Why Audiobooks Count as Reading: How We Use Yoto Players for Homeschool
*This post contains affiliate links. As an Amazon Associate, I earn from qualifying purchases. We only share the resources we truly love and use in our home. Thank you for supporting our little grove!
If you walked into my house during breakfast, you wouldn't hear me reading aloud. You wouldn't hear me quizzing my three boys on their spelling words.
You would probably hear a British narrator reading The Hobbit or Frog and Toad.
In the homeschool world, there is a lot of pressure to be the "Magical Reader," the mom who reads aloud for hours with perfect character voices while her children sit silently at her feet.
But the reality of raising three active boys? My voice gets tired. Their bodies get wiggly. And sometimes, I just want to finish my own breakfast while it’s still warm.
That is why Audiobooks (and specifically our Yoto Players... currently down to one because the blue one is "hiding" somewhere) are the backbone of our unschooling rhythm.
In this post:
We tackle the "read-aloud guilt" and explain why audiobooks are a secret weapon for literacy (especially for active boys).
Plus: A look at our screen-free Yoto Player setup, our DIY pegboard storage solution, and
The top 3 story cards my boys listen to on repeat.
The "Is It Cheating?" Guilt
I talk to so many moms who feel like audiobooks are "cheating." They worry that if their child listens to a story instead of reading it with their eyes, it doesn't count.
Let me set you free: It absolutely counts!
Listening to complex stories builds:
Vocabulary: They hear words they might not be able to decode on paper yet.
Comprehension: They learn story structure, character arcs, and empathy.
Focus: It trains the "listening muscle" (which is surprisingly hard for active kids!).
This is what "Reading" often looks like in our house. His hands are busy, his body is still, and his mind is completely engaged in the story. It allows him to access complex narratives that he isn't ready to decode with his eyes yet.
Why We Switched to Yoto Players
We use Yoto Players (screen-free audio players for kids), and they have been a game-changer for our independence.
(Check out the Yoto Player on Amazon)
(Or the Mini Yoto Players which we personally love for on-the-go)
Unlike an iPad or a phone, the Yoto doesn't have games or YouTube. It just plays audio - stories, podcasts, and music. Because the boys can control the physical cards themselves, they own their own learning.
The best part is, you can even make your own cards with audio you create or already own! My boys love recording their own stories to listen to and I love finding new educational resources for them.
The tactile nature of the cards is huge for us. There are no screens to get addicted to and no complicated menus. Even a toddler can feel the agency of choosing a story and popping it in. They aren't waiting for me to entertain them. They can pop in a card, build a massive LEGO tower, and disappear into a story for an hour.
How We Organize the Chaos (Yoto Storage)
With three boys and dozens of cards, we needed a system that didn't involve cards getting lost under the couch.
We use a simple Pegboard System on the wall. The little pegboards, hooks, and shelves were all purchased at the dollar tree.
The Players: Sit on the shelf for charging.
The Headphones: Hang on hooks below so wires don't get tangled.
The Cards: We keep "Current Favorites" on rings and the rest in a simple card holder. They can choose 5-10 cards at a time to keep on their ring as we go about our day and can swap rings independently anytime they want.
Having it visible means the boys actually use it, rather than digging through a toy box.
Our Top 3 Cards for "Boy Mom" Life
If you are just starting your collection, these are the ones my older boys listen to on repeat:
The Roald Dahl Collection: – Perfect for that slightly mischievous, funny humor that boys love. Matilda and The BFG are household staples.
Magic Tree House: – The ultimate "Unschooling" series. They learn history and geography without realizing it!
Frog and Toad: – Gentle, short stories that are perfect for quiet time or calming down a rowdy afternoon.
Our "Listening Rhythm"
Here is how we fit audiobooks into our day without forcing it:
The Breakfast Anchor: We almost always listen during breakfast. It keeps their mouths busy (eating) and their bodies still, which starts our morning with a sense of calm instead of chaos.
The Car School: We do a lot of nature study, which means we drive to trailheads often. The car is the perfect captivity for a long chapter book!
The "Reset": If the afternoon gets rowdy, we turn on an audiobook. It acts like a reset button for the energy in the room.
The Bedtime Wind-Down: This is our sanity saver at the end of the day. Active boys sometimes struggle to just "switch off." Listening to a familiar story (or the Yoto Sleep Radio) in the dark gives their busy brains something to focus on while their bodies finally relax.
When We Don't Want Words...
Sometimes, even a story is too much noise. When the boys are reading their own books or drawing, we often switch from audiobooks to Focus Music.
We actually just launched a Free 30-Minute Winter Focus Loop on our new YouTube channel specifically for this. It’s instrumental Celtic music + cozy fireplace sounds (no words to distract them!).
[Click here to access and listen to the Focus Loop for your next quiet time.]
So, if you are exhausted this weekend, don't feel guilty about handing the reading duties over to a Yoto player or an audiobook. You are building a culture of stories, no matter who is doing the talking.
🌿 Want to see what we do after the audiobooks turn off? Grab our FREE Nature Scavenger Hunt bundle to get your kids outside and moving!
📌 Save this post for later
Join the
Adventure!
Be the first to hear about our first book and get exclusive nature resources sent straight to your inbox!
