Audiobooks and stories are a great way to bring learning to life. Our favorite way to enjoy some stories is through audio so the whole family can join in. Car trips and vacations is how we got started with audiobooks. However, we quickly added it to our weekly routine.
My sons, Grayson and Grant will tell you that their all-time favorite stories are The Sugar Creek Gang. These stories were written by Paul Hutchens in the 1930’s. The original recordings were done by Paul Ramseyer. I have only been able to find them from Beloved Books. We have been collecting the volumes for five years and finally have the complete set. The boys are on their third round of listening to them.
These radio drama style stories have a variety of series to choose from. We love the Heritage of Our Country and Patterns of Destiny. These are historical events, famous people and people who made history. This is our favorite way to learn details in periods of history. It is like listening to a live movie of the events and it keeps the boys’ attention. We often listen to a story at lunchtime. I replay them each year or so and we always learn something new.
A thirteen-year-old boy is in a single-engine plane crash and stranded alone in the Canadian Wilderness. He is determined to survive and learns the depth of his capabilities during his time alone. This is a popular book for boys in the nine to fourteen age range and Grayson has read the book too. We loved listening to the audio because you can really bring your imagination to life and see the details when you can let your mind fully immerse in the lone voice of the story. Again, we have chosen this audio several times for long trips. We have enjoyed many stories by Gary Paulsen.
Ralph Moody wrote stories about his family’s experiences beginning in 1906. Ranching, wild prairie and adventures of a lifetime keep you listening to these awesome stories of a time gone by. This is not action-packed, but a recount of a boys life. It is a good choice for car rides and quiet afternoons. Many of his experiences are things boys don’t get to experience these days.
I have two outdoorsy woodsmen here at home that loves a good adventurous story of a boy. This fits the bill with a historical 18th-century story set in Maine. A boy is left alone in the wilderness to watch the family homestead while his father travels to bring the rest of his family to join him. The boy is twelve years old which is the perfect middle ground for my boys. We have read the book several times and listen to this story during car trips and rainy days.
These were five of the audiobooks that we truly love in our home. We turn to them over and again through the years and always hear something we didn’t before. I encourage you to add audio to your home learning. Both my boys are auditory learners so they get absorbed in listening often. I enjoy listening too. I don’t have to miss out on all the boy fun!