This post may contain affiliate links. Read our disclosure here.
It’s the time of the year when many families pack up the car and head out of town for a vacation to the beach or a trip to the mountains. Even if your kids are seasoned travelers, it can help to have something new to listen to when everybody piles into their seats. It’s also great if whatever you’re listening to is something both kids and parents can enjoy. While we sometimes just turn on some upbeat music and let everybody read, we’ve found that listening to a good podcast can be enjoyable for both kids and parents. Here are my top 20 kid pocasts for car rides—hopefully you find something that you and your kids will both love!
20 Kid Podcasts for Car Rides
Note: All links are to Apple Podcasts, but you can find many of these podcasts through other podcast apps and websites. Also, be sure to screen episodes before you listen to make sure they are appropriate for the ages of your kids.
Focusing on science and technology, this podcast explores amazing facts and stories from around the world. Recent episodes: “Song of the Singing Mouse” and “Bored Out of Your Bonkerballs? Why Having Nothing to Do Can Be Good for You!”
On this podcast, kids send in questions and the podcasters take them seriously and answer them by telling a story. Recent episodes: “What if you travelled back in time to when it rained candy?” and “What if I had 101 best friends?”
Tumble Science Podcast for Kids
As the name suggests, this podcast explores scientific topics. Recent episodes: “The Secret to Cheetahs’ Super Speed” and “Hamster Versus Bacteria”
Story Time Children’s Bedtime Stories for Kids
Settle down some hyper kids with these meant-for-bedtime stories that will even appeal to very young children. Recent episodes: “The Princess and the Dragon” and “Waldo and the Sea Monster”
This is my kids’ favorite podcast. Children send in story ideas and the team of improv comedians on this podcast elaborate on and then act out the story. You’re only going to get tired of this one when your kids ask you to listen to the same story for the 20th time. Recent episodes: “Turle Beach” and “How the Beaver Came to Canada”
This podcast features stories from the past and stories from the present, both classic fairy tales as well as new children’s stories. Recent episodes: “Lapis and the Ghost Cats” and “The Red Bandits of Montgomery”
This podcast features stories that you may have heard before as well as presentations of traditional stories from folklore from around the world that will be new to you and your kids. Recent episodes: “Runaway Cats!” and “The Hugging Contest”
Sparkle Stories produces totally original stories just for kids, and my bet is your kids will be especially entranced by the ones that feature brother and sister team Martin and Sylvia. Recent episodes: “Leo the Hermit Crab” and “Arctic Explorers”
This is a fictional podcast series with episodes that are only 6 minutes long featuring an eleven-year-old named Holiday who is trying to figure out the secrets of her past. Older kids will love this mystery story!
This podcast is all about ethics and covers topics that are interesting and relevant to kids. Recent episodes: “Birthday presents—should we stop giving them” and “Is a child’s life more valuable than an adult’s?”
This fiction podcast will take kids back in time to the days of old-time radio drama. The most recent episodes follow the adventures of Deputy Guppy.
The Radio Adventures of Dr. Floyd
The fictional Dr. Floyd is known as the World’s Most Brilliant Scientist, and on this audio drama podcast kids will learn about history as they listen to Dr. Floyd battle his archnemesis, Dr. Steve.
This podcast puts history in a new light and introduces kids to inspiring and interesting things from the past. It also features professionaly done music! Recent episodes: “Trains and Movies!” and “Toys and Games!”
The Unexplainable Disappearance of Mars Patel
This podcast is a mystery series geared toward 8-12 year olds that is performed by actual kids! The third season began in February 2019, but go back to the beginning and start from there.
The Alien Adventures of Finn Caspian
This podcast is produced by a dad and his son and tells the story of an 8-year-old who lives aboard a space station. This is another serial story, so make sure you start at Episode 1!
Eleanor is fictional world-famous reporter who takes listeners along as she goes on adventures the whole family will love. Start this one at the beginning and see how far you can get on your way to your destination!
This unique podcast introduces kids to classical music in an inspiring way. Recent episodes: “Scott Joplin: Classical Music and the Movies” and “Women’s History Month: What’s It Like to Be a Conductor?”
This podcast hasn’t been updated in almost a year, but there’s a huge archive of stories with original music and sound design. Popular episodes: “Stella and the Dragon” and “Why the Ocean is Salty”
But Why? A Podcast for Curious Kids
On this podcast, parents send in recordings of their kids asking questions about science, history, and other topics, and the podcast attempts to answer it. Recent episodes: “Who Makes the Laws?” and “Why Do Days Start at 12 O’Clock?”
Brains On! Science Podcast for Kids
This podcast features not only adult experts but also kids who are interested in scientific questions. Recent episodes: “Carnivores: Plants and animals that bite back” and “Black Holes, Wormholes and Donut Holes.”
Do you have favorite kid podcasts I didn’t list? Leave a comment and share them with us!
