I HATE toys! I mean it. I am so anti-toys, that for the past 2 Christmases, I have gone out of my way to find crafts, games, books and other things instead.
Our play closet is full to the point of overflowing, and our children only get 3 Christmas gifts and 3 birthday gifts from us, but times 4 kids, that is still TOO MUCH!
Toy closet
That is why I have been begging the Grandma’s to go in on sets of Adventure In Odyssey Cd’s instead. AIO dates back to my childhood. I used to listen to it on the radio, but now we can get them on discs and listen anytime we want.
You know I am anti-TV watching and media playing, so when someone is sick on the couch, we listen to an Adventure in Odyssey CD. If we are in the car, AIO is on! If we go on a trip, it’s 4 hours of wonderful bliss, even Dale & I love to listen!
The stories come to life and put your child’s imagination to work! Remember, this is a CD, not a DVD. It’s not a movie, you listen only!
Wikipedia: Adventures in Odyssey (AIO), or simply Odyssey, is an Evangelical Christian radio drama and comedy series created and produced by Focus on the Family. The series first aired in 1987 under the title Family Portraits. As of 2005, the show’s daily audience averaged around 1.2 million within North America.[1]
What IS Adventures In Odyssey?
Adventures in Odyssey presents original audio stories brought to life by actors who make you feel like part of the experience. These fictional, character-building dramas are created by an award-winning team that uses storytelling to teach lasting truths. Maybe that’s why over 20 million products have been distributed worldwide.
So dust off your imagination and join the kids in Odyssey for inspiring adventures that are flat-out fun!
Who makes it?
Over the past 25 years, the Adventures in Odyssey team has been home to over two dozen writers, producers, and sound designers. They hail from all corners of the U.S. (and Canada), and their résumés are as diverse as their origins: some come from a radio background, some from stage or screen, others from music studios and television, and a few straight out of college. Although they don’t have a common background, one thing the team has always shared is a passion for entertaining stories that reveal timeless truths.
Centered around a grandfatherly inventor named John Avery Whittaker who owns an ice cream shop for children, AIO has provided over 700 episodes of solid, Christian entertainment. Eugene Meltsner, Connie Kendall, Bernard Walton, Tom Riley, Jason Whittaker, and Jack Allen are only a few of the characters that bring Odyssey to life. The program is geared primarily for the 8-12 age bracket, however, people well into their thirties, forties, and later years have enjoyed the show for its entertainment and Christian morals.
We own sets 1-6 right now {number 4 is being used during this nap time photo} and I believe there are 57 sets total. I cannot WAIT to hear more!!!!!
Where do I start with Adventures in Odyssey?
Beginning your journey through Adventures in Odyssey can be a daunting task. With well over 50 audio collections to choose from, it may be a little overwhelming. Do you just jump into the series and buy albums randomly? Will it make sense if you buy albums backwards?
Your best bet, is to start from the Beginning!
This collection, along with the albums following, establishes the floor plan and tone of the show, introduces the town’s characters, and immerses you into the world of Odyssey. Each episode builds upon episodes before it, so something might not make sense when a reference to former episodes is made if you’re listening to the series out of order.
The series gets better and better as it unfolds, and the production quality improves over time. Adventures in Odyssey was started during the 1980’s, so time periods and styles are evident early in the series. However, the show is timeless in its flavor and enjoyable regardless of the era you’re from.
I have something special planned for you today!
In honor of my love of AIO, and you dedicated 4 little Ferguson’s readers…..
I am going to buy one of you the first set of these discs!
EEEEEEK! 🙂
Here is how to enter:
1) Share this post with your friends using the social media buttons at the bottom of this post
2) “Like” 4 little Fergusons on Facebook
3) Leave me a comment here telling me why you are excited about winning an Adventures in Odyssey Disc for your family
I will randomly select a comment number and announce the winner in a blog post on Monday, November 25th. All 3 tasks must be completed to win. You will have until Monday, December 2nd to respond, or I will draw another winner.
I am not being compensated at all by AIO, or Focus on the Family, but if they ever wanted to help with a giveaway, I sure wouldn’t say no! LOL 🙂
I am purchasing this for you, because I love it that much! Although I adore this first set, I feel the discs and stories ONLY get better from here on, and I hope your kids will soon be asking for this instead of TV time!
Our kids love to grab pillows and all lay around the CD player to listen. This is also a great activity for nap time in their room! I get mine from Christianbook.com.
Head on over and do some Christmas shopping!
~T
4 little Fergusons 
I love AIO!. I listened to them when I was a nanny. The family had no TV so our sit down quite time was crafts, cooking, and listing to AIO. It was so long ago they were on cassette tapes. So happy they are still making them.
We have been thinking about trying AIO for some time. I would love to win a set! Thanks so much for sharing!
