15 Podcasts for Your Next Family Road Trip
When planning a road trip with kids, it is important to have a bag full of tricks that will entertain the family while driving! While music can be fun to listen to and audiobooks are great, after a few hours of both, the kids will start to complain. While podcasts might seem like something only for adults, there are tons of great podcasts the whole family can enjoy. These are some of my favorite road trip podcasts families will love. Here are 15 of the best podcasts for a road trip with kids.
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The Best Podcasts for a Road Trip with Kids
1. Wow in the World
Mindy Thomas and Guy Raz make science fun for everyone by teaching families about the world. In this podcast, they look at science with humor and general goofiness. They explore everything from asteroids to spiders and investigate the science behind it all.
2. Pants on Fire
Could you spot a liar? Every episode a child and two grown ups face off. One of the adults is an expert and one is not. Kids ask questions of each adult and then evaluate the evidence presented and try to spot the liar!
3. Story Pirates
This podcast collects stories written by children and turns them into comedic shows and music for children. It’s amazing to see what they can create from a child’s imagination! We like “Quest for the Crystal Crown” and “The Bear That Wouldn’t Disco”.
4. Brains On!
The Brains On! science podcast for kids is actually meant to educate both children and adults. Unique episodes include making sense of how your brain reads books and even one that tackles the topic of mermaids and krakens! Each podcast has an interesting topic they attempt to answer and stimulate discussion among listeners.
5. Circle Round
Circle Round features fairy tales, myths, and legends for families to listen to on a road trip. This podcast chooses stories from around the world and features famous voices, from Nikesh Patel to Colin Hanks and even Ed Asner. Every story is engaging and helps time fly by!
6. Tumble – Science Podcast for Kids
Each podcast uses science to find solutions. This podcast shares different discoveries and how science can change how we think about things forever. Some fun episodes include “The Physics of Basketball” and “Decoding Dog DNA”.
7. The Unexplainable Disappearance of Mars Patel
In this serial podcast for middle schoolers, performed by middle schoolers, listeners are introduced to Mars Patel and his friends. The group sets out to discover what happened to their missing friend Aurora. This sets forth an adventure of epic proportions and a fun journey for families as well!
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8. Good Night Stories for Rebel Girls
If you want a great podcast that shares stories of women in history and aims to empower young women, this is one of the best. Rebel Girls is about rebel women who inspire us to make change in the world. The stories of these amazing women will inspire everyone in your family.
9. Stuff You Missed in History Class
Stuff You Missed in History Class is a podcast that is perfect for history lovers everywhere. It takes a deep dive into historical events and shares facts and perspectives you didn’t learn in history books. Topics span anything and everything from the Boston Massacre to the invention of aspirin.
10. Who Would Win
If your kids love sci-fi and fantasy, this is the podcast for them. The hosts debate who would win in a fictional battle between your favorite comic book and sci-fi characters. Funny commentary that will entertain everyone and start a debate among your own family members.
11. Smash Boom Best
This show takes two things, smashes them together, and asks listeners which one is best. Who or what will win? Contestants on the show have to argue why their person/thing is better than the other. There are different rounds in the Smash Boom Battle and the debaters have to share their arguments in different rounds. Kids and adults alike will enjoy listening and making their own decisions on who is the Smash Boom winner.
12. What If World
Each week the host, Mr. Eric, answers a “what if” question. Some crazy examples include: “What if cats could turn into vampires?’ Or “What if candy was good for you?”. Curious minds will love hearing how these stories play out.
13. The Alien Adventures of Finn Caspian
This sci-fi story podcast is perfect when you are looking for a 15-20 minute episode the whole family can enjoy! The stories follow the main character, Finn Caspian, his friends and their robots as they go through life onboard their spaceship and explore new planets and even have alien encounters. A great serial podcast for kids.
14. Welcome to Night Vale
Fictional podcast that can lead to hours of bingeing on a long car ride! This podcast focuses on the interesting and crazy events that take place in the fictional desert town of Night Vale. Episodes can usually stand on their own if you haven’t listened to all of the previous ones, so choose one and dive in!
15. Lore
Those who love scary stories will love Lore (so probably best for tweens and teens). The podcast takes a look at different true stories and the mysteries that surround them. Think about mysterious noises in the woods, disappearances, and new discoveries. Fascinating and intriguing, we bet you can’t listen to just one episode. This is one of our favorite podcasts to listen to while driving as it makes time fly by!
If you are planning a road trip, we have many other ideas for passing the time. Don’t miss Easy to Pack Travel Snacks and Audiobooks for a Family Road Trip.
