Audiobooks for kids (including loads of free ones) and how they can help your kids
Good afternoon!
Before I get into the core of today’s newsletter, a reminder that you can check out the new look Adapt Drinks here. If you would like to order some and are in a locked-down state, I have set up discount codes so you can receive 10% off while you are in lockdown:
NSW - nsw10
VIC - vic10
ACT - act10
Lucky regional Vic will be out of lockdown tomorrow night, so get in quick if you want to get 10% off :) .
Also, I have a Relax and Care Giveaway where one lucky reader has the chance to win: a carton of Adapt Drinks Relax (12 x 330ml) and a copy of Care by Brooke McAlary. Click here to enter and good luck!
Audiobooks for kids and how they can help your kids
As I mentioned in my newsletter a couple of weeks ago keeping kids reading as they get older can be a challenge. Throw into the equation a tight and extended lockdown, and the challenge is made even harder. We are lucky that our local library that is within our 5km (we are currently not allowed to go further than that) is working on click and collect, so we can still borrow books from our local library. I have had emails and messages from readers letting me know that this isn’t the case for them in their lockdown.
To help those who cannot access their local library at the moment I have put together a list of free e-books and audiobooks for kids that you can use at this time or anytime really! If you just want to just head straight to the list click here - Free e-books and audiobooks for kids.
I note in this post that while audiobooks can not replace the reading experience or assist with learning literacy skills, such as understanding letter-sound relationships and letter patterns for correct pronunciation, as well as building reading stamina, they can be positive in a number of other ways and can be a great alternative if you cannot readily access new books for your kids at the moment.
UK National Literacy Trust knowledge and research manager Emily Best says research by her organisation found audiobooks can act as “a way in to reading print books” and build literacy skills such as comprehension and vocabulary.
There are many benefits to listening to audio that mirror those of reading, and [these] really helped legitimise their place as part of a child’s reading journey. {source}
Irene Picton also of the National Literacy Trust says:
Listening to a story can be valuable for all sorts of reasons. One benefit of audiobooks is that children have the opportunity to hear speech patterns and rhythms that they might miss in print. They teach them about voice and expression, which can help with their own speaking and articulation. Dialects, accents and humour are brought to life, providing children with a model for reading aloud.
Dr. Frank Serafini, a Professor of Literacy Education and Children's Literature at Arizona State University notes in his study that
reading aloud is the single most important activity for developing proficient reading skills.
He recommends that teachers and parents should be encouraged to use audiobooks because they not only expose young readers to new vocabulary and support struggling readers but they encourage all children to try and enjoy stories that may otherwise be too advanced or inaccessible.
So audiobooks cannot replace the reading of actual textbooks but they can play a very important part in your child’s reading journey. You can find lists of audiobooks for your kids here:
Free e-books and audiobooks for kids - published on the blog today.
10 Great Children’s Audio Books For Long Car Trips - more suitable for younger kids
Feel free to leave your favourite audiobooks for kids in the comments!
Have a great rest of the week and if you are in lockdown, I hope you are doing okay. You can always hit reply to this email and let me know if there are topics you would like me to write about - I look forward to hearing from you!
Nic