The Best Podcasts for Kids That Adults Will Enjoy

Who says kid-friendly podcasts have to annoy adults? Here are some awesome podcasts for children that adults will love too.

Brains On!

Got your brain fired up and ready to think? You will if you listen to Brains On!, a kid-hosted podcast that takes on simple but yet somehow complex scientific questions, like, "Why do we sneeze?" Do you know how whales talk to each other? Do we know if dogs know that they're dogs? And, shall we finally answer the age-old question of why feet stink? The questions may make kids giggle, but adults are bound to be curious about the answers.

The Past and the Curious

Sure, its name may be a bad pun on a film franchise, but The Past and the Curious has nothing to do with fast cars. It's more about history, interesting tales you've probably never heard told in kid-friendly ways by actors. And the accompanying music scores are pretty awesome too. As a friendly reminder that you're learning, there's a quiz at the end of each historical tale that’s filled with fascinating trivia tidbits.

The Unexplainable Disappearance of Mars Patel

Perfect for tweens, The Unexplainable Disappearance of Mars Patel chronicles the riveting tale of an 11-year-old who is on a search for some missing friends. The Peabody Award-winning podcast has drawn comparisons to the Netflix series Stranger Things, itself an ode to 80s kid-centered adventures. The mystery tale is told by a cast of actual middle-school actors to give it added authenticity.

But Why

A question almost every little kid asks almost every day, But Why tells us lots of the ways in which the basic world works. Often in not-so-basic-ways. But why is the ocean blue? Bet you don't know the answer! Luckily, host Jane Lindholm does. She and her expert guests answer questions that are submitted by real kids.

Spare the Rock, Spoil the Child

Want to enjoy some kid-friendly rock and roll? Spare the Rock, Spoil the Child may be for you and your kids! And we're not talking about bad rip-off artists doing kids' versions of adult songs. Enjoy family-friendly tunes from the likes of They Might Be Giants, Elvis Costello, John Legend, Bob Marley, Stevie Wonder, and many more artists that adults will enjoy as much as kids do.

Wow in the World

Lots of adults tune in to NPR Radio, so it shouldn't be so surprising that adults will enjoy NPR's first podcast geared toward kids. On Wow in the World, co-hosts Mindy Thomas and Guy Roz delve into kid-submitted questions about a wide range of stuff relating to technology and science. The two hosts don't always agree, leading to entertaining and informative debates that family members of all ages will enjoy.

Circle Round

Folklore and mythical tales from across the globe are told on Circle Round. But with much of the violence that's often found in folk tales toned down for a young audience. A rotating roster of actors tells the stories, such as All the King's Dogs with Rory Culkin, 100 Rooms with Ed Asner, and The Unwelcome Guest with Richard Kind, all set to marvelous music scores.

What If World

Kids, and the kids inside us all, have pondered all kinds of bizarre “what-ifs.” Like, maybe, what if fish had legs? What if puppies had lasers for eyes and could fly? What if scientists could bring back dinosaurs? And what if hats talked to ants? These kid-submitted questions and more get answered on What If World.

Story Pirates

Flipping traditional production roles, Story Pirates gives us tales written by kids that are acted out by adults. And some pretty famous adults too! We've seen Patton Oswalt, David Schwimmer, Kristen Bell, Dax Shepard, Claire Danes, John Oliver, Lin-Manuel Miranda, and Julie Andrews taking on roles that were written by children. Tune in to enjoy tales such as The Boy Who Had a Pet Ice Cube, The Weird Food Club, and Chicken on a Motorcycle.

The Radio Adventures of Dr. Floyd

Is there any age at which we no longer love a good evil genius? Of course not! That's part of why both adults and kids get a kick out of The Radio Adventures of Dr. Floyd. Begun back in 2004, at the very dawn of podcasts as we know them, the popular series ran for about ten years. So there are lots of adventures in the archive. Each of the five-minute-long podcasts pits our time-traveling hero Dr. Floyd against his enemy Dr. Steve and his evil plans. The trips through time also teach us a few things about our planet's history.

So stop listening to kiddie content you can’t stand. There are lots of good podcasts for kids that adults simply love.

Written by William McCleary for Knockaround.