Does your child get a book/story before bed?

[Helenemjay]

What do you read them?

dd 3.5 has always had a story before bed
Kipper
Very hungry Caterpillar
Dear Zoo
And tons of great books that are a bit longer
She loves her bedtime story and actually spends alot of time with books during the day.

Yes.
DD is 2.3ish and we have always done books before bed in one form or another. I say always, I mena for a long time now.
Favourites include:
Those a-z and counting books, especially if the have pictures of chocolate
Go Maisy Go
Beegu
How does a dinosaur eat all his food?
Dirty Bertie
Bear Hunt
Mouse Creeps

If DD doesn't take ages & ages to actually get ready for bed then she gets a bed time story. At the moment we're working through the Harry Potter series of books - on the fat ones at the moment which is taking a while!

I think next on the list is the Little House on the Prarie series as I've still got my copies & am looking forward to reading one of my favourite childhood series to her. (She seems to be very interested in things that I did as a child at the moment).

Hi Helenemjay
Yes, reading is a must at bedtime here! If you are looking for some new ideas there is a handy book called something like "100 books to read aloud", which you can pick up in bookshops for £1.

We read to dd - and she is only 4 months! Both dp and I like reading anyway, and we're trying to establish a bit of a bedtime routine. I agree that it helps to calm dd down.

Dp is really good at it - he does different voices for the characters and everything. I think he definitely enjoys it, even if she doesn't really know what is going on just yet!

DS (23 months) still feeds to sleep most nights so a bedtime story isnt really necessary. But he loves us reading to him during the day. He has access to all his books & brings one to us every few hours of so to read!

anyone looked at peter rabbit books - b. potter? They are rea;ly scary i think for little ones. Peter rabbits dad is "in a pie" and a puppy ate jemima puddleducks eggs!!! I know they are old stories, but i couldn't read them to my 3 year old!

At the moment the fave is still Pumpkin Soup but I'm going off my head with it so bought her Moon Dog the other day by I think it's Helen Ward and oday got her the Charlie & Lola - looking after dog one.

mine used to get sing songs. we did otis redding, aeosmith and elkie brooks. after 2 or three times they loved it and loved joining in................ i miss it.

lovin the elkie brooks bit 'we dont cry out loud'

they loved that one - only becuase of the circus overtones

I do prayers and one story from her fairytale book and then dp comes in and makes her a story up which she loves.

abi34, we used to have exactly the same routine with DS. While he was having his milk, DH would read him a story. This started when he was a bump and continued as a way of keeping me company when I was giving him his last breast feed before bed. I have to say that when DS stopped having bed time milk he started wanting the Gruffalo rather than Philip Pullman, and he wasn't a particulary early talker, but it was a lovely way for us all to chill out together at the end of the day while it lasted.

popmum, DS loves Peter Rabbit (he is 2.7), however, I always skip the bit about the pie. Thanks for the warning about Jemima Puddleduck!

I read DS the complete works of Beatrice Potter. It was Bear Hunt that gave him nightmares.

We read to ds whenever he asks during the day (usually about 20 times cos he loves books) and we read to him when he climbs in bed with us in the morning. At night it is his choice so normally no he doesn't want it. To him bed time when he has got into bed is when we should bugger off. If he is feeling ill though he likes me to read to him.

He likes most books especially those with bright pictures that rhyme, but will listen to anything being read. Keith Floyds Indian cookbook was a hit for a while (I think it might have been the bright colours), but generally its each peach pear plum, the very hungry caterpillar, gruffalo and gruffalos child, Hairy McClary, and Kiss goodnight sam. But anything will do. He even tries to read them himself if you are too busy! He's 20 months and thinks its hilarious.

I just wish his dad would read to him more.

DH does bedtime routine,, always has. This involves a story or two and prayers for DD (4) while DS is getting ready for bed, then a bible story, story of own choice and prayers for DS (6). The stories can be anything from a chapter of Dahl, to a short old favourite. DS then usually reads to himself for hgalf an hour or so before he goes to sleep. I read to and with the children during the day, and make a point of reading my books in front of them, to model reading for pleasure. We have started listening to story tapes in the car too, we all enjoy Narnia!

DS is 4.5 and loves books - today we read (some of) The Cat that Got Away by Allan Ahlberg, (has anyone else encountered the Gaskitt clan?) but we have a vast selection and it varies a lot. DD is 20mths and so far only really pays attention to flap books but demands book after book (looking at one page of each) and throws a tantrum when I read to DS. Sometimes I just stick her in the cot with a board book and leave her to it!

I have read 'The Snail and the Whale' to dd2 at bedtime every night for the last 6 weeks. Its doing my head in!!!
But yes, we do bedtime stories for all our children. Dd1 (6) loves 'Katie Morag' at the moment and ds is very into Richard Scarry etc etc.
I think I know all the 'Gruffalo'people's stories off by heart! Enjoying getting more into long stories with dd1, Roald Dahl, My Naughty Little Sister, The Owl WHo was Afraid of the Dark, Gobbolino, Pippi Longstocking, Moomins, and very recently introduced Narnia. I love reading stories, but getting very fed up with 'This is the tail of the tiny snail and the great big, grey blue, humpback whale .....' ANd it used to be one of my faves!

I have never read any stories to DS1 before bed. HOWEVER, I do read with him nearly everyday whenever he is up ti it.
DS1 loves books, DS2 is going the same way but I wouldn'thave the courage to read a story to both of them just before going to bed.
Good on all of you who are sticking to this routine. I am realy impressed !!

Yes, mine both get a bedtime story every night. Unless it's ridiculously late because we've been on a long journey or something, then we make it up to them the next day.