Listen to This, Kids

Have you ever listened to a podcast? A podcast is a short work of spoken word. There are podcasts on all kinds of topics, from science to science fiction, from cooking to ethics to music and more. If you are interested in something, there's probably a podcast about it. 

Here are some of my favorite podcasts for kids, and some books that will help you explore more.

The Show About Science is a fun interview podcast hosted by Nate, who started podcasting at age 5. One of my favorite episodes is They Call Me Dr. Poop with Rachel Santymire. Dr. Santymire works at Lincoln Park Zoo and studies what animals leave behind.

After you listen, read Who Gives A Poop? You'll learn even more about all the ways scientists analyze poop to find out about the animals and people that expel it. Plus, more poop facts to share with your family!

Have an opinion? We all do! In Smash Boom Best, every episode pits one thing against another. Are mermaids or bigfoot better? How about sugar versus salt? Each side has someone arguing for it, one judge decides. You can play along at home and keep score, enjoy one of their related coloring sheets or just laugh and learn.

Learn more about how to debate in Something to Say when Jenae, who hates public speaking, has to figure out how to debate a name change for her school for a school assignment.

I love Short and Curly, a podcast that explores big ethical questions like whether it is fair to punish the whole class for what one student does or if robots should replace humans. The Australian hosts are funny, and they always leave time for listeners to pause the show and think about the questions themselves. Plus, they ask real kids their opinions!

What is ethics anyway? It's thinking about what is right and wrong for different people and for the world. Read more about big issues in We Rise, We Resist, We Raise Our Voices, where many people share their opinions.

Girl Tales is an amazing feminist podcast that retells stories you know and love with strong female characters. We all know the story of Goldilocks...or do we? Find another version in the episode, Goldi and the Wee Little Bear. Then read Straw Into Gold for more fairytale retellings.

What's your favorite podcast?