Story Time Without the Screen: A Summer Listening Swap

This summer, we’re making small, meaningful swaps to invite calm, creativity, and connection into our days. One of our favorite low-effort changes? Swapping screen time for story time, one you can listen to.

After searching for gentle, low-stimulation shows for my kids, we landed on an old favorite: Franklin the Turtle. They love the characters and stories, and instead of turning on the TV, we’ve started listening to Franklin books read aloud by parents, teachers, and librarians on Spotify and YouTube. These recordings create a softer, more imaginative experience than screens often allow.

For longer car rides, quiet afternoons, or family wind-down time, audiobooks have become a go-to. Whether through Audible or Libby, listening to stories helps my kids:

• Strengthen their imagination and visualization skills

• Build vocabulary and comprehension

• Relax and reset without the stimulation of a screen

• Share peaceful, low-pressure time with our family

  
  

🎨 Looking for inspiration? This guide, created in collaboration between Audible and Crayola, includes story-based listening tips and titles designed to boost creativity, making it perfect for pairing with drawing, building, or daydreaming.

You don’t have to be the one reading to offer the gift of a story. This summer, let a favorite narrator or beloved character carry your child into a new world—without screen time.