The mix of content creates a podcast that should satisfy even the pickiest of listeners. New episodes are added every two weeks. Transcripts are also available so your children can read along while listening to improve their reading and writing skills.
Story seeds
Apple, Google, stapler
Courtesy of Story Seeds Podcast
Story seeds is a relatively new podcast and is a little different from the others; It’s not a story, but a meta view of how to do it create a story.
In each episode, a child (ages 6-12) meets a children’s book author. They meet in person and write original stories together that begin with the idea of the child (the “seed” in the name). It’s not updated as frequently as some of the others, but there are over two dozen episodes available.
Wild girls
Apple, Google
Courtesy of Fierce Girls Podcast
This Australian podcast is dedicated to highlighting the true stories of Australian women. From athletes to spies, Wild girls often promotes a unified theme of adventurous girls with “courage and spirit.” Although the stories are all child-friendly and not graphic, the presenters are not afraid to tell the stories as they happen. In some cases, you may want to listen first to make sure a story is appropriate for your children’s maturity level. Still, our 9 year old twins love them.
Bedtime stories for children
Spotify
Courtesy of Spotify
This podcast is about episodic readings of classic children’s books that are somewhere between a podcast and an audio book. It includes a variety of books, from shorter, single-episode stories for younger children to longer, multi-episode reads. The great thing about it is that there is something for almost everyone. My only complaint is that some of them are very short, most lasting less than 5 minutes. All episodes are ad-free, but you will need a Spotify account to listen.
Planet Storytime
Apple, Google, stapler
Courtesy of Planet Storytime
Offers a mix of classic stories like those of Beatrix Potter and lesser-known content. Planet Storytime aims to deliver the blend of entertainment and education that Fred Rogers perfected. New episodes are released every Thursday.
A really nice feature that sets this podcast apart is that at the end of each month there is a long episode with a whole month’s worth of content – perfect for having an hour or so to yourself.
brains on
Apple, Google, stapler, NPR
Courtesy of NPR
This science podcast is aimed at children, although to be honest I learned a lot from it too. brains on is educational – just don’t tell your kids. You’ll love learning how insects walk along walls, how they get around without a compass, and even where poop and pee go when you flush the toilet.
There’s a series called “Smash Boom Best” where two things compete against each other and your child can choose their favorite. For example, Loki was recently pitted against Athena. This podcast is probably best suited for slightly older children.
Warrior Kid Podcast
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Courtesy of Defcor Network
The Warrior Kid Podcast It’s not for everyone, but my kids really like the question-and-answer format of this podcast, which is based on the books of the same name. The author of the books and host of the show is Jocko Willink, a decorated, retired Navy SEAL officer and leadership guru. Here Willink represents the character of Uncle Jake in Willinks Warrior child Book series that answers kids’ questions on everything from how to avoid eating candy to what it takes to be a Navy Seal.
Willink places a valuable emphasis on physical activity, mental performance, nutrition (encouraging children to develop healthy eating habits), and hard work. The latter is at the core of the message in this podcast: work hard, train jiu-jitsu, and eventually you will succeed. This is aimed at slightly older children, probably best for ages 8 and up. A special note: Willink has another podcast, Jocko Podcastthis is definitely not for children.
Anorak: The happy podcast for children
Apple, Google
Courtesy of Apple Podcasts
A production by Anorak Kids Magazine, The happy podcast for children is educational and entertaining and is good for the whole family as there are many stories to entertain both adults and children. Much of the content deals with topics similar to the Anorak magazines. So if something really piques your child’s interest, you can order the corresponding edition. Topics include everything from sea life to fantasy to linguistics. Guests cover a similarly broad spectrum, from divers to ice cream makers. While this film is suitable for the entire family given the level of detail and episode length (approximately 30 minutes), younger children with shorter attention spans may need to take breaks.
But why
Apple, Google, stapler, NPR
Courtesy of But Why
Another NPR podcast, But why aims to answer children’s questions about everything from nature, politics, culture, science to the end of the world. Your children can also submit their own questions; Instructions can be found on the website.
Because But why covers a wide range of topics, I tend to be more inclined to help with that. Many episodes are best suited for slightly older children. For example, my kids (7 and 5) didn’t want to listen to an episode about what happens when a president is impeached, but they really enjoyed an episode about how we taste food.
Aaron’s world
Apple, Google, stapler
Courtesy of Aaron’s World
One of the few podcasts on this list created by a child, Aaron’s world is a 50-part radio play about the adventures of a boy (Aaron) and his loyal computer buddy (INO) as they explore the prehistoric world of dinosaurs. The episodes focus on individual topics – e.g. E.g. Iguana, Microraptor, Sharks – but over the course of five years some entertaining, larger storylines emerged that form an ongoing plot. It all came about in the head of Aaron, who was initially six years old, and stayed with it for five years. Highly recommended for any child interested in dinosaurs.
Cereal bowl on Saturday morning
Apple, Podbean
Courtesy of Saturday Morning Cereal Bowl
Okay, this isn’t really a podcast so much as a radio show, but long before my kids were into storytelling podcasts, they loved this weekly two-hour music show that came out every, um, Saturday. And I know what you’re thinking: children’s music. But it’s really not children’s music, it’s just music that children enjoy. This is also a great way to discover music that your kids love and doesn’t drive you crazy. Did you know that Walkmen co-songwriter Walter Martin has an amazing album for kids? How about The Verve Pipe? Johnny Cash? I discovered all of this and more Cereal bowl on Saturday morning.
Are you really into podcasts? Get a Wondery+ Kids subscription
There are a whole host of podcast platforms that make it easy to subscribe to and listen to many of our favorites ad-free (and support the creators). Some of these are available through Amazon Music if you’re a Prime subscriber, but my favorite way to get rid of ads and get access to a ton of great shows is with a Wondery+ Kids subscription. You get access to shows like Whose amazing life, wow in the world, And Who when Wow, among other things, everything for one price. If your kids really like podcasts, this is the way to go.
More great podcasts and audio shows
The internet is full of podcasts, of which there are far too many to mention in detail. That said, here are some others your kids might like.
- Earth Rangers: This podcast has a biology focus, but is a good listen for any kid interested in digging in the dirt, learning about animals, or hearing stories about the ecosystems of faraway lands. There are episodes about the jungle, the Arctic and almost everything in between. Episodes typically last around 15 minutes each and typically deal with a single animal or environment. Earth Rangers is probably best suited to children who are a bit more mature.
- Molly from Denali: This eight-part podcast provides the backstory to the PBS cartoon of the same name. Each episode is approximately 10 minutes long and tells the backstory of Molly Mabray, an Alaskan native growing up in Alaska with her parents, family and friends.
- Eleanor Amplified: This long-running adventure series features an intrepid reporter named Eleanor Amplified. She specializes in foiling the devious plans of villains. It’s a bit pro-journalistic at times, in a rah-rah way that isn’t for everyone, but the stories are fast-paced, entertaining and in the spirit of old radio shows.
- Live from Olympus: My kids were working on the Percy Jackson book series when it came out, so this Olympic-focused podcast was an instant hit. It follows the adventures of a young Perseus as he sets out to save his mother from an evil king. Live from Olympus For the most part, it sticks to the Greek stories as you may know them, although there are some additional characters. Live from Olympus is part of the Trax network, which also hosts other children’s podcasts.