If your preschooler reaches for a tablet before a book, you are not alone. Screens are familiar, bright, and easy to start. Books ask for a different kind of attention, and often a grown-up to share the moment.
The choice does not have to be “screens or reading.” The more useful question is what your child is doing with each, and whether screens are taking the place of conversation, play, sleep, or time with books.
For early reading, shared stories and hands-on practice offer experiences that a screen cannot fully replace. A thoughtfully chosen digital activity can still have a place. The goal is a balanced routine that gives children many chances to listen, talk, play, and try.
What the research says about screens
The American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) encourages families to make shared reading part of life from birth through at least kindergarten. Reading together is not only about learning words. It also gives children a chance to connect with a caregiver, look closely at pictures, hear expressive language, and talk about what is happening.
In its literacy guidance, the AAP emphasizes print books for young children. Digital books do not usually create the same back-and-forth interaction on their own. If families use an e-book or audiobook, adults can still support learning by talking together about the story.
That is not a claim that every screen is harmful. The AAP’s 5 C’s guidance for toddlers and preschoolers encourages parents to consider the child, the content, how media is used for calming, what it may crowd out, and how the family talks about it. Those questions can help families make choices without turning screen use into a source of guilt.
Research comparing print and digital books also points to a nuanced picture. A meta-analysis of studies with children ages 1 to 8 found that comprehension tended to be lower when a print book was simply transferred to a screen. Helpful, story-related features may support learning, while distracting features can pull attention away from the story. In a study of preschoolers, children were similarly engaged with print and an e-book, but children using the e-book talked more about the device. The format matters, but so does the interaction around it.
Story time is a conversation
A shared story gives children more than words to hear. It creates small openings for them to answer, wonder, point, remember, and tell you what they think.
This kind of back-and-forth reading is sometimes called dialogic reading. It does not need to feel like a lesson. Try a simple question, then give your child time to respond:
- “What do you think will happen next?”
- “How do you think the character feels?”
- “What happened first?”
- “Can you find something on this page that starts like your name?”
Follow your child’s interest. If they notice the dog in the picture rather than the story’s main character, you can talk about the dog. A few minutes of warm, responsive reading can still be meaningful, even if you do not finish every page.
Letters and sounds need practice, too
Stories help build vocabulary, listening, and understanding. Learning how letters connect to sounds also takes focused practice.
The Institute of Education Sciences practice guide recommends developing children’s awareness of speech sounds and how those sounds link to letters. For a young child, this can begin simply: noticing rhymes, listening for the first sound in a word, and connecting a familiar letter with its sound.
Hands-on activities give children a chance to do something with that information. They can pick up a letter, trace it, find it in their name, or match it to a sound. This does not need to be a long exercise. A brief moment during play can help a child listen, respond, and try again.
Screen-free practice also leaves room for movement and touch. A child can move a letter, turn it around, say its sound, and repeat the action. These small, repeated experiences are useful alongside, not instead of, shared reading.
At Dash the Dino, this is the reason for a screen-free approach. Children place a physical letter on a pathway, hear its sound, say it out loud, and try again. The four-step loop (place, hear, say, try again) keeps the practice simple and repeatable, with immediate audio feedback.
Dash was created by educator Angela Martinez, who brings more than 20 years of classroom experience to the work. The tool was validated in K–1 literacy intervention settings. It is designed for focused letter-sound practice, not as a replacement for books, conversation, or broader reading instruction. Learn more about Dash and the learning approach.
A balanced routine can be simple
You do not need to eliminate screens to make more room for reading. Small, predictable choices can help:
- Make time for a shared story. Read a print book together when it fits your day, perhaps at bedtime or after breakfast. Let your child choose sometimes.
- Keep screen use intentional. Choose age-appropriate content, watch or read together when possible, and talk about what you see. Avoid open-ended access that makes it hard to stop.
- Protect time for play and conversation. Notice whether media is crowding out books, movement, sleep, or talking with family. The AAP’s family media plan can help families think through routines.
- Bring sounds and letters into everyday life. Find the first letter in your child’s name, listen for rhyming words, or notice a letter on a grocery list. Keep it light and brief.
- If you choose an e-book, read together. Pause when your child has a thought. Talk about the characters and story, and turn off features that distract from the page.
Keep reading warm and low-pressure
A preschooler’s favorite screen does not mean they will not enjoy books. Interest can grow through choice, repetition, and a familiar shared routine. The same story read several times may be exactly what helps a child join in with a repeated line or notice a new detail.
Story time and screens do different things. For early reading, make room for books, conversation, and hands-on chances to connect letters and sounds. Choose digital media thoughtfully, and use it in ways that invite a child to think and talk.
There is no perfect daily routine. A few caring minutes spent reading together, followed by a chance to play and practice, can be a good place to begin.
