Published: 10/04/2025
The average parent will read the same bedtime story to their little one 416 times a year.
A poll of 1,000 parents with children aged up to four revealed that almost four in five (79 per cent) have experienced re-reading the same book at their child’s request.
The typical week sees them read their child’s favourite tale from start to finish an average of eight times, with parents saying they’ve read the same book over six consecutive days, on average.
It’s estimated that parents of preschoolers dedicate 48 minutes to reading the most loved book each week, taking six minutes each time.
The majority (82 per cent) of parents are so familiar with their child's favourite stories that they can recite at least one off by heart, with many claiming they can recite as many as eight of their little one’s books word for word.
Busy Bees has commissioned the research following the recent launch of its curriculum, Bee Curious, the UK's only independently evaluated early years curriculum. The curriculum is scientifically designed to ignite a lifelong love of learning through play and storytelling, giving children a head start in school and fostering key early development skills.
Jenny Shaw, Academic Lead at Busy Bees, said: “Storytelling is crucial for children’s development, helping them to enjoy quality time with loved ones, learn about the world around them and increase vocabulary.
“Stories are key in nurturing children’s language development, and 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, Bee Curious.
“While re-reading the same stories may seem repetitive to parents, 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. Sharing a variety of stories together is also really valuable – from rhyming books to non-fiction and traditional stories, each format can help a child’s growth.”
The research also found preschool parents read three different books each night on average, with popular themes being around family (43 per cent), friendship (34 per cent) and farm animals (27 per cent).
Parents think the ideal book before bed should be 11 pages long and include characters that are animals (52 per cent), children or babies (48 per cent) and fairies (42 per cent).
What’s more, over three-quarters (77 per cent) admitted they choose the topic of bedtime story with the intention of getting their children to sleep more easily, and 43 per cent let their child choose the title.
There are a number of reasons why parents read to children – two-thirds do so because they know it’s important for their learning and development, while 63 per cent simply enjoy reading at bedtime.
In fact, almost half (46 per cent) of those polled via OnePoll said reading at bedtime is one of their favourite parts of their day.
Two thirds (65 per cent) believe it’s very important to read with their child at the end of the day, because it gives them quality time with their child.
Others said it’s vital as it inspires them to read independently (55 per cent) and aids their language development and widens vocabulary (54 per cent).
A further 52 per cent feel reading helps their child unwind before sleep, with half admitting they often struggle to help them unwind at night.
In order to help them nod off when being read to, 48 per cent of parents swear by dimming the lights, while 44 per cent speak in soft tones and 24 per cent choose rhyming stories.
Besides from at night, other popular times to read to children include during playtime (58 per cent), before naps (21 per cent) and even when they’re eating (17 per cent).
Jenny added: “It’s positive to see so many parents recognise the benefits of reading with their children. 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.
“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 celebrate the launch of the curriculum, Busy Bees has crowned 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.
To find out more about Bee Curious, visit here.