Audible is making this fun activity accessible to you and your children during the Circuit Breaker; it has roped in some famous names to join the cause, too!

With schools closed for the coronavirus pandemic and the June holidays brought forward to May, parents may be running out of ideas on how to entertain their kids. Here’s an idea that should be a treat for the young ones. 

Since children of all ages love having stories read to them, Audible recently announced the launch of Audible stories for the duration of school closures. This allows you access to a fabulous treasure trove of stories, including titles in six different languages!

All titles in the collection can be streamed direct from the web for free, with no limit to the number of people who can listen to them. The collection is skewed towards children, with a smorgasbord of titles — including Harry Potter and Anne of the Green Gables — read by famous actors. It’s a fantastic opportunity for children to improve their language skills and gain knowledge while they take a hiatus from those ubiquitous screens and monitors.

What’s more, parents could turn it into an enjoyable family activity: sit around the living room with some popcorn and nibbles while listening to movie stars, such as Scarlett Johansson, Thandie Newton and Rachel McAdams, narrate well-loved fairy tales and literary classics.

Here are some picks for different age groups:

FOR PRE-SCHOOLERS: Winnie the Pooh

This collection of 10 stories is read by Peter Dennis. This is the only reading of these beloved stories authorised by A A Milne’s son, Christopher Robin, who wrote, “Peter Dennis has made himself Pooh’s Ambassador Extraordinaire, and no bear has ever had a more devoted friend. So if you want to meet the real Pooh, the bear I knew, the bear my father wrote about, listen to Peter.”

FOR PRIMARY SCHOOLERS: Coronavirus: A Book for Children

This timely book gives clear explanations about the coronavirus and its effects — both from a health perspective and the impact it has on a family’s day-to-day life.

With valuable input from expert consultant Professor Graham Medley, of the London School of Hygiene & Tropical Medicine, as well as advice from teachers and child psychologists, this book will answer your child’s questions about the pandemic and the changes being experienced by people all over the world.

FOR TWEENS: Astrophysics for Young People in a Hurry

The New York Times’ bestselling guide, Astrophysics for People in a Hurry, has been adapted for young listeners. Well-known astrophysicist and science communicator Neil deGrasse Tyson explains the mysteries of the cosmos in a way that will appeal to them.

FOR TEENS: The Call of the Wild

Emmy- and Tony-nominated actor Pablo Schreiber brings this classic American tale of loyalty between man and beast to a new generation of listeners. Told from the point of view of a dog, Jack London’s well-loved novel is the heartwarming story of Buck, a dog stolen from his home on a California ranch and shipped to the Yukon to be trained as a sled dog.

FOR ADULTS: The Curious Case of Benjamin Button

Of course, if adults wish to get in on the action, Audible has plenty of books suitable for this age group, such as The Curious Case of Benjamin Button. F Scott Fitzgerald’s tale of an old man who grows younger by the day with bizarre consequences was adapted into an Oscar-winning film of the same name that starred Brad Pitt.