“Audiobooks introduce pre-readers to storytelling and help develop a lifelong love for reading,” says Mary Pope Osborne, New York Times bestselling author of the “Magic Tree House” series. “Audiobooks provide an easily accessible way to introduce children to the myriad benefits of storytelling. Through storytelling, kids learn to express their curiosity, emotions, and imagination which are essential building blocks to lifelong learning,” she says. Audiobooks are also an affordable way to keep your child engaged in the car, at home, or before bedtime. When searching for the best audiobook for kids, first make sure to assess whether or not the subject matter and language level are age-appropriate. There are audiobooks available for infants, toddlers, elementary, and high school-aged children, and by selecting one that is age-appropriate, you’ll ensure that your child remains engaged and interested in the subject matter. Audiobooks can be purchased individually or as part of a subscription to services such as Audible, Barnes & Noble Audiobooks, or Apple books. Most audiobooks are available in downloadable digital formats (like MP3) and can be played on your smartphone, computer, tablet, or MP3 player. Some books can also be purchased on CDs. In order to find the best audiobooks for children of all ages, we spoke to learning specialists, librarians, and authors to create a selection of engaging and thoughtful stories. We’ve organized our list according to age groups (toddlers, kindergarteners, school-age kids, teens, and families) to include appealing options for all kids. Here are the 50 best audiobooks for kids of all ages.
Our Top Picks
For Toddlers: The Wheels on the Bus For Toddlers: The Very Hungry Caterpillar For Kindergarteners: Good Night Stories for Rebel Girls For Kindergarteners: I Am Enough For Elementary School-Aged Kids: Harry Potter and the Sorcerer’s Stone For Elementary School-Aged Kids: Diary of a Wimpy Kid For Teenagers: The Ballad of Songbirds and Snakes For Teenagers: The Book Thief For the Whole Family: The Wizard of Oz For the Whole Family: Hidden Figures Price at time of publication: $7 Price at time of publication: $6 Price at time of publication: $2 Price at time of publication: $3 Price at time of publication: $2 Price at time of publication: $6 Price at time of publication: $9 Price at time of publication: $1 Price at time of publication: $2
Best Audiobooks for Kindergarteners
Price at time of publication: $2 Price at time of publication: $3 Price at time of publication: $6 Price at time of publication: $11 Price at time of publication: $12 Price at time of publication: $25 Price at time of publication: $12 Price at time of publication: $2 Price at time of publication: $6 Price at time of publication: $2 Price at time of publication: $3
Best Audiobooks for Elementary School Kids
Price at time of publication: $30 Price at time of publication: $17 Price at time of publication: $15 Price at time of publication: $17 Price at time of publication: $15 Price at time of publication: $14 Price at time of publication $8 Price at time of publication: $21 Price at time of publication: $19 Price at time of publication: $18
Best Audiobooks for Teens
Price at time of publication: $45 Price at time of publication: $17 Price at time of publication: $18 Price at time of publication: $25 Price at time of publication: $18 Price at time of publication: $13 Price at time of publication: $18 Price at time of publication: $24 Price at time of publication: $17 Price at time of publication: $13
Best Audiobooks for Families
Price at time of publication: $35 Price at time of publication: $13 Price at time of publication: $15 Price at time of publication: $18 Price at time of publication: $22 Price at time of publication: $17 Price at time of publication: $11 Price at time of publication: $13 Price at time of publication: $10
Educational Value
Books are a fantastic way to help children continue learning at home, and audiobooks are just as beneficial as written texts. “Audiobooks are a terrific way to engage with ideas through language, just as parents’ reading to a child enables kids to process words and concepts along with gaining meaning through reading written text. These are all various forms of advanced language reasoning,” says learning specialist Rebecca Mannis, Ph.D.
Why Trust Verywell Family
Laura Denby is a freelance product reviewer and food, home, and lifestyle writer. She has been testing and reviewing products for the past five years and creates thoroughly tested, comprehensive product reviews for sites like Food & Wine, Verywell Family, Real Simple, and Forbes Vetted. She is also the mother of an active one-year-old girl. Mary Pope Osborne is the author of the New York Times bestselling Magic Tree House series. She is an advocate and supporter of child literacy and the award-winning author of more than 100 books for children and young adults. Osborne is a dedicated partner with Teddy Graham’s Save the Children’s annual 100 Days of Reading Summer’s Better with Books Campaign, underscoring her commitment to helping children develop a lifelong love for reading. From 1993 to 1997, Ms. Osborne served as president of the Authors Guild, the country’s leading organization for published authors. She has traveled extensively in the U.S. and abroad, visiting schools and speaking on issues related to children’s literacy, including at the United Nations. Dr. Rebecca Mannis is a learning specialist and founder of Ivy Prep. Dr. Mannis holds a Ph.D. in Developmental Psychology with a specialization in Neuroscience and Education from Teachers College, Columbia University, and a Master’s degree in Reading, Language, and Learning Disabilities from the Harvard Graduate School of Education. She regularly provides consulting services to schools and corporations about the neuroscience of learning, remediation, learning disabilities, individualized instruction, and adaptive technology. Carol Denby is a children’s librarian with over 25 years of experience. She holds a Master of Library Science degree from Long Island University and has worked as a children’s librarian in elementary schools and public libraries. She is also a mother of two and grandmother of two.
