Audiobooks are NOT cheating | Mum In The Madhouse

Audiobooks are NOT cheating

Although I agree that nothing can replace the wonder of reading aloud to your children.  I have been a fan of audiobooks since my boys were small.

Audio books are not cheating

I have mentioned before that I have one reluctant reader and one advanced reader and they have pretty much been like this since they were small.   Both boys have always loved being read to and we went through the stages that most parents do.

The same book read 1500 times and being able to recite the words without even looking at them.
The one more book before bedtime  and another and another and another!
The downright refusal to read.
The another chapter plllllllllllllllleaaaasssssssssssssseeeeeeeeeee.

So I have been using audio books for a long time and they are not cheating.  I have heard it all.  Audio books are lazy, kids miss out if they don’t read the words and audio books are way too expensive.  I think there really is a place for audiobooks in a child’s life and in my family.

The benefits of audiobooks for kids

Audio books are not cheating

  1. Audiobooks help with listening and concentration skills.  We started with short stories and then build up to chapter books.  It really did improve Mini’s focus.
  2. Audiobooks are a great way of introducing new vocabulary in to your child’s life.   Your child will benefit from the introduction to new and varied vocabulary without the frustration of not yet being able to read it himself.
  3. The storyteller can really bring the story to life with their voice inflections, humor,and varied cadence.  Every narrator brings something a little bit different to the telling of a story providing an example to kids of how to read aloud with flair and confidence.
  4. You can enjoy a book with others.  Audiobooks can make reading a social experience.  I love that it makes them a shared adventure.  Audiobooks are great for long car journeys.
  5. Being read to is really soothing.  There is a reason that we read to our kids at bedtime.  Audio books can extend that reading period.  Mini goes to sleep every night with an Audio Book, sometimes he follows along in a print book, sometimes he just listens.
  6. Audio books can make journeys pass quicker.  Maxi is travel sick so can not read in the car, but he can listen to an audio book.
  7. Audiobooks help make stories accessible to kids of all different reading levels. New and emergent readers, fluent readers, reluctant readers and struggling readers can enjoy the stories.  They level the playing field.

Over the summer we have been working with Puffin and their Puffin Summer Audio Book Club via Mumsnet and trying out some of their Audio Books.   They gifted us Danger is Everywhere by David O’Doherty ready by David O’Doherty, George’s Secret Key to the Universe by Lucy & Stephen Hawking ready by James Goode and Going Solo by Roald Dahl ready by Dan Stevens to top up our already large and varied audio book library!

40+ audio books for kids

Our favorite Audiobooks for kids

Picture books and short stories for younger children

Chapter books for 7 ish

Chapter books for 9ish

audio books for kids

I also have a free 30 day trial of Audible available too here

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