Best kids’ audio players to reduce screen time and spark imagination

For parents, finding new ways to occupy children is an ongoing search. While many opt to give their kids a tablet of some kind – with there being many ways of both educating and entertaining little ones via myriad apps – the best kids’ audio players can provide hours of entertainment, without a screen in sight.

While a certain level of screen time is inescapable, parents are often on the hunt for other ways to keep young minds engaged – whether they’re in the car, trapped inside due to the UK’s unpredictable weather or just having a stay-at-home day.

Rewind three decades, and audio for kids meant taping our favourite songs off the radio and listening back to them on our Walkman but generation alpha kids have a whole host of technology at their fingertips. While portable audio players pare back on the screen time, they are jam-packed with the latest features to impress even the most technically minded kids.

By choosing one of the best audio players, designed in a child-friendly and easy-to-use way, you’ll enable little ones to play independently and creatively, boosting their confidence, while offering bucket loads of entertainment.

Audiobooks have long been many people’s preference – among adults, too – but they are becoming increasingly popular in the children’s segment. While nothing replaces reading the humble bedtime story, audio players can instil a love for reading, broadening kids’ horizons when it comes to the world of books and sparking their imagination.

How we tested the best kids’ audio players

With the help of our four- and six-year-old testers, we put a variety of children’s audio players to the test over a two-week period. Many of the audio players joined us for long car journeys, while also being integral to leisure time – some even provided at-home