Looking for more ways to encourage your kids to put away the video games, turn off the tube, and listen to a story? Podcasts are a great way to boost learning and reduce screen time, are portable and convenient and go anywhere (think long road trips during Spring and Summer breaks, or when they’re not quite ready to sleep, but it’s time for lights out), are inexpensive with many of them costing little to nothing, and are compelling and entertaining enough that kids love them, with a new episode every week, or month, so it’s always fresh and new. 

Don’t know where to begin? Read on, and check out our top picks for family friendly podcasts below!

FEATURED

RADIO ACTIVE KIDS

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LOCAL TO ASHEVILLE! Radio Active Kids is a radio program for kids. But not just for kids–for EVERYONE! We play intelligent kid’s music for the young and the young at heart. It’s awesome and a lot of fun.

PODCASTS

500 WORDS

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Bedtime stories for kids, written by kids. A selection of sensational stories from the BBC Radio 2 Breakfast Show 500 Words competition.

ADVENTURES IN ODYSSEY FROM FOCUS ON THE FAMILY

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To teach children and families about God and the bible through dramatic stories and compelling characters (with plenty of laughs too!) that engage the mind and touch the heart. Presented as a high quality audio drama, Adventures in Odyssey shapes lives and encourages wonder and discovery through the listener’s own imagination.

THE ALIEN ADVENTURES OF FINN CASPIAN 

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The Alien Adventures of Finn Caspian is a serialized science-fiction story for kids, told in 15-20 minute episodes for parents to put on when driving around town, or to marathon on road trips, or to bond over before bed. When pressed, we describe it as a “mystery gang” story, sort of like Scooby-Doo meets Buffy the Vampire Slayer in space. The story centers on Finn Caspian, an 8-year-old boy aboard The Famous Marlowe 280 Interplanetary Exploratory Space Station. He and his friends Abigail, Elias and Vale are Explorers Troop 301, taking off from the Marlowe to explore uncharted planets, help the occasional alien, and solve a mystery that threatens to destroy the Marlowe.

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ANIMAL SOUND SAFARI

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Animal Sound Safari takes your ears around the world to explore the weird and wacky histories we humans have with animals. From camel beauty queens in Saudi Arabia to cooked roosters who save lives in Portugal. Each episode is jam-packed with cool stories, kooky facts and ‘pawsome’ puns. Led by our safari guide Lawrence with help from his brainy animal expert Laura, you’ll make awesome new friends all around the world – both human and animal. Are you ready for an adventure? Hop on board Animal Sound Safari!

ASK ME ANYTHING 

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Ask Me Anything is the short, sharp, car-trip podcast giving heartfelt answers to real-life anonymous questions from teenage girls. From friendship dramas to first crushes, author and columnist Rebecca Sparrow is here to listen and offer some advice. You can ask her anything.

ASTRONOMY CAST 

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Astronomy Cast takes a fact-based journey through the cosmos as it offers listeners weekly discussions on astronomical topics ranging from planets to cosmology. Hosted by Fraser Cain (Universe Today) and Dr. Pamela L. Gay (CosmoQuest), this show brings the questions of an avid astronomy lover direct to an astronomer. Together Fraser and Pamela explore what is known and being discovered about the universe around us.

BBC SCHOOL RADIO  

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Audio resources for primary schools

THE BEANIES 

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Kids throw you all kinds of curly, difficult questions. Like, ‘What is electricity?’ and ‘Where do sneezes come from’ and ‘Why can’t shark’s play jazz?’. Instead of staring back at them blankly or desperately trying to Google an answer while maintaining an air of authority, distract them with this.

BE CALM ON AHWAY ISLAND

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Original children’s stories for nap time, bedtime and any time it’s relax time! We hope to help children relax for bedtime. We provide self-soothing activities children can learn and take beyond their childhood!

BEDTIME STORIES WITH MAYA THE SCIENCE KID

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This podcast is for sleep time. The stories are fun and not scary for kids so they can listen to them and fall asleep. They are told by Daddy to me and they are very fun.

BIDDY THE DUCK BED TIME STORIES

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If you go to sleep Laughing, you’ll wake up Smiling! Every Biddy story has the potential to change a life, bring love into the home, and set the stage for a great night’s sleep.

BEDTIME FM (see also Peace Out)

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Bedtime FM is an independent podcast producer, bringing you original content — for children of all ages. Each show is usually less than 20 minutes long, hopefully, short enough to keep your little ones engaged.

BOOK CLUB FOR KIDS

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A free 20-minute podcast where middle graders talk about books with host Kitty Felde.

BRAINS ON! 

