It has a superb mixture of one-off episodes and long-running sequence, which makes it straightforward to search out one thing applicable for your kid’s consideration span. Our youngsters are large followers of the folktales and a few of the longer story sequence.
If you are listening on an Apple system and can afford the $5 a month subscription price (which does get you entry to another podcasts as properly), then Stories Podcast is an efficient possibility. If you are not an Apple person, I counsel skipping this one in favor of a few of the different picks under.
Purple Rocket Podcast
Like Stories Podcast, Purple Rocket Podcast has a mixture of content material with fairly a couple of long-running sequence, 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 every thing from aliens to fairies. Mixed in with the sequence 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 carry the tales to life. These are very a lot within the spirit of previous 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 obtainable so your youngsters can learn alongside whereas listening to enhance literacy.
Greeking Out
The Greeking Out podcast from National Geographic Kids retells traditional Greek myths in kid-friendly type. Recently there have been a few forays into different mythic tales, like Loki from Norse mythology, however it’s primarily Greek. This rapidly grew to become a favourite in our family, although my youngsters had been often not pleased that the variations instructed 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 obtained them interested by how tales change and why there could be totally different variations.
If your kids are into mythological tales, otherwise you need to get them into mythology, this one is very beneficial.
Who, When, Wow!
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 superb mixture of biographies, with every thing 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
Here’s one other inventive story podcast that focuses on folktales from around the globe. 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 may discover an episode of Brains On (listed under) or different youngsters’ podcasts alongside its personal creations.
Circle Round is a little more overt in its value-teaching than a few of the others on this checklist. It routinely delivers some form of message, one thing about kindness, generosity, or different shared American cultural values. Teaching morality is among the fundamental functions of folktales, however right here I discover it just a little heavy-handed at occasions.
Story Pirates
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 may 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 website, which has hyperlinks to the guide sequence (for middle-grade youngsters), data on reside reveals, and pirate T-shirts.
Story Seeds
Story Seeds is a comparatively new podcast, and it is a bit totally different from the others; slightly 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 guide writer. They meet up in particular person and collaborate to put in writing 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 few of the remainder of these, however there’s over two dozen episodes obtainable.
Fierce Girls
Apple, (*13*)
This Australian podcast is dedicated to showcasing true tales of Australian girls. From athletes to spies, Fierce Girls usually promotes a unifying theme of adventurous women with “guts and spirit.” While the tales are all applicable for youngsters and not graphic, the hosts do not shrink back from telling tales as they occur. In some instances, you may need to hear first to ensure a narrative is acceptable for your kids’s maturity stage. That mentioned, our 9-year-old twins love them.
Planet Storytime
Offering a mixture of traditional 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 complete month’s value of content material—excellent for getting an hour or so to your self.
Brains On
This science podcast is geared toward youngsters, although I’ll be trustworthy, I’ve realized lots from it as properly. 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 manner and not using a compass, and even the place poo and pee go whenever you flush the bathroom.
There’s a sequence known as “Smash Boom Best” wherein two issues are pitted in opposition to one another and your child can choose their favourite. For instance, Loki was recently pitted against Athena. This podcast might be greatest suited for barely older youngsters.
Warrior Kid Podcast
The Warrior Kid Podcast isn’t for everybody, however my youngsters actually just like the question-and-answer format of this podcast, which relies on the books of the identical identify. The writer 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 guide sequence, answering youngsters’ questions on every thing 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, weight loss plan (encouraging youngsters to develop wholesome consuming habits), and onerous work. The latter types the core of the message on this podcast: Work onerous, prepare in jiujitsu, and you’ll ultimately succeed. This one is focusing on barely older youngsters, in all probability greatest for ages 8 and up. One particular be aware: Willink has one other podcast, Jocko Podcast, that’s most positively not for kids.
But Why
Another NPR podcast, But Why goals to reply child questions on every thing from nature, politics, tradition, science, even the top of the world. Your youngsters can submit their very own questions too; directions are on the website.
Because But Why covers a variety of matters, 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
One of the few podcasts on this checklist 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 deal with single matters—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 saved at it for 5 years. Highly beneficial for any child who’s occupied with 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 mentioned, listed below are some others your youngsters might like.
- Saturday Morning Cereal Bowl: Long earlier than our youngsters obtained into storytelling podcasts, they beloved 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 be a good way to find music your youngsters love that will not drive you loopy. Did you understand Walkmen co-songwriter Walter Martin has a fantastic album for children? 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 superb hear for any youngsters occupied with 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 every thing between. Episodes are usually about quarter-hour every and often deal with a single animal or atmosphere. Earth Ranger might be greatest suited to youngsters who’re just a little 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 mother and father, household, and associates in Alaska.
- Eleanor Amplified: This long-running journey sequence options an intrepid reporter named Eleanor Amplified. She makes a speciality of foiling the devious plots of villains. It’s a bit pro-journalist at occasions, in a rah-rah form of manner 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 had been working their manner by way of the Percy Jackson guide sequence 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 save lots of his mom from an evil king. Live From Mount Olympus principally sticks to the Greek tales as it’s possible you’ll keep 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 properly.
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