Top 10 Bedtime Stories To Read To Your Child
We reveal some of the UK’s most loved bedtime stories.
We’ve rounded up some of the UK’s favourite bedtime stories to give you a little inspiration for bedtime for your own children or to give a book as a wonderful gift.
Discover some of the most popular bedtime stories for children in the UK and which top titles encourage little ones to drift off without a hitch.
The UK’s Top 10 Most Loved Bedtime Stories
The beloved The Gruffalo came out on top with over 33,000 online monthly searches, followed by The Very Hungry Caterpillar and The Tiger Who Came for Tea taking second and third place respectively.
Julia Donaldson has proved to be the most popular children’s author, with five of her books featuring in the top 10 – and Beatrix Potter’s The Tale of Peter Rabbit in spot number eight proving that many classic tales are still loved by children today.
The list in full can be found below:
- The Gruffalo by Julia Donaldson
- The Very Hungry Caterpillar by Eric Carle
- The Tiger Who Came to Tea by Judith Kerr
- Zog and the Flying Doctors by Julia Donaldson
- The Highway Rat by Julia Donaldson
- The Gruffalo’s Child by Julia Donaldson
- The Tale of Peter Rabbit by Beatrix Potter
- The Cat in the Hat by Dr Seuss
- Where the Wild Things Are by Maurice Sendak
- The Smeds and the Smoos by Julia Donaldson
Bedtime stories for kids are the perfect way to help them wind down after a busy day of exploring their surroundings.
Bensons for Beds’ Sleep Expert, Dr Sophie Bostock said: “Reading aloud with children is a great way of helping them to prepare for sleep.
“Research shows that children with a regular bedtime routine tend to fall asleep faster, have fewer nighttime awakenings, and sleep for longer.
“As well as developing language and reading skills, bedtime stories can promote concentration, creativity and bonds between children and grown-ups. For adults and children alike, reading can be a great way to relax before you switch out the light.”
“The printed page is less alerting for the brain than backlit screens,” adds Sophie.
“Scientists found that picking up a book for just 6 minutes can reduce muscle tension and slow the heart rate, readying the body for sleep.”
