You’ve planned. You’ve packed. You’ve scheduled. Now it’s time to hit the road. But you’re already dreading the drive.
Hours, or maybe even minutes, in the car with the kids squabbling, pestering, or going crazy is enough to drive any parent bonkers.
So how do you save your sanity until you reach your destination – WITHOUT SCREENS (but let me say – if you use screens as a last resort – or first resort – no judgment here) . . .
“Books on Tape,” a.k.a. Audiobooks
We all know how reading to the kiddos is incredible for their development. And we all try our best to read to our kids daily, but there are always more books than there are hours in the evening. Combine that with there are always more hours on the trip then we think, and you have a perfect road trip survival recipe for AUDIOBOOKS.
I love “books on tape”, or as the kids call them these days, “audiobooks.”
Audiobooks . . .
- Expose the kiddos to a new book, or book genre, that they may not have picked up themselves;
- Increase word exposure and vocabulary;
- Teach listening skills;
- Allow the entire family to share in the book experience so you can discuss new themes and topics along the way and share in the story;
- Increase knowledge on a subject, time period, or place;
- Introduce kiddos to books beyond their reading level;
- Boost kiddos’ excitement about books and reading;
- Encourage the kiddos to be quiet so they can hear the book! (Okay so this might be my favorite reason, but I kid you not my kiddos will be positively silent during good books so they don’t miss a line of the story – win-win!)
- AND they seem to make the drive go by faster!
How do Audiobooks Work?
Borrow from the Library
Generally, to do audiobooks on the cheap, we use the public library to check out our selections. To get books that you’re super excited about, I’d suggest reserving your selections ahead of time.
If you’ve never done this before, it generally works by going to the library website, signing into your account (using your library card number), finding the CD/audio version of the book in the online catalog, and clicking “place hold” (or something like that). Our library has many branches so we just check the branch closest to our house and pick up the audiobook in a day or two. Easy peasy!
If you don’t have time to reserve ahead of time (or just forget), just pop by the library and find something that suits your fancy. You’ll have fewer options than reserving ahead of time, but generally, you can find something everyone will enjoy – remember to be adventurous and try something new!
If your library has the Audio Player system – try it out! It’s the entire book contained in an audio player with a headphone jack! You can either use it with headphones (for one kiddo) or plug it into your vehicle’s axillary port to play over the speakers (for the family). You don’t have to worry about scratched CDs or keeping track of multiple CDs.
Some libraries also offer the opportunity to borrow audiobooks (or ebooks) through services such as OverDrive. Simply go to their website to see if your library participates.
Audible on Amazon
If the kiddos (or you) are really into audiobooks or you’re finding the library doesn’t have what you want, or it’s just too cumbersome to manage, it’s time for an Audible subscription! We hesitated for a while, but there were several books we wanted to listen to on trips that the library didn’t have and we got tired searching around for the library CDs, so we made the jump. It’s incredible to just download the book onto a device and listen away! Audible usually has a free trial so check it out and see if you enjoy it as much as we do!
Need Audiobooks Ideas or Recommendations?
Having a hard time deciding on an audiobook? Here are some of our suggestions:
Nearly anything by Roald Dahl
These are all great fantasy stories written with humor and wit. Many have been made into movies so it’s always fun to listen to the book and then watch the movie as a family.
Charlie and the Chocolate Factory
Charlie and the Great Glass Elevator
Matilda
James and the Giant Peach
The Witches
The Twits
The Minpins, and The Magic Finger (these are all in one audiobook)
The BFG
Magic Tree House Series
The Magic Tree House series is both entertaining and educational. Each book is centered around a particular theme or time period, allowing the reader/listener to engage in the story while learning too!
Books #1-8
Books #9-16
Books #17-24
Merlin Mission Collection #1-8
Chronicles of Narnia Series
This classic series includes more than the standby The Lion, the Witch, and the Wardrobe. There are entire discussions online regarding what order to read the books in, so you’ll have to figure that out first (there is publication order or story chronological order).
The Magician’s Nephew
The Lion, the Witch, and the Wardrobe
The Horse and His Boy
Prince Caspian
The Voyage of the Dawn Treader
The Silver Chair
The Last Battle
Harry Potter Series
No book recommendation list could be complete without Harry Potter. Books #1-3 are good for just about any audience, but make sure you’re kiddos are ready before moving to books #4 and beyond.
Harry Potter and the Sorcerer’s Stone
Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets
Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban
Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire
Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix
Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince
Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows
Carl Hiaasen Books
We first listened to Hoot, as an audiobook on a road trip years ago. The kids fell in love with Hiaasen’s writing – stories interesting enough for the older kids (and adults), but still enjoyable and entertaining enough for the littles.
Hoot
Flush
Chomp
Scat
Little House on the Prairie Books
This classic series follows the childhood of the author, Laura Ingalls Wilder, during her time growing up in the American Midwest.
Little House in the Big Woods
Farmer Boy
Little House on the Prarie
On the Banks of Plum Creek
By the Shores of Silver Lake
The Long Winter
Little Town on the Prarie
These Happy Golden Years
The First Four Years
I Survived Series
These gripping novels engage the reader on an adventure while also educating the kiddos about a historic event in world history. Spoiler alert: the main character survives (but not every character). 🙂
I Survived the Children’s Blizzard, 1888
I Survived the Destruction of Pompei, A.D. 79
I Survived the Sinking of the Titanic, 1912
I Survived the Bombing of Pearl Harbor, 1941
I Survived the Nazi Invasion, 1944
I Survived the Joplin Tornado, 2011
I Survived the Attacks of September 11, 2001
I Survived Hurricane Katrina, 2005
I Survived the Shark Attacks of 1916
I Survived the Battle of Gettysburg, 1863
I Survived the American Revolution, 1776
I Survived the Hindenburg Disaster, 1937
I Survived the San Francisco Earthquake, 1906
I Survived the Great Chicago Fire, 1871
I Survived the Eruption of Mount St. Helens, 1980
I Survived the Japanese Tsunami, 2011
I Survived the Attack of the Grizzlies, 1967
Can you tell we love series? It’s fun to watch characters develop over several books and it takes a lot of the headache out of choosing the next book if you find a series you enjoy.
Destination Books
To add a fun twist to your adventure, listen to a book about your destination! The kiddos (and you) can learn about the destination or learn about the culture or history of that area.
Going to New York City? Listen to The Cricket in Times Square on your way there!
Spending some time in Alabama? Check out The Watsons Go To Birmingham, 1963 (Newbery Honor Book)
Traveling through (or to) Kansas? The Wonderful Wizard of Oz, of course!
Checking out Missouri? Listen to The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn!
Traveling to Virginia? Bridge to Terabithia is set in Virginia (and is also a Newbery Medal book).
Heading to Florida for vacation? In addition to the Hiaasen books (mentioned above), all of which are set in Florida, check out Because of Winn-Dixie (Newbery Honor Book).
Planning on a trip to Wisconsin? Caddie Woodlawn is set in Wisconsin!
Clearly, you can see that I adore audiobooks and sharing those adventures with the kiddos on a road trip just makes it all the more fun!
Do you have any other audiobooks that your family has enjoyed? Pass those recommendations along!
As always, thanks for stopping by and happy adventuring!
