We are pretty big fans of the Brinkman Adventures at our house. There was a time when it seems like that is literaly all we listened to. These audio adventures are just that interesting! The icing on the cake was that a couple years ago, we actually got to meet the family who creates these inspiring stories. My son got to pal around at a homeschool convention with one of their sons, so that is pretty cool. Naturally, we were so excited to review Brinkman Adventures Season 4 for such an awesome vendor.
The main thing that sets the Brinkman Adventures apart is that the audio adventures are based on missionary stories. They are also based on true stories. The excitement really draws kids, and even teens, into the audio missionary drama. They keep listening because they want to find out what happens. I'd say this season is definitely "binge-worthy".
I also want to clarify that these audio adventures are not audio books. Listening to an audio adventure is so much different than listening to an audio book. Typically audio books have one person simply reading the text of a novel. There isn't very much, if any, background music or sound effects. Audio adventures are completely different. There are different characters, each read by a different person. The sound effects and background music add to the suspense of the story. Listening to an audio adventure is almost like watching a movie, except there are no images. You listen to the drama happening and can usually imagine what the scenes look like.
I have had people tell me that their kids hate audio books, and they immediately assume that their kids will also hate audio adventures. Personally I think they should give it a try before they simply write it off as another thing their kid will not enjoy. These are perfect for listening to in the car. I like to turn them on if I feel like we need some down time. If the TV has been on for too long, I also like to turn these on. My son especially likes to just sit and listen or build or color while listening.
What can you expect to hear in this season? I won't spoil the entire season for you, but I will tell you about our favorite episode. My son and I listened to this episode on pins and needles! A missionary preacher was arrested and placed in jail. His wife and family prayed for his release, but the men holding the missionary refused to let him go. They threatened him and told him that they had taken his wife and children. If he didn't make a full confession against his Lord and Savior Jesus Christ, the family was going to be killed. The missionary went to bed that night upset and thinking that he was going to have to sign the confession in order to save his family. A miracle surely occurred that night and the missionary did not have to sign the confession. The family was saved! There are a couple of extremely intense episodes in this season. Each episode that could be frightening for young children does contain a disclaimer that the parents should listen with their children on these episodes.
One more thing I want to mention about the Brinkman Adventures. They recently released a curriculum guide to go along with Season 1. I checked out this resource, and it looks amazing! The guide shows you how to use the different episodes in a classroom type setting. They include activities and discussions which enhance the listening experience. Students really dig in and learn about different aspects of the dramas. Teachers have an excellent resource to guide the discussions. This is a product that I would have loved to have when my kids were in elementary. It would be fun to use in a Sunday School setting.
We definitely love the Brinkman Adventures. We currently own Season 1 and Season 4. Now we just need to add the other seasons to our collection. It's really nice that these don't need to be listened to in order either. We had no trouble going from Season 1 straight to Season 4.
very neat you got to meet the Brinkman's in person. :)
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