did you know there are many kid friendly podcasts you can listen to right now? here is a list of our favorites!
There’s much debate about the first podcast, but what exactly is a podcast? The word originates from a combination of the words iPod and Broadcast. It’s actually a portmanteau (what an interesting word). Here’s an excerpt from Oxford Languages: “podcast is a portmanteau, a made-up word coined from a combination of the words iPod and broadcast.”
Also from Oxford Languages:
NOUN a digital audio file made available on the internet for downloading to a computer or mobile device, typically available as a series, new installments of which can be received by subscribers automatically.
VERB make (a digital audio file) available as a podcast.
Podcasts are really a place for people of similar interests to come together and talk. Did you know there are podcasts for kids by kids too? So, when was the first podcast available? Since there is so much debate surrounding that question, we’re going with the consensus, and that is in the year 2003.
Parents! Did you know kids tend to listen to podcasts more than once, some even 10 or more times? According to NPR, “In a survey of families with kids who listen to podcasts, 80 percent of respondents said that their kids listen to an episode more than once. Nearly 20 percent listen to an episode ten or more times. What’s more, kids engage deeply with the content — they want to discuss the show afterwards, ask questions and tell others what they’ve learned.”
Keep scrolling for our podcast recommendations.
ImagineNeighborhood.org
Here’s an excerpt from the website:
The Imagine Neighborhood is a podcast designed to help children and grown-ups grow their social-emotional skills.
The Story Seeds Podcast
Here’s an excerpt from their website:
The Webby Award-nominated Story Seeds Podcast™ matches kids 6-12 with diverse and best-selling children’s authors to grow their story ideas into original stories.
The end result is a read aloud by the author. Check out one of their latest episodes that just happens to be with bestselling author Katherine Applegate: “Ep. 11: A Nose That Knows“.
When you’re done listening, round out the experience with more enriching activities they offer as a companion to each podcast.
Brains On! from American Public Media
Here’s an excerpt from their website:
Welcome to Brains On! We’re an award-winning science podcast for kids and curious adults from American Public Media. Each week, a different kid co-host joins Molly Bloom to find answers to fascinating questions about the world. Our mission is to encourage kids’ natural curiosity and wonder using science and history…but there’s no age limit on curiosity and episodes of Brains On can be enjoyed by anyone.
We just listened to “Dreams: The science of a sleeping brain” while getting dinner ready. We all learned something new, and we were entertained!
APM Studios offers so many family podcasts, it’s hard to choose, but you could definitely spend the summer listening and learning with your family. You could listen to Julie Andrews (yes!, that Julie Andrews) on the Julies Library podcast or check out Forever Ago, another Brains On series. Forever Ago is just beginning a new season! Here’s a brief intro:
Scholastic Reads Podcast:
Here’s an excerpt from their website:
Scholastic’s podcast about the joy and power of reading, the books we publish for children and young adults, and the authors, editors, and stories behind them. We’ll explore topics important to parents, educators, and the reader in all of us.
We chose to highlight one of their episodes honoring Asian American Pacific Islander History Month.
Also from their website:
“Invisible No More” — Celebrating AAPI Month
May 24th, 2022 | 31 mins 6 secs | aapi month, book recommendations, books, education, family, parents, scholastic, teachers
In this episode, we honor Asian American and Pacific Islander Heritage Month with authors Debbi Michiko Florence and Gita Varadarajan.”
Take a listen below or click on the link above, sit back, and enjoy!
Radiolab for Kids Podcast:
Here’s an excerpt from their website:
Radiolab for Kids – Kid-friendly stories curated by Radiolab. All in one bingeable spot!
This is one of our more exciting entries as we are huge Radiolab fans! Treat your kids to some of the most interesting stories around. You might find the answer to some of your child’s most bizarre questions, like “Where does Poop go after you flush?” or “Where is color?” You might even get your teenager’s attention when you put an episode on.
