It has a very good mixture of one-off episodes and long-running collection, which makes it simple to search out one thing acceptable for your kid’s consideration span. Our youngsters are huge followers of the folktales and a number of the longer story collection.
If you are listening on an Apple system and can afford the $5 a month subscription payment (which does get you entry to another podcasts as effectively), then Stories Podcast is an efficient choice. If you are not an Apple person, I recommend skipping this one in favor of a number of the different picks beneath.
Purple Rocket Podcast
Apple, Google, Stitcher
Like Stories Podcast, Purple Rocket Podcast has a mixture of content material with fairly a number of long-running collection, together with “Grandpa’s Globe,” which is about twins Sawyer and Suzie, who use their grandfather’s magical globe to discover the universe. Other adventures contain all the pieces from aliens to fairies. Mixed in with the collection are occasional one-offs, a few of which handle to impart little classes for your youngsters. For instance, “My Homework Ate Me” is a cautionary story of procrastination.
All the episodes I’ve listened to function an elaborate array of voices, ambient sounds, and music to assist deliver the tales to life. These are very a lot within the spirit of outdated radio performs like The Shadow.
The mixture of content material makes for a podcast that ought to fulfill even the pickiest of listeners. New episodes arrive each different week. There are additionally transcripts out there so your youngsters can learn alongside whereas listening to enhance literacy.
Greeking Out
Apple, Google, Stitcher
The Greeking Out podcast from National Geographic Kids retells basic Greek myths in kid-friendly kind. Recently there have been a few forays into different mythic tales, like Loki from Norse mythology, but it surely’s primarily Greek. This rapidly turned a favourite in our family, although my youngsters have been sometimes not joyful that the variations advised right here didn’t exactly match the variations they knew (from, amongst different issues, D’Aulaires’ Book of Greek Myths (Amazon, $21)), however I like that it acquired them fascinated with how tales change and why there could be completely different variations.
If your kids are into mythological tales, otherwise you need to get them into mythology, this one is very really useful.
Who, When, Wow!
Apple, Google, Stitcher
The Who, When, Wow! podcast from Tinkercast is a history-focused podcast with an emphasis on much less well-known figures whose tales will (hopefully) make your kids say “wow!”
My colleague Adrienne So clued me in to this one, and my youngsters have actually loved it over the previous few months. It’s a very good mixture of biographies, with all the pieces from much less well-known scientists like Caroline Hershel to sports activities greats like Roberto Clemente to Harry Houdini. The combine is eclectic sufficient that there is one thing for everybody.
Circle Round
Apple, Google, Stitcher, NPR
Here’s one other inventive story podcast that focuses on folktales from all over the world. Episodes of Circle Round vary from 10 to twenty minutes every. Lately Circle Round has been selling another podcast episodes in its feed, so that you would possibly discover an episode of Brains On (listed beneath) or different youngsters’ podcasts alongside its personal creations.
Circle Round is a little more overt in its value-teaching than a number of the others on this listing. It routinely delivers some type of message, one thing about kindness, generosity, or different shared American cultural values. Teaching morality is likely one of the foremost functions of folktales, however right here I discover it a little bit heavy-handed at occasions.
Story Pirates
Apple, Google, Stitcher
It has pirates within the identify, which is all my youngsters wanted to listen to. Story Pirates is an entertaining mixture of tales and enjoyable songs (like “The Bear That Couldn’t Disco”). There are some particular visitor voices you would possibly acknowledge in some episodes too, like Claire Danes and John Oliver.
There’s much more right here than simply the podcast. If your youngsters need to transcend listening, try the web site, which has hyperlinks to the ebook collection (for middle-grade youngsters), info on reside reveals, and pirate T-shirts.
Story Seeds
Apple, Google, Stitcher
Story Seeds is a comparatively new podcast, and it’s kind of completely different from the others; reasonably than a narrative, it is a meta view of easy methods to create a narrative.
Each episode pairs a child (age 6-12) with a kids’s ebook creator. They meet up in individual and collaborate to jot down unique tales that begin out with the child’s thought (the “seed” within the identify). It’s not up to date as ceaselessly as a number of the remainder of these, however there’s over two dozen episodes out there.
Fierce Girls
Apple, Google
This Australian podcast is dedicated to showcasing true tales of Australian ladies. From athletes to spies, Fierce Girls usually promotes a unifying theme of adventurous ladies with “guts and spirit.” While the tales are all acceptable for youngsters and not graphic, the hosts do not shrink back from telling tales as they occur. In some instances, you would possibly need to pay attention first to verify a narrative is acceptable for your kids’s maturity degree. That stated, our 9-year-old twins love them.
Planet Storytime
Apple, Google, Stitcher
Offering a mixture of basic tales, like these of Beatrix Potter, and lesser-known content material, Planet Storytime goals for that blend of leisure and schooling Fred Rogers perfected. It releases new episodes each Thursday.
