15 best kid podcasts even grown ups will enjoy

With children spending more time at home these days, it’s no wonder they can get antsy cooped up inside. Fewer school hours and less social playtime require a new diversion—a different entertainment to take the stress out of being indoors.

Now is a perfect time, then, to introduce fun and educational podcasts to their leisure hours and activities. This alternative to screen time challenges your child’s senses—and creativity—in a whole new way. Does your child love a good bedtime story? Is he curious about science? Maybe she’d like to improve her French skills?

We’ve got you covered with this selection of quality podcasts worth spending time on, in both of Canada’s official languages.

Photo Credit: Syda Productions

Circle Round
Available in English only

Kids ages 4 to 10 will enjoy the 10- to 20-minute explorations of myths, fairy tales and folk tales from around the world with Circle Round. Celebrity readers adapt select stories into weekly, music-filled radio plays, promoting attributes like generosity, kindness and persistence.

El Kapoutchi
Available in French only

The zany star of this podcast is a bad guy who loves playing tricks on children, yet, somehow, justice is always served on El Kapoutchi. While geared for children 4 to 8, the El Kapoutchi podcast offers plenty of entertaining moments for parents, too.

Stories Podcast
Available in English only

The G-rated tales here are new every week. Capture the imagination of family members of all ages with the retelling of the classic fairy tales and the introduction of new original stories.

Les Aventures de Tintin
Available in French only

Imagine the wild travels of your favourite Belgian reporter-adventurer brought to life in a radio play, backed by the music of France’s national orchestra. That’s exactly what you’ll get in this adaptation of Hergé’s classic comic books, complete with all the suspense, mystery and ridiculous outbursts you know and love (Captain Haddock, we’re looking at you!). Enjoy the tales of The Temple of the Sun, The Blue Lotus, The Seven Crystal Balls, and Cigars of the Pharaoh without ever turning a page.

Story Pirates
Available in English only

A group of actors and comedians acts out original stories written by kids. It’s so crazy it just might work! Expect a real mix of stories and songs, madness and misadventure, along with celebrity voices you will enjoy trying to recognize.

Aaron’s World
Available in English only

Created by kids for kids, this podcast follows a boy named Aaron as he travels through the dinosaur era, with each episode focusing on a specific prehistoric creature. Kids get a cool science adventure with a story thrown in.

Story Seeds
Available in English only

Established writers collaborate on original narratives with young children, essentially “growing” the stories together. Kids ages 6 to 12 can enjoy a new 10- to 20-minute story every week.

Une histoire et… oli
Available in French only

Fancy telling your child a bedtime story, in French? This podcast offers captivating audio tales for 5-to-7-year-olds as told by well-known French actors, comedians, and journalists.

Wow in the World
Available in English only

Radio and podcast stars Guy Raz and Mindy Thomas lead listeners through kid-specific news stories of the week, incorporating science, comedy, debating skills, and more. Parents will like this one, too.

Petits curieux
Available in French only

Tired of trying to answer your little one’s 1,001 questions? Well, there’s a podcast for that, too. Petits curieux tackles every kind of question a curious mind could have, from the serious to the silly, in 1-minute episodes. With an archive of nearly 300 episodes, your child is sure to find answers to at least a few of their burning questions. You might even be interested to find out what IKEA means, why the ancient Egyptians wore makeup, and what’s supposed to go in that mini pocket-in-a-pocket on your jeans.

But Why
Available in English only

In a range of topics, this kids’ podcast answers questions about practically everything—nature, science, culture, politics—sourced from children who submit all the questions in advance. Hosted by award-winning public radio personality, Jane Lindholm.

La vie secrète de l’art
Available in French only

This 5-episode series was produced by the Montreal Museum of Fine Arts and takes listeners into the stories of five important Canadian works of art. Complement the engaging audio content by showing your child images of the artwork itself.

Brains On!
Available in English only

For a science podcast that adults will also get a kick out of, Brains On! teaches a different science lesson in each episode, a world of factoids for bigger kids and curious adults. Topics range from language to nature to history to sociology to biology.

The Walking Classroom
Available in English only

This non-profit program promotes both physical and mental health, delivering curriculum-aligned educational podcasts meant for enjoying while walking together—physically distanced, of course. Kids hear about language arts, social studies, and science while they walk, listen, and learn.

The Big Fib
Available in English only

Hosted by a robot, this podcast is like a game show, where listeners have to guess what’s true and what’s false. Kids play spot the liar by interviewing two people about a topic—with one being the expert and the other an imposter. It’s a fibber’s guide to lying, yet imparts valuable info on science, politics, business, and more.