Well it got your attention didn’t it?
After a long hard day at work, most of us can just about muster enough energy to make one bedtime story come alive for our children…and if you’re a double-page flicker, or bedtime-story evader, you are:
1. more likely to live in the South East of England
2. reading two less books to your child than the rest of the country (yes, so forget that glass of wine to wind down, get yourself a cup of coffee to help keep those eyes peeled!)
Children in the South East of England listen to fewer bedtime stories than anywhere else in the UK, according to a survey.
In a survey of 1,500 parents of pre-schoolers, half of parents in the South East said they never read more than one book at bedtime, while one in 10 said their child never read a bedtime story ? instead falling asleep watching a DVD or listening to an audio book. This is well below the national average, in which children listen to three books on average each night.
?Parents often don?t realise how important bedtime stories are. Sharing stories with children stimulates their memory, vocabulary, social and emotional skills, giving them a real headstart in the classroom,? said Lisa Houghton, co-founder of Talking Tots (www.talkingtots.info).
?A great story is like a rocket engine for your child?s imagination ? you?ll be amazed at the conversations you can have about their favourite characters.?
The UK?s favourite bedtime story is The Gruffalo, by Julia Donaldson. The author urges more parents to share their childhood favourites with their own children. ?I loved reading bedtime stories with my children, particularly the Frog and the Toad stories by Arnold Lobel, which are ideal bedtime reading.
“Frog and Toad Together contains a hilarious story about the time Toad makes a list of Things To Do, then refuses to do anything all when the list blows away (he can?t chase after it because that wasn?t on the list). It?s full of witty, inventive ideas for stories; I wish I was like that!?
Tony Ross, best-selling author and illustrator of Little Princess, said: ?Bedtime stories are a wonderful way to stimulate children’s imagination and transport them to a world of make believe. ?War Boy? by Michael Foreman was always my favourite bedtime story as a child. I take great joy in creating characters like Little Princess and hope she inspires both girls and boys to enjoy reading and spending quality time with their parents.?
To help parents make the most of every bedtime, Talking Tots? has put together the Bedtime Tots website (www.bedtimetots.com), which offers parents practical advice on choosing appropriate stories for toddlers, and using bedtime stories to help stimulate communication and language skills.
Parents can also enter a competition to win ?750 of bedtime toys and accessories from companies including Early Learning Centre, Granada Entertainment and Tippitoes.
Little Princess is also offering a ?Royal? treat with a selection of Little Princess books and soft toys from the new Born to Play Autumn/Winter toy range. To find out more about the competition, visit the site today!
