Author Topic: Suggestions for listening for my son  (Read 6977 times)

ChloeH

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on: April 10, 2008, 06:58:39 PM
Hi!
I am a fairly new listener (about two weeks now) and this is my first post.

I am really enjoying listening to stories at work and download some of them to my ipod to listen to while packing lunches in the mornings.

I also enjoy listening in my car but my thirty minute commute is shared by my two sons (30 months & 8 years) so I need stories that appeal to my oldest and to me.

So far we have exhausted all of the G rated content on EscapePod. (We loved the Squonk stories. We've listened to them twice now.)
Can anyone suggest some of the tamer PG stories for us? Mild swearing is ok and so is violence that is not overly graphic or senseless. No sex please and none of the really BIG swear words  :o  :-[

(Also if anyone knows about any other story podcasts appropriate for kids I would be grateful.)

Thank you!

Chloe



Darwinist

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Reply #1 on: April 10, 2008, 09:14:49 PM
I have an 11 y/o and three stories I remember that we both liked on the EP PG-rated list were:

EP78 Shadows of Giants
EP102 Angle of My Dreams
EP103 Watching People

Not sure if they would appeal to an 8 y/o but the stories are tame and interesting, IMO.  My 11 y/o also really likes the Drabblecast podcast stories I let him listen to as they are usually usually gross or weird. 

Cool avatar, BTW.

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Talia

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Reply #2 on: April 11, 2008, 05:34:43 AM
Consider checking out Decoder Ring Theatre. Its old-time-radio-style stuff, with modern wit. There's some suggestiveness, but no serious cussing and nothing explicit.. lots of fun . Give an episode or two a listen of any of their shows (if you poke around in some of the areas, there's a space themed couple of stories that might particularly appeal to a boy of that age) and judge for yourself its appropriate. The Red Panda adventures in particular might be fun: its about SUPERHEROES. What kid doesn't love those?? Seriously, this is good stuff, and I think it might be just about perfect.

« Last Edit: April 11, 2008, 05:44:11 AM by Talia »



ChloeH

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Reply #3 on: April 11, 2008, 02:29:32 PM
Thanks!
I definitely check those out.

He asked me yesterday for "more of those stories from that escape place"   ;D

Thank again!



birdless

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Reply #4 on: April 11, 2008, 02:50:28 PM
You both may like the Doctor Who podcasts from Darker Projects. They are in the vein of the "old-time-radio" stuff in that they are a serialized drama (i.e. actors for each part, sound f/x, etc.). They hardly ever put any new ones out anymore, but they have a pretty long backlog. Darker Projects puts out a lot of that kind of stuff, but I don't know how much of it is good or appropriate for an 11 y/o. I've been meaning to check out some of their other stuff, myself, but just haven't made the time for it, yet.

You may also enjoy Fortress Draconis. It isn't finished yet, and has gotten really inconsistent in its releases, but it's been a pretty okay story, so far.

If I find a podcast I like in iTunes, then I usually check out the "Listeners also subscribed to:" sidebar. That's how I found EP.



ChloeH

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Reply #5 on: April 14, 2008, 01:11:17 PM
Thank you birdless!

I'll check those out too.



Listener

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Reply #6 on: April 14, 2008, 03:37:13 PM
I don't know about stories, but I know that Mandy Patinkin (the actor/musician) has a few albums that are amenable to both kids and adults, and John Lithgow's kids' music is pretty creative too without being mind pablum.

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Heradel

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Reply #7 on: April 28, 2008, 02:58:07 PM
Audible's just opened a kids section and they have some free audiobooks: http://kids.audible.com/

I Twitter. I also occasionally blog on the Escape Pod blog, which if you're here you shouldn't have much trouble finding.


ChloeH

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Reply #8 on: April 28, 2008, 03:55:27 PM
Thanks Heradel! I'll check it out.



DKT

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Reply #9 on: April 28, 2008, 04:13:46 PM
Definitely check out the Squonk stories that have run here.  Fun fantasy for the whole family.

