they were about 11- possibly older, novels after a while, rather than picture books. Its like a comforting, grown up, huggy, version of audible

if you like the Wizard of Oz and Alice try them. Alternatively Harry Potter, How to Train your Dragon, Percy Jackson and if they like History, Adventures in Time by Dominic Sandbrook are great.

The Julia Donaldson ones above are too young.

Yes, they are a great way to bond and also encourage curiosity and reading in your children.

Booktrust has a Book Finder which is helpful if you don't know where to start, you can filter by age group etc

Bookfinder | BookTrust https://share.google/cp7aPGSQ4UFwDnI8q

Our children are early 20s and they often talk fondly about books they read with us or that were read to them, at bedtime. They remember favourites in minute detail.

I know when they have their own, they’ll repeat this special and valuable thing. It’s one of the best things you can do for children, and so rewarding on both sides.