The whole family is spending a week-long vacation at grandma’s, where the entertainment options are slim. Or it’s a school break and the children are home, and they keep complaining about being so boooooored. Or maybe you just need something to keep your kids occupied while you take some time for yourself, but you're reluctant to put on another cartoon.
Enter educational podcasts for kids. Like audiobooks, podcasts can be an effective learning tool for little ones—helping to expand vocabulary, strengthen reading comprehension, and cultivate creativity, imagination, and the capacity for problem-solving. Plus, they're convenient. Aside from a phone or tablet, you don’t need a special device to access podcasts.
Whether your child is two or 12, if you’re hesitant to break out a textbook or looking to take a break from screens, we’ve got you covered. We’ve curated the best educational podcasts for kids (and the adults who teach them) to help make learning fun and entertaining. Using storytelling, song, science, and/or silliness, these podcasts will not only educate but also help inspire, soothe, and impart valuable lessons to your young ones. In our list, we’ve also included ideas for the best moments or situations to listen to the podcast—for example, while on a road trip, doing laundry, or to help introduce a new language.
While we’ve segmented the list by age group—toddler/preschool (two to five years old), early learners (ages six and seven), and middle grade (ages eight to 12)—these guidelines are simply suggestions. Some podcasts may be appropriate for kids of all ages, while others contain content more relevant for children at specific developmental stages. Consider your own kid, and go with what works best for your family!
Educational Podcasts for Kids—Toddler/Preschool
This Audible Original podcast from the creators of Lellobee City Farm will absolutely enchant your preschooler. Listen in with them as Grandma Mei shares magical stories from around that globe that immerse littles ones in the beauty of the natural world and shine a light on diverse cultures.
Great for: dreaming of adventure while riding in the car
If host Abbe Opher’s soothing voice is not reason enough to give it a try, consider that Koko Sleep was created to help children fall asleep faster. The meditations and short stories are calming, accompanied by soft, relaxing music perfect for nap time or bedtime. The show features the adorable Koko the Koala along with his friends, like The Yeti Who Loved Spaghetti and the Jupiter Twins, as well as storybook characters, such as the three little pigs. Koko Sleep is a magical show with a charming narrator.
Great for: introducing mindfulness to little ones
From the well-known and beloved Sesame Workshop comes the newest monster on the scene—Foley! Along with her microphone, Mikee, and her friends Elmo, Cookie Monster, Abby, and Grover, Foley will capture your heart with her unique voice, which she uses to make fun yet realistic noises, like a roaring tiger or a race car. As with the Sesame Street show, there are requisite tunes, jokes with Elmo, and games (tongue twisters, for example), as well as a theme/topic, such as kindness. And the episodes are the perfect length for younger kids—though older siblings will likely enjoy the content too.
Great for: listening while coloring
Not solely for bedtime, Little Stories for Tiny People is a delightful listen for any time of the day. Whimsical, humorous, and thoughtfully written by Rhea Pechter, the podcast features original kids' stories and characters, such as Little Hedgehog who embarks on all kinds of adventures from camping trips to New Year's celebrations. Tales explore topics such as conservation, adoption, feelings (“the sads,” frustration), and more. It's filled with fun performances to captivate the whole family.
Great for: listening together after family dinner
At the height of the Covid-19 pandemic, Michael & The Rockness Monsters, founded by Michael Napolitano, live-streamed “House Party Variety Show” performances on social media—and became a hit with families around the world. Not only is the music on the podcast catchy (kids will be singing along in no time!), but the storylines are captivating as well. Listeners will travel the world, from Dublin to New Delhi, and discover instruments like the jarana, nyatiti, surdo, and taiko drum. Imaginative, creative, and the right amount of silly, Michael & The Rockness Monsters World Tour is an upbeat show the whole family will enjoy.
Great for: singing along
An original podcast from the educational experts at Highlights Magazine, Lola Chick is perfect for young preschoolers. In each episode, Lola, along with Abuelita Hen and her other friends in Chicken Meadow, takes listeners on a memorable adventure—camping, marching in a big parade, delivering vegetable sopa to a friend, dancing at a quinceañera, and more. Along with bilingual (Spanish and English) dialogue, this show has lively music, which makes for an all-around engaging learning experience.
Great for: learning a new language
Educational Podcasts for Kids—Early Learners
Featuring kid detective siblings Mike and Cleo McClue, who solve mysteries such as “The Case of the Haunted Orchard” and “The Case of the Sneaky Sneaker,” each episode of Highlights Mystery Theater has fun music, sound effects, and an entertaining cast of voice actors. The series is engaging, suspenseful, and clever, without edging into TOO scary territory, as well as the perfect length (15 minutes or so) for kids around six to seven years old. This podcast is also a great pick for grown-up fans of iconic young sleuths like Nancy Drew who want to share that experience with a cherished child.
