Memory Bank would like to share our own personal recommendations for fun, entertaining, and wholesome material to listen to during those long hours on the road with kids in tow.
Last week we shared a helpful plan for how to keep the car time not completely focused on screens. In that plan that hypes down the glowing rectangles, there are 4 categories that rotate every hour. One of those categories is “Play-It-Through-The-Speakers” Time!
We want to help fill in the details with this post. During the hour of listening together to something playing over the speakers, what is worth listening to in the categories of music? Podcasts? Comedy? Audiobooks?
First of all…variety is key! You don’t want ALL of the same genre, of anything. If you are listening to music, hop from classic rock to country to whatever “Hansen” is. Throw in some news every now and then, and then a famous speech, followed by some “American Idol” auditions. Truly, variety is the spice of life!
Fun and happy is key! Somehow, time magically flies by when you’re laughing and having fun. Especially with your family. For the most part, keep your listening material as upbeat and full of fun as you can. This can be stand-up comedy, fun parodies like Weird Al, or even using music to play games like “Guess the movie based on the theme song!”
Some educational and purposeful material is also key! As much as we love humor and watching our kids laugh, we do recommend throwing in some purposeful material as well, every now and then. Having hours trapped in the car with no way of escape is the perfect time to gift your vehicular audience with something worth listening to and thinking about. Play a sermon, or an inaugural address, or a biography…and then have a discussion! They can’t leave, so it’s a perfect opportunity!
So, without further ado, here is Memory Bank’s recommended list of material worth listening to in the car!
Podcasts/Radio Programs:
- The Rick Burgess Show – If only one thing could be recommended on this entire list, it would be the Rick Burgess Show! Hilarious, relevant, wholesome, and all with a Biblical world view. Hands down, the best radio program out there.
- Albert Mohler’s The Briefing – For a more in-depth look at the day’s news under the umbrella of a Biblical perspective, check out this HIGHLY informative daily podcast.
- World Watch News – An awesome program designed to get kids involved and interested in the news and local happenings.
Audiobooks:
- Hank the Cowdog – The best kids’ book series in the entire world! Enjoy laughing ’til you cry as you listen to Hank’s ridiculous adventures and catastrophes!
- Jonathan Park – What an exciting series, all centered around the adventures of a family of creation scientists!
- Chronicles of Narnia – A long car ride just isn’t complete without listening to at least one book in the Chronicles of Narnia series.
Music:
- The Timeline Song – At almost 15 minutes long and literally encompassing all of world history, you MUST listen to this song during a road trip!
- Okee Dokee Brothers – This song by the Okee Dokee Brothers is the one that Memory Bank declares “their best,” but check out all of their other fun songs as well! The Okee Dokee Brothers are a fantastic duo with so many fun songs full of adventure!
- The Eagles – You can NEVER go wrong with The Eagles, especially this particular song, “Waiting in the Weeds.” Listen to all of their other ones as well!
- American Idol / The Voice auditions – It’s so fun to listen to singing competition auditions!
- The good ol’ fashioned radio!
- Seeds Family Worship – This family band has literally turned Bible verses into super catchy songs!
Clean Comedy:
- Nate Bargatze – Get ready to cry until your side hurts.
- Brian Reagan – So funny that you’ll actually cry.
Miscellaneous:
- Presidential Addresses: JFK’s Inaugural Address, Lincoln’s “Gettysburg Address” – So important for every American to listen to…so why not in the car?
- Shel Silverstein poems – Even the “non-poetry-kids” will love these!
- Famous speeches: Winston Churchill’s “We Will Fight On The Beaches“, Sojourner Truth’s “Ain’t I A Woman?”, Ronald Reagan’s “Challenger Disaster” – These are so moving, and fantastic discussion starters.
- Listen to famous theme songs and play “Guess The Movie!”
Memory Bank Road Trips hopes that this list helps to fill the time during the many hours spent on the road! We would love to hear any feedback! What would you add to this list? Share in the comments!
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