Children’s enjoyment of listening to audio has surpassed their enjoyment of reading for the first time, a report has suggested.
The number of young people who say they enjoy listening to audio – such as audiobooks and podcasts – in their free time has risen in the past year, according to research by the National Literacy Trust (NLT).
More than two in five (42.3%) of children and young people aged between eight and 18 said they enjoyed listening to audio in their free time in 2024, compared with 39.4% in 2023.
It comes as the charity warned in November that children’s reading is at “crisis” point as the number of young people who said they enjoyed reading in their free time plummeted to about one in three (34.6%).
This is the “first time” more children and young people said they enjoyed listening to audio than reading since the charity began asking them about their engagement with listening in 2020, a report said.
The Government should broaden the variety of reading formats – including audio – in its upcoming curriculum and assessment review to help stem the “reading for pleasure crisis”, the charity has said.
Overall, some 76,131 children and young people aged five to 18 from across the UK were surveyed by the charity between January and March 2024.
The latest report from the NLT – based on the 37,893 children and young people aged eight to 18 who took part in the survey and who told the charity they listened to audio in their free time – found slightly more boys than girls (43.4% vs 40.4%) enjoyed listening to audio in their free time in 2024.
The gender gap is much smaller than those who said they take pleasure in reading, where only 28.2% of boys reported said they enjoy reading in their free time, compared to 40.5% of girls.
Listening to audiobooks and podcasts could provide a gateway into reading enjoyment for many children and young people, the charity has suggested.
Nearly two in five (37.5%) of children and young people agreed that listening to an audiobook had got them interested in reading books in 2024, according to the survey.
The research also found that when children and young people listen to audiobooks and podcasts in their free time, their learning, creativity and wellbeing can benefit.
NLT chief executive Jonathan Douglas said: “In recent years, we’ve seen a steady rise in children’s enjoyment of listening to audio and uncovered the myriad of benefits it can bring – from sparking a love of reading and supporting literacy development, to deepening learning and boosting wellbeing.
“So many families, schools, libraries, charities, publishers, businesses and more are already inspiring children’s reading in such diverse and innovative ways.
“By working together to leverage children and young people’s enthusiasm for audio, we can play an important role in growing a generation of readers and turning the page on the nation’s reading-for-pleasure crisis.”
Julie McCulloch, director of strategy and policy at the Association of School and College Leaders (ASCL), said: “There is certainly potential in using audio formats to encourage a love of reading alongside all the things that schools are doing to teach children to read and write, and access great books.
“Audiobooks and podcasts may be particularly helpful with reluctant readers, and we welcome the resources provided by the National Literacy Trust.”
A Department for Education spokesperson said: “High and rising school standards, with excellent foundations in reading, writing and maths, is a key part of our Plan for Change to ensure every child can achieve and thrive.
“Reading for pleasure is hugely important, with strong links to improved attainment, wellbeing and development for young people.
“Teachers are already encouraged to support their pupils to listen to, discuss and read a wide range of stories, poems, plays and books. This can include using audio books.
“We’ve also invested over £90 million in our English Hubs programme, which supports reading for pleasure, with a further £23 million for the 2024-25 academic year.”