Want to try something entertaining that boosts learning without using more screen time? It’s something you may already be doing yourself but have yet to try with kids. You can do this while out and about, on long trips or even short trips in the car. We’re talking about podcasts.
Many of us adults enjoy listening to podcasts, so why not get your children to join? Podcasts for children have seen massive growth; a 2019 study by Edison Research found that podcast listening had increased 48 per cent among Americans aged 12-24. Further, there are now quality podcasts, covering all manner of subjects, made for (and some even by) children.
Podcasts to Enjoy With Your Children
We are by no means suggesting podcasts should replace books. But listening to podcasts may well encourage your child to read more. Some teachers even use podcasts in the classroom. There are podcasts for kids that involve learning, relaxing, calming down and even meditating.
Be Calm on Ahway Island
When it’s bedtime or even nap time, try a soothing story and guided meditation to wind down and prepare for sleep. Sweet little stories (following a kid-friendly meditation) are crafted to be engaging but not so exciting that they prevent listeners from relaxing. These can become part of the bedtime routine. Kids will love the adventurous airplanes, bubbly boats, caring cars, friendly forest animals, curious kids, silly sea creatures, a delightful Dragon, terrific toys, exotic animals and much more. There’s new content added each week and approximately 600 episodes waiting for you. Find this on Apple podcasts, Spotify, Google podcasts, YouTube and others.
Greeking Out by National Geographic
The whole family will be entertained with this podcast which shares some of the greatest stories ever told. Stories of gods and goddesses, monsters, and heroes – Greek mythology at its finest. We listened to this kid-friendly retelling of classic ancient Greek myths on a long car ride recently and it was great. Get it on Apple Podcasts or listen on your computer through the National Geographic website.
Story Seeds Podcast
A show celebrating imagination and creativity. On each episode, kids collaborate with well known authors to grow their story ideas. The author takes those seeds and writes an original story that you get to hear on the show! The Story Seeds Podcast is featured on Apple Podcasts, Spotify and others.
Story Pirates
What do you get if you take a group of world-class actors, comedians and musicians and ask them to turn stories written by kids into comedy sketches and musical theatre? So, the answer is a whole lot of fun… https://www.storypirates.com/podcast
Book Club For Kids
In this award-winning podcast, a group of young readers come together to talk about a particular book – which is read aloud by a celebrity. The author is also on hand to answer reader questions. Aimed at children who can comfortably read chapter books, it gives them the freedom to select episodes according to books they want to read. http://www.bookclubforkids.org
Wow in the World
Aimed at children age 5-12, each episode of Wow in the World asks questions about a new amazing scientific discovery and explains the answers through comedy and conversation. Curious kids – and their grown-ups – will be drawn away from their screens, and deep into the coolest new stories in science and technology and they will love it. A new daily podcast, Two Whats?! And a Wow! with daily STEAM challenges has also just been launched. https://www.npr.org/podcasts/510321/wow-in-the-world
Weird But True
There are 2 by this name. One by National Geographic which is a radio show and another can can be found on Apple. The stories highlight a lot of cool and interesting little known facts la the Weird But True book series by National Geographic.
You’re Dead to Me
“A history podcast for people who don’t like history.” Host Greg Jenner, author, historical consultant and advisor for BBC’s Horrible Histories series, tackles a different historical subject in each 45 minute episode. With the help of a historian and a comedian, he manages to make the show fun and engageing to even the most reluctant historian. Subjects covered include Blackbeard, Stonehenge, the Aztecs, and even the history of football. https://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/p07mdbhg/episodes/downloads
Peace Out
Bring some zen. Featuring a selection of short stories designed to relax and calm children by guiding them through visualisation and breathing exercises. Furthermore, it’s ideal for parents wanting to teach mindfulness. https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/peace-out/id1195586628
But Why
How many times do your kids ask “But why”? If the answer is a lot, this podcast is for your. All questions are submitted by children and can cover anything from “Why is the Sky Blue” to “Do animals get married”. It’s a bi-weekly programme for children of all ages. https://www.npr.org/podcasts/474377890/but-why-a-podcast-for-curious-kids
Saturday Morning Cereal Bowl
Get down and boogie alongside the kids with the help of this two hour music show featuring fun tunes that works for both children and parents. Additionally, this is perfect for all those Saturday nights in that we can look forward to right now!
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