A recent study found that 40% of parents view listening to audiobooks as “cheating,” but an expert suggests that it can be just as beneficial for children as reading physical books. The research, involving 2,000 parents with kids aged three to 12, showed that 35% doubt the effectiveness of audiobooks compared to print books.
Interestingly, 39% of parents believe that children retain more information from reading rather than listening to audiobooks, while 30% hold the opposite view. Surprisingly, 37% of parents reported that their child’s comprehension improves when they listen to stories instead of reading them.
Despite the perception of audiobooks as a shortcut, boys are more inclined to use them than girls among the 94% of children engaging with audiobooks. Education and parenting expert Cathy Walker, in collaboration with children’s audio player company Yoto, emphasized the value of children immersing themselves in stories, regardless of the format.
According to Cathy, children develop empathy, experience different perspectives, and enhance their understanding of the world through storytelling, whether through reading or listening. Audiobooks can improve children’s pronunciation, with 47% of parents believing they enhance listening skills.
Parents have noticed significant improvements in their children’s vocabulary (38%), spelling and grammar (29%), and reading interest (23%) since introducing audiobooks. Cathy highlighted that audiobooks help children build social skills and confidence, crucial for navigating a tech-driven and unpredictable world.
Although 46% of parents prefer physical books for their children, they recognize the value of audiobooks as an alternative to screen-based entertainment (39%). Children commonly enjoy audiobooks before bedtime (33%), during car rides (28%), and on vacation (22%).
Adventure stories are the most popular audiobook genre (26%), followed by fairytales (24%), bedtime stories (24%), and classic children’s tales (20%). Cathy stressed that books, in any format, expose children to diverse vocabulary, shaping their communication skills for lifelong success.
On World Book Day, Yoto is offering audiobooks for £1 and free audio stories on their website, promoting accessibility and family engagement in storytelling. Jess Tarrant, content director at Yoto, highlighted the transformative power of audiobooks in introducing children to unique stories and content.