Sound Ideas Make Car Trips Fast and Fun

There hadn’t been a squabble for miles. No one was whining. Everyone was quiet. They weren’t asleep--just listening.

That’s right. Listening, and without a television in sight. On this particular trip, our car radio and a few books-on-tape were successfully entertaining our children. But we have also used an inexpensive portable radio and cassette to amuse them in a variety of travel situations, including on an airplane and in a hotel room. These days, we have plenty of choices for sounds with kid appeal.

Just ask Jimmy Freeman. He’s one DJ who really understands what kids want to hear on the radio. And it’s certainly not a bunch of grown-ups talking.

“Kids don’t know what the adults are talking about,” Freeman said. “They want to hear kids.” He ought to know. Freeman is just 12, himself.

The Minneapolis boy, along with several other young colleagues, works--a few hours after school and on Saturdays--for Radio AAHS, a fledgling 24-hour, national radio network designed specifically to appeal to children, whether they’re at home or on a trip in the car.

Now on the air in 10 markets, including Los Angeles (KPLS 830 AM), Ventura (KCTQ 850 AM), Washington (WKDL 1050 AM), Salt Lake City (KKDS 1060 AM) and Phoenix (KIDR 740 AM), the programming provides a lively mix of music, classic stories and kid-oriented talk, with a dash of education thrown in.

There are messages about recycling, for example, along with descriptions of science experiments and kid-tested recipes, contests, jokes, discussions about world events and tips about making friends or building self-esteem. “It’s kids’ kind of stuff,” Freeman explained.

My kids gave it a thumbs up and others around the country obviously agree. A radio AAHS spokesman reports that the toll-free number for children who want to make programming suggestions and requests (800-55-AAHS-0) is getting thousands of calls from kids around the country every week--150,000 in August alone. (That number can also be called for a list of radio stations that carry network programming.) And more than half of those listening are in cars, children’s network executives said.

This makes sense. When you’re driving and it’s dark or the children complain that they’re getting car sick from reading, radio and tapes--either new or familiar for comfort--can provide just the diversion you need. Radios, in particular, can be used as a source of spontaneous stimulation--unlike tapes--since they change constantly.

Obviously, the AAHS network has capitalized on this and, as a result, is continuing to grow. Another seven stations have signed on, including those in Baltimore; Colorado Springs; Eau Claire, Wis., and Denver. “We expect to be in 40 markets by the end of next year,” AAHS President Bill Barnett said.

The best part for parents--on vacation or at home--may be that listening to radio can actually be good for children. Radio sharpens kids’ listening skills--key when they get to school and must follow a teacher’s direction, according to Richard Weinberg, director of the University of Minnesota’s Institute of Child Development. And unlike television, radio encourages kids to let their imaginations fly, visualizing a story or a song as they like.

“Parents can participate and discuss the programs with the kids,” said Weinberg. “This is a way to use your time in the car effectively.”

Another good use of car or plane time is to listen to children’s books on tape. They’re a sure bet to keep the children happily entertained for hundreds of miles, turning them on to books as you go. “But you usually don’t think of it until you get in the car and the kids are bored and you’re yelling at them,” acknowledged children’s literature professor and mother of four, Betsy Hearne, who directs the University of Illinois Center for Children’s Literature.

There are thousands of titles to choose from--many free through local libraries. Consider storytellers spinning their yarns from High Windy Audio (call 800-63-STORY for a catalogue) or the popular Ramona and Box Car Children stories that are among the hundreds from Listening Library (800-243-4504).

If you don’t know where to begin, the American Library Assn. now issues a yearly list, “Notable Children’s Recordings,” which include music as well as stories. (Check at your local library or call 800-545-2433, ext. 5044.)

Seek out recordings by authors your children like. My kids listened to Roald Dahl read his “Charlie and the Chocolate Factory” (Caedmon, $11) over and over on a recent trip. Another wonderful choice is Virginia Hamilton’s award-winning “The People Could Fly, American Black Folktales,” narrated by James Earl Jones (Knopf, $21.95 for the book and tape package).

When you’re planning a trip, ask your librarian to recommend a book-on-tape that takes place in the region you’re visiting. Even better, make your own tape by reading, in your own voice, a favorite book--or passages from a book, suggested Hearne. Or select a book appropriate to the journey, such as “Little House On the Prairie” by Laura Ingalls Wilder (HarperCollins, $3.95 paperback), for a trip across the Plains. “It has all of the benefits of home-cooked food,” Hearne said. “It’s healthy and you know what the kids like.”

“Remember, no matter what their ages, children love being read to,” said Ellen Stepanian, president of the Association for Library Service to Children. Hearing a story may spur them to read the same one or others.

And these days, kids need all of the encouragement they can get. A new federal Department of Education study reveals that more than two-thirds of America’s fourth-, eighth- and 12th-graders are not “proficient” readers. Not surprisingly, those who watch the most television are the worst readers. Those who scored best reported their parents were involved in their reading.

Taking the Kids appears the first and third week of every month.