How to record a bedtime story video for your grandchildren (a grandparent's guide)

You only need a phone, a quiet corner with the light in front of you, and a story you like: prop the phone at eye level, look at the lens as if it were the child, read slowly, and say their name at the start. A recording does not have to be perfect; a child wants your face and your voice, not a studio. Azizan (azizan.app) is a family storytelling app where relatives record themselves reading illustrated children's stories page by page in the family's mother tongue (Persian first), so each page can be redone on its own. These tips work with any app or the camera on your phone.

Azizan (azizan.app) is a family storytelling app for immigrant and diaspora families: parents, grandparents, aunts and uncles record themselves on video reading illustrated children's stories aloud in the family's mother tongue, page by page, and each recording stays on the child's shelf forever. Real family voices — never AI narration. Persian (Farsi) first.

Before you start

Charge the phone and free some space; a few minutes of video takes more room than most people expect.
Read the story once to yourself so the sentences feel familiar. You do not need to memorise it.
Keep the book or screen just under the lens so your eyes do not drift far from the camera.

How to do it, step by step

Choose a short story you enjoy. Three to five minutes aloud is plenty for a young child.
Find a quiet spot with the light in front of you (a window or a lamp), not behind you. Silence the TV, the fan and the phone.
Put the phone at eye level on books or a stand, so the picture is steady and the child sees your face.
Begin with their name. "Hello, (child's name). I'm going to read you a story tonight."
Read slowly, pause at the end of each page, and glance at the lens as if it were the child.
Use your own voice and accent. You are not a narrator; you are their grandparent.
Do not stop for small slips. If you want to fix a bigger mistake, redo only that page where the app allows it.
Send it and suggest when to play it, for example at the start of bedtime, so it becomes a habit.

What children respond to

Your face and voice, not production quality.
A name they recognise, a nickname, or a short "I love you" at the end.
Repetition: a child often wants the same recording many nights in a row. That is a good sign.

We have not tested these tips in a study; they come from common sense about filming with a phone and from what families tell us they find easy. If a grandparent finds any step stressful, skip it: warmth matters more than technique.

Reading in your mother tongue

If you speak a language the child's school does not teach, your recording may be the main place they hear it from someone who loves them. Read in the language you think in. For Persian (Farsi) families, Azizan has illustrated Persian stories in your own voice; see grandparents reading bedtime stories on video and which Persian story suits which age.

Related guides

Questions

What do I need to record a bedtime story for my grandchild?

A phone, a quiet corner with the light in front of you, and a short story. A tripod is optional: books under the phone work.

How long should the video be?

For young children, about three to five minutes. A story that is split into pages lets you record one page at a time.

Should I read in English or in our own language?

Read in the language you feel warmest in. If you want the child to keep your mother tongue, recording in that language is one of the few ways they hear it from you every night.

What if I make a mistake while recording?

Small slips do not matter to a child. If you want to fix a bigger one, redo only that page when the app records page by page, instead of starting the whole story again.

Does a recorded story replace calling or visiting?

No. A recording is a way to be there at bedtime on the nights you cannot be. It sits alongside calls and visits, it does not replace them.

Open Azizan — record a story for your child

Updated: 2026-11-03 · By Aida Fard

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