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Brains On!® is a science podcast for curious kids and adults from American Public Media. Co-hosted each week by kid scientists and reporters from public radio, we ask questions ranging from the science behind sneezing to how to translate the purr of cats, and go wherever the answers take us.

BUTTONS & FIGS

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A podcast for kids about playing with words.

BUT WHY? 

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But Why is a show led by you, kids! You ask the questions and we find the answers. It’s a big interesting world out there. On But Why, we tackle topics large and small, about nature, words, even the end of the world.

THE CALM KIDS PODCAST 

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Stories by kids, for kids to unwind and go to sleep relaxed and happy. When Charlotte, 7, suffered bouts of anxiety and could not fall asleep, her big sister, Lucie, 11, decided to make up relaxing stories to calm her down and eventually doze off. The two sisters decided to record some of these stories, to help other kids struggling to fall asleep.

CHLOE’S FRIENDSHIP CIRCLE 

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Chloe is a seven year old entertainment podcaster and producer. She does interviews, shares fun ideas, and plays the best kindie music!

CHOMPERS BY GIMLET 

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Make tooth time easy with this morning and night tooth brushing show for kids. Kids will hear jokes, riddles, stories, fun facts, silly songs and more, that’ll keep them giggling – and brushing – for the full two minutes that dentists recommend. Chompers will have kids reminding parents that it’s time to brush, not the other way around! Recommended for tooth brushers ages 3-7.

CIRCLE ROUND 

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Circle Round, a storytelling podcast for kids ages 4 to 10, tells carefully-selected folktales from around the world featuring top talent from the stage and screen. Stories are adapted for today’s families into 10 to 20 minute episodes that delve into topics such as kindness, persistence and generosity.

CLASSICS FOR KIDS

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A program featuring acclaimed conductor JoAnn Falletta, who talks about her early love of music, how seeing her first symphony concert inspired her to become a conductor, and all the listening and preparation that goes into being successful at her job. Introduce children to classical music in a fun and entertaining way, in short fun snippets.

COOL FACTS ABOUT ANIMALS

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Cool Facts About Animals is a podcast by and for kids. Grady (7), Clara (5), and Theo (3) are joined by their mom (no comment) to share the coolest facts about all sorts of animals. And of course, since this is a podcast for kids, we will talk about poop from time to time!

DREAM BIG

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The Dream Big Podcast is a family-friendly podcast inspiring kids (and adults!) to pursue their passions in life and take action to make their dreams a reality. The Dream Big Podcast’s 20-30 minute format makes for the perfect length for parents and kids to listen in the car on the way to school, activities, or playdates.

EAR SNACKS BY ANDREW & POLLY

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Ear Snacks is a musical podcast for kids about the world. Andrew & Polly and their friends consider music, science, art and culture in a fun-filled family-friendly podcast that parents enjoy and younger kids eat right up.

FARAWAY WOODS

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CLIMB Theatre, an award-winning educational theatre company based out of St. Paul, MN, launched their innovative podcast for children ages 4-9. The program helps children develop pro-social and arts skills by listening to the interactive podcast and participating in follow-up arts activities.

FIERCE GIRLS

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From athletes to aviators, scientists to spies. From the deep blue sea to the dark, black skies. Australia is full of girls who dare to do things differently. Adventurous girls. Girls with guts and spirit. You know what they are? They’re FIERCE. And these are their stories. Join the amazing Turia Pitt, Lisa Wilkinson, Stephanie Gilmore and more, as they tell the inspiring tales of some of Australia’s most extraordinary women.

FIVE MINUTES WITH DAD

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Five Minutes With Dad is the brainchild of a 4-year-old boy named Pavlos. Pavlos is a pretty cool kid. And a very creative one. One winter day in 2014 he overheard his father, Nick, talking about the new podcast he was planning.

FUN KIDS DIGITAL RADIO

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Fun Kids is a national children’s digital radio station in the United Kingdom with associated websites, YouTube and podcast channels. It has previously been the winner of the Sony and Arqiva Digital Radio Stations of the year.

GOOD NIGHT STORIES FOR REBEL GIRLS

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A fairy tale podcast about the extraordinary women who inspire us. This show is based on Good Night Stories for Rebel Girls, the global best-selling book series written by Elena Favilli and Francesca Cavallo, inspiring millions of girls and women around the world to dream bigger, aim higher and fight harder.

GREAT MOMENTS IN SCIENCE WITH DR KARL

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Sometimes described as an answer looking for a question, Dr Karl Kruszelnicki explains science as you’ve never heard it before each week on Great Moments In Science.

