Tuesday, July 26th, 2022
The end of the summer break is almost here, but not quite close enough for parents to stand down and relax. The dreaded “I’m bored” cry can still be heard echoing round the house and it’s not even 10 o’clock. You have played games, camped out in the back garden, baked all manner of largely edible treats and painted and coloured every imaginable craft activity you could think of, so what’s left?………
Why not try a podcast? There are some entertaining, informative and educational podcasts out there just waiting for you to dip in and find what you like. A quick search on line will bring but 1000’s of options you can whittle down to find some you love and return to over and over again, but if you’re short of time or facing a bored crew why not try our list out.
The choice of podcasts for children has never been better, they can spark imaginations, teach new ideas and can make children laugh out loud! The are great for road trips as well as for relaxing and calming after a busy day or to get your day off to great start. Some do require a subscription but almost all allow you to listen to some free ones before you need to decide whether you want to make that commitment. Subscription also gets rid of the annoying ads!
TUMBLE
A science podcast for kids to be enjoyed by the entire family. We tell stories about science discoveries with the help of a scientist. Join Lindsay and Marshall as they ask questions, uncover mysteries and share what science is all about.FIVE MINUTES WITH DAD
Five Minutes With Dad is a kids personal growth and leadership podcast. It's by kids for kids. You get to listen in on a little father-son and daddy-daughter time and learn about great resources to connect with your kids. Five Minutes With Dad is a personal growth and leadership podcast for kids, by kids.PURPLE ROCKET PODCAST
Mix of content with quite a few long-running series, including “Grandpa's Globe,” which is about twins Sawyer and Suzie, who use their grandfather's magical globe to explore the universe. Other adventures involve everything from aliens to fairies. Mixed in with the series are occasional one-offs, some of which manage to impart little lessons for your kids. For example, “My Homework Ate Me” is a cautionary tale of procrastination.BRAINS ON
A science podcast aimed at kids, they will love learning about how insects walk on walls, how to find their way with out a compass and even where poo and pees goes when we flush the toilet!STORY PIRATES
An entertaining mix of stories and songs. Story Pirates encourages children to create, bringing laughter to children and adults of all ages with hilarious sketches, original songs and interviews. The Cat That Can Spell being one of my personal favourites.STORY TIME
Pretty much does what it says on the tin, tells stories! Great for bed time, this flagship podcast on Bedtime FM isn’t complicated: these 20-minute-long episodes each tell a story, often narrated by the author. They’re perfect for the end of the day and are split up according to age brackets, ranging from pre-school to preteen.PEACE OUT
This sister podcast to Story Time offers youngsters the chance to learn about mindfulness as they are guided through the activities, relaxing stories and breathing techniques. Great if you having to calm children down or have children who might need a little help turning off at the end of the day.YOU’RE DEAD TO ME
Older kids will love Greg Jenner’s (Horrible Histories) history podcast for the BBC, which sees the Brit comic plus guests offer a very alternative look at history. Subjects are a mixture of out and out irreverence – a history of high heeled shoes, a history of ice cream – to subjects you’re unlikely to come across in school: the Battle of Salamis, Rameses the Great. A perfect example of how children can learn without even realising it.BUT WHY?
Essentially fields questions from children and answers them all, engaging the help of experts in all sorts of different fields. No topic is off limits and no query too highfalutin or basic. Anything goes. Questions I have loved listening to the answers for include “why do we laugh?” “what is the biggest number?” and most recently, “why do baby teeth fall out?”.CIRCLE ROUND
Combining music and folklore to create audio to suit children aged between four and 10-years-old. Each episode will have a moral hinge for children and parents to focus on – including kindness and tenacity.
Podcasts have lots of benefits too, they help boost reading skills, enhance imagination skills, help develop communication and listening skills as well as decreasing screen time and fostering family time, so enjoy.
Contributed by our Educational Director, Christine Havercroft
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