Podcasts are BIG!
Everyone is listening to them because they no longer just consist of boring banter about old English books or business productivity. Because there is a podcast for every man, woman, and child out there, families have more options to incorporate them in their daily lives.
The fact that podcasts are strickly audio makes them quite practical. The best ones are just 10-20 minute in length and entire episodes can be absorbed on the way to school, during a long commute, during travel, at the airport while waiting for a flight, in the air, in a car ride, after school while running errands or traveling to sports activities or to an away game that is far away.
Podcasts aren’t just for iPhone users only anymore. Besides iTunes, there are many platforms that will let you download a podcast on your mobile phone, tablet or other device. You can also download them on your destktop and listen to them while you do mundane work on the computer.
A podcast is like a radio show, only better because you can listen whenever you like. If you have a smartphone, you can use a podcast app like Stitcher, SoundCloud or Apple Podcasts to listen. Just download the app, search for a podcast by name, and hit play.
You can also subscribe to your favorite podcasts to get alerts when new episodes come online. If you’re on a desktop computer, tablet or laptop, you can visit a podcast’s website to listen to episodes and learn more about your favorite shows. Most podcasts have a website where they offer additional content, photos and ways to get in contact with the podcast creators.
Because podcasts are so extremely popular now, you can find a show for just about anything you’re interested in.
The folks at Family First put together this list of 20 fun and educational podcasts for the whole family to enjoy together:
EDUCATIONAL
1. WOW IN THE WORLD
Website: http://www.npr.org/podcasts/510321/wow-in-the-world
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.
2. BRAINS ON!
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. https://www.brainson.org/
3. TUMBLE SCIENCE PODCAST FOR KIDS
Exploring stories of science discovery. Tumble is a science podcast created to be enjoyed by the entire family. Hosted & produced by Lindsay Patterson (science journalist) & Marshall Escamilla (teacher). http://www.sciencepodcastforkids.com/
4. SESAME STREET PODCAST
Sing songs with Elmo, Abby, Cookie Monster and Grover. Learn about friendship, patience and sharing with Bert and Ernie. Celebrate sunny days with all of your favorite Muppets with new episodes every Monday!
5. BOOK CLUB FOR KIDS
The place where young readers meet to talk about books. The show includes a celebrity reader and an interview with the author. The host is award winning public radio journalist Kitty Felde. Book Club won the Literacy in Media Award. http://www.bookclubforkids.org/
Among our fave is the DREAM BIG PODCAST
The DreamBigPodcast.com is a family-friendly podcast inspiring kids (and adults!) to pursue their passions in life and take action to make their dreams a reality. Mom Olga Karpman hosts the show her 7-year old 2nd grader daughter Eva Karpman. Together the duo interview world-class performers and other guests who are extraordinary achievers from all areas of life and interests. Already, they’ve interviewed astronaut Chris Hadfield, motivational speaker Sean Stephenson, Pencils of Promise founder Adam Braun and countless other amazing guests The Dream Big Podcast’s short 15-20 minute format makes for the perfect length to listen to an episode in the car with your kids.
Each episode features free personalized discussion sheets that you can download and print at home to have a thought-provoking discussion as a family about what you learned listening to that week’s episode. http://dreambigpodcast.com/
In recent months, the Dream Big Podcast has been consistently #1 on the charts in the Kid & Family section and a Top 100 podcast overall with well over a million downloads! Wowza!
