Audiobooks have transformed stories from a circle time experience or part of a bedtime routine to an activity you can participate in throughout the day. You can listen to audiobooks as you cook dinner, drive to work, or unwind for the night. Additionally, audiobooks can help put your children to sleep, give them an exciting car ride activity, and foster a sense of lifelong learning. Keep reading to discover the best audiobooks for your child and how you can use them to develop their literary skills and inspire them.
Using Audiobooks to Inspire a Love of Reading
Audiobooks are an excellent way to get reluctant readers interested in stories and develop their reading skills. Both listening and reading along can benefit your child’s reading development and help them foster a deep love of learning and reading.
At the beginning of their academic journey, some children become frustrated with reading. As they work on pronouncing syllables, understanding the meaning of each word, and translating letters into phrases, they can become so focused on the process that they miss the story. Reading audiobooks eliminates these barriers by providing a way for children to engage with stories without disrupting the narrative flow.
Additionally, reading with your young learner can have many benefits, and your child will love quality time with you. So, encourage independent listening and activities you can complete together while discovering new characters, settings, and plots.
Simply listening to audiobooks can expand your child’s vocabulary, but you should switch up your strategies occasionally. Have your child read along with their physical copies every once in a while to enhance word recognition. This can help them associate spelling and pronunciation. Following along with the story can increase how many words they can read each minute, boost comprehension, and promote positive feelings toward reading, especially if they notice you enjoying the experience too.
10 Great Educational Audiobooks for Kids
Playing audiobooks is one of the best tips for helping learners build a strong relationship with reading. As a bonus, many of the books on your child’s summer reading list are available as audiobooks. Check out these 10 great audiobooks for learning for your child.
1. The Chronicles of Narnia by C.S. Lewis
These epic fantasy stories have remained in the minds of many scholars, adults, and children. Some schools may teach this story in language classes, and your child can enhance their experience by following along with their audiobook.
This story follows the tale of four siblings as they visit a magical world where they find intrigue, new friends, and evil foes. Their quest leads them to learn about courage, bravery, loyalty, and friendship. Your student can discover the enchanted world of Narnia while discovering how captivating the worlds inside stories can be.
2. The Magic Treehouse by Mary Pope Osborne
This series is one of the most popular books for children out there. These books follow two children who have exciting adventures in their backyard. Jack and Annie travel through space, go deep-sea diving, and explore ancient civilizations.
These books are excellent for young readers because they introduce topics like geography, life sciences, world history, art history, and much more. Additionally, there are so many of them that your reader can fall in love with the characters again and again as they foster a passion for storytelling.
3. A Wrinkle in Time by Madeleine L’Engle
Young literature classes often feature “A Wrinkle in Time” because it’s a classic book that discusses good and evil while exploring the topic of time travel. As Meg and her brother, Charles, travel through space and time to find their father, who went missing four years prior, they combat evil forces. They must use their intelligence to find their father and escape the forces chasing them. This book is geared toward younger readers and middle schoolers, and your child can avidly follow along as they explore time travel in this classic through their audiobook.
4. Harry Potter by J.K. Rowling
Millions of people worldwide have fallen in love with the quirky characters that fill these pages. If your older child is looking for an exciting and action-packed book to keep them interested, this one is full of magic, twists, and surprises they won’t see coming. Many middle school classes have started featuring the first book in the series, but you can encourage your reader to finish all seven and watch the accompanying movies.
5. Treasure Island by Robert Louis Stevenson
Treasure Island encompasses all the fantasy facets that many children love to see. With pirates, treasure, and adventure littering every page, children and adults alike remember reading “Treasure Island.” This book is long and fast-paced, making it the perfect combination for readers who might get distracted when there’s little happening on the page.
This is an excellent title to read with your child so you can experience the adventure together. As you read with your child, be sure to point out the profound lessons about the human spirit that make this book stand out on the shelves.
6. The Land of Stories by Chris Colfer
Your young learner just beginning their reading journey might love this audiobook by Chris Colfer. “The Land of Stories” follows a pair of twins exploring fairytales they’ve always heard about through a book. Children will love this fresh idea and making connections between their beloved fairytale characters and their new, unique ideas about how they begin and end.
7. Matilda by Roald Dahl
This classic is perfect for small learners navigating their vocabulary and scanning pages for the first few times. The story of a beautiful little girl born to terrible parents is heartwarming for many people. As Matilda navigates school and an evil headmistress, she relies on the power of books to get her through- an exceptional lesson for your young learner.
8. The Bronze Horseman by Paullina Simons
“The Bronze Horseman” is a tale of love, loss, and suffering. Taking place in 1941, this book follows a close family in Russia at the time Hitler invades. This story is historical fiction but shows how Russian families struggled during this time, closely followed by harsh winter. This audiobook is more than 30 hours long and fits the age range of older high school students.
9. The Hunger Games by Suzanne Collins
Your high schooler won’t be able to stay bored while they read the trilogy that stormed into the hearts of many readers. Although this story follows a dystopian society, it handles concepts like friendship, loss, and a corrupt government. Action-packed and exciting, your child will love speeding through these books.
10. Brown Girl Dreaming by Jacqueline Woodson
This book is a memoir of the author’s childhood, reflecting on the changing world during the 1960s and 1970s. As an African American girl, Jacqueline Woodson lived with the remnants of Jim Crow and saw the rise of the Civil Rights movement. This book is powerful and emotionally charged as the author chooses to tell the story in poems.
Develop Your Child’s Reading Skills at CCA
CCA encourages students to learn in whatever way is meaningful to them. We understand that every child has a different learning style. While some prefer to engage in hands-on activities, others prefer to review materials quietly or listen to information as they follow along. Many others prefer a combination of distinct styles. No matter what their preference, CCA works with families and students to create a personalized education program that helps guide them to success.
For more information about how to promote good reading habits, check out our blog. There, you can find ways to keep your child engaged in learning, the benefits of reading with your child, and more. You can also request more information about our unique public cyber charter school and how CCA can help your student succeed.
