AUDIBLE STORIES

 

 

Though your kids may have to stay cooped up inside these school holidays, there’s no reason their imaginations can’t run wild.

Audible, Amazon’s online library of audio-books, has released a library of hundreds of hours of FREE audio books for your kids to enjoy.

“Stories help,” says the Audible Stories website. “They entertain. They teach. They keep young minds active, alert and engaged.

“For as long as schools are closed, we’re open.

“Kids everywhere can instantly stream an incredible collection of stories, including titles across six different languages, that will keep them dreaming, learning and just being kids.”

Available for everyone at Audible Stories, all of Audibles stories are free to stream on laptop, phone or tablet.

To help get you started, here are just a few of our favourites from each of Audibles (English) categories.

LITTLEST LISTENERS

Winnie-the-Pooh: A.A. Milne’s Pooh Classics, Volume 1
Written by A. A. Milne
Narrated by Peter Dennis
Length: 2 hrs 46 mins

Timeless Tales of Beatrix Potter: Peter Rabbit and Friends
Written by Beatrix Potter
Narrated by Katherine Kellgren
Length: 3 hrs 31 mins

The Lion and the Mouse
Written by Lavanya R. N
Narrated by Karthik Kumar
Length: 8 mins

EARLY PRIMARY

Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland
Written by Lewis Carroll
Narrated by Scarlett Johansson
Length: 2 hrs 44 mins

The Merry Adventures of Robin Hood
Written by Howard Pyle
Narrated by Christopher Cazenove
Length: 10 hrs 36 mins

Interview with the Robot
Written by Lee Bacon
Narrated by Kevin T. Collins, Ellen Archer, Josh Hurley, Eileen Stevens, Erin Mallon, Jonathan Davis, Stephen Bel Davies
Length: 3 hrs 42 mins

TWEEN

Diary of a 6th Grade Ninja
Written by Marcus Emerson
Narrated by Josh Hurley
Length: 1 hr 43 mins

Astrophysics for Young People in a Hurry
Written by Neil deGrasse Tyson, Gregory Mone, Gabrielle de Cuir
Narrated by LeVar Burton
Length: 3 hrs 32 mins

The Return of Sherlock Holmes
Written by Arthur Conan Doyle
Narrated by Simon Prebble
Length: 11 hrs 21 mins

TEEN

The Screwtape Letters
Written by C.S. Lewis
Narrated by Ralph Cosham
Length: 3 hrs 36 mins

The Mystery of Alice
Written by Lee Bacon
Narrated by Bryan Kennedy, Jessica Almasy, Josh Hurley, Cassandra Morris, Libby McKnight, Emily Bauer, Michael Crouch
Length: 6 hrs 24 mins

Squint
Written by Chad Morris, Shelly Brown
Narrated by Kirby Heyborne
Length: 6 hrs 3 mins

LITERARY CLASSICS

The Jungle Book I & II
Written by Rudyard Kipling
Narrated by Ralph Cosham
Length: 11 hrs 8 mins

Jane Eyre
Written by Charlotte Bronte
Narrated by Thandie Newton
Length: 19 hrs 10 mins

Frankenstein
Written by Mary Shelley
Narrated by Dan Stevens
Length: 8 hrs 35 mins

NETFLIX PICKS

 

 

While we don’t want kids glued to screens these school holidays or during the self-isolation period, spending some time with your kids enjoying a Netflix show can be a great way to pass the time and keep some sense of normalcy.

To help you out, we spoke to some experts on the best shows to watch these holidays.

Sophia’s List

 

 

Sophia is 8 years old and in Year 3.

Pokémon: Mewtwo Strikes Back Evolution.
Rating: PG.
Details: After accepting an invitation from a mysterious trainer, Ash, Misty and Brock meet Mewtwo, an artificially created Pokémon who wants to do battle.

Minecraft: Story Mode
Rating: PG
Details: Take control of an adventure set in the Minecraft Universe. The future of the world is at stake, and your decisions shape the story- so choose wisely!

Spirit: Riding Free
Rating: PG
Details: In a small Western town, spunky ex-city girl Lucky forms a tight bond with wild horse Spirit while having adventures with best pals Pru and Abigail.

The Lego Movie 2: The Second Part
Rating: PG
Details: The adventures of Master builder Emmet continue! When Lego Duplo aliens kidnap Lucy and Batman, he must head out into space to save the day.

Matilda
Rating: PG
Details: Cursed with a cruel school principal and parents, a little girl discovers her hidden powers- which she uses to stand up to the bullies in her life.

The Boss Baby: Back in Business
Rating: PG
Details: The Boss Baby brings his big brother Tim to the office to teach him the art of business in this animated series sprung from the hit film.

Teen Titans Go!
Rating: PG
Details: Superhero roommates Robin, Starfire, Raven, Beast Boy and Cyborg protect Jump City from evildoers, when they’re not too busy bickering and competing.

Sonic Boom!
Rating: PG
Details: Sonic, the fastest and bluest hedgehog in the world teams up with his animal pals to stop Dr Eggman from turning their island into a theme park.

Mako Mermaids: An H2O Adventure
Rating: PG
Details: This “H2O” sequel follows Zac, a boy who accidentally turns into a merman and threatens the existence of three young mermaids who guard Mako Island.

The Garfield Show
Rating: G
Details: Lazy, lasagna-loving fat cat Garfield lives life on his own terms which includes teasing his geeky owner, Jon, and tormenting dim-witted dog Odie.

Sienna’s List

 

 

Sienna is 14-years-old and in Year 9.

To All the Boys I’ve Loved Before
Rating: M
Details: When her secret love letters somehow get mailed to each of her five crushes, Lara Jean finds her quiet high school existence turned upside down.

The Kissing Booth
Rating: M
Details: When teenager Elle’s first kiss leads to a forbidden romance with the hottest boy in high school, she risks her relationship with her best friend.

 

 

Sierra Burgess is a Loser
Rating: M
Details: A wrong number text sparks a virtual romance between a smart by unpopular teen and a sweet jock who things he’s talking to a gorgeous cheerleader.

The Duff
Rating: M
Details: When a smart high schooler learns she’s the Designated Ugly Fat Friend in her popular clique, she enlists a jock’s help for a massive makeover.

Clueless
Rating: M
About: Meddlesome Beverly Hills high school student Cher gets more than she bargained for when she gives a fashion-challenged student a makeover.

The Perks of Being a Wallflower
Rating: M
Details: A shy freshman struggling with depression deals with his best friend’s suicide and his first love in this engaging coming-of-age tale.

Dumplin’
Rating: M
Details: To prove a point about measuring up and fitting in, Texas teen Willowdean Dickson enters a local pageant run by her ex-beauty queen mum.

Let it Snow
Rating: M
Details: A snowstorm hits a small tome on a cold Christmas Eve, affecting the friendships, love lives and futures of several high school seniors.

Spider-Man: Homecoming
Rating: M
Details: Peter Parker returns to routine life as a high schooler until the Vulture’s arrival gives him the chance to prove himself as a web-slinging superhero.