Audible logo, go to homepage
Audible main site link

How listening to audiobooks can boost kids’ creativity

How listening to audiobooks can boost kids’ creativity

This post was originally published on Audible.com.

Audiobooks are a wonderful way to enjoy our favorite stories, explore new topics, and learn skills. But did you know that audiobooks can also help kids learn to read and embrace their creativity? Audible has thousands of audiobooks, podcasts, and Originals appropriate for all ages, and with the family-friendly Kids Profile feature, they’ll only be able to access the stories that you choose to share. Now, an exciting partnership between Audible and Crayola offers even more ways for kids to engage with audiobooks, underscored by Crayola’s mission to inspire creativity. The partnership gives educators and parents more tools to nurture and engage children’s imaginations. For details and terms, visit audible.co.uk/Crayola.

Audiobooks are a powerful tool for learning and growing, especially when paired with visual, tactile, and expressive exercises. Read on to find out how audiobooks can help kids become more confident and enthusiastic readers. We’ve also got some recommendations for audiobooks and podcasts to get you started.

Crayola Creativity Week

Running from January 27 to February 2, 2025, Crayola Creativity Week is a fun-filled, interactive celebration of “Imagination in Action.” As an official sponsor of the event, Audible is helping Crayola foster creativity through audio storytelling that inspires young minds and gives educators and parents more tools to nurture and engage children’s imaginations through creative moments. Here’s a sample of some of the titles that will be featured as part of the 2025 lineup.

Piper Chen Sings
Good Night Thoughts
Detective Duck: The Case of the Missing Tadpole

Can audiobooks help teach kids to read?

Audiobooks bring a lot to the table when it comes to children’s literacy. Much like reading aloud with kids, they’re a great tool for raising interest in reading and storytelling, and developing enthusiasm for books is crucial for engagement in learning to read. Audiobooks stimulate a different part of the brain from visual reading, creating a new pathway for children to absorb stories and explore new concepts. Introducing kids to audiobooks early can foster a love of reading for a lifetime. Here are some of the ways audiobooks can assist with teaching kids to read:

  • Pronunciation and vocabulary: Audiobooks can help expand children’s vocabularies and improve their pronunciation of new words through hearing them spoken by a narrator.

  • Auditory support for visual learning: Pairing an audiobook with a physical book is an excellent way for kids to improve their visual recognition of words while hearing them spoken aloud.

  • Reading comprehension: We all have different learning styles, and listening to stories allows us to access information differently. By listening to audiobooks, kids can often engage more closely with the story, characters, and themes of the book.

  • Active listening: Audiobooks can help kids improve their listening skills, which can make for more meaningful retention of the information, vocabulary, and lessons learned in the stories they listen to.

  • Reading aloud skills: By hearing narrators model expressive storytelling, kids can improve their own skills at reading aloud and voicing different characters.

Listening to audiobooks can be an especially helpful tool for students of different abilities and students interested in age-appropriate stories and topics above their reading level. If you’re looking for ways to get your child excited about books or new approaches to sharpening their reading skills, audiobooks are an excellent resource.

Using audiobooks to boost kids’ creativity

Reading is about so much more than technical word-processing skills; books can also provide entertainment, stress relief, empathy-building, social and emotional learning, and a creative spark. Audiobooks are uniquely positioned to inspire children to engage with stories in new ways and imagine their own fantastical worlds. Listening to vibrant narration and dynamic character voices can stimulate creativity, especially when paired with other activities and exercises. Here are some suggestions for ways to engage your child’s creativity with audiobooks:

  • Family story time: Audiobooks can make reading a more collaborative experience. Listen to audiobooks together while driving, doing chores, or getting ready for bed, then talk about the story and what the characters might do next.

  • Drawing the story: Unlike physical picture books, audiobooks allow kids to picture what’s happening for themselves. Encourage their imagination by giving them tools to illustrate the story while listening to an audiobook. You can also invite your kid to act out a scene from the book or dress up like the characters.

  • Comparing formats: Encourage your child to read a physical book, then listen to the audiobook and compare their experience. Did they notice new things about the story? What did the narration bring to the book? This exercise can help your child explore the writing, characters, and writing concepts in depth.

  • Record your own audiobook: Once your child has listened to an audiobook, discuss the narrator’s performance of the various characters and scenes. Then it’s their turn; record them reading a book aloud and using their own imagination to bring the story to life.

For resources and more ideas to engage your kid’s creativity with audiobooks, check out our Listen and Do activities in partnership with Crayola.

Audiobook and podcast recommendations for kids

Now that we’ve established how useful audiobooks can be for strengthening kids’ reading skills and encouraging their creativity, here are some recommendations to start listening to today.

The Weirdies
Are You Afraid of the Dark? The Official Podcast
KIDZ BOP NEVER STOP: The Tour Bus Adventures
Spirit Hunters #3: Something Wicked
Merci Suárez Changes Gears
Ghost
Circle Round

Tags