On The M List: Top Children's Podcasts Curated by The Mamahood

Recently, I had the joy of working with the parent duo behind Maked Up Stories, a podcast of child-created bedtime stories. After receiving an overwhelming amount of story requests from around the world, they launched Storybird.ai, an incredible podcast founded on the enchanting idea of using AI to help children participate in and co-create their own stories! The magic and fun of Storybird sparked my curiosity: what other children's podcasts are capturing the imaginations of our little ones?

I first turned to the moms in my book club for their favorites, which led to an even bigger question for our Mamahood community. The response was overwhelming, with over 40 fantastic podcast recommendations pouring in – each a world of wonder for young minds.

These podcasts are listed alphabetically for easy browsing. Whether you're looking for storytelling magic like that of Storybird or something new and exciting, this list is a treasure trove of family fun and educational content - for your audio pleasure. 

My nine-year-old and I have started a morning habit of driving to school with a KidNuz episode each morning. It’s a quick download of current events (in child-appropriate delivery), and ends with a pop quiz to see how well we were listening. It’s been great for filling that short commute and sparking conversation before my coffee kicks in. 

If you've got a favorite we missed, we'd love to hear about it! Reach out at partners@themamahood.co.

Dive into the original conversation and discover the full range of recommendations in The Mamahood’s SF Bay Area forum here.

Listen to Maked Up Stories or Storybird.ai on Spotify!

Engage your child in storytelling with Storybird.ai and have their story featured in a podcast!

A Kids Book About Podcast

A kids podcast about the things that matter, like racism, body image, and belonging. Each episode opens up the dialog we've begun in our groundbreaking A Kids Book About series. Created by folks who've been there. Honest. Important. Relevant. Start the conversation. We know you're ready.

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Bedtime History

This is your home for educational and relaxing stories for kids and families. Wind down your day learning about amazing people like Jackie Robinson and Neil Armstrong, incredible feats of engineering like The Leaning Tower of Pisa, or captivating narratives like The Titanic.

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Brains On

We’re an award-winning science podcast for kids and curious adults from American Public Media.

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Busy Kids Love Music

Busy Kids Love Music is an educational podcast for music-loving kids, brought to you by Carly Seifert, the creator of Busy Kids Do Piano. Join Carly as she takes the whole family along to explore musical styles, composers and terms — you’ll hear loads of wonderful music on the journey!

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But Why: A Podcast For Curious Kids

But Why is a show led by you, kids! You ask the questions and we find the answers. It’s a big interesting world out there. On But Why, we tackle topics large and small. From why flamingos stand on one leg to how circuits work to whether it’s ever okay to lie. No question is off limits, and we let your curiosity guide us!

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Circle Round

Created and produced by parents of young children, WBUR's Circle Round adapts carefully-selected folktales from around the world into sound- and music-rich radio plays for kids ages 3-103. Each 15 to 25-minute episode explores important issues like kindness, persistence and generosity. And each episode ends with an activity that inspires a deeper conversation between children and grown-ups

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Culture Kids Media

Culture Kids Podcast, a Webby-nominated family show, is on a mission to empower the next generation of compassionate, creative, and worldly citizens. We ignite young minds with the wonders of culture, geography, and travel, fostering kindness, tolerance, and inspiring them to become innovative thinkers. Our commitment to inclusivity ensures that every child, regardless of their cultural background, feels like an integral part of the conversation. We emphasize that every child possesses a unique identity worthy of celebration, inspiring them to embrace differences and discover their true selves.

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Earth Rangers Podcast

A journey you don’t want to miss! If you think animals are amazing, this is the podcast for you! Join host Earth Ranger Emma as she travels the world to discover the wildest animal facts out there and solve nature’s biggest mysteries.

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Everything Under the Sun

A weekly podcast by Molly Oldfield, the original QI elf, answering all the questions that children have about life on earth

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Flyest Fables

Flyest Fables is an interconnected fiction anthology. In the premiere episode, we meet Antoine — a young boy bullied in school. Antoine finds a magical book that transports him into the world of Princess Keisha. Princess Keisha is on a quest to save her mother and the entire Kingdom of Orleans.

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Forever Ago

Brains On presents Forever Ago®, a history show for the whole family! Every episode looks into the surprising and fascinating history of things we think are ordinary, but they’re not -- like ice cream flavors, video games, baths and more. We make learning about the past fun while teaching listeners to think critically about history.