Our family loved AIO! It made many a trip shorter, never-ending tasks seem like nothing and was also sometimes used as a wind-down at night. Many a discussion was started because of something we heard on AIO.
Like you I HATE toys. My boys are part of a blended family so you can imagine how many toys they get for birthdays and Christmas. They love listening to books on tape in the car. AIO would keep them entertained for hours. I’m beyond excited about the peace and quiet it could bring to car rides.
Would love these
I love AIO. We went to Colorado Springs and visited what a wonderful positive influence. We love to listen to stories in the car while we drive.
Thank you for the opportunity to enter. i enjoy showing my children the fun they can have by not playing with plastic toys. i prefer books, puzzles, and art supplies for gift giving.
My daughters loved this series as little girls I would love to share it with my 4 year old son now. I admit I loved listening too.
I liked you and shared
Im a single parent with 3 little boys. We listen to Klove all the time. AIO is one of my favorite times of the day. Getting the kiddos settled for bed, it gives them something to calm them down and have good thoughts. I dont have cable for the very reason that its worthless.
I have never heard of this before but it looks really neat and I would LOVE to win it for my family!
I remember listening to these as a child and look forward to passing on the stories to my girls
I remember listening to some of these as a kid and have never thought about having our boys listen to them! Would love to get started and I know they would love it as well!
I grew up loving AIO as well! would love for my kiddos to get in on it too but haven’t been able to justify the cost with where we are financially. We can’t watch anything but movies and are very selective with what they do get to watch. The toys are an issue too. On bday invites I ask for no toys but books instead. We asked for a globe you can feel the mountains on for Christmas. People think we are weird and we are! We, as Christians, are not to be like the world. Excited about possibility of car rides 🙂 Thank you for the opportunity of a drawing!
Thank you for having this giveaway! My son ♥ Adventures in Odessey. They are wonderful stories with great character building stories! I like you on facebook and also shared! Blessings!
I loved Adventures in Odyssey when I was a kid. I have no idea why we haven’t gotten our kids started on these but I would love to win so we can!
First, I listened to AIO only when I visited my dad and those times with him was the only Christian influence I got growing up since my mom and him were divorced and my mom was not a Christian. Now, as an adult as I have become a believer, I want to share the imaginative stories that I hold nostalgic as a Christian influence with my own children (ages 3, and 1 and one on the way). My husband and I are both full time students, so we haven’t been able to buy any yet – but when we graduate and are able to get stable income I hope to start a collection of AIO for my kids (and future grand-kids). Love it!
My boys just started listening to these and LOVE them! I would love to get them some of the cd’s for Christmas and maybe even the magazine too!
My kids loved listening to these on cassette…that dates me a bit! I passed ours on to friends with little kiddos…too good to leave in a closet! I’d love to start my grandson on his own Adventures in Odessey journey! Thanks for reminding me and telling others about a great series for kids (and adults)! 🙂
I remember as a child me and my younger siblings would listen to Adventures in Oddysey every Saturday morning as we were cleaning our rooms upstairs. I have such fond memories of those times. Would love for my 5 kiddos to have the same fond memories of AIO. Thanks for doing the givaway! btw, love your blog!
My children were little in the 80s and we listened to AIO on the radio all the time! Now that they have children of their own I would love to share AIO with my grandchildren!! Grandparents can have a huge spiritual impact on their grandchildren and AIO can be extremely helpful!
We used to listen to them in the car when I was growing up! I actually thought about them the other day but had no idea I could get them! I’m super excited!!
My kids love adventures in Odyssey. I love anything that helps build character for my kids. Thanks for the giveaway.
I would love to win this for my 3 & 1 year old; I have the flu today and they are going to be watching WAY too much tv. This is such a great alternative!
I grew up listening to AIO and would love to start a collection for my kids. They both have birthdays in the fall and so we get too many toys at this time of year between birthdays and Christmas!
I would love to win this for my granddaughter!!! My boys loved to listen to Odyssey when they were younger!!!! Thanks for the giveaway!! 🙂
I would love for my grandchildren. Their parents don’t take them to Sunday School or church, well, my sons don’t. My daughter does. But it would be a wonderful opportunity to share with them when they are at Grandma’s house.
I love AIO!! Used to listen to it as a kid. I know my kids would love it…hmmmm I have a new idea for Christmas presents! 🙂
I love the AIO We have 4 sets of cd’s!!
What a generous offering! We have a Cedarmont CD in our van that we listen to over and over again (I’m talking year 2 of this cd)…it’s great and the kids LOVE it, but they don’t want to listen to anything else. I am thinking AIO might be just what we need!
P.S. Your toy closet looks so tidy!
I am Katie Wedel’s sister so I have the same story as her about why they influenced me so much. We listened to these a little growing up and they quickly captured my imagination and attention while also providing Christian character building. I’d LOVE to start a collection of AIO for my kids and help them understand why God calls us toward certain character traits and cause conversations that point them toward Jesus.
