10 Favorite Audiobook Series for Children (Plus Simple Activities to Do While Listening!)

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Picture this: my kids are happily occupied, their imaginations soaring, while I sneak in a thirty or forty minutes of work uninterrupted. The secret? Audiobooks! Since 2013, our family’s Audible membership, with two credits a month, has filled our home with captivating stories that transform mundane moments into adventures. These tales keep my lively youngsters engaged as they tidy, build, or create.

Below, I’m sharing our favorite audiobook series, plus sharing plenty of independent activities your children can do while listening.

Book Series My Kids Love to Listen To

These audiobook series, available on Audible, have become staples in our home, keeping my kids entertained with continuing stories that range from historical adventures to modern-day mischief.

1) The Little Britches Series

This heartwarming series, starting with Father and I Were Ranchers, follows Ralph Moody’s adventures growing up on a Colorado ranch in the early 1900s. The vivid storytelling and themes of family, hard work, and resilience captivate my kids. They love hearing about Ralph’s life with horses, cattle, and the challenges of ranch life. The narrator’s warm, engaging voice brings the story to life, making it perfect for kids who enjoy historical adventures.

Plus, it was recorded in Spokane, Washington, which is near where we used to live! The kids love hearing that announcement at the start and end of each book.

My personal favorite of this series is Shaking the Nickel Bush (Book 6). I love hearing all the different ways Ralph makes money when he’s dead broke. His entrepreneurial spirit is inspiring!

2) The Ramona Series

Ramona Quimby is a timeless favorite in our house. Her spunky personality and relatable childhood antics keep my kids giggling as they listen to her navigate school, family, and friendships. From Beezus and Ramona to Ramona’s World, the series is full of humor and heart. The audiobooks, narrated with energy and charm, are ideal for kids who love stories about everyday adventures with a touch of mischief.

We prefer The Ramona Quimby Audio Collection, which compiles all the books into one audiobook. My kids have learned to navigate through the chapters to find the book they want, and it saved credits over buying them each individually!

And once you’ve listened to them, you’ll want to check out these other series by Beverly Cleary:

• The Henry Huggins Audio Collection
• The Beverly Cleary Audio Collection
• The Ralph S. Mouse Audio Collection

3) The Mysterious Benedict Society Series

For my kids who crave mystery and teamwork, The Mysterious Benedict Society is a hit. This series follows a group of gifted kids on secret missions to save the world. The clever puzzles, quirky characters, and suspenseful plots keep my kids hooked. The audiobook’s dynamic narration enhances the excitement, making it a go-to for long listening sessions.

4) The Legend of Dave the Villager Series

Inspired by the world of Minecraft, Legend of Dave the Villager is a must-listen for my gaming enthusiasts. This unofficial series follows Dave and his friends on epic adventures filled with humor, creativity, and blocky fun. The lively narration keeps the energy high, making this series a favorite for young gamers.

My 10-year-old daughter and 11-year-old son listen to this series together. I enjoy hearing them explain the plot and describe the adventures of Dave and his gang. Also – I can’t believe how many books there are in this series! I buy the collections with five books in them, and we’re already up to Books 41-44!

5) Little House on the Prairie Series

The Little House on the Prairie series is a beloved gem in our audiobook collection, whisking my kids away to pioneer life on the American frontier. From Little House in the Big Woods to The Long Winter, Laura Ingalls Wilder’s stories of family, survival, and simple joys resonate deeply.

My kids are enchanted by tales of Pa’s fiddle and Laura’s adventures, especially since we were able to visit the Laura Ingalls Wilder Historic Home and Museum in nearby Mansfield, Missouri, and hear someone play Pa’s real fiddle.

The narrator’s warm delivery makes every chapter feel like a cozy fireside story. These books are perfect for kids who love historical tales with heart.

6) The Fudge Books

The Fudge series by Judy Blume is a hilarious hit with my kids, who can’t get enough of Peter Hatcher’s mischievous little brother, Fudge. From Tales of a Fourth Grade Nothing to Double Fudge, these stories capture the chaos and love of family life with laugh-out-loud moments. My kids relate to the sibling antics and Fudge’s wild schemes, and the audiobook’s lively narration keeps them chuckling. It’s a perfect pick for kids who enjoy funny, relatable stories about growing up.

While there is a compilation, Judy Blume: The Complete Set of Fudge Books, it was released in 2024, long after we started collecting the Fudge Books individually. However, if you don’t yet have any of the series, this might be a great option!

