In parenting and in education, we often turn to books to help our children grow. 

In Honey for a Child’s Heart, Gladys Hunt writes: “Books help children know what to look for in life. Reading develops the taste buds of the mind as children learn to savor what is seen, heard, and experienced.” Books are tools for training children emotionally, spiritually, and intellectually. 

As children learn to read, you may be wondering about what if and how audiobooks benefit children. Are audiobooks only an alternative to screens and chaotic television shows, or are they a verified tool for learning? How do audiobooks compare to reading aloud to children or reading in print? Should audiobooks be used for education, fun, or both?

This blog post shares the benefits of audiobooks for children, ideas for using audiobooks in your home, favorite audiobooks for kids, and more.

In this blog post:

• Benefits for audiobooks for kids
• Favorite audiobook platforms and story players for kids
• Strategies for using audiobooks in your family and homeschool
• Sixteen favorite audiobooks for children

Benefits of audiobooks for kids

Do audiobooks benefit children? Do they count as real reading? Learn how children can benefit from audiobooks, including improved listening comprehension, engaging with complex literature, developing vocabulary, and increasing enjoyment from reading and books overall.

Audiobooks and “real reading”

Recent research shows that audiobooks are a completely valid form of reading. Neurological research shows that audiobooks activate the same parts of the brain as reading in print, making the case that audiobooks are beneficial for kids because they help children engage with literature.

Literacy skills: Comprehension and focus

Listening comprehension is recognized as a foundational skill for learning, a principle emphasized in teaching philosophies like Charlotte Mason’s through practices such as narration and dictation.

Research in the Journal of Educational Psychology found that students who listened to age-appropriate stories achieved comprehension scores similar to students who read the same content in print versions. 

Audiobooks can also be a helpful tool for children who are struggling with print reading. With audiobooks, children can focus on processing what words mean, critical analysis, and constructing and visualizing mental images. Listening to stories on audiobooks can help children develop and strengthen these skills even if they are struggling with reading in print.

Expanding vocabulary and language

One of the primary benefits of reading aloud to children, whether by a parent or an audiobook narrator, is exposure to a richer and more varied vocabulary than what they typically find in early reader books or daily conversation.

With audiobooks, children can separate access to advanced literature from their own mechanical reading ability. Listening to complex books read aloud:

• Reinforces correct pronunciation.
• Models appropriate sentence rhythm and inflection.
• Shows how words are used correctly in different contexts.

Reading While Listening (Audio-assisted reading)

Reading While Listening (or immersive reading), is a practice where children listen to an audiobook while following along with the story in a book. Reading While Listening helps children with pacing and fluency and builds strong reading habits.

Research also shows the benefit this practice is pronounced in fiction stories. In fiction, audiobooks highlight vocal inflection and emotion, and helps children process the different narrative structures and emotions in fiction stories.

Fostering a love of reading

Audiobooks encourage children to read for fun. Going through audiobooks can motivate children, increase the pleasure of reading, and become a gateway of encouraging children to read more in print.

A screen-free alternative

If you are a parent who is looking alternatives to the constant draw to screens, audiobooks are an excellent choice, especially when paired with a screen-free storyplayer. Audiobooks can be used as a tool for entertainment for children while they are playing with toys or doing tasks around the house.

Favorite audiobook platforms and story players for kids

Here are some of our favorite audiobook resources for children.

• Audible is a large subscription service offering a massive library of professionally narrated audiobooks that provides easy access to a wide range of titles often read by celebrity voices, enhancing the immersive storytelling experience.
• Hoopla and Libby are free apps that partner with local libraries, allowing kids and families to instantly borrow a diverse catalog of audiobooks, promoting free access to literary content without monthly subscription fees.
• Sherwood Kids is a dedicated subscription service focused on children’s literature, providing unlimited, curated access to a large catalog of eBooks, audiobooks, and read-alongs, supporting literacy development from Pre-K to 12th grade.
• Yoto is a screen-free audio player system that uses physical cards to play audiobooks and music, benefiting kids by offering a tactile, independent, and safe listening experience that removes the distractions of tablets and smartphones.
• Spotify offers a growing collection of audiobooks through its premium service, helping to introduce books to a younger audience who already use the platform for music and podcasts, encouraging discovery and a love of listening.
• Bluetooth speakers allow for audiobooks to be played out loud for everyone, creating a shared, communal family listening experience that promotes bonding and discussion around the story.
• Bluetooth headphones provide a private and focused listening environment, which helps children to immerse themselves fully in the story and minimize distractions in busy or shared spaces.

View all of my favorite audiobook resources on Amazon.

Favorite ideas for using audiobooks in your family and homeschool

There are a variety of ways to add audiobooks into your daily rhythm. Here are some of our favorite ideas for using audiobooks with children.

• Use Spotify, Hoopla, and Libby apps to let children listen to audiobooks while they play with toys.
• Imaginative children may love listening to their favorite stories and acting out the scenes with different costumes, props, and toys.
• If your homeschool curriculum includes an audio version, try listening to some of the passages together. Older children can also practice reading while listening in this context.
• Link an audiobook to bluetooth headphones for children who want to listen independently, so you can monitor and manage the device.
• Listen to an audiobook as a family on a road trip or long drive.
• If your child is an early reader but loves stories, use audiobooks to consume books that are beyond their reading level so they can still enjoy the story.
• Take a break from reading aloud by listening to an audiobook over lunchtime, so you can keep up with your family’s reading goals.
• Keep a reading log of all of the titles you listen to on audiobook and rate each title.
• Use a Make Your Own Yoto Card and record yourself reading to your child, or have a grandparent read their favorite stories for your child to replay.

