[2020] The BEST Podcasts for Kid Learning & Much More

We’ve always been a huge fan of audiobooks and podcasts. A great way to spend family time and to get a little learning into the day (for all of us).

Over the years, podcasts became a fundamental part of our days at home learning and entertainment.

Plus podcasts are an amazing way to ignite a child’s interest, to engage kids in learning, and to take knowledge to the next level of understanding.

Below are podcasts I love to use in our learning including family-friendly podcasts, podcasts for toddlers, podcasts for tweens, learning podcasts, kids story podcasts, and so much more.

Related Post: Podcasts Kids Love & Parents Approve

How to Use Podcasts for Learning

Start the Day

There are many family podcasts ripe for starting the day.

We love to start the day over breakfast easing into the day with a news bite, Word of the Day, Latin Root of the Day, and a History of the Day Fact. Each of these episodes is 2 to 3 minutes and ignites conversation as well as a desire to learn more.

Introduce & Add to a Lesson

Podcasts are such a great way to spark a new unit!

For example, want to learn about the human body? Check out Bones from the Inside Out.

Want to learn about the honeybee? Check out The Buzz on Bees!

How about a unit on whales? But Why’s episodes are an amazing way to introduce the topic to children.

Debate & Discuss

You can use the same podcast across a wide range of ages. Listen, discuss, and debate. For older kids, use this debate template from Smash Boom Best as a guide.

Research

Listen, discuss, think, write, and research. Again useful for a wide range of ages and developmental stages.

Best Podcasts for Kids

Best Podcasts for Homeschooling

Read Aloud Revival

I am so excited for this language arts podcast. It invites discussion, builds community, and inspires budding readers and their families.

Raising Lifelong Learners

Are you raising a little poppy? Homeschooling and parenting a gifted child is not a walk in the park. This podcast provides the support, encouragement, community, and resources every parent of a gifted child needs in their journey.

Brave Learner

My go-to podcast to help me keep my homeschooling head above the water. Julie Bogart provides an air of confidence and somehow gets me to ground my feet again. Plus she provides a rock-solid community for homeschooling parents.

KidNuz

KidNuz is a great resource to add to your daily schedule. Veteran journalists created KidNuz because they believed that kids deserve a newscast all their own.

KidNuz delivers current events and offers the opportunity to engage, to be curious, to think critically, and to ignite discussion on issues relevant to them.

Debate Podcast for Kids

Smash Boom Best

Smash Boom Best is one of my newest educational podcasts for kids, classrooms, and families. Not only does each episode showcase debate between fun topics such as rainbows versus flowers, drums versus guitars, and chocolate versus cheese.

Every episode takes two intriguing items, brings the topics together, and lets you decide which is best. The carefully chosen debaters use facts and passion to make their case. One of the best learning podcasts for kids, teaching listeners how to defend their own opinions along the way.

Philosophy Podcast for Kids

But Why?

But Why? is an engaging podcast for curious kids by kids. This podcast answers kids’ biggest most interesting questions about the world including ideas around nature, language, government, and the universe.

The show recently added learning guides and coloring sheets as a resource to parents and teachers.

Wow in the World

Hosts Mindy Thomas and Guy Raz guide curious kids and their grown-ups on a journey into the wonders of the world around them. We’ll go inside our brains, out into space, and deep into the coolest new stories in science and technology.

The Big Fib

My kids love this show. Each episode is not only hilarious but clever. Kids have to figure out who’s the expert and who is making facts up about cool topics such as language, roller coasters, lizards, caves, bread, the American flags, turtles, denim, soap, hip hop, archery, and so much more.

Podcasts about Food

Mystery Recipe

Created by America’s Test Kitchen, Mystery Recipe, is full of “all about food” fun and facts for kids and adults! Each episode has an ingredient theme that builds up to a mystery recipe cook along!

Science Podcasts for Kids

RadioLab for Kids

RadioLab for Kids is carefully curated to include family-friendly RadioLab episodes. RadioLab is an all-time favorite for their scientific investigations, making the love of scientific learning and living for all.

BrainsOn! [5 to 12 years old]

BrainsOn! is perhaps the leading science podcast for kids. I got to tell you, however, I learn a ton every time I listen to an episode.

The hosts are wonderfully talented in presenting interesting topics often curated by kids. This podcast breaks down the 101 on poop, emotions, the Earth, plants, weather, and so much more.

Tumble Science [5 to 12 years old]

Tumble is a science podcast for kids that the whole family will enjoy! Tumble Science discusses scientific discoveries led by real scientists. These episodes are the real deal.

Becoming Mother Nature

I love this podcast! It is so engaging and full of gentle learning. When Chloe goes to live with her grandmother, she learns a secret. Grandma Ivy is a little mysterious and eccentric but she is also none other than Mother Nature herself!

Can a 12-year-old learn to balance the entire world’s ecosystem while just trying to fit in at her new school? Only Mother Nature knows.

Earth Rangers

The Earth Rangers is hosted by a wildlife biologist named Emma. She explores the mysteries of nature all around the world’s magnificent biomes and ecosystems.

This show reminds me of Wild Kratts but with a twist. The animated host brings in experts to answer questions about zoology, biology, botany, and much more.

Podcasts to Teach Kids About Money

Planet Money

Now that my kids are entering middle school, this podcast catches their ears. Teaching kids basic economics is a key ingredient in building a strong foundation of life skills. Planet Money has always made learning about money and economics actually kind of fun and definitely interesting.

Million Bazillion

A podcast about money for kids and their families. We help dollars make more sense. This podcast tackles financial responsibility with a hands-on “take ownership” style that I adore.

Topics such as negotiation, how to save, what advertising is all about, and so much more. Million Bazillion is one of the best podcasts for learning real-life practical skills.

Language Podcast for Kids

Word of the Day

Word of the Day by Merriam-Webster is my go-to for a brain nugget at the start of the day. The episodes are short and sweet typically 3 minutes in length.

Latin Root of the Day

Ugg! The nerd in me looks forward to this podcast every day! Super short and to the point. What is not to love?

A Way With Words

A super fun radio show and podcast about language examined through family, history, and culture.

Story Podcasts

Noodle Leaf

Noodle Loaf is a play-based world of music, created by musician, early childhood music educator, and children’s book author, Dan Saks.

Rebel Girls

Bedtime stories of incredible women to inspire young Rebels. Not only a great podcast for girls but one to which I am proud to have my sons’ learn and listen!

This American Life

This American Life was my first love many many years ago. How long, you ask? Well, I used to record the episodes on cassette! True story. Amazing stories.

Part fiction.

Part non-fiction.

The show has a specifically curated list of episodes for kids ranging from first-day jitters to babysitters to middle school to make-believe.

We’ve got you covered…

Eleanor Amplified [8 to 12 years old]

Eleanor Amplified is a super fun adventure series for the whole family. Listen together as our hero, the world-famous radio reporter Eleanor Amplified foils devious plots and outwits crafty villains, all in pursuit of the big story.

Eleanor will spark laughter and conversation the whole family will enjoy while preparing kids to appreciate journalism and make smart media choices in the future.

What if World [4 to 8 years old]

What If World is a storytelling podcast for kids inspired by questions from kids.

What if a tiny dragon lived in my closet?

What if there were a never-ending bowl of ice cream?

What if cats ruled the world?

Not only an entertaining podcast but also inspiring to budding creative writers.

Circle Round [2 to 102 years old]

I love these stories! Totally engaging for kids and adults. This show was created and produced by parents of young children. The hosts adapt folktales from around the world into sound- and music-rich radio plays for kids.

Each episode explores important issues like kindness, persistence, and generosity, and ends with an activity that inspires a deeper conversation between children and grown-ups.

Story Pirates [2 to 102 years old]

The Story Pirates are a nationally renowned group of top comedians, musicians, best-selling authors, and incredible teachers with fifteen years of experience creating content that celebrates the imaginations of kids.

Common Descent

One of my latest discoveries!

When we study life, past or present, we talk a lot about species, their evolution, their diversity, their extinction, and more. But we don’t often slow down to discuss what we really mean by that.

What is a species?

How and where do new species arise?

It turns out this topic is much more complicated – and controversial! – then it may seem.

Big Life Kids

Big Life Kids podcast helps kids develop a GROWTH MINDSET! Episode titles include Be the Kid Who Never Gives Up and Build Bridges of POSITIVITY addressing topics such as using adversity to become stronger and failure to be better.

Each episode also includes additional growth mindset resources such as books, videos, and so much more!

History Podcasts

Young Ben Franklin

Before he was Benjamin Franklin, inventor and statesman, he was just Ben, a boy in Colonial Boston with an adventurous spirit, a curious mind…and a penchant for getting into trouble.

Meet our most endearing founding father at fourteen; a charming rebel years away from discovering the ageless sayings and brilliant inventions that made him famous.

When Ben and his friends stumble upon a mysterious letter leading to a legendary treasure, he’ll have to use his wits and bravery to outsmart the cruel British governor of Massachusetts.

Bedtime History

I appreciate the sentiment behind this history podcast for kids. As a parent, I am busy and some days I am left with bedtime as one of the only quality time I have to spend with my kids.

On a typical night, we talk, read magazines, do puzzles together, and listen to audiobooks. Bedtime History adds to the joy of this time as the podcast tells true historical stories in an engaging and concise fashion.

This bedtime stories podcast includes episodes include Athens versus Sparta, Mona Lisa, Sitting Bull, The Great Wall of China, and Albert Einstein.

The Past & the Curious

These hosts take history learning to a whole new level. They believe the stories from our collective past have the power to transform people today.

What do you think? I am 100% on board!

They share “true stories of inspiration, humor, and the incredible achievements of all types of people, many of which are sadly under-shared, and to do so in an easily accessible and diverse manner.”

The hosts use short audio-based stories, music, their website, and illustrated children’s books to ignite a child’s desire and curiosity to learn more.

Don’t stop at kids though. This show will intrigue adults, too!

History Unplugged

History Unplugged celebrates unsung heroes, myth busts historical lies, and rediscovers the forgotten stories that changed our world.

Forever Ago

Brains On presents Forever Ago®, a history show for the whole family! Every episode explores the origin of just one thing — like sandwiches, video games, clocks, and more — while teaching listeners to think critically about history.

Comedy Podcast for Kids

Spitballers

These three dads will make you laugh as they discuss ridiculous topics, answer life’s most difficult questions, and dish out life advice that you should never, ever take. We all need a little nonsense in our everyday lives.

Meditation Podcast for Kids

Best Day Yet

Best Day Yet is the perfect way to start a day with kids! Each episode is about 15 minutes long and takes kids on affirmation adventures that help form meditation, growth mindset, and positive self-talk strategies.

This podcast guides kids to create habits that boost confidence, achieve goals, and face adversity like a champ!