EP 70: Squonk the Dragon
EP 109: Squonk the Apprentice


contra

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Reply #10 on: April 29, 2008, 10:42:52 PM
I don't really know about kids  podcasts.... no longer being a kid and all
>_>
I looked in a few directoriyes like podcast ally and pickle and I found things like
http://www.uvulaaudio.com/kids.html
but I don't know anything about them.... so you should always check out these people and astories first.
Other than what you already have, i'm not really in the right area...

Try the BBC?
http://www.bbc.co.uk/radio/podcasts/directory/
But it changes every week... so you'd have to keep checking.

But with the whole audible thing, its fantasy... but Terry Pratchetts 'the Wee Free Men' is quite good. I got the chance to read it to a young cousin of mine, and they also seemed to enjoy it.  Fairytales, Smurfs, there is fighting, but the only swear word is 'crivens'

Though it probably helps that I'm Scottish >_> and can probably pull a lot of the dialogue off with mild ease...

but its a full length book... so I don't know if its suitable for shorter trips.  but it is a good book.

---
Mike---Glasgow.  Scotland.-->


stePH

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Reply #11 on: April 29, 2008, 10:47:55 PM
How about the clonepod?  I just listned to it today for the first time and it's hosted by children.

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DKT

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Reply #12 on: April 29, 2008, 10:56:14 PM
How about the clonepod?  I just listned to it today for the first time and it's hosted by children.

Good call!  I really need to check that one out myself...


stePH

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Reply #13 on: April 30, 2008, 05:17:44 AM
How about the clonepod?  I just listned to it today for the first time and it's hosted by children.

Good call!  I really need to check that one out myself...

I like the two stories I've heard so far (well, one and a half; I haven't finished the second one yet) but am having issues with the hosts.  Children's voices annoy me at the best of times (the boys are tolerable but the girl is young enough to be really irritating), and their intros aren't helped by the fact that they sound like they're reading for a badly-rehearsed school play.

I started at the earliest episodes still available on their feed though (from the third story); I'm hoping they improve as the show goes on.

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AarrowOM

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Reply #14 on: May 04, 2008, 04:25:54 AM
You both may like the Doctor Who podcasts from Darker Projects. They are in the vein of the "old-time-radio" stuff in that they are a serialized drama (i.e. actors for each part, sound f/x, etc.). They hardly ever put any new ones out anymore, but they have a pretty long backlog. Darker Projects puts out a lot of that kind of stuff, but I don't know how much of it is good or appropriate for an 11 y/o. I've been meaning to check out some of their other stuff, myself, but just haven't made the time for it, yet.

For more "old time radio play-like" material, check out Broken Sea's Doctor Who (a continuation of Mark Kalita's Doctor as Darker Project's version has gone to David Ault), Greenpond (though I admit that I haven't listened to it), and Jake Sampson: Monster Hunter (really in the style of a radio play).  I'd also suggest Darker Project's Generation One, though there are only two episodes.

Some of the offerings from Prometheus Radio Theatre might also be good for kids, though probably not The Arbiter Chronicles due to the adult content.

If you are looking for child-friendly audiobooks, some of the offerings at Podiobooks might fit the bill, including the public domain works Star Surgeon and Badge of Infamy.

Most that are profound would choose to narrate tales of living men with nouns like sorrow, verbs like lose, and action scenes, and love – but then there are now some, and brave they be, that speak of Lunar cities raised and silver spheres and purple seas, leaving us who listen dazed. -- Irena Foygel


ChloeH

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Reply #15 on: May 05, 2008, 01:55:14 PM
Thank you everyone for your replies!

We tried clonepod. It was pretty good. I listened to the first episode by myself and couldn't get through it. No offense to the kids reading it but it is difficult to follow the story with a child reader.
Downloaded the most current episode and it was much better. Had an adult reader and my son seemed to like it.

I've listened to the Doctor Who podcast suggested by birdless and it was pretty good. I liked it. I'm not sure if my son will so I'm going listen to a few more before I decide.

Went to audiblekids (I'm already a member) and every link I click on tells me it is not available. Weird.

contra & AarrowOM, thank you for the links I'll give those a whirl.   :)