Private beta · Free for founding families

Bedtime stories, read by the people your child loves.

StorytimeByMe lets parents, grandparents, and the people your child loves record their own narrations of classic children's books — so bedtime always sounds like family.

Become a founding family See how it works

Parent-approved, every time. Free during beta.

A real recording
Mum is reading
Says hello, then reads the story
Mary Had a Little Lamb
A bedtime classic
Why we exist

Built by one family. Shaped by the next.

Our son adored his Grandad. The problem was, Grandad lived too far away to read him bedtime stories.

We wanted bedtime to still sound like Grandad. So we built StorytimeByMe — one book, one voice, one very happy little boy.

Then someone asked us: “Have you shown this to other families?”

So here we are, finding out. Could this help your family too?

Some voices you never want your child to forget.

Granny's way of doing the wolf's growl. Dad's slow, sleepy last page. The way Auntie laughs in the middle of the funny part. StorytimeByMe keeps those voices where they belong — wrapped around the stories your child asks for again and again.

How it works

Bedtime in three steps

Zero learning curve — if you can read a story, you can use StorytimeByMe.

The grown-up Library on a phone: classic stories with hand-drawn covers, who has read each one, a Record narration link under every book, and a bar along the bottom for Library, Recordings, Family and You.
1

Parents set the stage

Create your family, add your children, and browse a library of classic stories and chapter books — each one shows how long it takes to read and who has already recorded it. Setting up takes a few minutes.

Recording The Wonderful Wizard of Oz on a phone: page 5 of 11 in large type, a big Turn the page button, and Back, Take a break and Exit underneath.
2

Family reads, their way

Record a story yourself, or send a one-tap invite link — made for relatives who'd rather skip accounts and downloads entirely. One page at a time, in big friendly type. Pause whenever you like; nothing is lost.

Kid Mode on a phone: a good-morning greeting, a Carry on card with a big play button, the faces of the family who read, and a row of Peter Rabbit chapters.
3

You approve, they listen

Every narration comes to you for review first. Once approved, it's waiting in your child's own Kid Mode — they tap a face to choose who reads, and pick up right where they left off. No account or password of their own, and the grown-up side stays PIN-locked.

Real screenshots from the beta — rough edges and all. We're one family building this, and it changes most weeks.

For grandparents & faraway family

Be there for bedtime, from anywhere.

You don't need to be in the room to read the goodnight story. Open the book on screen and read in your own time, in your own voice — whether the parents invite you, or you get there first.

Invited by the family?

1Tap the link your family sends — it opens right in your browser.
2Read the story aloud, page by page, just like you were there.
3Press send. Tonight, your grandchild falls asleep to your voice.

No app to install. No password to remember. Just you and the story.
Want more? Family members can also create their own profile to browse the library and record whenever inspiration strikes.

No invite yet? Start it yourself.

Record a story for your grandchild, then send it to their parents as a gift. They can listen straight away — no app, no account — and add it to your grandchild's library in one tap.

Start as a grandparent

“I did the wolf growl. He made his mum play it three times.”

Grandad
Our first narrator — and the reason StorytimeByMe exists

Privacy and safety

You approve every recording before your child hears it Grown-up areas are PIN-locked — kids never need an email, password, or account Delete everything, any time — straight from settings

Built like a parent was watching — because one was. Read our full privacy policy

Questions

Everything families ask us

Who can record stories?

Anyone you invite — grandparents, relatives, godparents, family friends. Send them a private link and they record right in their browser, or they can create their own family profile to browse the library and record whenever they like. Grandparents can even start on their own and send you their first story as a gift.

Does the narrator need an account?

No — and that's the point. The invite link is made for family who don't want to download or sign up for anything: they just open it and read. Family members who'd like more can create their own profile to browse the library and record any time.

I'm a grandparent — can I start before the parents sign up?

Yes. Choose “I'm a grandparent” when you sign up, tell us your grandchild's first name, and record a story straight away. Then send it to their parents as a gift: they get a private link, can listen without an app or an account, and can set up your grandchild's library in one tap. Your stories will be waiting, and you join the family as a reader. The parents stay in charge — they set up the children's profiles and choose whether to add your stories.

What books are available?

A growing library of classic children's stories and chapter books. Your child can ask a grown-up in the family to read the next one, and you can write and add your own family stories too.

Is it safe for my child?

Yes. Children listen inside a kid mode you set up and control — no account, email or password of their own — and the grown-up side is behind a PIN, so a child tapping around can't reach it. Every narration is parent-approved, and we never run third-party trackers around children.

What does it cost?

It's free during the private beta. Founding families help shape what comes next.

Become a founding family

We built StorytimeByMe for one family. Now we're inviting a small number of families to help us answer one simple question: would your family love it too? Early access, free during beta, a direct line to the people building it — and in return, your honest feedback. Maybe a wolf growl or two.

Start your family — it's free

Free during the beta · No invite code, no waiting · About a minute to set up

A grandparent? Record a story for your grandchild first