Below is a list of some of our favorites, as well as a few recommendations from you! We’ve found, reviewed, and ranked all of the podcasts based on the age we think they would be good for. There’s podcasts that retell fairytales, Disney stories (always a favorite!), some that teach kids about science, answer all of their burning “Why?” questions… and you know there’s always so many of thise questions! There’s also some on this list that teach kids about history or even meditation. Take a look below, and if you have any more to add, leave them in the comments below!
CIRCLE ROUND
Great for: littler kids. Each story is narrated by people (they even bring famous actors on sometimes) and it has great music. This is one that I really don’t mind listening to and having on in the background- it’s not too “obnoxious” or just adding to the noise. All of the stories are really positive and uplifting too.
BUT WHY
Great for: all ages. This cute podcast answers all of the questions that my kids ask that sound simple to answer but actually have complex answers, such as “Why is the sky blue?” and “Who invented words?” Each episode features several kid-submitted questions, usually on a single theme, and with the help of experts, it gives clear, interesting answers.
SATURDAY MORNING CEREAL BOWL
Great for: all ages. This is basically indie rock for kids, that is still entertaining for parents to listen to. My kids love it. It’s styled like a DJ radio show with music that kids and parents will both love. And they always include musicians that adults will recognize. Selections are generally high-energy rock, folk, punk-inspired, bilingual, and hip-hop. It’s really well-rounded!
STORIES PODCAST
Great for: big kids. This podcast has kid-friendly renditions of classic stories, fairy tales, and even a few original works. These longer stories are great for bigger kids with a larger vocabulary that are past the age for picture books but who still love a good bedtime story.
THE ALIEN ADVENTURES OF FINN CASPIAN
Good for: older kids and tweens. This is such a good podcast for a road trip! It has over 13 hours of content for kids, telling the story of an 8-year-old boy living on a space station who explores the galaxy and solves mysteries with his friends. I love that there’s no violence or edgy content so the kids can listen to it on their own.
SMASH BOOM BEST
Good for: kids and older kids. This is a debate style podcast for kids where they pit things against each other like pizza vs tacos, or dragons vs unicorns. A kid judge listens to and scores the rousing, fact-based arguments of two contestants. It’s a great way to teach kids how to defend their ideas.
BRAINS ON
Good for: older kids and tweens. This podcast takes kid-submitted science questions and gets experts to answer them in a fun way. I learn a ton from it too! Kids learn things like how insects walk on walls and how to find their way without a compass.
EAR SNACKS
Good for: littler kids. The people who created this podcast wrote songs for Sesame Studios, and this podcast is full of tons of their catchy tunes. It’s a funny program that covers a range of topics by talking to actual kids as well as experts, in a way that’s interesting to little kids.
STORY TIME
Good for: littler kids. Each episode contains a 10-15 minute kid-friendly story. Short and sweet, it’s has lots of fun stories for younger kids.
BE CALM ON AHWAY ISLAND
Good for: all ages. I love that each episode starts with some pre-story meditation, and then tells a story in a gentle voice. It’s perfect for a bedtime or wind-down-try-to-get-them-to-sleep-in-the-car kind of story. This podcast also teaches kid-friendly mindfulness practices like “deep dragon breaths” that can be carried into daily life as well.
“WHAT IF” WORLD
Good for: older kids. This podcast takes crazy questions submitted by listeners in a mad-lib style format, and turns them into a story, such as “What if Legos were alive?” and “What if sharks had legs?” The hose uses silly voices and crazy characters to capture the imaginations of kids.
THE UNEXPLAINABLE DISAPPEARANCE OF MARS PATEL
Good for: tweens. I don’t have tweens, so I can’t personally vouch for this, but it was described as “Stranger Things for tweens.” This podcast won a Peabody Award, and is about an 11-year-old searching for his missing friends. It might be a fun one to listen to together with your older kids on a road trip.
SPARE THE ROCK SPOIL THE CHILD
Good for: all ages. This podcast is a playlist of music combining kids’ music from artists that parents will enjoy, like They Might Be Giants, Elvis Costello, The Ramones, and John Legend. It’s a win-win for the whole family.
STORY PIRATES
Good for: littler kids. It has pirate in the name, so you know kids will love it. It’s a mix of fun stories and songs, and they even bring on famous actors to do the voices sometimes.
AARON’S WORLD
Good for: older kids. If your child likes dinosaurs, they’ll love this podcast. It’s 50 episodes all about a 6-year-old’s adventures in the prehistoric world of dinosaurs. And it was created by a kid!
MYSTERY RECIPE
Good for: older kids. If your child loves to cook, they will love this podcast from America’s Test Kitchen. It teaches kids all about different types of food and concepts around food in a fun and exciting way.
YOUNG BEN FRANKLIN
Good for: older kids. This is a great one for kids who like history. It’s told from the perspective of a young 14-year-old Ben Franklin, and it all about history, inventing, and more.
GOODNIGHT STORIES FOR REBEL GIRLS
Good for: older kids. This podcast is filled with stories about the lives of extraordinary women from the past and the present. It’s such a great way to teach kids about women who made history in quick, entertaining bites.