Skip to main content
  1. Home
  2. Activities

8 kid-friendly podcasts for your next road trip

Dawn Miller
By

When hitting the road for your next road trip, ideas for keeping everyone entertained on the long drive are a must-do. A fun alternative to arguing over the radio stations and downloaded movies is listening to a podcast. Unlike a movie kids are streaming on tablets or smartphones, the whole family can enjoy a podcast. Surprisingly, there are quite a few good podcasts for kids that teens and adults will enjoy, as well. From nonfiction podcasts to fiction stories to interviews to music, podcasts have taken on a life of their own and have become extremely popular.

An interesting podcast just might be the ticket to a peaceful road trip and keep the “are we there yet?” question at bay for a while. So what are the best kid-friendly podcasts, and where can you listen to them?

Road trip map
Image used with permission by copyright holder

Family-friendly podcasts to consider

If you have an iPhone or an iPad, there’s already a built-in app to listen to podcasts. On Android phones, Spotify, Pandora, or iHeartRadio also work. Newer Androids have a podcast app ready to go. If you want to stream podcasts in the car, you will need WiFi. Otherwise, just like movies, be prepared for any road trip by downloading episodes of any kid-friendly podcasts before leaving the house.

Recommended Videos

But Why: A Podcast for Curious Kids

Every parent has gotten cornered by one of their children with thought-provoking questions that simply don’t have a quick explanation. Why is the sky blue? Where does chocolate come from? Why do cacti have spikes? These and many other questions get answered on But Why: A Podcast for Curious Kids. The podcast is from Vermont Public Radio. Most episodes are around 20 to 40 minutes in length and a perfect fit for kids of all ages.

Related

Eleanor Amplified

If you have tweens, this podcast takes a page from old-time radio serials. From WHYY, Eleanor Amplified focuses on radio reporter Eleanor who goes all around the globe in search of her big scoop. Along the way, she gets herself into some crazy situations. The podcast is ideal for ages 8 to 12, but it is definitely something the whole family can listen to together. There are four seasons so far. Most episodes run between 15 and 20 minutes. If you’re heading on a road trip, download a full season. It will last for around two-plus hours.

Flyest Fables

A fable is a story with a moral. Morgan Givens is the man behind the modern fables in this entertaining podcast. Antoine is a young boy being bullied at school. One day, he discovers a magic book that takes him into a world of kings and queens. Morals deal with modern issues many kids today face, like homelessness and bullying. The tales are aimed toward older elementary kids and tweens, but younger kids and teens will get into the tales, as well.

Story Time

For parents heading out on the road with younger children, Story Time is ideal. This podcast is for the preschool and kindergarten set. Knowing young children have notoriously short attention spans, each episode only runs around 15 to 20 minutes. Little kids will get a kick out of episodes like Bunny Magic and The Little Raindrop. Story Time is great for road trips. Since many of the episodes can double as bedtime stories, the kids just may nod off on a long car ride.

Stories

Kids of all ages and adults will have fun listening to this podcast that features a different children’s story each week. Many are retellings of classic fairy tales, while others are original creations. Even teens won’t mind a walk down memory lane with these exciting stories that spark the imagination.

What If World

Who hasn’t thought about what the world would be like if cats and dogs could talk or if stuffed animals could come to life at night? For a cool podcast that is definitely off the beaten path, What If World tackles those nagging questions kids come up with, like what if there really is a monster in my closet? Eric O’Keefe is Mr. Eric. Each week, Mr. Eric creates a different and engaging What If tale. This podcast is for kids of all ages and adults, too. What If World has 200 episodes and counting.

Family enjoying a podcast during a road trip
Image used with permission by copyright holder

Spare the Rock, Spoil the Child

For parents who really can’t stand the pop music their children listen to, this fun podcast for all ages combines the music moms and dads cut their teeth on with tunes your kiddos will appreciate. Each week brings a new playlist and interviews adults and kids of all ages will appreciate.

Brains On

Families who love science will get a charge from this podcast devoted to answering science-related questions submitted by kids. It’s an award-winning podcast appealing to both children and adults. There are more than 100 episodes to pick from, including Is Time Travel Possible? and Why are Smartphones so Hard to Put Down? Now, that’s an episode for the entire family.

Road trips are super fun, but they can be stressful, especially when there are kids involved. The key to a semi-peaceful journey is to keep kids engaged. Sure, movies are great, but if you don’t want kids zoning out on screens for the entire ride, changing things up with kid-friendly podcasts is a wonderful idea. Try one of these family-friendly podcasts on your next road trip, and you just might find the miles roll by a little faster.

Editors' Recommendations

Topics
Dawn Miller
Dawn Miller
Contributor
Dawn Miller began her professional life as an elementary school teacher before returning to her first love, writing. In…
The best baseball movies for kids (parents will love them, too)
Go to bat with these baseball movies that always hit a homer
Smiling boy going to a sports party with bat and glove

Batter up! It's time to swing for the fences and get the Great Hambino behind the plate because soon pitchers and catchers are reporting to spring training. If you're looking to catch spring fever early, you don't have to build it so they come to Florida or Arizona. Just get the family together to watch the best baseball movies for kids that never strike out.

For sports-loving kids, baseball movies are a must. They're a perfect pick for parents and non-sports enthusiasts of all ages, too. So grab the popcorn, peanuts, and hot dogs, but skip the bleacher seats and find a spot on the couch to enjoy these don't-miss baseball movies that are a homerun any time of the year.

Read more
Keep little ones entertained with the best ‘Would you rather?’ questions for kids
Get a laugh with these fun questions
Family laughing with their dad

No one knows who exactly started asking those fun "would you rather" questions, but it seems like they've been around for ages. Little kids love them and so do tweens, but they probably won't admit it between eye rolls. Teens, too, will usually get involved in the off-beat question-and-answer game.

The entertainment value isn't lost on adults either, especially when there's quite a bit of awkward silence going on. "Would you rather" questions for kids are a perfect way to pass the miles in the car or get everyone involved in dinnertime conversation. If you're on the hunt for some laughter-provoking fun, "would you rather" questions are here to help, and we've got a list to get the brains and the fun going.

Read more
Need a fantastic theme for a fifth birthday party? Consider these
Birthday party ideas for five-year-olds they'll love
5-year-old girl celebrating her birthday

Turning five is fabulous. It marks the end of the preschooler stage, which makes it a milestone birthday. That first day of kindergarten is right around the corner. Planning a five-year-old birthday party is super fun. Kids at this age are pretty easy to please. They love running around and playing games. There is also a plethora of awesome five-year-old birthday party ideas that rock. In honor of five, let's take a peek at five fantastic themes for a fifth birthday that get the guests moving because that is what five-year-olds love to do.

5-year-old birthday party ideas
Since most of your guests will be four turning five or five already, an outdoor party or one at an indoor venue where kids can get active is a perfect pick. Having structured activities is key with this age set. If you do decide to hold your kiddo's fifth birthday party outside, be sure to build in a rain date. Always have extra hands to help keep the games and activities focused. Tweens and teens are great for this. Here are five fav five-year-old birthday party ideas that will be a huge hit with the guest of honor and friends.
Kick it
The four and five-year-old set need to be active, and many of them probably just started lacing up the cleats to give soccer a try. If yours is loving soccer, then a soccer party is a major score. Plenty of indoor facilities host soccer birthday parties, but if you don’t want to use a venue, you can certainly hold your own. If your backyard is large enough, you can turn it into a soccer field. Otherwise, look for field availability at a neighborhood park or high school. Sometimes, permits are required, so check with your town’s recreation department first.

Read more