HISTORY CHICKS

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First off: This isn’t History 101 and there is no test. Secondly, our goal is to introduce you to female characters in history, factual or fictional via our podcast and shownotes. An introduction, an overview and a little push to explore and learn more on your own. The shownotes will give you a short look at the life of the person that we are discussing- basic facts and links to other sources to learn more.  The podcast episodes will go into greater detail as we chat about the challenges, failures and successes, times, and all the juicy bits that we find interesting about the  life of our subject. Sometimes, as opportunities present themselves, we will add Special Features here on our website that relate to the person that we are spotlighting.

IMAGINE THIS

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Imagine a world where it’s alright to ask questions and have your voice heard. Each episode we delve into a puzzling question from an inquisitive mind, examining the science behind it in a fun and engaging way.Our host, Brianna Peterson, chats to kids and Australia’s leading academics, taking you on an adventure to learn about the world around you. We discover the answers to questions such as “Why don’t cats wear shoes?”, “Why do stars twinkle?” and, very importantly, “Where does our poo go when we flush it down the toilet?” Imagine This is a coproduction between ABC KIDS listen and The Conversation, and is based on articles from their Curious Kids series.

LITTLE STORIES FOR TINY PEOPLE

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Little Stories for Tiny People is a children’s podcast featuring original audio stories that will delight the tiny people in your life. Perfect for bleary-eyed parents, innovative teachers, and at-wits’-end babysitters looking for an alternative and non-annoying way to engage the toddlers and young kids they love at bedtime or any time! Each story is lovingly written and performed with attention to the whimsical senses of humor children often possess.

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MICK MUNTER MONSTER HUNTER

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Every month, Mick Munter explores the untamed wilderness looking for monsta’s! From the Devil Dragons of his native Australia to the creeping cryptids of North America, Mick searches out the strangest creatures, the most mighty bities, the superest supernaturals, and he brings you all along for the ride. Some people think he’s mad as a cut snake, but we all know that magic is out there in the wilds, just waiting for an adventurous kiddo to track it down.You may also know Mick as the wonder from down under, the saucy aussie, the first-rate mate, the picky-creek sticky-beak, the true-blue buckaroo, the bulk bogan hulk-hogan, the no-joke bloke, the combat wombat, and your guide to the great unknown!

MELODY, MYSTERY, AND MAYHEM

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We believe God made very good gifts (story, music, laughter) that can be enjoyed together…as entire families. This biweekly podcast is one small effort to manifest that belief. It includes missionary interviews, songs, chants, read-aloud stories, jokes, Ask the Pastor segments, along with several means for kids to participate!

NOODLE LOAF

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Noodle Loaf is an interactive podcast born from the brain of a music education specialist father and his goofball kid. For about 10 minutes at a time, Noodle Loaf invites the family to join together for some creative fun. The show is geared for kids 3-8 years old but we’ve seen kids of all ages get into it.

OWTK KID’S MUSIC MONTHLY

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The OWTK Kid’s Music Monthly Podcast showcases 10 of the best kindie songs past, present, and future. Hosted by OWTK.com’s Jeff Bogle, the OWTK Kid’s Music Monthly is your family’s gateway into the current Golden Age of Family Music.

PAST AND THE CURIOUS

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Join host and professional museum educator Mick Sullivan, along with his friends for a journey through unusual and unsung tales from the past, Quiz-Time!, musical performances and more. It’s fun for the whole family!

PEACE OUT (see also Bedtime FM)

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Short stories that help children calm down and relax by guiding them through visualization and breathing exercises. Perfect for parents or teachers who want to teach mindfulness and self-regulation. New story released every Fortnight.

PICKLE WITH CARL SMITH AND SHUMITA BASU

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Is it ever okay to tell a lie? What makes a real friend? And here’s a question: How much is a person’s life worth? Yikes, that’s a tough one! Join the cast of Pickle as we explore life’s stickiest wickets, with the help of curious kids –and the occasional elephant. It’s philosophy, made fun.

PODCAST KID

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A weekly audio podcast for children ages 3 through 13 years of age. Each week Jenna and her Dad discuss issues from a kid’s perspective. Each show has fun discussions, stories, music, tips and a moral.

THE RADIO ADVENTURES OF DR FLOYD

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The first, and longest running, professionally produced audio drama podcast! This family friendly new twist on “old time radio” features the adventures and exploits of the World’s Most Brilliant Scientist, Dr. Floyd! Join Dr. Floyd as he tries to thwart the plans of his evil arch nemesis, Dr. Steve, all the while learning about the people and events that shaped the history of the Earth. If satirist Stan Freberg and Jay Ward, creator of Rocky & Bullwinkle, had created Mystery Science Theater 3000 mixed in a little Time Bandits and gave it an educational spin, the result would have been…The Radio Adventures Of Dr. Floyd! The Podcast for Gifted Children and Adults!

