Diksha Sundriyal
Kids, these days, are difficult. Only a decade or two ago, times were simpler. Your kid either wanted to study or play outside. Watching TV was another thing, but it could be controlled. The situation has drastically changed since then. Now, kids are surrounded by technology and they are adapting to it faster than one can anticipate. You can only stop them from this exposure to only a certain extent. Instead of not allowing them to use phones and computers, what you should rather focus on is how to turn the situation into your favour. Get them hooked to the good things — educational stuff. Podcasts prove very useful here. Specifically targeted for children, these podcasts have high educational value with the strong entertainment factor. If they are going to be on the phone all day, they might as well be indulged in something meaningful. So, here’s the list of top kids podcasts. You can listen to several of these best kids podcasts on iTunes, Stitcher, Spotify or even YouTube for free.
15. Peace Out- Relaxation and Mindfulness Stories for Kids (2017- present)
Meditation is a very useful thing, especially for kids with hyperactive personalities. Some children also suffer from anxiety and anger issues, and this podcast proves helpful in calming them down. In somewhat meditative sort of way, this podcast tells a story that helps the kids calm down. Certain breathing techniques are introduced, tricks that children can easily inculcate in their routine. It also educates them about the importance of mindfulness and how they can achieve it. It is a relaxation method for children and can also be used in building their concentration. You can access all episodes of ‘Peace Out’ here.
14. Little Stories for Tiny People (2015- present)
Children love stories. They want you to tell it to them before going to sleep. They build their own stories and invent all sorts of games about kings and pirates and superheroes and robots. Whether you are a parent who is too tired to read anything, or if you are a teacher who wants to break the ice between you and the children but just doesn’t know how then ‘Little Stories for Tiny People’ is the podcast for you. Beautifully written and amazingly performed, it is sure to receive the love of any child. You can listen to all episodes of this podcast here.
13. Circle Round (2017-present)
If you want to know how to handle your kid, you seek advice from other parents. Only a person who has kids can truly understand what must be going through with your kids. ‘Circle Round’ is built keeping that in mind. It is produced by parents and features some of the best folktales from all over the world. It has great sound effects and the music is catchy too. The stories are narrated in a very interesting manner and your child will be hooked to it pretty easily. The episodes are very short, so there is no problem of the child’s short attention span. Moreover, every story comes with a moral. Kindness, morality, persistence, friendship – these are the things that your child will learn about from this podcast. You can listen to all its episodes here.
12. What If World (2016- present)
The fantastic imagination of kids allows them to ask a lot of questions. What if the world was upside down? What if animals could speak? What if we could fly? What if there were really dragons in the world? You can’t indulge all these fantasies. But ‘What If World’ can. This podcast is made for children who live in an alternate world where everything and anything is possible. Every episode presents a different, and rather intriguing, scenario. Even you might be enticed to listen to this. That wouldn’t be such a bad thing, really. You can turn it into a family thing! You can listen to all episodes of this podcast here.
11. Five Minutes with Dad (2014- present)
If you want to understand your kid better, you need to forge a friendship with them. However, every kid is of a different character and you need to figure out the best course of action in forming a bond with them. ‘Five Minutes with Dad’ teaches you that. It features a father-son duo who talk about a lot of things. You can listen to it with your child and begin the bonding process at once. It also provides you with great ideas about how to spend a purposeful day with your kid; and what all activities you can plan with them. You can listen to all episodes of this podcast here.
10. But Why: A Podcast for Curious Kids (2016- present)
Children ask a lot of questions. Their curiosity might become irritating sometimes, but you need to encourage it. Of course, once the question is asked, you also need to answer it. Sometimes, you have answers. But most of the times, the questions seem rather odd and you don’t know what to say! Or worse, the question might actually be legit and you start wondering why you didn’t ask that question to someone before. In order to help you out with these questions, ‘But Why’ is the podcast for you. It answers questions like what sets boys and girls apart. Why is one afraid of darkness? Why should children not eat sugar? You can listen to all episodes of this podcast here.
9. The Radio Adventures of Dr Floyd (2004- present)
This is one of the longest running podcasts and can be enjoyed by both young and adults. This could be a choice for a family podcast night! It is entertaining and informative and is full of a great adventure. At the centre of its story is a genius scientist named Dr Floyd. He is in a constant tussle with his archnemesis named Dr Steve, who keeps coming up with new ways to destroy the world. In every episode, the hero is pitted against the villain and an exciting showdown is called for. Meanwhile, we also get to learn about the history of the world! You can catch all episodes of ‘The Radio Adventure of Dr Floyd’ here.
