Our new report commissioned by Tonies shows how audiobooks can help build reading engagement with younger children, particularly around interaction, complementing other forms of storytelling, and through the use of compelling characters.
Some of the key findings from this review include:
● There is a strong appetite for hearing stories, with almost all children in our survey (95.6%) saying they enjoy hearing stories read to them
● Playing audiobooks in the home can help expose children to a wider vocabulary
● The use of audiobooks in the classroom to complement teachers reading aloud can help maximise the benefits of hearing the same content over and over
● The inclusion of multiple voices, sound effects and music can help enrich the experience of a story in audio form
● Strong and recognisable characters can build children’s love of stories, with many young children recalling favourite characters
● Audiobook platforms and devices help extend a story across different media and give children opportunities to engage in a multitude of ways