It goes without saying that education is one of the most important tools we have in society. But for many, traditional schooling is not a one-size-fits-all approach. Whether you are educating your kids from home, or just want to supplement their coursework, these useful audiobooks provide some much-needed guidance to moms, dads, and caretakers navigating the largely unknown waters of teaching outside the confines of a traditional classroom.
Best Homeschooling Audiobooks
Inspired by the famous Henry David Thoreau quote “all good things are wild and free,” mother of five Ainsley Arment founded Wild + Free, an online community of parents and families who aim to give their children a quality education at home. The Call of the Wild and Free has the same goal as the community Arment created: to help families nurture children’s sense of curiosity, joy, and wonder using a modern approach to homeschooling that dispels myths about the practice. This inspiring listen is focused on a love of nature, books, hobbies, and the sense of wonder that turns the entire world into a classroom.
Author, mom, and home-educator extraordinaire Julie Bogart narrates her own work in The Brave Learner, an approachable manual to homeschooling that showcases how to incorporate learning as a seamless part of everyday life. Bogart has decades of homeschooling experience under her belt—from teaching her five grown children the curriculum she developed, to training homeschooling families all over the world. At the heart of her work is the simple truth that parents are often too hard on themselves, a pattern Bogart aims to combat by teaching “brave learning”: an approach to learning and life filled with curiosity and joy.
Veteran at-home educators Jessie Wise and Susan Wise Bauer organize the sometimes-complicated matter of teaching children from home into three easy-to-understand stages: the grammar stage (elementary school), the logic stage (middle school,) and the rhetoric stage (high school). One listener described The Well-Trained Mind as “the homeschool bible” in their rave review, and we couldn’t agree more!
If you’re new to homeschooling, chances are there will be at least a few basic questions on your mind. Written by experienced homeschoolers, this how-to guide talks parents through the key tactical FAQs, such as: How do I test my children? How do I create a course schedule? How do I navigate legal issues? Homeschooling Essentials answers these questions (and many more) with the confident, reassuring voice of someone who has been there—and has figured it out so you don’t have to.
Free to Learn questions some of the typical assumptions made about a traditional classroom education. Is it really better, or is it, as Gray suggests, a form of “imprisonment”? Gray asserts that commands to sit still and learn under constant supervision lead to anxious children who struggle to focus and see learning as nothing more than preparation for the standardized tests they must take. This counterintuitive reimaging of what learning can look like is a thought-provoking-must-listen for any parent considering the pros and cons of homeschooling.
Author Ben Hewitt and his wife live on a sprawling farm and forest in northern Vermont with their two sons. In this engaging story, Hewitt lets listeners in on what it was like to raise and teach children against the backdrop of fields and forests rather than chalkboards and school walls. Time and time, again Hewitt shows that learning is all around us-and that the best education is not confined to the classroom only.
One homeschooling mom reflects on her first year of teaching her children from home in this reassuring memoir-meets-how-to-guide. Jenkins remembers the joy, the excitement...and the frustration of it all. Sharing what she knows now, after years of homeschooling, this audiobook makes at-home education feel accessible and even enjoyable—once you get the hang of it!
More than 50 years ago, John Holt famously said “learning is as natural as breathing” and sold more than a million copies of his books outlining educational theory. Today, his keen observations are as relevant as they were when he first penned them. How Children Learn is an excellent place to start for parents who may feel overwhelmed by the thought of homeschooling. Holt reminds parents that learning is the natural state of children, and lets listeners in on wisdom that champions progressive education and homeschooling.
Best Educational Listens
Teach children fundamental lessons from anywhere with these playful exercises geared toward tiny toddlers. While the lessons are taught in an accessible way that makes learning seem fun, the basic skills taught are necessary and important for any little one learning to read, spell, and listen for sounds. This is a popular favorite that listeners love-after hearing the hyper-engaging narration, we understand why!
Supreme Court Justice Sonia Sotomayor writes and narrates this touching audiobook about the differences that make each of us unique and special. Sotomayor remembers her own experience as a child who felt different, and celebrates the different abilities—and special powers—all kids are born with. As the characters work together to build a community garden, they ask each other questions with kindness, and the author encourages listeners to do the same. Sotomayor’s thoughtful prose and soothing voice make for a relaxing and educational listen for the entire family.
Introduce your kids to the alphabet with this silly and accessible guide written by the infamous children's author, Dr. Seuss. Expertly narrated by Jason Alexander, who modulates his voice to keep young kids engaged, this audiobook strikes the perfect tone of exciting, fun, and educational.
Author Yona Zeldis McDonough has penned 26 children's books aimed at making difficult conversations and subjects easier to understand and teach to kids. Who Was Harriet Tubman? depicts the life and legacy of Tubman, from her early years as a slave in Maryland to her work as a pioneering civil rights leader.
Strap your youngster in for a ride on The Magic School Bus with the iconic fictional teacher Ms. Frizzle, as she explains the ins and outs of the solar system. This revised edition includes up-to-date facts about the solar system, so you can share this classic journey with your kids while resting assured of the educational value of the story. This fun-filled audiobook and engaging, upbeat narration is a great introduction to astronomy.
Did you know that most of our dinosaur fossils were discovered because two grown men absolutely hated each other? I sure didn’t! In addition to some better known rivalries like Alexander Hamilton and Aaron Burr, Rivals teaches listeners about some lesser known “frenemies” whose rivalries led to well-known advancements and, in some cases, changed the world. But don’t think of this as another history book-this audio experience packs a punch with multiple narrators, asides, and some hilarious jokes to boot. Needless to say, it may even quell any simmering spats between the corn-shucking or table-setting siblings helping out in your kitchen. I guarantee Rivals will be a hit with the whole family.
