Bedtime stories are magical. Those few minutes before lights out bring laughter, imagination and comfort, and new research commissioned by Guide Dogs shows just how much storytime matters.
Nearly all survey respondents (97%) said the ritual brings quality time and bonding, and 94% believe bedtime stories are more important than ever in today’s screen-focused world.
And the benefits aren’t just for children – 88% of grown-ups agree it’s the best part of their day, helping them feel happier, calm down and switch off after a busy day.
Yet for adults with sight loss, reading to their child before bed hasn’t always been possible. Our research reveals that 43% of parents and grandparents have felt left out of sharing these moments, relying on audiobooks, magnifiers, or others reading on their behalf.
To change that, Guide Dog’s CustomEyes Books service is expanding to produce tailor made large print books for visually impaired adults. Previously only available for children, CustomEyes books will now allow every parent, grandparent or loved one with sight loss, to experience the joy of reading to their child or grandchild at bedtime.
Almost all (96%) of parents and grandparents with a vision impairment surveyed agreed that being able to take part in special moments such as bedtime reading is so important to them and 93% said having access to CustomEyes would make them feel more confident in their parenting role and help strengthen bonds with their children and grandchildren.
Becky, a mum of two from Preston, shared her experience:
Storytime has always been a very special part of our day, it's when we laugh, cuddle, and escape into another world together. But before CustomEyes, reading to my boys was always a struggle.
I used to take photos of book pages just so I could zoom in, which tainted the experience and took the joy out of it. Audiobooks are great for quiet time, but there's something so bonding about reading side-by-side.
Having books we can all enjoy together has made such a difference. It means we never have to miss out on those precious moments and I can enjoy story time with my children even more.
To celebrate the expansion, we asked families across the UK to name their favourite bedtime stories. The top 10 are:
The Gruffalo
The Tiger Who Came to Tea
The Very Hungry Caterpillar
Paddington Bear
Winnie-the-Pooh
The Three Little Pigs
We’re Going on a Bear Hunt
The Cat in the Hat
Alice in Wonderland
Peter Pan
All of these books, and more than 6,000 others, are available through CustomEyes, meaning no one has to miss out on the special bonding moments that make bedtime truly magical.
