Screen time or reading time? How books can win
Worried about your child's screen time? You're not alone. Here's how to make books just as appealing as screens — with simple strategies that actually work.
It's Friday afternoon. Your child wants the tablet. You want them to read. Sound familiar? You're far from alone. According to research, children aged 3-4 spend over an hour daily on screens. At the same time, children's desire to read is steadily declining.
But this isn't an article designed to make you feel guilty. Screen time is part of everyday life — and that's perfectly fine. The question is: how do we make reading as appealing as the screen?
What the research says
A study published in Pediatrics (2019) found that children who were read to daily had significantly better language development than children with equivalent passive screen time. Another study from the University of Cambridge (2023) showed that children who read for pleasure before age 12 scored higher on cognitive tests and had better mental health as teenagers.
This doesn't mean screen time is the enemy. But it does mean that reading provides something screens can't: slowness, closeness, and depth.
5 strategies to make books more appealing than screens
1. Make books personal
It's hard to compete with colourful apps and YouTube videos. But a book where the child is the hero? That's something no app can offer. Children who see themselves in the story become curious and engaged in a way that beats passive entertainment.
With Fanteri, your child can help decide what the book is about. This turns reading time into an active, creative experience — not passive consumption.
2. Let the child choose the book
Just as children choose which videos to watch, they should get to choose which books to read. Autonomy is a powerful motivator. Take the child to the library, or let them browse through books and pick out their favourites.
3. Create a reading space — not just a reading moment
A pillow fort, a corner with a blanket and cushions, a small bookshelf with favourites facing out. When reading has its own physical space in the home, it becomes something the child associates with comfort and safety — not obligation.
4. Replace screens gradually, not suddenly
Removing the tablet overnight creates conflict. Try adding 10 minutes of reading before screen time begins instead. Over time, many children start preferring books, because reading time became associated with something positive.
5. Read together — every day
The single most important thing is to read aloud to your child daily. Not because it's "good for them", but because it's time together. Bedtime reading in particular can become a magical ritual. Turn off the phone, crawl under the duvet, and give reading time your full attention. 10 minutes is enough.
Books as a complement to screens
There's a middle ground. Some children like to watch a film or show, then explore the theme in a book. Did your child watch a documentary about the ocean? Create a personalized book about an underwater adventure. Were they captivated by a dragon video? Create a book where the child is a dragon rider.
The point isn't to eliminate screens, but to make books a natural part of your child's media diet.
The slow victory
Building reading habits takes time. You won't see results after a week. But parents who read to their children daily report that after a few months, children start asking for books themselves. "Can we read a book?" becomes the new "Can I have the tablet?" — and that's a victory worth working for. See our 7 ways to get your child to love reading for more tips.
Screens capture attention. Books capture imagination. Both have a place — but only one creates something that lasts.
Want to make reading time irresistible? Create a personalized children's book where your child is the hero. It takes under 10 minutes, and could be the start of a new habit.