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Good Night Stories For Rebel Girls

Rebel Girls is a global empowerment brand dedicated to raising the most inspired and confident generation of girls. We believe in empowering girls to dream big, that amplifying stories of real-life women can lead to a more equal world, and that girls can and should do everything!

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Greeking Out

Hey Parents! If you have a mythology aficionado in the house or want you kids to discover Greek mythology, check out Nat Geo Kids Greeking Out! It's a podcast for the whole family that retells stories of Ancient Greece and beyond! Featuring our narrator Kenny Curtis (a 30-year veteran in kids radio) and the Oracle of Wifi (played by Tori Kerr), who breaks in with facts and tidbits on Ancient Greek history and culture.

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Grimm, Grimmer, Grimmest

In every episode of Grimm, Grimmer, Grimmest, bestselling author Adam Gidwitz retells a classic fairy tale to a group of inquisitive kids, who anticipate plot twists, crack jokes, and share their own perspectives on these very Grimm tales.

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Homeschool History

Fun history lessons for all the family, presented by Horrible Histories' Greg Jenner. Full of facts and jokes, the series brings to life a broad range of historical topics, many linked to the school curriculum. Homeschool Histories is made by the producers of the much-loved Radio 4 podcast You're Dead To Me.

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Keyshawn Solves It

Created by Ed Jenkins, the Keyshawn Solves It podcast is an 8-episode serialized mystery about a 10-year-old African-American boy who inherits a set of keys that can unlock almost any door. With help from his friend Kiki, Keyshawn uses these keys to help solve the mystery of disappearing bikes in his North Minneapolis neighborhood, ensuring that his community’s Juneteenth bike parade can go on. Listeners will be introduced to Juneteenth and its origins, as well as to social-emotional “keys to success” such as resilience, self-worth, and responsibility. Geared to children 5-9, Keyshawn Solves It is produced by GBH Kids and distributed by PRX and PBS KIDS with funding made possible in part by Black Public Media.

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KidNuz

KidNuz is a fun, fresh, first-of-its-kind kids’ podcast that delivers top-of-mind news every weekday morning. It's age appropriate, nonpartisan, and produced by Emmy-winning broadcast journalists who believe in the importance of engaging kids in current events, encouraging critical thinking, and sparking meaningful conversations.Together with parents and teachers, KidNuz introduces kids to issues that are relevant to them. Or soon will be. -KidNuz

“Daily short podcast with current news. Love listening on our drive to school.” -Michelle Simon Lederman / Mamahood Member

Read more in The Mamahood:  https://www.facebook.com/groups/themamahoodbayarea/posts/6717133494991292/

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Melon's House Party

Welcome to Melon’s House Party! Did you know that the objects in your house sing and speak all day long? They just do so in a key only dogs can hear. Enter, Melon, an eight pound dog with a thousand pound heart who is the key to a world that lives right under our noses! She lives in a world full of friends; an always singing record player, a soulless computer, her bookshelf therapist and many more. But her best friend in the world is Couch. No musical adventure is too big for Melon and Couch as long as they can figure out a way to do it together. As Melon learns about herself and the world around her, she shows us how to appreciate the little things in life and the importance of friendship and family.

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Million Bazillion

A podcast about money for kids and their families. We help dollars make more sense. -Million Bazillion


“Million Bazillion. My 9 year old loves it, and a new season starts on 9/5. He submitted a question last season. and the producer called us to talk to him about it. They did his topic but didn’t use his voice recording.” -Wendi Corrales / Mamahood Member

Read more in The Mamahood:  https://www.facebook.com/groups/themamahoodbayarea/posts/6717133494991292/

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Molly of Denali

Meet Molly Mabray, an Alaska Native girl growing up with her parents, family, and friends. Over eight episodes, Molly and her friend Tooey discover the identity of a mysterious creature that has stolen Molly’s birthday cake. Join Molly and the gang and discover what life is like for a typical kid on big adventures in Alaska! The Molly of Denali podcast is made by GBH Kids, the producers behind some of your all-time favorite PBS KIDS series: Arthur, Curious George, Pinkalicious & Peterrific, and more.

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Muhammad Tim: Kids Class

A brand new series, especially for kids, covering a wide variety of topics, including 'aqeedah, hadeeth, tafseer, seerah, stories from history, and more…

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MyKidsHQ

On a mission to provide schools and parents in the West with high quality Islamic educational resources.

