Technology may seem unstoppable, but digital devices might not replace the traditional, paper bedtime book. A new study shows that paper books are better than e-books at bedtime. It suggests that printed books, with real pages that you turn with your fingers, make parents and children interact more than when reading with an electronic book. Researchers studied how 37 pairs of parents and toddlers interacted with e-books and paper books. They found that parents asked their children fewer questions and made fewer comments about the story with e-books.
Researchers studied parents reading three different book formats to young children. These were printed books, basic e-books, and e-books with features such as animation and sound effects. The researchers discovered that parents and toddlers interacted with each other less with the digital books than they did with the printed books. A researcher said parents and children talked about the device and the technology rather than about the story. Children said things like, "don't push that button" or "don't change the volume" rather than ask questions or make comments.