New research shows parents sideline story time for social media

Published on: 19 September 2017

UK mums and dads are spending nearly four times the amount of time (over 1.5 hours) engaging in screen time each day than they are reading with their children (25 mins), reveals our new survey.

In our poll, of 2,000 parents of 4-11 year olds, half confess to missing out pages, skipping entire paragraphs or finishing reading the story before the end.

Of those who admit to skipping pages, half (49%) did so because they are just too tired. 

We know that reading for fun has a dramatic impact on a child’s life chances, educational outcomes and social mobility. It’s also great for a child’s wellbeing, and a big source of pleasure if families can find the right book.

So can you take part in the National Time Challenge?

To help families find the time to read together this autumn, a host of famous faces are calling on parents and carers across the country to take part in our National Time to Read challenge (18-22 September).

All you need to find is just ten minutes a day to share a story. What could you give up to make that happen?

Families can get involved on social media with #TimetoRead, and share their swaps with the nation.

What is Time to Read?

Dermot O’Leary shares books with his niece

Supporting the campaign, TV personality Dermot O’Leary says:

‘Those moments when my niece and I share a book, letting our imaginations run wild, are pure bliss. Although it can be a struggle to find those magical moments, it is mega important that we all find the time to read with the children in our lives, helping them unlock the joys of reading.

I totally support BookTrust’s National Time to Read challenge and will be swapping social media for storytime.’

Read anything, anytime, anywhere

As our CEO Diana Gerald says:

‘Regular reading helps imaginations to grow in the most fun and exciting way. Our survey shows reveals 43% of children enjoy comics and magazines, proving that it’s not just books that get them turning pages – you really can read anything, anytime, anywhere.

We hope families across the country will join us in finding ten minutes to read together – it really is all it takes to make a difference.’

• As part of our Time to Read campaign, we are delivering over 700,000 copies of Nadia Shireen’s picture book The Bumblebear to every reception age child in England
  
  
• Find out more about the Time to Read campaign and see which other well-know authors and celebrities are making Time to Read this week
  
  
• Download the press release to discover all the additional findings from the research

Download regional press releases

• CYMRAEG - Welsh parents too hooked on screen time to read with kids
• ENGLISH - Welsh parents too hooked on screen time to read with kids
• Northern Ireland parents turn to digital devices in favour of reading with their children
• London parents cutting story time short for Shiraz