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Noodle Loaf

Noodle Loaf is an interactive podcast born from the brain of a music education specialist father and his goofball kid.  For about 10 minutes at a time, Noodle Loaf invites the family to join together for some creative fun.  The show is geared for kids 3-8 years old but we've seen kids of all ages get into it.

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Ologies with Alie Ward

Volcanoes. Trees. Drunk butterflies. Mars missions. Slug sex. Death. Beauty standards. Anxiety busters. Beer science. Bee drama. Take away a pocket full of science knowledge and charming, bizarre stories about what fuels these professional -ologists' obsessions. Humorist and science correspondent Alie Ward asks smart people stupid questions and the answers might change your life.

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Once Upon A Crescent: Muslim Kids Podcast

Once Upon a Crescent is a collection of Islamic bedtime stories for children. Written and produced by a Muslim elementary school teacher, these stories aim to impart Islamic morals to kids through light-hearted storytelling. Not only are stories a great way to settle into a bedtime routine, but they also provide rich opportunities for meaningful dialogue between parent and child. Snuggle up with your little one and feel free to use this podcast as a starting point to talk about Islamic values. My goal is to facilitate some important moral conversations by introducing Islamic values with storytelling.

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Radiolab for Kids Presents: Terrestrials

“Terrestrials is a show for people of all ages that explores the strangeness that exists right here on Earth. In each episode, host Lulu Miller (co-host of Radiolab) will introduce you to a creature or earthly phenomenon that will defy your expectations of how nature is supposed to work. Along the way, you'll encounter a chorus of experts, including scientists, surfers, hip hop artists and…a "Songbud" named Alan (indie punk musician Alan Goffinski) who creates original songs for key moments of confusion, discovery or awe. New episodes drop Thursdays. Listen in with your whole family. Or all alone.” -Radiolab for Kids


"One of my son's favs." -Anna Marquez / Mamahood Member

Read more in The Mamahood:  https://www.facebook.com/groups/themamahoodbayarea/posts/6717133494991292/

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Reading Bug Adventures

A STORY PODCAST FROM THE READING BUG Let's fly! Every episode is a new adventure, so hop into the Reading Bug's magic book bag with us and explore new books, new concepts and new worlds. Don't forget to bring your crayons and paper along so you can color your own illustrations, too.

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Smash Boom Best

Smash Boom Best is a debate show for kids and families from the makers of the award-winning podcast, Brains On! Every episode takes two cool things, smashes them together and lets you decide which is best. Our debaters use facts and passion to make their case -- teaching listeners how to defend their own opinions along the way.


“Love this for teaching them how to debate/opinion writing.” -Sara Lynn Prince / Mamahood Member

Read more in The Mamahood:  https://www.facebook.com/groups/themamahoodbayarea/posts/6717133494991292/

Find full details on the M List


Sparkle Stories

Stream over 1,300 original audio stories for children on the SparkleStories.com website and app, and make the stories come alive for your kids with the related crafts and recipes. Sparkle Stories are simple, delightful, and filled with a sense of wonder. They inspire children to play, to marvel, to laugh, and to be kind. You'll never need to worry about inappropriate content, as we craft each of our stories to be perfect for young ears.

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StoryBird.ai

At StoryBird.ai, we empower individuals to craft, explore, refine, share, publish, and profit from stories spanning diverse genres. As the premier AI-driven storytelling platform, we've rapidly grown to become the go-to destination for thousands daily. From enchanting children's tales to comprehensive language guides and corporate policies, our platform caters to all. Stay tuned for our upcoming groundbreaking features. Our Stories plugin, a top-tier selection in OpenAI's ChatGPT store, exemplifies our commitment to excellence. As a venture-backed US corporation with roots in New Zealand and New York, we pride ourselves on innovation and integrity. Please note, we operate independently and are not affiliated with storybird.com.

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Story Pirates

Story Pirates is a family media company that produces and creates content inspired by kids to inspire kids and their imaginations. They are best known for their multi-award-winning, top-downloaded family podcast, the Story Pirates Podcast, which takes stories submitted by kids and turns them into sketch comedy and songs. They’ve released critically acclaimed middle grade books with Random House Children’s Books and several award-winning albums, all based on ideas from kids around the world. 

