21 best family-friendly podcasts for long car rides

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From a fascinating STEM-based Q&A format to a fantasy trilogy we play on repeat.
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For me, podcasts have single-handedly transformed the most mundane aspects of adulting—commuting, folding laundry, washing dishes—into opportunities to be entertained and curious. For my kids, they’ve become the low-hanging fruit that can stave off screen time, sure, but they’ve also changed the way we interact as a family. A phenomenon which, according to the Joan Ganz Cooney Center, we’re not alone in.
How podcasts changed our definition of “family time”
While family movie nights happen occasionally—the two-hour commitment compounded by conflicting opinions on viewing options can be a tall order—we listen to family-friendly podcasts together daily.
They’re playing while we make breakfast, drive around, wait for appointments, and engage in calming activities (a puzzle and a new podcast episode is peak decompression in my house).
Sometimes, my 6- and 9-year-old sons will listen together on a Bluetooth speaker while they shoot hoops in the driveway, build forts in the living room, and wind down for bed. We even created a ridiculously hilarious car game inspired by the game show podcast Don’t Break The Rules.
How podcasts shape our understanding of each other and the world
Both kids will often rattle off random facts they’ve picked up from a podcast or ask me a follow-up question about a topic. Even when I don’t know the answer (which is often), it gives us an excuse to find out more together.
I like to think of podcasts as the auditory version of sneaking a bagful of spinach into a fruit smoothie. My kids are swallowing facts about everything from ancient Greece (Greeking Out) to sloths (Brains On!) without it being forced down their throats—and I’d be lying if I didn’t admit that I’m usually learning along with them.
At the height of the pandemic, when virtual work, school, and screens in general were all-encompassing, podcasts crept in as a hybrid form of learning and entertainment, filling educational and parenting gaps that we’re still finding useful.
Playful learning research from the Harvard Graduate School of Education reinforces why they work. It identified three pillars of effective learning that align with what podcasts offer: an opportunity to chase wonder, take ownership in learning, and find joy and delight in the process.
Our favorite family-friendly podcasts
This fantasy trilogy was created by a second grade teacher in Vermont, George Patrick Leal, who shared the Magic Woods tales with his students. When the pandemic put school on hold, his students were so invested in listening to the end of the story that he began recording them. Since then, it’s been played in 50 different countries. My kids listen to these stories on repeat, cycling through Magic Woods (the original podcast), Legends of Magic Woods (prequel to the original podcast), and The World Beyond Magic Woods (sequel to the original podcast).
If you have a kid who’s interested in Greek mythology, they’ll get a kick out of the playful and educational format of this National Geographic Kids podcast. It retells ancient Greek myths but sprinkles in historical context along the way. Plus, the banter between the host (Kenny Curtis) and the Oracle of Wi-Fi (played by Tori Kerr) is comedy gold.
Bestselling author Adam Gidwitz retells the original Brothers Grimm fairytales in all their weird and gory glory to a group of kids, pausing to anticipate plot twists and discuss some of the stranger aspects. Each episode is rated on a scale of grimm, grimmer, and grimmest so that kids and parents can choose the level of creepiness they’re after. It’s a thoughtful and wildly entertaining peek into classic literature and folklore.
If you need a palate cleanser after “Grimm, Grimmer, Grimmest,” this comedy game show is it. In each episode, four different voice actors take on the persona of wacky characters based on kid-created prompts. Hosted by Carly Ciarrocchi, it’s a Parent’s Choice Recommended Award Winner loaded with brilliant comedic performances.
This scripted, adventure-packed podcast tells the story of Miles, a kid who sets off on a journey to the jungle with his scientist parents. When they’re accidentally separated, Miles uncovers an ancient, concealed world and his quest begins. The story explores what it means to be brave and the power that comes from wading through uncharted territory.
This award-winning science podcast for kids unpacks all sorts of topics, from carnivorous plants to deep sea creatures, with humor and easy-to-grasp explanations. In each episode, expert co-hosts join host Molly Bloom to get answers to tricky yet fascinating kid-submitted questions like, do dogs know they’re dogs? Plus, bonus perks like guessing the mystery sound in each episode add even more fun.
