Bed Time is Best for Story Time

It has been revealed, through new research into children's view of storytelling and reading, that almost two thirds of kids want their parents to read to them more often. Especially around bed time.

The study looked at children between the ages of 3 and 8, and assessed their relationship with reading activities. It revealed that boys aged 3 and 4 were the age group who would most like extra story time sessions at night; with over 75% of them saying they would like their parents to read to them more often in general. The research uncovered that reading is still a favourite past time between kids and their parents, with 51% of the children used in the study preferring it over television and playing video games.

Eighty two percent of the children interviewed revealed that when mum or dad read to them before bed, it helps to send them to sleep better. This not only helps the kids get a better nights sleep, but also the parents!

Its clear, however, that children know what they want from their story time, right down to the finer details. They told researchers that the best way to keep their attention is to tell the story using funny voices for different characters, which was closely followed by the use of sound effects.

The study informed researchers that mum was an obvious choice for the best storyteller with over 60% of the kids preferring her to read to them. Poor dad came in second, only receiving 31% of the overall vote. However, Dr Richard Woolfson has devised a formula, which can not only help dad but any parent who wants to encourage their children to enjoy story time before bed more often.

In conjunction with Disney/Pixar's Cars, Dr Woolfson, a leading child psychologist, has devised the formula based on all the feedback received from the kids in this study. It equates to giving every child the ideal story time, and includes how much of each element to include i.e. voices, sound effects and environment.

Dr Woolfson said: "The results of our research confirm the traditional activity of storytelling continues to be a powerful learning and emotional resource in children's lives. There is no doubt whatsoever that children value the experience of having a story read to them and view this the best wind-down activity at the end of the day."

"It can be very difficult for parents to find the time to read with their children, but these moments can help build strong bonds and play a vital part in their child's development. Sometimes mum and dad just need a little guidance, which is why we've taken the results and produced a formula for the perfect story time."