You know I’m a huge fan of using positive momentum to get a good behavior going. If your kiddo is struggling with reading tangible books, give audiobooks a try! Research shows that listening to audiobooks can be as beneficial as reading a book, and this might be just what your child needs to get them more interested in reading. Let’s explore the benefits of audiobooks for children and how they can boost essential skills:
1. They build deep thinking skills.
Audiobooks are a fantastic way to help kids strengthen their deep and critical thinking. Since they can’t rely on pictures or text, children have to focus carefully on what’s being said. This helps them improve their attention span, a skill they’ll use in school and throughout the rest of their life.
2. They expand vocabulary.
When kids listen to audiobooks, they’re exposed to new words and phrases they might not hear in everyday conversation. A word that they might skip over in a tangible book is pronounced for them, and the contextual clues help them understand its meaning. This helps expand their vocabulary in a fun, natural way!
Another tip: make sure your kids know they can say “pause!” whenever they hear something they don’t understand. You can re-listen together and explain what a word means, or describe a different sentence structure. All these things will enhance their understanding and improve their communication skills.
3. They improve comprehension.
Listening to a story is different from reading it on the page. Audiobooks challenge kids to process and understand information without visual cues. This can improve their ability to follow a plot, understand characters, and predict what might happen next—all skills that are key to reading comprehension. Plus, when they hear a story read aloud with the right tone, emotion, and pacing, it can bring the characters and situations to life, making it easier for kids to connect with the story.
A List of Family-Friendly Audiobooks
Audiobooks are a powerful tool for supporting your child’s learning and brain development. With all the benefits for your child, audiobooks offer so much more than just entertainment. Best of all, they’re easy to enjoy on the go or during quiet time at home.
To help you get started, don’t forget to download my free resource: “100+ Family-Friendly Audiobooks“—a collection of great audiobooks your whole family will enjoy!
If you are looking for ways to get your child more interested in reading, check out these resources: