We’re all about connection and conversation in our home, but sometimes the kids aren’t chatty. They’re tired from school, frustrated by weekend errands or real talk, they’re fighting which raises the sound a billion decibels too high for me.
Or frankly, we’re tired from all the loud chatter (ahem, fighting) and we need a few moments to refocus. To gather our thoughts or we need something we can all enjoy without playing KidzBop again.
Podcasts to the rescue. We’ve listened to lots of entertaining, yet mildly annoying podcasts that feature a dog detective or ones that explore the deep sea, interesting but not captivating.
What our kids love most is a good story. Surprise surprise.
Here are our favorite diverse podcasts for kids 9 and under:
Our kids, 8 & and 5-year-olds, love the podcast series, Adventures of Cairo, which follows 7-year-old Cairo Carter around on his adventures in friendship, the value of a dollar, family dynamics, and relationships with his older brother. The episodes are short, under 15 minutes, making it easy to transition a car of grumpy or arguing children and refocus the car ride on a story and a lesson to be learned.
This 8-episode mystery show features a 10-year-old Keyshawn who was gifted a set of keys passed down from generations of locksmiths that can unlock almost any door. Together with his friend Kiki, the two work to solve a mystery that’s set to ruin the Juneteenth Bike Parade. Bits of history, and lessons about friendship, responsibility, and self-worth make it a great conversation reference point down the line. Which has come in handy for me on more than one occasion!
Our beloved PBS show, Arthur, has a podcast and it is the perfect answer to the moments when the kids beg to watch a show. Sigh. The familiarity of the characters, Elwood City, and the short episodes make it feel like you’re watching TV when in fact you’re headed to Costco on a busy Saturday morning.
We just discovered this podcast series on the way home from school the other day! “The Holidays” tells the story of a family that runs a party-planning store and celebrates all the quirky holidays like National Chip Day. It’s a fun unless you’re an emerging teen unsure if it’s cool to wear a chip costume outside the family store. I love how the main character, 12 year old Clementine, shares openly with her Mom how she’s feeling which is a trait I like being modeled to our kids. Good news, this morning the kids asked to listen to “their podcast”!
Other favorites that aren’t focused on diverse themes or storylines, but are real winners include:
Chompers: This phenomenal morning and night tooth-brushing show is funny, and interesting and helps the kids stay engaged while they brush their teeth.
Smash Boom Best: A debate show perfect for kids who want to talk Pikachu vs. Mario and tucked between each round are comical commercial breaks that introduce debate techniques and vocabulary.
Last, but not least. My husband George and I’s favorite kid podcast:
Whose Amazing Life: This storytelling podcast tells of the real-life journeys of famous people, dropping clues to their identity, but their identity isn’t revealed until the end of the episode. Our kids are all ears, though they usually can’t guess the identity but find it funny when George and I compete to see who can guess it first.
We’re always on the search for the next podcast, what’s your favorite diverse kid’s podcast? We’re all ears as we pack the moving truck to head up North this week!
In this with you,
Elicia
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