Great for: quick car rides
For grown-up fans of podcasts like Modern Love (also produced by WBUR), this show is a lovely addition to your family’s listening rotation. Circle Round thoughtfully adapts folktales from countries around the world—Ukraine, India, and Ghana, to name a few—for kids ages four through 10 and delivers them in engaging 20-minute episodes, each ending with a follow-up activity and conversation-starter for families. Bonus: the storytellers are often well-known personalities, such as comedian Margaret Cho and food writer Samin Nosrat. Circle Round is entertaining, educational, and wonderfully representative of a wide range of cultures.
Great for: international travel and exploring family heritage
If you have a curious kid whose tastes veer toward the eccentric, check out What If World. The host, Mr. Eric, shares silly but uplifting stories inspired by questions from real kids—in fact, your kids can submit their wacky questions by phone (205-605-WHAT) or email (whatifworldpodcast@gmail.com). Each episode features lovable characters, like JFCat, and a relevant lesson, such as teamwork or self-acceptance. And the interactive format makes for brilliant, imaginative storytelling.
Great for: after-school unwinding
On this podcast, cohosts Jacob and 8-year-old Olivia have a lot of fun answering questions like, “Who invented ice cream?” and “Are mushrooms a fruit?” and “Can a chicken really survive without its head?” A delightful, lighthearted show, Curious Kid does not sacrifice learning for laughter—it's informative yet perfectly digestible for young minds and provides ample opportunities for offline discussion.
Great for: listening while doing chores
Ask Arizona, another original from the educational experts at Highlights, is an “advice column” podcast featuring a fictional tween, Arizona. The format is simple and engaging—kids email questions and concerns, and then Arizona, with help from her friends Mareya and Ollie and her siblings Tex and Indi, responds in fun, kind ways. Ask Arizona promotes problem-solving, independence, how to build healthy friendships, and other valuable social skills.
Great for: slumber parties
Educational Podcasts for Kids—Middle Grade
Based on the characters from Highlights Magazine, this podcast features Goofus and Gallant (identical twins) along with their younger sister Gigi, in a modern take on a classic comic. Presented in an old-school radio show format, the remade podcast is memorable and quirky, with each episode lasting about 20 minutes. While the stories are lighthearted, each includes a central moral, making Goofus & Gallant an appealing option for wholesome listening.
Great for: screen-free babysitting entertainment
Renowned hosts Mindy Thomas and Guy Raz share the latest in science, technology, and innovation in this acclaimed podcast. With series specials such as summer camp and Earth Week, Wow in the World is highly educational yet also humorous, covering the “who, what, when, where, why, how, and wow” on intriguing topics as varied as robotic fish and misophonia (also known as selective sound sensitivity syndrome). Bonus: Kids can print a free WOW-sheet to complete while listening to the podcast!
Great for: summer vacation and holiday breaks
An award-winning science and history podcast for kids, Brains On! is hosted by Molly Bloom with different kid cohosts each week. Episode topics include the science of dreaming, immune systems, feelings like nervousness and fear, narwhals, sound waves, and more. It's thoroughly engaging, and there’s something for everyone in the family to learn! If you like what you hear, consider listening to American Public Media’s other two educational podcasts—Smash Boom Best, a debate show for kids and grown-ups, and Forever Ago, a history show for the whole family, which recently released a new season.
Great for: road trips
Co-created and narrated by the legendary, Academy Award-winning Jamie Lee Curtis, Letters from Camp is the story of Mookie, an 11-year-old aspiring journalist, and her experience at Camp Cartwright, as told through letters to her friend, Kelly. Over the three-season run, Mookie investigates the camp myth of “The Lady in the Lake” while navigating the complex, sometimes lonely landscape of adolescence. Funny, heartwarming, and performed by a top-notch cast, featuring Sunny Sadler as Mookie, Letters from Camp deals with topics such as self-acceptance, individuality, and puberty (which, as some listeners suggest, may be more suitable for tweens). This narrative podcast for young ones also feels nostalgic for adults—don’t be surprised if you shed a tear or two while listening.
Great for: family camping trips
Imagine a modern-day Annie adaptation set in post-pandemic, artificial intelligence–riddled New York City—and you get Tomorrow, an original podcast that blends humor, mystery, and adventure with some great, reimagined music (it's adapted from Annie, after all!). The songs are electric as well as the cast, which features actors such as Lance Reddick playing Oliver “Daddy” Warbucks. An enthralling, coming-of-age series for the whole family, Tomorrow showcases complex themes like wealth and privilege and the realities faced by children in foster care that invite further discussion. Fun teaser: Listen for a special appearance by Guy Raz interviewing Daddy Warbucks.
Great for: listening while cooking together
