You already know how your toddler delights in story time, and how telling stories is a wonderful way to help your child develop vocabulary, listening skills, creativity, empathy, and more. But have you considered sharing story time with audiobooks? Listening to audiobooks provides toddlers with many of the same benefits as traditional books, and incorporating them into your routine is a great way to add variety to the types of activities you do with your child. Here are a few parent-approved audiobooks that your toddler is sure to love.
Jane Yolen's beloved children's book Owl Moon is enhanced in its audiobook form with dreamy music and an emotive reading by the author herself. It tells the story of a young girl searching the forest with her father in the hopes of finding the Great Horned Owl. There's much to learn from this Caldecott Medal-winning classic. Most notably, Owl Moon emphasizes the value in patience and the wonders of nature.
Join Laurie Berkner, the Laurie Berkner Band, Thelonius Pig, and friends in Laurie Berkner's Song and Story Kitchen. In this Audible Original, Laurie and her pig pal (played by Josiah Gaffney) explore all different kinds of yummy foods, sing songs, and go on adventures in the magical world of Juniper Fields. This audiobook aims to both entertain and help toddlers learn about food, art, culture, emotions, and so much more. Research has shown that music improves a child’s memory, cognitive development, and learning skills, so having music featured in each chapter is a big bonus! And as an extra treat, this audiobook comes with a PDF of all the recipes mentioned in the stories.
Kids shouldn't have to wait until they get older to learn about antiracism. That's why Ibram X. Kendi, National Book Award-winning author and father, wrote Antiracist Baby. Listening to this book together invites parents and children to discuss how to make equity a reality, starting with nine easy steps. These steps are written in a way that even the youngest children can understand; for instance, Kendi warmly encourages children to open their eyes to all colors and see people as human.
This audiobook version of Empire actor and activist Grace Byers’s beloved best-selling children's book is narrated by the author herself. Lyrical and uplifting, I Am Enough teaches young children some of the most important life lessons: love and value yourself, respect others, and be kind to one another.
It’s never too early to start preparing your toddler for what school life will be like. The King of Kindergarten is the perfect audiobook for toddlers who might be a little nervous about the next step. Newbery Honor-winning author Derrick Barnes encourages young listeners to see themselves in the story's hero, a confident little boy, and his enthusiasm for starting school and seizing every opportunity. He is the King of Kindergarten, after all!
What, a children's book with no pictures? Well, that sounds like the perfect audiobook! In fact, The Book with No Pictures is all about sounds. Author B.J. Novak and narrator Busy Philipps deliver a clever and super fun listen for toddlers who love playing with different noises. But there's a serious side to the silliness: playing with sounds helps toddlers learn phonics and develop language skills!
Red is a crayon who is supposed to be the color red, but something about him is...well, different. Michael Hall's Red: A Crayon's Story is a fun audiobook that's sure to spark thoughtful conversations between parents and their toddlers about the joy of colors and celebrating the sometimes surprising differences in each and every one of us. Oh, and it's read by Audie Award-winning narrator Robin Miles.
If you've got a shy toddler, try listening to The Day You Begin by Jacqueline Woodson, narrated with love and heart by the National Book Award-winning author herself. In this book, Woodson reminds young listeners that everyone has felt like an outsider from time to time. There will be times when you walk into a room and feel like no one is quite like you, and it's okay if that makes you feel shy or nervous. But when you find the courage to face these scary situations, you just might meet someone who's happy to reach out and help.
A best-selling and long-treasured children's classic, Brown Bear, Brown Bear, What Do You See? is an enchanting audiobook. Academy Award-winning actress Gwyneth Paltrow narrates, beautifully capturing the repetition and rhyme that help make the story more memorable and enjoyable for young listeners. Rhyme helps toddlers learn how language and sounds work, while repetition offers comfort and helps toddlers grasp and retain information.
If you're looking for an audiobook that encourages your little one to visualize images, The Napping House by Audrey Wood is a great option. Loved by parents and children alike. this simple but hilarious story shows how one tiny flea can make a big commotion.
Does your toddler love learning about animals? Then they'll love Monkey Puzzle, the story of a young monkey who's lost in the jungle and looking for his mum. Thankfully, a kind butterfly has offered to help. But they keep finding the wrong animals! The audiobook version of Monkey Puzzle comes with a read-along track and a song! Because we know toddlers love music.
Oge Mora's Caldecott Honor-winning Thank You, Omu! is a heartwarming story that will teach toddlers the value of sharing and generosity. Everyone in the neighborhood wants a taste of Omu's stew. But when Omu offers everyone a portion of her meal, she soon realizes there's none left for her to eat. Has she been too generous after all? This book was inspired by the strong women role models in the author's life, and it's read by LaQuita James, a prolific narrator who's also a certified speech-language pathologist.
If your toddler is fascinated by the night sky, they'll be over the moon for this listen. In A Big Mooncake for a Little Star, author Grace Lin offers up a whimsical origin story for all the phases of the moon. Little Moonstar loves the mooncakes she bakes with her mama. She knows she's not supposed to take a bite just yet, but would it hurt to just have a little nibble? The audiobook includes a beautiful music track behind the narration to help set the fantastical, dreamy tone of the story.
Matt De La Pena's Last Stop on Market Street gently teaches young children to see the beauty and fun in everyday places and routines. As CJ rides the bus across town with his grandma, he wonders aloud why he doesn't have the same things other boys do. Why doesn't his family have a car? Why doesn't he have an iPod? Each of his questions is met with an encouraging answer from his grandma. This story reminds both parents and children to focus on and appreciate the gifts all around us.
Your youngster might know Big Bird and Cookie Monster—now introduce them to the latest resident of Sesame Street: Foley! As host of The Sesame Street Podcast, Foley teams up with her microphone Mikee and a number of special guests (like Abby, Grover, and yes, Elmo!) for a variety of enriching fun, music, and games. Toddlers will adore this absolutely joyful listen, while parents are sure to love the familiarity of such a trusted and beloved franchise.
