Podcasts for Kids That Adults Will Enjoy, too
While you might have a list of podcast that you enjoy during your commute, they may not be suitable for the kids in the back seat. Well, problem solved. Here are some amazing podcasts for kids that adults are sure to find entertaining (and even learn from), too. These podcast run anywhere from 10-30 minutes, which make them the perfect length for commutes in the car to/from school, road trip entertainment, while waiting in long lines, while traveling on an airplane/bus/train or any time for that matter!
1. Dream Big
This is one of our favorite podcast which inspires kids (and adults) to pursue their passions in life and take action to make their dreams a reality. The hosts of the show are a mother-daughter duo, Olga and Eva Karpman. Eva, currently 8-years-old, is the main host of the show. It's hard to believe they launched the podcast when she was only 7! I am amazed at how well someone so close to my own kids age can conduct these amazing interviews with world-class performers ranging from: olympians, grammy-winning musicians, successful entrepreneurs to renowned scientists. She has definitely become a role-model for our kids (and me!). In addition to the great content on the podcast, they consistently offer freebies like discussion sheets, stickers and journals for your kids to enjoy. Our kids have personally loved the stickers they received. This is one of the few kid-centric podcast I wouldn't mind listening to even without my kids - it's THAT good. We are especially excited for this episode in particular, when IZZAROO is mentioned before the interview with Ben Giroux.
Podcast: Subscribe on iTunes
2. Story Pirates
A fun podcast featuring a series of actors, comedians and improvisors who act out original stories created by kids. Sometimes they sing, sometimes they act using various voices, but every time it's guaranteed to be entertaining. Most stories are pretty silly and funny which is why this is one of our kids favorites podcasts to listen to. We love it when they interview to the author who wrote the story they just performed. They ask questions about the story and that too, is often pretty fun to listen to. In addition to the podcast, they also have live shows in New York and Los Angeles and tour coast to coast performing stories. We've never seen them live, but if it's as entertaining as their podcast, your kids are sure to love it, too.
Podcast: Subscribe on iTunes
3. Brains On!
An extremely entertaining podcast that teaches a different science lesson each episode. The producers and hosts do a phenomenal job of combining story-telling, interviews, quirky sound effects, etc. to deliver content that kids can easily understand and enjoy. We love that their content is inspired by mystery sounds and questions submitted by curious kids. The topics range from origins of language, the history of boogers and farts, why we sneeze to why sea turtles live so long. It's aimed at kids, but I'll be the first to admit I learn quite a bit listening along side them! This is by far, one of our faves.
Podcast: Subscribe on iTunes
4. Short and Curly
A fast-paced, fun-filled ethics podcast for kids and their parents, with questions and ideas to really get you thinking. It asks curly questions about animals, technology, school, pop culture and the future. The two hosts have a silly way of making the educational content entertaining and fun. We especially love it when they ask questions to ponder and encourage us to pause and discuss them together. It has started many great conversations we likely would never have thought to discuss.
Here's another great podcast exploring stories of science discovery. The energy between the husband and wife team is great. They do an amazing job of educating and keeping us entertained. The episodes range from whale sharks, vomiting robots to dinosaurs and more. Your science loving kids will love listening to Tumble.
Podcast: Subscribe on iTunes
6. Wow in the World
A podcast around discovering the wonders in the world. Every episode, hosts Mindy and Guy guide curious kids (and their parents) away from their screens and on a journey. Through a combination of careful scientific research and fun, they go inside our brains, out into space, and deep into the coolest new stories in science and technology. We especially love the end of each podcast when listeners get to share their own "wow in the world". It's a great way for our kids to connect with the podcast and think about their own wows in their world.
Podcast: Subscribe on iTunes
7. Circle Round
A storytelling podcast of carefully-selected folktales from around the world, all with a moral or lesson to be learned. They delve into topics such as kindness, persistence and generosity. The music and acting are superb, making it easy for kids to imagine all the details of the story. The host/writer (Rebecca Sheir) and the musician/composer/sound designer (Eric Shimelonis) are a husband-wife team who work from their home studio with a two-year-old toddler in tow. It's reassuring to know the creators and producers are parents of young children as well. We especially love the part at the end when we're prompted to discuss and think about the moral/lesson of the story and how it can relate to our own lives. Circle Round is a production of WBUR, Boston’s NPR News Station.
Podcast: Subscribe on iTunes
8. KidNuz
Kids deserve a daily newscast all their own. Kickstart their morning with 5 minutes of timely, unbiased, and age-appropriate stories from politics, entertainment, science, health, and sports. Professionally written, professionally delivered by 4 Emmy winning journalists who also happen to be moms. Listen in five days a week, starting at 7 am.
Podcast: Subscribe on iTunes
There you have it. I hope you enjoyed this list of our favorite kid podcast and it inspires you to download and listen to few with your own family.
For an easy way to find more podcasts your kids will love, try the Kids Listen app, it's the only podcast app made exclusively for kids. The content is limited to Kids Listen shows (currently 28 podcasts, representing the best podcasts for kids), so you can be sure the content is appropriate for children. Kids can independently explore and listen without parents needing to clear the content. It's a win/win!
My husband and I are avid podcast listeners and it's great to share this love of learning through podcasts with our kids. Many times, experts in their field offer a wealth of knowledge during interviews on the shows. It almost feels as if we're getting a free collegiate level education simply by listening to a podcast. Podcasts are amazing in that way. It's a wealth of information and opportunity for personal, family and professional growth.
Do you have any favorites we haven't listed? Let us know in the comments below. We'd love to hear from you.
