TL;DR
A National Literacy Trust survey of 3,194 UK parents and carers found that 60% said their child under five listens to audio stories at home. Parents reported perceived benefits including learning new words and developing imagination, but the survey records their views and does not prove that audio stories cause improvements in early learning.
A survey by the National Literacy Trust, conducted with audio player company tonies, found that 60% of UK parents and carers said their child under five listens to audio stories at home. The nationally representative study describes how families use audio storytelling and parents’ views of its potential benefits; it does not establish that listening directly improves children’s literacy or language skills.
The findings are based on responses from 3,194 UK parents and carers, in what the report describes as the first nationally representative UK study to explore how families with children under five use audio stories. Among parents whose children listen at home, almost half said the child listens at least once a day.
Parents identified several possible benefits. Forty percent said audio stories help their child learn new words, while 36% said they encourage imagination. Thirty-seven percent said listening helps children pay attention for longer, and 35% said it nurtures an interest in stories and books. Around a third said it helps children understand words and language or prompts conversation about the story.
Families reported using audio stories at different times: 37% at bedtime, 32% during family time, 29% during play, 26% while travelling and 21% during creative activities. More than four in five parents whose children listen at home said the child enjoys listening with an adult. Separately, 36% of all surveyed parents said they listen with their child to reduce screen time.
How Listening Fits Early Learning
The findings offer a snapshot of how audio stories have become one part of family routines for young children. Listening can expose children to words, characters and story sequences, while shared listening may give adults and children a chance to talk about what they hear. Those are parental observations in this survey, not measured learning outcomes.
The screen-time finding also matters to families seeking activities that do not require watching a device. Audio can be an option during travel, quiet time or a bedtime routine, but the report does not show that it reduces overall screen use or should replace other forms of play and storytelling.
The National Literacy Trust points to a mix of story experiences, including reading picture books, listening to stories and singing nursery rhymes. The report’s value is in documenting family use and perceptions, rather than establishing one activity as a standalone route to early literacy.
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The Survey Behind the Findings
The research was released during the National Year of Reading 2026, a campaign encouraging families to discover stories and include reading in everyday life. The study was conducted by the National Literacy Trust in partnership with tonies, a company that makes audio products for children.
The survey asked parents and carers about children under five, including whether children listen to audio stories at home, when they listen and what parents think the experience offers. Percentages describing benefits reflect parents’ reported views, not direct tests of children’s vocabulary, attention, imagination or reading development.
National Literacy Trust Assistant Director of Early Years Tracy Jackson said the foundations of reading begin before children can decode written words and highlighted listening as part of that development. The report also recommends thinking about stories in different forms, rather than treating audio and shared book reading as competing activities.
What the Survey Cannot Establish
The survey reports what parents say their children do and what parents believe the benefits may be. It does not show that audio stories caused improvements in vocabulary, comprehension, attention or imagination, and the supplied findings do not describe a comparison group or before-and-after learning measures.
The report also does not establish how listening affects children differently by age, how long or how often a child needs to listen to see any effect, or whether audio use changes family screen time overall. The survey figures describe respondents’ reports; the available material does not provide further detail on the size or characteristics of individual subgroups.
How Families May Use Audio
The National Year of Reading 2026 campaign continues to encourage families to make stories part of everyday life. The study’s findings may inform discussion about the place of listening in early-years routines, but no further research timetable or policy change is specified in the report.
For families choosing to try audio, the report’s practical suggestions include listening together, selecting stories that interest the child, and combining audio with reading aloud, songs and conversation. These are options rather than evidence-backed requirements; the study does not prescribe a particular schedule or equipment.
Key Questions
How many UK parents said their child under five listens to audio stories at home?
Sixty percent of parents and carers in the survey said their child listens to audio stories at home. The study included 3,194 UK respondents.
Does the research prove audio stories improve early learning?
No. The study records parents’ perceptions of possible benefits, such as learning new words and developing imagination. It does not establish that listening causes improvements in those skills.
When do families use audio stories?
Parents reported using them at bedtime, during family time and play, while travelling, and during creative activities. Bedtime was the most commonly reported setting among the listed options, at 37%.
Can audio stories help reduce screen time?
Thirty-six percent of surveyed parents said they listen to audio stories with their child to reduce screen time. That is a reported reason for listening; the study does not measure whether families’ total screen use fell.
Should audio stories replace reading books together?
The report does not recommend replacing books. The National Literacy Trust describes listening as one form of shared storytelling alongside picture books, nursery rhymes and telling stories together.
Source: rss
