To celebrate World Book Day 2022, retailer Bensons for Beds , has ranked the UK’s top 10 bedtime stories that parents love to read to their children. The brand delved into search data to reveal the current, most popular bedtime stories for children in the UK and which top titles encourage little ones to drift off without a hitch.
‘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 2nd and 3rd place. Julia Donaldson is the most popular children’s author, with 5 of her books featuring in the top 10.
Classic stories, including Beatrix Potter’s ‘The Tale of Peter Rabbit’, are still loved by children today. As is The Cat in the Hat by Dr Seuss.
The UK's most-loved bedtime stories:
- 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
Bedtime stories for kids are the perfect way to help them wind down after a busy day of exploring their surroundings. The data was collected from the last 12 months up until Friday, January 20, 2022.
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."