RADIO ADVENTURES OF ELEANOR AMPLIFIED

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Buckle up! Your car is headed for… adventure! Eleanor Amplified is a radio adventure series for the whole family. Listen together as world-famous radio reporter Eleanor foils devious plots, outwits crafty villains, and goes after The Big Story. Eleanor’s pursuit of truth takes her into orbit, out to sea, through a scary jungle and even to the halls of Congress!Like all the public media shows you love, Eleanor Amplified is entertaining and informative. Eleanor defends the very values you expect from high-quality journalism. The importance of access to information. Being inclusive of different points of view. Telling the truth, and more. 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.

THE READING BUG ADVENTURES

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Let’s fly! Every episode is a new adventure. Hop into the Reading Bug’s magic book bag, and we’ll be transported to whatever time or place is in the books inside! Join us each week to explore new books, new concepts and new worlds — and when you can, bring your crayons and paper along so you can color your own illustrations.

THE SATURDAY MORNING CEREAL BOWL

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The Saturday Morning Cereal bowl is a weekly, two-hour program of music for the entire family to enjoy.  This isn’t simply kids music.  It’s two hours of some of the best family music you’ve ever heard.  So sit back with the kids and enjoy!

SATURDAY MORNING THEATRE

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From the creator of The Radio Adventures of Dr. Floyd comes a brand new audio drama anthology series that is fun for the whole family! Join us every Saturday morning as we travel back to the glory days of old time radio with these daring, and often funny, adventures that will capture the imagination. Superhero adventures, westerns, mystery, comedy…Saturday Morning Theatre has it all!

SAWBONES

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Dr. Sydnee McElroy and her husband Justin welcome you to Sawbones: A Marital Tour of Misguided Medicine. Every Friday, they dig through the annals of medical history to uncover all the odd, weird, wrong, dumb and just gross ways we’ve tried to fix people over the years. Educational? You bet! Fun? We hope! “This is probably better for older kids who have a little more knowledge of human anatomy, but they’ll find it gripping. Note that a few episodes discuss sex and other stuff you might not be comfortable with kids hearing, but there’s always a warning right up front.”

SESAME STREET PODCASTS

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The Sesame Street Podcast is a series of free portable video episodes featuring Murray Monster and all your other favorite Sesame Street Muppets. Celebrity guests and fuzzy friends explain the meaning of words like “Challenge” and “Arachnid.”

SHORT & CURLY

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SHORT & CURLY is a fast-paced fun-filled ethics podcast for kids and their parents, with questions and ideas to really get you thinking. It asks curly questions like about animals, technology, school, pop culture and the future. Thanks to our two fabulous hosts, there’s lots of time for silliness too. We are also helped out by resident ethicist Matt Beard from The Ethics Centre, a brains-trust of school children and some special high-profile guests like sporting stars and famous musicians.

SPARE THE ROCK, SPOIL THE CHILD

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Music that kids will love and parents won’t hate

SPARKLE STORIES

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A safe place for your child to listen & learn. Sparkle Stories are simple, delightful, and filled with a sense of wonder. They inspire children to play, to marvel, to laugh, and to be kind. You’ll never need to worry about inappropriate content, as we craft each of our stories to be perfect for young ears.

STORIES ALIVE

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The Stories Alive podcast is a partnership between JPR and Stories Alive. The podcast is a fun, unique audio theatre experience for all ages. Each episode features three to four amazing, original stories written by elementary students. Stories Alive brings them to life with professional actors, sound designers and musicians.

STORIES PODCAST

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The Stories Podcast was created to provide family-friendly content to families on the go, Always free, the podcast is a great way to entertain kids on the go and limit screen time while encouraging imaginations.

STORYNORY

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Storynory brings you an audio story every week. Each one is beautifully read by Natasha Gostwick and friends. Let Natasha’s voice beguile you with classic fairy tales, new children’s stories, poems, myths, adventures and romance.

STORY PIRATES

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Story Pirates is an arts education and media company based in New York and Los Angeles. We give stories written by kids to professional improvisers and musicians, who bring those stories to life to celebrate the words and ideas of kids.

STORY TIME WITH YARN STORY FACTORY

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A new free audio stories podcast for kids! Bedtime stories, and stories for road-trips! We bring stories to life with music, sound fx, and narration!

STUFF YOU MISSED IN HISTORY CLASS BY HOWSTUFFWORKS.COM

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Join Holly and Tracy Wilson as they school you in Stuff You Missed in History Class. Get caught up from these history buffs as they explore the most fascinating events in the world. The Stuff You Missed in History Class podcast takes a look at lesser-known historical people and events, with new episodes every Monday and Wednesday.

