Reading books with your child is an incredibly powerful way of supporting your child’s learning. We’ve put together a list of stories that are available as audiobooks (one for each day of the week) that we think make for great listening. The lists are divided into stories appropriate for 3-5 year olds and stories more appropriate for children aged 6+.

We’ve also created some guidance for parents about reading together at home with young children.

For preschoolers (3-5 years)

Monday: Listen to Al Gore read Brave Irene by William Steig (14 mins) at https://www.storylineonline.net/books/brave-irene/

Tuesday: Listen to Danica McKellar (author) read Ten Magic Butterflies (5 mins) at https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kBi_RoXKVo0

Wednesday: Listen to Christina Coch (an astronaut) read Hey-Ho to Mars We’ll Go by Susan Lendron (9 mins) from the International Space Station at https://storytimefromspace.com/hey-ho-to-mars-2/ 

Thursday: Listen to Hone Hurihanganui read How Māui Fished Up the North Island as retold by Donovan Bixley (8 mins) at https://storytime.rnz.co.nz/book/how-maui-fished-up-the-north-island/

Friday: Listen to Vanessa Marano & Katie Leclerc read Chester’s Way by Kevin Henkes (10 mins) at https://www.storylineonline.net/books/chesters-way/

For older children (6 years +)

Monday: Listen to Dorothy McKegg read Hong Kong Pencil by Judith Holloway (14 mins)  https://storytime.rnz.co.nz/book/hong-kong-pencil

Tuesday: Listen to Jacob Stein & Jason Rabinowitz (authors) read Jukebox Joyride (9 chapters, eac 15-30 min, 3.5 hours total) at https://stories.audible.com/pdp/B07QL3CQ39?ref=adbl_ent_anon_ds_pdp_pc_pg-1-cntr-0-14 

Wednesday: Listen to Phoebe Hurst read Iris’s Ukulele by Kathy Taylor (6 parts, each around 12 mins) at https://storytime.rnz.co.nz/book/iriss-ukulele

Thursday: Listen to Oliver Jeffers (author) read It Wasn’t Me and learn how to draw “Hueys” (30 mins) at https://youtu.be/6XLYISzkI8g

Friday: Listen to Melissa Gilbert read My Rotten Redheaded Older Brother by Patricia Polacco (10 mins) at https://www.storylineonline.net/books/my-rotten-redheaded-older-brother/

By Dr Vicki Hargraves

PREPARED FOR THE EDUCATION HUB BY

Dr Vicki Hargraves

Vicki runs our early childhood webinar series and also is responsible for the creation of many of our early childhood research reviews. Vicki is a teacher, mother, writer, and researcher living in Marlborough. She recently completed her PhD using philosophy to explore creative approaches to understanding early childhood education. She is inspired by the wealth of educational research that is available and is passionate about making this available and useful for teachers.