If, like so many, your family is now constantly at home, you have a newly sharpened understanding of what your parents used to say: Little pitchers have big ears – and eyes!
With mom, dad and older siblings occupied with work webinars or school Zoom classes, it’s useful to be prepared to steer the littles (and the bored) to entertaining and worthwhile podcasts and YouTube channels. Here’s a few we think are worth checking out.
Podcasts
The Alien Adventures of Finn Caspian is a serialized podcast in which Finn, his friends and their pet robots aboard the Marlowe 280 Interplanetary Exploratory Space Station discover new planets, help aliens in far-off galaxies, and take tips from listeners back on Earth as they solve the great mysteries of the universe.
Peace Out brings you short stories that help children calm down and relax by guiding them through visualization and breathing exercises. Perfect for practicing mindfulness and self-regulation.
Smash Boom Best is a podcast in which every episode takes two cool things, smashes them together and lets you decide which is best. Cats versus Dogs. Pizza versus Tacos. Super Speed versus Super Strength. Who will be crowned the Smash Boom Best?
The Past & the Curious is a fun and funny take on not-so-well known stories from history.
Spare the Rock, Spoil the Child is a show that seeks to play the best “indie music for indie kids.” You’ll hear the cool kids’ artists like Dan Zanes, Moona Luna, Ella Jenkins, Elizabeth Mitchell, Lunch Money, Caspar Babypants, and They Might Be Giants. But the show also spins kid-friendly tracks from the likes of The Ramones, Mike Doughty, Ella Fitzgerald, Brian Eno, Pizzicato Five, Andrew Bird, Fishbone, and more.
YouTube Channels
Make Me a Genius offers entertaining videos for elementary school children on everything from cool ways to tie your shoes to the science of ecosystems to electric circuits.
In Brave Wilderness Animal expert Coyote Peterson leads exciting expeditions. It’s not the outdoors. It’s the wilderness.
Number Rock is a little bit mathematics and a lot rock and roll.
Ted-Ed features original animated videos. These are creative collaborations between TED-involved experts and speakers, TED (Technology, Entertainment and Design) Fellows and various educators, producers and directors.
With Craft TV – Origami, in no time, even beginners will learn how to fold paper into the shapes of bats, dogs, hearts and boxes and more.
What are your favorites? Comment below and let us know!
These are all awesome and so appreciated!