Redeem The Drive Time: Audio Resources For Families

As a young child in the early ’80s, I listened to Psalty records as I fell asleep. By the time I was going to school, we had a van with a tape deck and a few favorite tapes we listened to over and over.

How times have changed. Smartphones give us us access to a limitless array of audio resources. Even if you can’t afford a subscription to a music streaming service, with a public library card and a smartphone you can access great music, audiobooks, and podcasts.

Whether you’re taking a family road trip or shuttling kids from school to sports, good things to listen to can make car time a pleasure. They can also help us obey Ephesians 5:15–16: “Look carefully then how you walk, not as unwise but as wise, making the best use of the time, because the days are evil” (emphasis added).

Car time can be dead time, or it can be a time to lift your hearts in praise through worship music. It can be a time to stir and shape the moral imagination through stories. It can be a time to memorize Scripture through song. Earbuds and AirPods encourage us to make our listening a private endeavor, but listening together encourages discussion and increases affection through shared experience.

Car time can be dead time, or it can be a time to lift your hearts in praise.

Most resources listed below are explicitly Christian, but we’ve also included edifying secular audiobooks. We hope you and your family will enjoy the resources on this list and that your drive-time listening will strengthen your family and your faith.

Stories and Audiobooks

Adventures in Odyssey

For nearly four decades, children have been so engrossed by the plots of the Odyssey radio dramas that they may not realize they’re learning biblical and moral lessons. For ages 8 and up.

How you can listen:

• Free episodes are released each week on the Adventures in Odyssey app.
• Listen to nearly 1,000 episodes with a paid subscription to the Adventure in Odyssey Club (free trial available).

Focus on the Family Radio Theater

Nicknamed “movies for the imagination,” these radio dramas use accomplished voice actors to bring classic literature, biographies, and original stories to life.

How you can listen:

• Free episodes are released each week on Oneplace.com.
• Buy and download episodes from Focus on the Family.

Lamplighter Theatre

These fictional audio dramas, many based on old books, teach by example the biblical truth that suffering produces endurance, endurance produces character, and character produces hope. For older elementary grades through young adults.

How you can listen:

• Buy CDs or MP3s of individual audio dramas in the Lamplighter store.
• Buy a subscription to the audio club and download the Lamplighter App to stream unlimited episodes.

Libby or Hoopla Apps

How you can listen: Download Libby (App Store | Google Play) or Hoopla (App Store | Google Play), register with your local library card, then borrow audiobooks or music for free.

Some recommended audiobooks:

• The Jesus Storybook Bible
• The Chronicles of Narnia
• Little Pilgrim’s Progress
• The Hiding Place (not for young children)
• The Wingfeather Saga (Libby only)
• The Dream Keeper Saga
• Trail Blazers Christian biographies
• YWAM Christian Heroes: Then and Now series (search author Janet Benge to find)
• The Story of Martin Luther
• The Story of Katie Luther
• Little House on the Prairie
• Charlotte’s Web
• James Herriot’s Treasury for Children
• The Boxcar Children
• The Secret Garden
• The Little Princess
• Anne of Green Gables

Podcasts

• VeggieTales: Very Veggie Silly Stories (Spotify | Apple Podcasts): Lighthearted episodes hosted by Bob and Larry that teach Christian values interspersed with familiar songs.
• God’s Big Story (Spotify | Apple Podcasts): Episodes teach kids the Bible and theology in an engaging way (from The Village Church in Flower Mound, Texas).
• The Biggest Story (Spotify | Apple Podcasts): Adapted stories from The Biggest Story Bible Storybook by Kevin DeYoung, read by Michael Reeves (from Crossway).
• Press Pause (Spotify | Apple Podcasts): Under-10-minute devotionals for families (from Gospel-Centered family).
• Paws and Tales (Spotify | Apple Podcasts): Radio drama–style episodes set in an animal community teach biblical and life lessons (from Insight for Living).
• Tiny Theologians (Spotify | Apple Podcasts): Each episode teaches young kids about God’s attributes.

Musicals

• Psalty the Singing Songbook series from Kids Praise! (Spotify | Apple Music): Musicals from the ’80s and ’90s about a big blue songbook that helps kids learn to praise the Lord.
• Sir Bernard the Good Knight! (Spotify | Apple Music): Narrated by Steve Green, this story features songs about 12 chivalric virtues.
• Patch the Pirate (Spotify | Apple Music): Audio adventures with character-building children’s music.
• Little Big Stuff (Spotify | Apple Music): Bible-based musicals designed for church and school performances but also great for family listening.

Music

Scripture Memory Songs

• Sing the Bible by Slugs and Bugs (Spotify | Apple Music)
• Hide ’Em in Your Heart by Steve Green (Spotify | Apple Music)
• Songs for Saplings by Dana Dirksen (Spotify | Apple Music)
• Seeds Kids Worship (Spotify | Apple Music)
• The Corner Room (Spotify | Apple Music)
• The Rizers (Spotify | Apple Music)

Other Musical Artists

• Colin Buchanan (Spotify | Apple Music)
• Shai Linne (Spotify | Apple Music)
• Awesome Cutlery (Spotify | Apple Music)
• Sovereign Grace Kids (Spotify | Apple Music)
• Ellie Holcomb (Spotify | Apple Music)
• Rain for Roots (Spotify | Apple Music)
• The Getty Girls (Spotify | Apple Music)

Music Playlists

• Sunday Morning Songs for Kids (Spotify | Apple Music)
• Jesus, What a Friend for Kids (Spotify | Apple Music)
• Upbeat Songs for Restless Kids (Spotify | Apple Music)
• Quality Christian Music for Kids (Spotify | Apple Music)
• Songs from the New City Catechism (Spotify | Apple Music)