PS – the link to your facebook page is broken (it’s mixed with your blog url so it doesn’t open). I just want to help so we can complete all tasks for the entry to the giveaway.
I am obsessed with AIO! I listened to it ALL the time growing up. I was so obsessed I even got my college roommate to listen to it with me at night! I just had my first baby in July and I have always wanted to start getting stocked up on all the CDs of the series (I have the tapes so can’t listen to them as easily nowadays!) Of course it takes a little money to do that so for right now they will just be christmas present requests. I can’t wait for my LO to get to the age where she enjoys listening to them just as much as I did. They make for awesome story times and lessons but are the best for long car rides!
I am excited about AIO to share with my son, and daughter. It was a great series I remember from my years at a Christian High School 🙂
Heard AIO a couple of times and think my 3rd child would love them.
Would love to win, we have listened for so many years that our Older Children and our younger Children can all gather around and discuss current or past episodes! Love AIO
Would love to check these out! My kids enjoy listening to the Cinnamon Bear Radio Show. 🙂
I too grew up with AIO on cassette tape and radio. The stories are great and there are so many they never get old. I love it and can’t wait to share them with my daughter someday!
My husband’s family LOVE Adventures in Odyssey growing up, and I am looking forward to continuing the tradition!
I grew up on old time radio. My Dad still has his cassette tapes of the Lone Ranger and he and my son frequently listen to them at night. I would love to have something that is focused for children.
My boys are ages 5 and 2 years old and they love adventure in odyssey!
I too hate toys and would love to win these for my granddaughter and I think I already follow you on facebook and twitter….will check and if I don’t I will…..
I don’t have little ones, but would share it with our church library.
We had some of these on tape when I was a kiddo! My favorite was one about Ding Dongs and stealing towels. I didn’t understand all of the puns until I was older. I love that they make if fun for parents too. I would love to pass this on to my kiddos!!
I’m sick of DVDs on road trips to my parent’s house. This would be a great compromise for our five kids.
We listen every night online (oneplace and Saturdays Focus on the family’s playing of AIO) and every car trip. Would love to own our own!
Love aio listened as a kid and still listen now with my kids.
These would be WONDERFUL as my husband, almost 6 yr old, almost 4 yr old, and 7 month old travel from KC to visit our family in STL about 6 times a year and LoVe audio books. I listened to and watched some AIO as a child, but my husband wasn’t raised in a Christian home and I think would really appreciate these:) Thanks for this great opportunity!
I loved AIO growing up and would love to introduce my children to the show!
I would love this for traveling!
We have a two year old who is very restless in the car, and I would love to start collecting these to keep him entertained and let his imagination build on the stories!
I love Adventures in Odyssey! My sister and I grew up listening to them, and we have a lot of the tape sets- but of course it’s getting harder to find a tape player to play them on. In fact, my sister and I like them so much that we still buy AIO for each other for Christmas now! And we’re both in our 30s! I would love to have the beginning discs to introduce my kids to them.
My grown daughters and their husbands love listening to Adventures in Odyssey. I hope I’m a winner!
I love Adventures in Odyssey when I was a kid, and now I have 2 kids of my own. My brother owns several of the discs, and my kids love hearing them when we are around his kids, so I would love for my children to have some of their own!
I recently found your blog and started following it. I was hoping to get a set of AIO for my three boys for Christmas, to keep the toy clutter down. Now you have provided a chance to win a set! It still amazes me how God works! Thank you! 🙂
I found you via fb my awesome friend posted! I would love a set of aio for my family it’s way better quality time then watching a movie and we watch to much tv so doing this instead would be awesome!
It would be so great having a non video option for entertainment in the car. I am just starting to do homeschooling and this would add to lessons.
This sounds great! My oldest is turning 5 next week and this sounds like something she would love!!
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They play Adventures in Odyssey on the Christian radio here by us. We can’t get the station in the house so if we are out and about when it is playing sometime I put it on for the kids to listen to. I have been trying to find some good cds for my kids to sit and listen to for quite time in the afternoon. I really want something that has a good message to it. This sounds like it would be something that would we worth looking into for them. Thanks for sharing.:)
I’ve never heard any of the AIO, but it sounds like something my boys would really like!
I would love to get these cds. I am always so cautious to what my girls are listening to. There little kid cds get stuck in my head so often. It would be great for Chasity to learn how to think through and start putting pictures together to the words she hears during story time.
My kids are just getting old enough to enjoy something like this. Would love to have something for a long car ride!
I would love starting a collection of AIO for my son (7 weeks old today) … My little sister loves to listen to Odyssey, and is looking forward to listening to it with her new nephew! it would be great to listen to on long car rides to grandma and grandpa’s house, as well! Thank you for offering this giveaway!
My boys watch AIO videos online, but I would like to reduce their screen time. This would be great!
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I LOVE AIO