GUIDE
Our grandkids live hundreds of miles away. How can we keep reading them bedtime stories?
By the seenow! teamLast updated:
Record yourself reading, and make sure the grandkids have the same book in their hands. Then the parents can play your voice any night, on their schedule, while the child turns the pages. Save live read-alouds over video for one evening a week, and let the child choose that book.
WHY
Why this happens
Bedtime reading is one of the most common things families do with young children. Federal survey data shows how routine it is for preschoolers, which is also why grandparents who live far away feel left out of it.
| Activity with a family member | Share of children |
|---|---|
| Read to three or more times in the past week | 85% |
| Told a story at least once in the past week | 87% (83% in 2012) |
| Visited a library at least once in the past month | 37% (42% in 2012) |
Source: National Center for Education Statistics (NCES) Fast Facts: Early literacy activities
Video chat helps, and many grandparents already use it this way. In the 2021 AARP Research report Boomers and Zoomers, 71% of grandparents said their video chat use had increased, and about a quarter said they read to their grandchildren during calls. But a live call at bedtime is fragile. It has to land in the short window after bath and before lights out, the connection may lag, and a sleepy child holding a phone is not really looking at the pictures.
A recording solves most of that. Your voice is ready whenever bedtime happens, including the nights the parents are running late. What makes it feel like you are reading together, rather than playing a video, is the book: when the child holds the same copy you are reading from, they turn the pages, look at the pictures, and hear you say "turn the page" at the right moment.
HOW TO
What you can do starting today
Put the same book in both housesNo app needed
Pick a few picture books and make sure there is a copy at your house and one at theirs. Mail a copy with a short note inside, ask the parents which books they already own, or borrow the same title from your own public library while they read their copy. Books the child already loves are a good start, since young children often ask for the same story again and again.
Record one book at a time, with a page-turn signalNo app needed
Use your phone's camera or a voice recorder and read slowly, at bedtime pace. Say the title and "This is Grandma, reading for you" at the start. Add the same small signal at every page turn, such as a soft "and turn" or a tap on the table, so the child can follow along without seeing your book. End the same way every time, with a goodnight phrase that is yours.
Send the recordings to the parents, not the child's deviceNo app needed
Send each recording to a parent, with the book title in the message, so they can keep a small list and play it at bedtime. Keep these recordings within the family. A shelf of five or six recorded books means the parents can say "Do you want Grandpa's story tonight?" on any night, not just when you are free.
Keep one live story night a weekNo app needed
Choose one evening for a live read over video and keep it short, one book. Ask the child to pick the book and show you the cover, then read from your copy while they hold theirs. Pausing to ask "What do you think happens next?" turns it into a conversation, which a recording cannot do.
Ask the parents to send back a few seconds
The part grandparents miss with recordings is the reaction. Ask the parents to film a few seconds now and then: the child holding the book while your voice plays, or saying the goodnight phrase back to you.
WITH SEENOW!
Doing it with seenow!
seenow! is a family app where everyone in a private group takes a short clip, about 2 seconds a day. It fits the last step: small glimpses back from bedtime.
- Parents can post a 2-second clip of the child in pajamas with your book, and you get a notification. Because the app has only two main actions, take and watch, it is easy to check from your phone.
What seenow! can’t do
- seenow! is not built for long recordings. A full picture book read-aloud does not fit in a 2-second clip, so send your read-alouds as regular videos or audio files.
- It does not make live video calls. Use your usual video calling for the weekly story night.
- The family's clips from today stay blurred until you post your own clip for the day. Clips from earlier days can be watched anytime.
Core features are free.
POINT
Things to watch for in this situation
Read the book once before you record
Picture books often have a twist on the last page or words that are fun to say a certain way. A quick practice read helps you avoid stumbling, and your pacing will be calmer.
Let the parents set the bedtime routine
A recording is something the parents can use, not something they must use every night. Asking "Is this still working for bedtime?" every few weeks keeps it from becoming one more thing to manage.
FAQ
Frequently asked questions
How can grandparents read to grandchildren long distance?
Record yourself reading a book that the child also has at home, and add a signal at each page turn so they can follow along. The parents play it at bedtime. Add a live read over video once a week for conversation.
Is a recording as good as reading live?
They do different jobs. A recording is there every night at the right time; a live read lets you talk and react. Using both keeps the routine going without depending on everyone being free at bedtime.