Driving in traffic, especially Los Angeles traffic, sucks.
But driving in L.A. traffic with kids is the worst. And I had to do a lot of it over the past few weeks.
I used to think you really only have these options:
- Listen to their music (usually Katy Perry on repeat).
- Sing.
- Play “I spy.”
- Ignore them.
But then we found the amazing world of kids’ podcasts.
Not only do great kids’ podcasts keep your children quiet, focused and entertained during the long car trips we endure her in L.A. but we almost always learn something new about the world.
Our favorite kids’ podcasts
Good Stuff Podcast
Good Stuff Podcast is my friend Mike Mason’s podcast for kids and adults. He makes music recommendations for the family minivan, gives sports updates and trivia for the young sports lover, and tackles big issues like farts! This podcast is good for kids ages 3- to 9-years-old.
Brains On
Brains On is where kids send in their questions for real scientists and experts answer. The cool thing is the kids themselves host the show. My 3-year-old is fascinated by elevators and the story of the two “Otises.” If your children love science and asking questions, this is the podcast for them. Great for kids 3- to 13-years-old.
Circle Round
Circle Round brings folktales from around the world to life. My children enjoy the fun characters and they learn lessons about diversity, kindness, generosity and persistence. This is great for younger kids ages 3- to 6-years-old.
Story Pirates
Story Pirates takes stories written by kids and writes them into catchy tunes like “All Eight Unicorns” and “Annoy Your Sister School.” And they do the podcast from a falling apart pirate ship (it is part of the joke). This fun and funny kids’ podcast is great for children 5- to 10-years-old. Plus they have a book and do live shows around the country.
Pants on Fire
Pants on Fire is the antidote to a world of fake news. If you want to teach your kid how to tell truth from fiction, check out this podcast where kids interview two experts on a topic and have to weigh the evidence to decide what is genuine and what is a lie. This hilarious podcast for kids and adults might make better citizens out of all of us!
Wow in the World
Wow in the World! If you are an avid NPR listener, you will love this podcast with Guy Raz (my kids now sing songs about him and recognize him on the “adult” radio and Mindy Thomas (satellite radio owners may know her from Sirius/XM’s “Kids Place Live”). This podcast focuses on weird and wild things that happen in our world and weaves scientific discoveries into the crazy lives of the hosts. This one is best for the 6- to 11-year-old age set.
Do you love any other kids’ podcasts that help you get through the monotony of carpool line? Let us know! If you want to listen to something more adult, then lend an ear to these great parenting podcasts.
ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Eli Lipmen, the editor of our L.A. Dads Group blog, grew up in Bermuda and settled in Los Angeles. He is a world traveler, nonprofit consultant and political leader. He has written about being a dad for Grok Nation amongst other publications. You will usually find him walking, biking, or taking public transit with his two kids. You can find him on Twitter, Snapchat, and Instagram.
Podcast photo: RetinaBoys on Foter.com / CC BY-NC-SA
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