Sixteen favorite audiobooks for children

Ready to introduce your children to audiobooks? Here are sixteen favorite books for children.

The Tale of Peter Rabbit

Disobedient Peter Rabbit sneaks into Mr. McGregor’s garden despite his mother’s warnings and must escape the farmer after a close chase. It’s a classic, cautionary tale about listening to your parents and the consequences of mischief. 

Recommended for children ages 2-6.

Listen on: Audible, Yoto

The Brambly Hedge

This series follows the enchanting lives of a community of mice who live on the banks of a stream, chronicling their celebrations, seasonal parties, and detailed daily adventures in their tiny homes built into the hedgerow. The stories beautifully detail the mice’s meticulous preparations for their festivities, emphasizing community and the changing seasons. 

Recommended for children ages 3-7.

Listen on: Audible

Winnie the Pooh

The lovable and simple-minded bear, Winnie the Pooh, and his friends like Piglet, Tigger, and Eeyore, have gentle, whimsical adventures in the Hundred Acre Wood. These classic tales explore the simple joys of friendship, imagination, and small acts of kindness.

Recommended for ages 4-8.

Listen on: Audible, Yoto

Frog and Toad

This series chronicles the close, enduring friendship between two main characters: the cheerful, adventurous Frog and the more reserved, thoughtful Toad. Their short, humorous stories focus on relatable themes like perseverance, patience, and the joys and struggles of true friendship.

Recommended for ages 4-8.

Listen on: Audible

Little Bear

Little Bear is a curious and imaginative young bear who explores the world around him with the gentle guidance of his loving mother. The stories are simple, comforting narratives centered on everyday childhood experiences, imagination, and the warm relationship between a child and their parent.

Recommended for ages 4-8.

Listen on: Audible

Mercy Watson

Mercy is a “hot-toast-loving” pig who lives with the kind, ordinary, and oblivious Watson couple, and she often gets into comical, chaotic adventures involving butter, toast, and the bewildered neighborhood. The hilarious, easy-to-read chapters emphasize the absurd fun of their hot-toast-fueled escapades.

Recommended for ages 6-8.

Listen on: Audible

Anne of Green Gables

This story follows the highly imaginative, talkative, and spirited orphan Anne Shirley, who is mistakenly sent to live with the aging siblings Marilla and Matthew Cuthbert on Prince Edward Island. It chronicles Anne’s transformation of their quiet lives and her own journey from a lonely orphan to a beloved member of the community.

Recommended for ages 6-12.

Listen on: Audible

Charlotte’s Web

Wilbur the pig is destined for the slaughterhouse until his wise barn spider friend, Charlotte, devises a plan to save him by weaving messages praising the pig into her web. This beloved story is a tender meditation on the beauty of life, the cycle of nature, and the power of true friendship and sacrifice.

Recommended for ages 6-12.

Listen on: Audible

Mr. Popper’s Penguins

Mr. Popper receives a live penguin from a famous polar explorer, which soon leads to a rapidly growing flock living in his house. The family eventually trains the twelve penguins to become a popular traveling stage act, providing a humorous and imaginative look at an unexpected, chaotic family life.

Recommended for ages 8-12.

Listen on: Audible

My Father’s Dragon

A young boy named Elmer Elevator travels to Wild Island to rescue a baby dragon being exploited by the island’s silly and demanding wild animals. Using only a backpack full of common supplies like chewing gum and lollipops, Elmer creatively outwits the animals to free the dragon.

Recommended for ages 6-10.

Listen on: Audible

The Chronicles of Narnia

This epic series begins when four siblings discover the magical world of Narnia through a wardrobe, where they join the noble lion Aslan in the battle against the evil White Witch. It’s a foundational fantasy work that explores themes of sacrifice, loyalty, good versus evil, and courage through high adventure.

Recommended for ages 8-12.

Listen on: Audible, Yoto

The Green Ember

The lives of two young rabbit siblings, Heather and Picket, are violently changed when their peaceful life is shattered, forcing them into a desperate journey for survival and discovery. They soon find themselves thrust into an epic, high-stakes war between good and evil, where they must embrace their heritage and fight for the future of their land.

Recommended for ages 8-12.

Listen on: Audible

A Little Princess

Wealthy and imaginative Sara Crewe is suddenly orphaned and impoverished, forcing her to become a servant at the strict London boarding school she once attended as its star pupil. Through her resilience and inner strength, Sara maintains her dignity and “princess” spirit, finding comfort in her vast imagination despite her hardships.

Recommended for ages 8-12.

Listen on: Audible, Yoto

The Secret Garden

Mary Lennox, a difficult and spoiled orphaned girl, is sent to live in a sprawling manor in the English countryside, where she discovers a neglected, hidden garden and her sickly, mysterious cousin, Colin. By secretly tending the garden and bonding with Colin, Mary finds healing, friendship, and joy in nature.

Recommended for ages 8-12.

Listen on: Audible, Yoto

The Trumpet of the Swan

Louis, a young trumpeter swan, is born without a voice, preventing him from communicating and attracting a mate. With the help of a kind boy, Louis learns to read and write, eventually using a stolen trumpet to gain a voice, earn money, and prove his worth to win the heart of his love.

Recommended for ages 6-10.

Listen on: Audible

The Wind in the Willows

The gentle Water Rat, the shy Mole, the wise Badger, and the ridiculously conceited Toad have charming and humorous adventures along the river and in the wild woods. This pastoral classic explores the value of home, the excitement of friendship, and the hilarious consequences of Mr. Toad’s impulsive obsession with motorcars.

Recommended for ages 6-10.

Listen on: Audible

Does your family listen to audiobooks? Share your favorites in the comments below.