STUFF YOU SHOULD KNOW

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Join Josh Clark and Chuck Bryant as they get to the bottom of odd questions, like how Twinkies work and if zombies exist. Listen to Stuff You Should Know on demand to enjoy this fascinating biweekly podcast from the HowStuffWorks team. A unique dose of education and entertainment.

THE CRAMAZINGLY INCREDIFUN SUGARCRASH KIDS PODCAST BY SUGARCRASH KIDS

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Each episode includes (but is not limited to) engaging storytelling, educational elements (fictional stories with factual information), interviews with fictional characters (pirates, robots, dinosaurs, and the rest of the Sugarcrash Kids), kid interviews (listen to real kids tell their own stories and elaborate on various topics), and a brand new Sugarcrash Kids song each time! The Cramazingly Incredifun Sugarcrash Kids Podcast is geared for children, but grownups will love it too!

TALES FROM THE LILYPAD

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Bedtimes Stories Free Audio Short Stories for Kids Podcast

TEDTALKS KIDS AND FAMILY

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Fun videos to inspire, intrigue and stir your imagination from some of the world’s leading thinkers and doers onstage at the TED conference, TEDx events and partner events around the world. You can also download these and many other videos free on TED.com, with an interactive English transcript and subtitles in up to 80 languages. TED is a nonprofit devoted to Ideas Worth Spreading.

THE SHOW ABOUT SCIENCE BY NATE

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Hosted by second grader Nate Butkus, The Show About Science is an awesome adventure into the wondrous world of scientific research and discovery! Each episode is filled with fascinating information from scientists and educators around the globe. Together, Nate and his guests explore everything from chemistry to climate change, evolution to extraterrestrials, and human brains to bat biology. If you’re a curious kid, then this is the show for you! For more episodes of The Show About Science, try the Pinna iOS app for free today! Pinna is the home of quality audio stories and podcasts for kids ages 4-12 (and their adults!).

THIS PODCAST HAS FLEAS

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What happens when rival pets have dueling podcasts? Find out as Jones (Jay Pharoah), a slick cat with a taste for auto tune, faces off with Waffles (Emily Lynne ), a dog who can’t help chewing her microphone. Also starring Benny the gerbil ( Eugene Mirman) and Mr. Glub the goldfish (Alec Baldwin).

TUMBLE SCIENCE PODCAST FOR KIDS

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Tumble is a science podcast for kids, to be enjoyed by the entire family. We tell stories about science discoveries, with the help of scientists!  Join Lindsay and Marshall as they ask questions, share mysteries, and share what science is all about.

THE UNEXPLAINABLE DISAPPEARANCE OF MARS PATEL

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The Unexplainable Disappearance of Mars Patel is a scripted podcast for middle grade kids, performed by middle grade kids. It is a fun, high-quality, serial mystery that can be described as Goonies meets Spy Kids meets Stranger Things for 8-12 year olds. It was voted as one of the top 50 podcasts of 2016 by The Guardian, and was recently honored as a Peabody award winner.

WE GOT THIS! WITH MARK & HAL

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Every week, Mark Gagliardi and Hal Lublin take the dumb issues in life that people care strongly about and settle the argument once and for all. No topic is too small or insignificant for them to dissect and decide! Whatever minutiae you argue with friends and family, don’t worry: We Got This.

WELCOME TO NIGHT VALE

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WELCOME TO NIGHT VALE is a twice-monthly podcast in the style of community updates for the small desert town of Night Vale, featuring local weather, news, announcements from the Sheriff’s Secret Police, mysterious lights in the night sky, dark hooded figures with unknowable powers, and cultural events. Turn on your radio and hide. We write our shows to be inclusive of all ages. However, we choose to not ask the musical guest to censor themselves. As a result, there might be some cussing ‘n stuff in the music.

WHAT IF WORLD

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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? Join Abacus P Grumbler, Randall Radbot, and Whendiana Joan as they help Mr. Eric tell wacky stories inspired by your questions!

WOW IN THE WORLD

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Wow in the World is a podcast and a new way for families to connect, look up and discover the wonders in the world around them. Every episode, hosts Mindy and Guy guide curious kids and their grown-ups away from their screens and on a journey. Through a combination of careful scientific research and fun, we’ll go inside our brains, out into space, and deep into the coolest new stories in science and technology. Hosted by Guy Raz @guyraz and Mindy Thomas @AbsolutelyMindy.

Did we miss one of your favorites? Let us know, and we’ll add it!