One of my most favorite things in the world is listening to a great audiobook with my kids while we get ready for the day, prepare meals, and do other chores. Or go on a road trip. We have listened to a lot of books and stories on CD, like The Story of the World, featuring the voice of Jim Weiss. I have found it a superbly stealthy way of teaching my kids history. It’s painless! I just pop a CD in the morning while my kids did their morning chores or in the car while we drove to an activity. If I am really on top of my homeschooling game, I pull out the corresponding activity book and quiz them at the next meal. My kids have a great grasp of history just from this method. The 19 year old can even quote portions word for word because he’s heard it so often. I love that they learn history this way! They see history in terms of a story, which is the way it sticks in the brain. We’ve also loved all of Jim’s retelling of classics available from his web site. One year for Christmas everybody got one of his autographed CDs as a stocking stuffer, after I met him at a homeschool event in Utah.

Despite my love for books on CD, more and more I am loving listening to books on my tablet and phone, whether at home or on the go. Why? Because I don’t have to deal with scratched discs that skip tracks or freeze up. I don’t have to find storage space for the discs. And if the books on CD are from the library, I don’t have to remember to return the discs and make sure I have all of them. (I can’t tell you the number of times the library has called my home letting us know we returned a case with a missing disc. I think they knew us by our first names just for that reason alone.)

For our last trip to Utah and Idaho, I didn’t load up on CDs from the library like I used to always do as in the photo above, because I knew I had some great goodies magically waiting for us on my phone. My husband actually got the stack above, before our trip to Nauvoo, I’m not that ambitious, LOL, I usually get about 1/3 the amount for a road trip.

I love using these two resources.

First, the Classic Tales podcast. A few months ago, I listened to Pride and Prejudice on this podcast. So delightful! It was the complete unabridged version. Lately, my two youngest have been listening to Peter Pan on this podcast while they do dishes and clean the bathroom every Saturday. Fun!

Second, books from Audible using the Audible app. You don’t have to be an Audible member to buy and use Audible books and the app. You can read all about that here from homeschooling mom Sarah Mackenzie. Then go here to see all the great deals Sarah has rounded up.

You have to buy the deals through the links from Sarah, if you just go to Amazon or Audible you won’t get the savings. You will see great deals like Linda Sue Park’s A Long Walk to Water for only $3.95, The Moffats for $1.95, and Little House in the Big Woods for $3.95. There a a ton more, so go get some! Sweet!

Happy road tripping and working as you listen away!