One very nice function that units this podcast aside is that on the finish of every month, there’s one lengthy episode with a whole month’s price of content material—excellent for getting an hour or so to your self.
Brains On
Apple, Google, Stitcher, NPR
This science podcast is aimed toward youngsters, although I’ll be trustworthy, I’ve realized loads from it as effectively. Brains On is instructional—simply do not inform your youngsters that. They’ll love studying how bugs stroll on partitions, easy methods to discover their approach with no compass, and even the place poo and pee go while you flush the bathroom.
There’s a collection referred to as “Smash Boom Best” through which two issues are pitted towards one another and your child can decide their favourite. For instance, Loki was just lately pitted towards Athena. This podcast might be greatest suited for barely older youngsters.
Warrior Kid Podcast
Apple, Google, Stitcher
The Warrior Kid Podcast will not be for everybody, however my youngsters actually just like the question-and-answer format of this podcast, which is predicated on the books of the identical identify. The creator of the books and host of the present is Jocko Willink, a embellished, retired Navy SEAL officer and management guru. Here Willink stands in for the character of Uncle Jake in Willink’s Warrior Kid ebook collection, answering youngsters’ questions on all the pieces from easy methods to keep away from consuming sweet to what it takes to be a Navy Seal.
Willink locations a worthwhile emphasis on bodily exercise, psychological sharpness, eating regimen (encouraging youngsters to develop wholesome consuming habits), and arduous work. The latter types the core of the message on this podcast: Work arduous, prepare in jiujitsu, and you’ll finally succeed. This one is focusing on barely older youngsters, in all probability greatest for ages 8 and up. One particular notice: Willink has one other podcast, Jocko Podcast, that’s most undoubtedly not for kids.
But Why
Apple, Google, Stitcher, NPR
Another NPR podcast, But Why goals to reply child questions on all the pieces from nature, politics, tradition, science, even the tip of the world. Your youngsters can submit their very own questions too; directions are on the web site.
Because But Why covers a variety of subjects, I have a tendency to assist out extra with it. Many episodes are greatest suited to barely older youngsters. My youngsters (7 and 5) weren’t about to sit down by way of an episode on what occurs when a president is impeached, for instance, however they did get pleasure from an episode on how we style meals.
Aaron’s World
Apple, Google, Stitcher
One of the few podcasts on this listing that was created by a child, Aaron’s World is a 50-episode audio-drama following the adventures of a boy (Aaron) and his trusty pc sidekick (INO) exploring the prehistoric world of dinosaurs. The episodes give attention to single subjects—e.g., iguanodon, microraptor, sharks—however over the five-year run, some enjoyable bigger story arcs emerged that create a operating plot. All got here from the thoughts of initially 6-year-old Aaron, who stored at it for 5 years. Highly really useful for any child who’s interested by dinosaurs.
Other Great Podcasts and Audio Shows
These days the web is awash in podcasts, with far too many to say intimately right here. That stated, listed here are some others your youngsters might like.
- Saturday Morning Cereal Bowl: Long earlier than our youngsters acquired into storytelling podcasts, they liked this weekly two-hour music present launched each, ahem, Saturday. And I do know what you are considering: youngsters’ music. But it is actually not youngsters’ music, it is simply music youngsters will get pleasure from. This can also be a good way to find music your youngsters love that will not drive you loopy. Did Walkmen co-songwriter Walter Martin has a incredible album for kids? How about The Verve Pipe? Johnny Cash? All these and extra I’ve found by way of Saturday Morning Cereal Bowl.
- Earth Rangers: This podcast has a biology slant however makes a very good pay attention for any youngsters interested by digging within the grime, studying about animals, or listening to tales of the ecosystems in far-off lands. There are episodes on the jungle, the Arctic, and almost all the pieces between. Episodes are usually about quarter-hour every and often sort out a single animal or setting. Earth Ranger might be greatest suited to youngsters who’re a little bit extra mature.
- Molly of Denali: This eight-episode podcast units the backstory for the PBS cartoon of the identical identify. Each episode is about 10 minutes lengthy, and they’re sequential, telling the backstory of Molly Mabray, an Alaska native rising up along with her dad and mom, household, and associates in Alaska.
- Eleanor Amplified: This long-running journey collection options an intrepid reporter named Eleanor Amplified. She focuses on foiling the devious plots of villains. It’s a bit pro-journalist at occasions, in a rah-rah type of approach that is not for everybody, however the tales are fast-paced, entertaining, and within the spirit of old-time radio reveals.
- Live From Mount Olympus: My youngsters have been working their approach by way of the Percy Jackson ebook collection when this arrived, so this Olympian-focused podcast was an prompt hit. It follows the adventures of a younger Perseus, who’s on a quest to avoid wasting his mom from an evil king. Live From Mount Olympus principally sticks to the Greek tales as you could bear in mind them, although there are some extra characters. Live From Mount Olympus is a part of the Trax community, which hosts different youngsters podcasts as effectively.
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