One: Audiobooks
We have LOVED listening to audiobooks in the car. We have listened to all sorts and it has been a fun way for us all to enjoy a book. It surprises me how FAST we go through them! It’s kind of sad how much time we spend in the car but if we’re going to be in the car, so much we might as well be learning right? Because it can get expensive purchasing many audiobooks, check out services like Audible or Tales 2 Go. Both offer free trials.
The library is also a great place to get an audiobook! I started picking out books I loved as a kid, or ones by an author I loved. Ask a librarian for suggestions if you don’t know where to start.
TWO: Podcasts
Ahhh podcasts. I have fallen in love with them! My kids have too. There’s so much to be learned from a podcast. And there are so many different kinds perfect for kids. There are science or history ones. There are story time ones. There are silly ones too. Check out this article for some perfect podcasts for kids (and that won’t make you wish you had earplugs) and to learn more about how to get started with them.
THREE: SILENCE
The third way I love teaching in the car is simple. Silence. Unless my child asks me to turn something on I don’t turn on the radio. I don’t turn on an audiobook or a podcast. I just leave everything off. This usually works best when there’s only one or two kids in the car. And before you think that they fall asleep or I’m secretly listening to something else, I’m not. I leave everything off so my kids can talk to me. So they can ask me the questions they have burning in their hearts. Or the ones that randomly pop in their heads. Because when you leave everything off, they remember they are with you in the car alone, they remember those questions they have, they have time to think about life and the things they don’t understand. Some of the best conversations I’ve had with my kids are ones that have been in the car. Some of the most awkward and hard ones too, but ones that needed to happen. Because they were concerned about something. Because they were curious about something. If we want our kids to come to us when they are curious or concerned about something, we need to give them the chances to do it!
You’ve got this!
Emily