7) Story of the World Series

For my history buffs, The Story of the World series is a captivating journey through the past, from ancient civilizations to modern times. This series, starting with Ancient Times, brings history to life with engaging narratives that spark curiosity.

My kids love listening to stories of pharaohs, knights, and explorers while imagining far-off places. The audiobook’s lively narration keeps them glued, making it ideal for young learners eager to explore the world’s past. It’s also a supplement to our homeschool history lessons, which is a huge plus!

8) The Penderwicks Series

The Penderwicks series is a heartwarming treasure, following the four Penderwick sisters on their numerous adventures filled with family bonds and summer fun. My kids adore the sisters’ quirky personalities and heartfelt moments. The audiobook’s warm, expressive narration makes every chapter feel like a cozy family story, ideal for kids who love tales of sisterhood and discovery.

9) My Side of the Mountain

The My Side of the Mountain series, starting with the classic My Side of the Mountain, is a thrilling escape into nature for my adventurous kids. Following Sam Gribley’s journey of living off the land in the wilderness, these stories spark a sense of wonder and independence.

My kids are captivated by Sam’s survival skills and his bond with his falcon, Frightful. The audiobook’s vivid narration brings the forest to life, although we miss the neat illustrations that are included in the physical copy of this one.

10) The Frindle Duo

While we’ve been enjoying the book Frindle for years, it only recently became a “series” with the publication of The Frindle Files in 2024.

This duo of books follows Nick Allen’s creative antics as he invents a new word and navigates school challenges, and then picks back up to adult Nick – still in the school environment.

The stories blend humor, rebellion, and the power of language, keeping my kids engaged. The audiobook’s spirited narration captures Nick’s mischievous spirit, perfect for youngsters who enjoy witty, school-based tales.

And, honestly, it’s not the only great series by author Andrew Clements. Check out these favorites as well:

• Benjamin Pratt and the Keepers of the School
• Things Series

His standalone school stories are also often listened to in this house!

What They Do While Listening

Audiobooks provide the perfect backdrop for a variety of pastimes that keep my kids engaged and productive. Here are some of their favorite things to do while listening, along with links to specific items we use to make these moments special.

Cleaning Their Rooms

Listening to audiobooks makes chores like tidying up feel like an adventure. My kids often ask to bring my phone into their rooms to listen while they work. It’s amazing how quickly a messy room transforms when Ramona Quimby is narrating the action!

Building with LEGO

LEGO building sessions are a hit when paired with audiobooks. While my kids often just build for fun, you can pair creative build challenges that correspond with the book they’re listening to. For example, you could ask your kids to build:

• A cattle ranch
• A secret base
• A small cabin
• The neighborhood on Klickitat Street
• Characters from the book
• A scene from the book

If you need some more LEGO bricks to choose from, check out the LEGO Classic Large Creative Brick Box. It’s got 790 pieces that your kids can use to build all sorts of things!

Drawing and Coloring

Drawing is another favorite pastime during audiobook time. My kids spread out their colored pencils or markers and create scenes inspired by the stories they hear, like Dave the Villager’s Minecraft world or Ramona’s school adventures. A large sketchpad gives them plenty of space to get creative.

Playing with Sensory Bins

Sensory bins are a fantastic way to keep younger kids engaged while listening. We fill ours with kinetic sand, dry beans, or colored rice and add small toys or scoops for tactile fun. The kids love digging in while listening to the books. For easy clean up, have them play on a spread-out tablecloth or shower curtain.

If your older kids want a challenge, ask them to try to create a book-themed sensory bin to use. Here are some ideas:

• Little House: Fill with popcorn and include peg people, Lincoln logs, and some toy horses
• The Mysterious Benedict Society: Use colored rice as a filler and add puzzle pieces, small magnifying glasses, and mini-notebooks
• Legend of Dave the Villager: Fill with green-tinted oats or sand and add square beads or small cube-shaped blocks to build with.

Why Audiobooks Work for Us

Audiobooks offer a screen-free way to entertain my kids while I work. They also encourage creativity and focus. Whether they’re tidying up, building, drawing, or exploring sensory bins, these stories provide the perfect backdrop. Audible makes it easy to access these series and discover new ones whenever we need a fresh adventure.

What are your kids’ favorite audiobooks and pastimes? I’d love to hear your recommendations to add to our listening and playtime routines!