Want to Get Your Kids Off Screens This Summer? Try Some Audio Options.

Ah, summertime. Long, full days, popsicles galore and trips to the beach.

Maybe that’s your summer. Or maybe you’re wondering how to prevent your kids from suffering brain damage from all the tech they’ll ingest.

I’m just being real. After all, it’s summertime, and it’s natural to relax some of the structure that held up the school year. And that’s OK.

But if you’re still looking for something to stimulate your kids minds while balancing screen time, why don’t you try these audiobook and audio drama options listed below?

Audible: The first choice here is probably most popular. Audible can be sampled with a free, 30-day trial, but is perhaps most beneficial with a membership, of which there are a few.

Audible Plus: This is $7.95 per month (after your free, one month trial) and gives you access to the Audible Plus catalog, which is a collection of thousands of pieces of work including podcasts and audiobooks. You can listen anytime you’d like to work labeled as “included” and you can save your favorites to your library or download to listen off-line.

Some of Audible’s content is off-limits to its Audible Plus subscribers, but Audible offers keys to that content via its collection of Audible Premium Plus plans. They range from a $14.95-a-month option that gives you a single credit (which allows you access to a piece of Audible’s premium content), all the way to a 24-credit, $229.50-a-year plan. Check Audible’s website for more details, but if you have multiple people in your home, each with different listening preferences, it might benefit your family to purchase a premium package. That way you can rotate who gets to buy what book each month.

LibriVox: What if you don’t want to pay for anything? Then you can try LibriVox. This is the place where you find library books, but in audio format. Here, you can listen to books that are in the public domain, that includes fiction, non-fiction, poetry, etc. This is a great resource for parents who are looking for something cost free and downloadable. Yes, most of the titles are a bit older, and not all the listening options match the quality of Audible, as they are read by volunteers. But that doesn’t mean there aren’t great choices for family members of all ages.

Adventures In Odyssey: This is a bit different from the above two options.Instead of audiobooks, Adventures in Odyssey specializes in audio dramas, specially written for the ear. (Some would consider these the same, as they are both something you sit back and listen to, but the difference is that there is no book form to be found here.) Adventures In Odyssey is something that I would highly recommend for parents looking for a listening option for their kids. You can either purchase episodes individually, or you can start a free, 30-day trial. Once that ends, the membership will cost you $9.99 per month. But you’ll get unlimited episodes, a Clubhouse magazine subscription, daily devotions and even more. Oh, and great life and biblically based lessons.