8. Book Club for Kids (2017- present)
If there is one podcast in this list that I would choose for myself (don’t even care about my kid), it is this. Books are the best thing in the world and you should make your child inculcate a habit for reading. Reading books never hurt anyone and joining a book club is the best place to make great friends. ‘Book Club for Kids’ is an award-winning podcast. In every episode, it has some kids brought together for a reading and discussion session. Celebrity readers often join the group and you also get to hear from the author as they add some insights to the discussion. You can listen to the podcast here.
7. KidNuZ (2019- present)
It is very important for us to keep our children updated about what is happening in the world. However, we also have to be careful about how much we tell them. We want them to be aware of the world around them, but at the same time, we want to protect them from the horrors of it. For such a scenario, we have a news podcast just for the kids. The turns and tides of the world are too important to be missed by anyone. Moreover, as the children grow, they will need to already have the information to begin to understand the world on their own. This daily newscast runs just for five minutes and gives an age-appropriate account of everything that is happening in the world right now. From science and politics to health and entertainment, every section is covered in this podcast. You can listen to all its episodes here.
6. Timestorm (2019- present)
Who doesn’t love science fiction? Even though they might not have grasped the true concept of the things that are being portrayed in the story, children do find sci-fi stories fascinating. It is also a great way of introducing them to some complex concepts in a simple manner. If your child likes sci-fi, then you should make them listen to ‘Timestorm’. This podcast has another factor that makes it even better. It involves two twins travelling back in time. This means there will be a solid history lesson here. Moreover, the description of the podcast does mention “remember their culture’s true history”. Science and history in one place — I don’t see how a kid wouldn’t like this.
5. Noodle Loaf (2018- present)
This podcast is for kids around ten years or younger. It is a great way to catch your kid’s interest. It has music and the topics are quite informative and engaging for a child. There are other kids in the show talking about all sorts of stuff. If your kid has trouble interacting with other kids, then this could be a good way to get them to interact. They are not talking to anyone here, but listening to the voice of other kids might ease them up and help them build friendships in school. There are a couple of other sections that cover interesting topics and will make your child more informed. All episodes of ‘Noodle Loaf’ are available here.
4. Fate and Fablemaidens (2018- present)
Children have an active imagination. They create impossible worlds and fill them with unimaginable creatures. Come to think of it, they might actually be more imaginative than adults. You can use this overactive imagination to indulge your child in ‘Fate and Fablemaidens’. It is the fifth edition podcast of Dungeons and Dragons, and what could be a more fascinating game than that? Set in another world with mysterious creatures, every episode moves the story forward by an inch. The narration of the story demands their attention and they have to work their brain in order to fully understand the picture. You can get all the episodes of this podcast here.
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3. Flyest Fables (2018- present)
This is another fantasy podcast with a very interesting premise. The protagonist of this story is a boy named Antoine. He is young and frail and is often bullied at school. One day, he stumbles upon a magical book. When he opens it, he finds himself transported to a magical land. Here, he meets Princess Keisha and finds out that it is her kingdom, called Orleans. Keisha employs his help in a very important matter – to find her mother. This marks the beginning of an epic adventure that even an adult can enjoy. You can listen to all the episodes of ‘Flyest Fables’ here.
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2. Eleanor Amplified (2016- present)
So, you like the idea of podcasts and want your kids to start listening to something. But the problem is that the kid is not that interested. No one’s at fault here, though. One has to develop a taste for this. What’s the best course of action now? Listen to a podcast together, as a family. We have a podcast for this situation as well. ‘Eleanor Amplified’ is a great story that you can all listen to together. It follows the story of a journalist who finds out a devious plan to ruin the world. She is the only one who can stop it. Not only does this podcast present an engaging story, but it also informs your child about journalism and media. You can listen to all its episodes here.
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1. The Past and the Curious: A History Podcast for Kids and Families (2016- present)
Most kids are turned off from studies because the teachers are extremely boring. They don’t ignite the fire of curiosity among the students and consequently, the children hate the subject forever. With this podcast, you can change the views of your child about history. If your child is already a curious being, then all the better. In this podcast, we get to learn about some fun facts from history. We learn the stories of some awesome spies; we learn about some great historical figures and their interesting habits; we also get to learn about birds and even food. Your kid will not be bored for one second while listening to this podcast. You can catch all its episodes here.
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