The quick version

What the research says

Listening and reading are closely linked. Researchers have long found that children understand spoken language better than written language through most of primary school, and many don’t read at the level they can understand by ear until around 7th or 8th grade. That gap is exactly where audiobooks help: they let kids enjoy stories, words and ideas their reading skills haven’t caught up with yet.

Large surveys from the UK’s National Literacy Trust back this up. Among children and young people who listen to audiobooks, around 3 in 5 say listening helps them understand a subject. In its 2026 survey, more children said they enjoyed listening to audio than said they enjoyed reading.

The research also has a sensible caveat: audiobooks seem most useful for early readers and children who struggle with print, and they work best as a support for reading rather than a replacement. Kids still need plenty of practice reading words on a page.

1. Expanded vocabulary

Hearing stories rich with vocabulary exposes children to a range of words, pronounced correctly in different contexts, without the extra pressure of having to decode them. The descriptive language in audiobooks is enhanced with sound effects and the narrators’ different tones. I’ve found this gives richer meaning to words, so my child is more likely to remember key vocabulary. Children learn best when they meet words repeatedly in different contexts, not through dictionary definitions.

2. A deeper emotional connection to stories

For many families, sharing a bedtime story is one of the most treasured parts of raising children, and listening to an audiobook is no different.

I can tell from my child’s reactions that the different character voices create a greater emotional connection than when I read to her. The characters come to life from the page, which deepens our engagement with the story and makes it so much more memorable.

3. Better speaking and listening skills

If you think a children’s audiobook is simply someone reading words off a page, you’d be mistaken. Sound effects, voices and theatrical touches make you feel like you’re right there in the story. The range of accents and dialects also gives children a greater awareness of the spoken word.

There’s a certain cadence to how the fairytales on our Yoto Player are narrated that absorbs my child from the first word, and her attention span for listening has improved because of it. She often repeats her favorite lines from The Three Little Pigs with the exact intonation and delivery of the recording.

4. Improved comprehension

A huge pressure on children when reading is having to decode the words and apply their phonics knowledge. It’s easy to forget that learning to read should promote a lifelong love of books. I want my child to enjoy stories and language, not just read words aloud from a page. Listening puts less strain on children’s working memory, so there are more chances to engage deeply with a story, like making inferences and predictions.

5. Develops empathy

Because the characters are given real voices, we naturally feel more strongly about them and their role in the story. My child can interpret a character’s feelings and personality not just through what they say, but how they say it. Reading from a book can miss those nuances. Maybe it’s the lonely princess’s sigh or the cackle of a vengeful witch: there are so many opportunities to identify and talk about emotions when listening to an audiobook.

Does listening to audiobooks count as reading?

It depends on what you mean by reading. If reading means understanding a story, its characters and its themes, then listening absolutely counts. If it means decoding words on a page, it doesn’t, and that’s a skill children still need to practice.

The best approach is to treat audiobooks as part of a child’s reading life, not a substitute for it. Keep reading together, keep print books around the house, and let audiobooks add more stories on top.

Audiobooks by age: what works

• Ages 3 to 5: short stories, songs and fairytales they can hear again and again. A screen-free player like the Yoto Player lets little ones choose and play stories by themselves.
• Ages 5 to 8: try listening while following along in the print book. Hearing the words while seeing them helps connect sounds to letters.
• Ages 8 to 12: use audiobooks to reach books above their reading level, start a long series, or share a story on family car trips.
• Reluctant readers: let them choose what they listen to. Enjoying a story is the goal, and a gripping audiobook can be the thing that makes them pick up the next book in print.

Tips for getting the most from audiobooks

• Listen together: pause to talk about what’s happening and what might happen next.
• Pair audio with print: borrow the book alongside the audiobook so kids can follow along.
• Choose great narration: a lively narrator or full cast makes a huge difference for young listeners.
• Let them re-listen: repetition is how children absorb new words and phrases.
• Keep reading aloud: audiobooks are a wonderful extra, but they don’t replace story time with you.

Sharing audiobooks as a family has become a tradition I know we’ll keep. It’s an immersive experience that captures our attention with a touch of storytelling magic. If you’re unsure about bringing electronics into your child’s reading, rest assured: audiobooks won’t derail their love of the written word. You’ll find they boost the appreciation and understanding of stories and language in your home, for the old as well as the young.

Curious about the Yoto Player? Read my full Yoto Player review, or browse our best audiobooks for kids to find your family’s next listen.