School’s out! 16 fun and wholesome podcasts for the entire family
While school’s out for summer, throw on a podcast to keep you and your kids entertained on the go. We’ve rounded up some interesting shows suitable for folks of all ages.
For educational listens, check out “But Why: A Podcast for Curious Kids,” the history podcast “Forever Ago,” or the science series “Tumble Science Podcast for Kids.” “The Genius Generation” chats with young inventors, entrepreneurs, and bright minds doing amazing things. For parenting tools, check out “Good Inside with Dr. Becky” and “Parents Tip of the Day.”
Put your whole family’s knowledge to the test with “Family Road Trip Trivia Podcast” or embark on a storytelling celebration with “Cultureverse.”
But Why: A Podcast for Curious Kids
Vermont Public Radio’s “But Why: A Podcast for Curious Kids” is breaking down questions big and small all about the world. The podcast is hosted by kids who answer listeners’ questions on nature, words, sports, animals, and more. Check out over 180 episodes running less than 25 minutes on average.
Good Inside with Dr. Becky
Clinical psychologist and mom Dr. Becky Kennedy answers parenting questions and offers advice on “Good Inside with Dr. Becky.” Dr. Becky is joined by guests like Nedra Tawwab to share tips on boundaries, holding your authority, and developing a stronger bond with your child. In short episodes, she’ll give parents advice on helping their child develop necessary skillsets to succeed in the world.
Page Flippers Take on the World
From Brooklyn Public Library comes “Page Flippers Take on the World,” a reading series for kids aged 4 to 10. The podcast is hosted by two BPL librarians and real kids to encourage reading, boost kids’ confidence, and share plenty of songs and jokes. Tune in for biweekly episodes, less than 25 minutes each.
Parents Tip of the Day
From setting social media boundaries with your teen to safe swimming tips for summer, The New Parenthood’s “Parents Tip of the Day” offers daily parenting advice. The experts from Parents.com and Parents Magazine have a whole slew of tips for parents of all ages in topical episodes.
Camp Redrum
“Camp Redrum” is a spooktacular fiction series from ABF Fam. The story starts when kids break into an abandoned camp only to find the janitor, Eli, trapped in its grounds. Eli convinces the kids to help and lures them with scary stories. Will Eli ever find out what mysterious circumstances have bound him to the camp forever, and will he find a way to leave?
Story Pirates
Gimlet’s “Story Pirates” turns kids’ stories into songs and sketch comedies in weekly episodes. The series hopes to spark kids’ creativity and deliver laughs for the whole family. In episodes, you’ll hear from comedians, songwriters, celebrity guests, and interviews with kids behind the stories.
Cultureverse
Myths, legends, and our cultural past are brought to life on Pod Squad’s “Cultureverse,” a storytelling celebration. Every episode, a kid meets an otherworldly creature, folk character, or myth from their culture, and they learn about themselves. The podcast perfectly balances kid-friendly life lessons with honoring international cultures around the globe.
Disney Magic of Storytelling
Magical cast members perform classic Disney songs on “Disney Magic of Storytelling.” Hear Snow White’s adventures with a wishing well, the Royal Detective of Jalpur’s upcoming ball, 101 Dalmatians, and more. Recent episodes in the podcast’s feed shared educational episodes from “National Geographic Kids WHY?” This series is presented by ABC11-WTVD.
Dream Big Podcast
Mother and daughter duo, Eva and Olga Karpman, want to inspire everyone to focus on their passions and make their dreams a reality. 10-year-old Eva and her mom chat with performers and other guests who took action and are thrilled to live their dreams like America’s Got Talent finalist Kechi Okwuchi. In solo episodes, Eva answers listeners’ questions, shares life lessons, and personal development tools.
The Genius Generation
Some of the world’s coolest inventions like Braille, popsicles, trampolines, and snowmobiles were created by young people. Pod Squad presents “The Genius Generation,” a weekly podcast highlighting young entrepreneurs, innovative kids, teens who’ve made discoveries, and more. Stephanie Castillo hosts season 2 and is sitting down with serial entrepreneurs, child prodigies, non-profit founders, and more young people who are changing the world. With short and sweet episodes under 15 minutes each, the series is great for car rides.
Family Road Trip Trivia Podcast
Girl’s Girls Media’s “Family Road Trip Trivia Podcast” is a blast for the whole family. Test your knowledge on over 100 fun categories like SpongeBob SquarePants, Disney villains, Roblox, Fortnite, dinosaurs, Moana, and much more. The series is hosted by Brittany Gibbons.
Forever Ago
“Forever Ago” dives into the history of seemingly ordinary things ranging from shoes to ice cream flavors to the Rubik’s Cube and more. Learn about everyday topics with fascinating backstories like video games, emojis, clocks, umbrellas, and more. Tune in for new episodes this June, running less than 30 minutes on average.
Smash Boom Best
If you’ve ever found your family debating topics like basketball vs. baseball, ghosts vs. zombies, Pikachu vs. Mario, or spaceships vs. submarines, this podcast is for y’all. American Public Media’s “Smash Boom Best” is a one-of-a-kind debate podcast taking two cool topics, letting debaters argue their chosen sides, then let you decide the winner. The podcast also teaches listeners debate skills like how to defend opinions. Season 5 launches on July 7.
Duolingo Spanish Podcast
“Duolingo Spanish Podcast” is for English speakers learning Spanish, sharing bi-lingual stories for language learners with some foundational Spanish skills. This series is hosted by NPR’s “Radio Ambulante” co-founder Martina Castro and has released over 110 episodes under 30 minutes each.
Tumble Science Podcast for Kids
Why do cats purr? What if oceans didn’t exist? Why do bubbles have shadows? Science journalist Lindsay Patterson and teacher Marshall Escamilla explore these kinds of questions on “Tumble Science Podcast for Kids,” a discovery series fit for the whole family. Check out the podcast’s educational archive of over 180 episodes under 25 minutes each.
Six Minutes
Wondery Kids presents “Six Minutes,” a fictional adventure. In this mystery series, 11-year-old Holiday is rescued from icy, Alaskan waters and cannot remember anything. As Holiday questions reality, her family, and what her real backstory is, she finds herself developing special powers and realizes she’s not alone.