Education / 1 March, 2023 / Ellie Thompson

World Book Day: How Audiobooks Encourage Kids To Read + Other Handy Tips

Yoto, the award-winning audio platform for kids are delighted to announce that they’ve been named Official Audio Partner of World Book Day 2023. To celebrate, we’ve teamed up to share the huge benefits the wonderful world of audio offers children of all ages and abilities, together with some simple tips to get kids reading.

Yoto, the Official Audio Partner of World Book Day 2023

Audio storytelling is a great way to get pre-readers and developing readers interested in narrative long before they can read for themselves. Many are under the misconception that audiobooks slow down the development of reading skills, but research* has proven the opposite.

Audiobooks support children’s emotional intelligence and mental wellbeing, improve comprehension and widen children’s access to books. The power of audio is also a brilliant tool for engaging reluctant readers and children who find literacy challenging.

World Book Day’s new ‘Audio Partnership’ with Yoto is a title that acknowledges the role aural storytelling and audiobooks play in improving reading skills and fostering a love of reading in children. To celebrate the partnership, Yoto are offering free audio and have shared their top tips to get kids reading.

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List of free Yoto audio for World Book Day

Carefully selected by both the Yoto and World Book Day teams, the opening chapters of these popular audiobooks are available for free via the Yoto app. Here’s the list:

Six things you can do to encourage reading

Let them choose

Children should be able to choose what they read. Whether it’s a Marvel comic or foul facts about the Rotten Romans, it’s important they feel free to explore the books that appeal to them. This way, kids will begin to associate reading with the topics they’re most excited about and be much more likely to reach for a book.

With Yoto, kids can choose what they want to listen to – whether that’s music, an audiobook or a podcast – giving them a sense of control and independence.

Help to find books

Be on hand to help your child find the books they’re interested in. Take a trip to the local bookshop or the library and find out what interests them.

The Yoto card library has stacks of content for readers of all ages, reading abilities and interests, so you’re guaranteed to find stories they’ll love.

Create time for reading

Creating time to read is really important. Whether it’s in the morning before school, after school or the wind-down before bed, sticking to a regular routine will help your child embrace a life-long positive habit of picking up a book. Instead of reaching for a device or watching TV, encourage them to read instead.

Read to your children

Sharing a story before bed is a wonderful way to end the day. Reading to your children is not only a chance to bond with them but a way to instil a love of reading and books from a really early age.

Yoto have lots of unabridged audiobooks that are great to read along to. From The Gruffalo to Diary of a Wimpy Kid, you’ll find something for all ages. Reading along to an audiobook will help children better connect the characters and the story, encouraging reluctant readers and those who find reading difficult.

Make reading fun!

It’s not unusual for kids to find the prospect of reading boring, especially when they associate it with school, so it’s time to make reading fun. Build a reading fort with blankets and pillows, dress up and act out your favourite scenes, or read to them when they’re in the bath… Get creative with storytime.

Why not use sound effects to make your reading adventure even more exciting? Try one of the free soundscapes in the Yoto app to bring your adventure to life in a truly imaginative and immersive way.

Have books at home

Build your card library with Yoto, and support more children to have books at home! To further World Book Day’s charitable mission to promote reading for pleasure and give every child and young person a book of their own, Yoto will donate £1 for each selected Yoto Card sold during the month, from February 16th to March 23rd. Find out more here.

Shop now

For free audio and to support Yoto’s World Book Day campaign, head to Yoto.

*Research from the National Literacy Trust

Sponsored content in collaboration with Yoto