Eight out of ten parents say they have had to re-read the same book to their child at least once, with the typical little one asking for the same story to be read to them 416 times a year
Young children enjoy storytelling time at Busy Bees
The typical parent will read the same bedtime story to their child 416 times a year, according to a survey of 1,000 parents with children aged up to four. On average, a parent will read their child’s favourite story from start to finish eight times a week, enduring the same book for six consecutive days.
The survey found that parents dedicate 48 minutes each week to reading one specific book, with each reading session lasting around six minutes. A whopping eight out of ten parents are so familiar with their child’s favourite stories that they can recite at least one by heart, with some even claiming they can remember up to eight.
This research was commissioned by Busy Bees following the launch of Bee Curious, an independently evaluated early years curriculum. The new curriculum is scientifically designed to foster a lifelong love of learning through play and storytelling.
Jenny Shaw, academic lead at the childcare provider, emphasised that storytelling is ‘crucial’ for a child’s development. She explained that it allows them to spend quality time with loved ones while learning about the world and expanding their vocabulary.
“Stories are key in nurturing children’s language development,” she stated, “it’s been proven that the number of words a child hears and speaks by the age of three plays a key role in their future literacy, communication skills, and academic success. This is why storytelling is at the heart of our new curriculum.”
She reassured parents that even though re-reading the same stories may seem monotonous and dull, it is ‘hugely beneficial’ for language development. “Children love the familiarity of their favourite characters and repetition is essential for learning and helps children learn new words more quickly,” she added.
Two thirds of parents read to their children because they understand it’s important for their learning and development, while 63% simply enjoy reading at bedtime. In fact, 46% of those surveyed, via OnePoll, said reading to their child at night is one of their favourite parts of their day and three quarters confessed they are the ones to choose the bedtime story topic.
The study discovered that parents of pre-schoolers typically read three different books a night, with popular themes revolving around family, friendship and farm animals. But parents believe the perfect bedtime book should be 11 pages long and feature characters which are animals. children or babies and fairies.
Jenny Shaw, from Busy Bees, said: “Encouraging a love for stories from a young age not only enhances language and literacy skills but also fosters creativity, emotional intelligence, and a deeper connection between children and their caregivers.”
Shaw added: “By making storytelling a regular part of daily routines – including at bedtime as well as other points in the day – parents and educators can help to lay a strong foundation for lifelong learning and curiosity, while also supporting children’s transition to school by developing their listening, comprehension, and communication skills.”
To mark the launch of the curriculum, Busy Bees has announced the winner of its nationwide search to find the nation’s best bedtime storyteller.
Jonathan Vickers, from Surrey, beat off tough competition to win £1,000 and a donation of the top 40 preschool books to his local library, to help ensure as many local families as possible can enjoy these stories together.
