Do you love using books and stories to help build character in your children but don’t always have the time or energy to read aloud to them? Read alouds with your kids can be so wonderful but I’m guessing that, like me, you have a long list of to-do’s and can’t always get to it. Audiobooks are such a great option as you can get a few minutes to breathe as you listen along with your children.
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In the same way that you do when you read aloud to your children, you can discuss decisions the characters make and why they may have made the choices they did or what other choices they could have made. By simply hitting the “pause” button you can talk about what your child about what they would have done if they were in that character’s situation. Stories are a great way for children to visualize and relate to characters and situations. And audiobooks are a great way to gain these benefits while also taking a bit of a reading break when you need it.
If you homeschool, audiobooks can be used during the school day. My favorite time to play them is during lunchtime. This keeps everyone occupied and allows me to get lunch ready and take care of a few things while listening along with the kids. Audiobooks are also great for short or long trips in the car and were a life-saver for me a while back. So I am always on the lookout for a good audiobook that will appeal to our whole family. With a 9-year old boy and twin girls a couple years younger there isn’t always agreement on what’s “good”.
So, I was really excited when I put on a CD of Adventures in Odyssey (AIO #63) Up in the Air and all three of my kids LOVED it!! They enjoyed it so much that we got through all 2 hours of the CD within a day and they were asking for more! It prompted us to listen to other Adventures in Odyssey episodes as well!
Adventures in Odyssey (AIO #63) Up in the Air is different from your typical audiobook. These episodes are actually audio productions with numerous character voices and sounds effects. I typically think of an audiobook as a narrator reading a written book and this is much different. These are like television episodes but on audio so your children can really imagine the story taking place.
Highlights of Adventures in Odyssey (AIO #63) Up in the Air CD Set
- The stories are entertaining and the recording is high-quality. Even my girls who don’t always stay engaged listened intently to the stories. They are well done and entertaining.
- Biblical character building through storytelling. These are more than just entertaining stories. Families can grow in their faith as they build character through these stories that teach biblical truths.
- It opens the door for important discussions. The stories on the CD include topics like friendship, revenge, facing your problems and others. While the stories are fictional, the situations the characters face are relevant to our children and can open the door for some very good conversations.
- There are overlapping characters. As we’ve listened to more Adventures in Odyssey episodes, it’s fun to hear stories with some of the same characters or characters who know each other in the fictional town of Odyssey.
- There are numerous episodes on the CDs. There isn’t just one story to listen to but six episodes on two CD with hours of listening for your family. Included on Up in the Air are:
- Find a Penny (parts 1 & 2) – theme: finding what was lost
- Friend or Foe – theme: true friendship
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- Have a Heart – theme: God changes hearts
- B-TV Revenge – theme: revenge
- Crash Course – theme: facing your problems.
- Adventures in Odyssey stories are family friendly. While there may be some topics that a very young child may not relate to, the stories can be played without concern of bad language or inappropriate content. These really can be listened to by the whole family.
Great Family Audiobooks
If you are looking for great family audiobooks be sure to check out Adventures in Odyssey by Focus on the Family. The new CD Adventures in Odyssey (AIO #63) Up in the Air is a great one to start with. I can’t believe my own family didn’t listen to any Adventures in Odyssey episodes sooner! But I’m glad we have now been introduced to these wonderful stories. So, if you haven’t listened to them before, I encourage you to give them a try.
Focus on the Family is giving away 30 CDS of Adventures in Odyssey (AIO #63) Up in the Air!
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