By Priyanjana Pramanik, MSc. Reviewed by Lauren Hardaker Jan 15 2026 A short, family-friendly bedtime reading routine helped young children grow in cognitive empathy and creativity, and simple pauses to reflect gave imagination an extra lift. Study: Keep the bedtime story: A daily reading ritual improves empathy and creativity in children . Image credit: Pixel-Shot/Shutterstock.com In a recent study published in PLOS One , researchers examined the effect of daily reading routines on the