But Why: A Podcast for Curious Kids
Another with Vermont origins, But Why comes from Vermont Public. Kids send in their questions, like why we have belly buttons or how the internet works, and host Jane Lindholm gets an expert to answer them in terms a 6-year-old can follow. The questions come from real kids, so they’re exactly the kind mine ask me in the car.
Hosts Mindy Thomas and Guy Raz take real science news, like a newly discovered deep-sea creature or a study on why cats knock things off tables, and turn each story into a goofy, sound-effect-heavy adventure.
The format of this one is so fun. Kids send in their own stories, and a troupe of comedians and musicians performs them as sketches and original songs. Think, a second grader’s tale about a pizza that wants to be a ballerina, or a dinosaur dentist accused of malpractice. Each one gets treated like a Broadway production and the quality shows. It’s fun to encourage kids to come up with their own submission ideas!
The team behind Brains On! makes this history show about the everyday things we take for granted. Host Joy Dolo traces where things like birthday parties, sneakers, and Pokémon came from, giving kids an opportunity to think more critically about the past.
Radiolab’s Lulu Miller made this nature series for kids, and it has the same sense of wonder as the grown-up show. Episodes go into strange corners of the living world, like animals that glow and plants that talk to each other, and original songs are woven through them. It’s a beautiful listen with the lights low.
Based on the bestselling book series, each episode tells the true story of a remarkable woman, from scientists to athletes to artists, read by a well-known voice. And while it’s fun to learn about change makers they’ve already heard of, it’s the women whose names they’re hearing for the first time that have really made an impression. A great reminder that anyone who uses their voice and talents can make a difference.
Host Mick Sullivan digs up the oddball corners of history, like the dog who went to war or the inventor nobody believed. He tells them with original music and ends with a quiz that the kids take very seriously. It’s history they’ll actually get engaged in and excited about.
Lindsay Patterson and Marshall Escamilla interview real scientists about how they actually made their discoveries. Kids hear that science is mostly questions, mistakes, and trying again. It works well with Brains On! for the science-obsessed kid.
One of our biggest, toughest jobs as a parent is teaching our kids how to think, not what to think. This Australian show, something of an ethics podcast for kids, asks tricky questions, like whether it’s ever OK to lie or whether animals should have rights, and builds in pauses so families can talk about it. Expect a surprising conversation to arise with each listen.
Each episode is packed with wild animal facts and ends with a “mission” kids can do to help protect wildlife. It turns animal love into small, doable action.
Podcasts for grown-ups that kids love too
Alie Ward’s Ologies is one of my own favorites, and Smologies is the shorter, kid-safe version. Each episode features an expert in a specific field, like bats, volcanoes, or condors, and Ward’s enthusiasm is contagious.
Dallas Taylor tells the stories behind the world’s most recognizable sounds, from movie sound effects to the jingles stuck in your head. Kids who love noise (so, all kids) find it fascinating. Preview episodes first, since it’s made for adults.
Josh Clark and Chuck Bryant explain how things work, from roller coasters to the Dead Sea. Our kids tent to prefer the shorter “Short Stuff” episodes. Some full episodes cover mature topics, so pick ahead.
Roman Mars uncovers the hidden design behind everyday things, like why stop signs are octagons and who designed the playground slide. Older kids start noticing the world differently afterward, and so will you. (Plus, Mars’ voice is wildly soothing.)
This Vox show is about what science still doesn’t know, like why we yawn or what’s at the bottom of the ocean. Kids alternatively find it thrilling and terrifying that the grown-ups don’t have all the answers. Do with that what you will.
A version of this article was originally published on January 21, 2026. It has been updated.

















































