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Story Quest

Original stories for kids and families, suitable for all ages. New episodes every week! Story Quest episodes are perfect stories for the car, bedtime stories, or as a way to unwind.

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Story Shed

Children's storytelling podcast for kids of all ages. A new and original story each episode. Stories with a heart, designed to encourage discussion... Perfect for parents and teachers! A family friendly podcast which can be used for school assemblies, car journeys, bedtime, anytime! Proud member of Kids Listen, a grass roots organization promoting content just for children. Your new favorite kid's podcast!

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Stuff You Missed in History Class

Join Holly and Tracy as they bring you the greatest and strangest Stuff You Missed In History Class in this podcast by iHeartRadio.

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Stuff You Should Know

If you've ever wanted to know about champagne, satanism, the Stonewall Uprising, chaos theory, LSD, El Nino, true crime and Rosa Parks, then look no further. Josh and Chuck have you covered.

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The Adventures of Red Knight

Hi there! We are Steve and Jen, and we love stories. After years of telling our kids, Gwinna and Sam, stories in the car, on walks, and just about everywhere else you can think of, we thought, “Hey, why don’t we record these and share them with other people, too?” Thus was born the idea for The Adventures of Red Knight, a comical series of short audio episodes intended to entertain in the car, at bedtime, or any other situation where your child (or you!) wants to listen to stories.  And that's what we did! We spent just over a year putting together a complete season of The Adventures of Red Knight for both our enjoyment and for yours!

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The Arthur Podcast

Arthur Read is back and starting his own podcast! Listen in as he shares his favorite adventures with, DW, Buster and all their friends from around Elwood City.

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The Big Fib

“The hilarious game show where kids have to figure out who’s an expert, and who’s a liar, liar, pants on fire.” -The Big Fib


"Helps kids learn about misinformation." -Anna Marquez / Mamahood Member

Read more in The Mamahood:  https://www.facebook.com/groups/themamahoodbayarea/posts/6717133494991292/

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The Past And The Curious

Mick Sullivan created The Past and The Curious in 2016 and it is both a privilege and a labor of love.  Since the beginning, many friends have joined the fun. We create the show in between family, work, gigs, and the many other commitments we’ve all got in our lives.  We really think people will find value and joy in what we do, and no one else is doing something quite like it – so we create. Maybe someday The Past and The Curious will help us earn a living, instead of costing our discretionary income. But more importantly, maybe you will enjoy it and share that excitement about the past with others.

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The Warrior Kid

Helping kids become smarter, stronger, better!

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The Week Junior

The Week Junior Show takes you behind the scenes of the award-winning magazine for 8 to 14-year-olds. Each week, Bex from Fun Kids is joined by members of The Week Junior team to discuss their favourite stories, debate the week’s hot topic and discover whether the ‘Real or Rubbish?’ report is fake news or the real deal.

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Trivia for Kids

We are a trivia podcast especially for kids! It’s not just for adults anymore! Find us on Apple Podcast.

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Unspookable

Unspookable has been called one of the "Best podcasts for kids of all ages" by Time Out New York, one of the “7 Podcasts Big Kids Will Love” by The New York Times, one of the "5 Spooky Podcasts to Check Out Right Now" by Vulture, one of the "10 Best Podcasts for Children" by the Irish Examiner, and is an official Common Sense Media Selection. The show has appeared multiple times across Canada on CBC Radio's Podcast Playlist, on NPR station WHYY's Kid's Listening Hour, has been featured by Apple Podcasts, Romper, The AV Club, Fast Company, The Week Jr, Podcast Magazine, and more.


Unspookable is a favorite in our house - or rather, our car as that's where we listen to it 😜 It's great because it's kid friendly but also entertaining for adults. -Sally Mason / Mamahood Member

Read more in The Mamahood:  https://www.facebook.com/groups/themamahoodbayarea/posts/6717133494991292/

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What If World

What if a dragon lived in my closet? What if there were a never-ending bowl of ice cream? Pirates, fairies, wizards, robots and many more friends help Mr. Eric tell stories inspired by kids’ questions. What If World’s progressive stories will keep kids laughing while fostering curiosity, imagination, and resilience.

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Who Smarted

From the creators of Brain Games & Brainchild comes an educational podcast that makes learning funny!

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Who When Wow

Tinkercast was founded by three media veterans, storytellers, and parents on a mission to add more WOW to kids’ worlds, spark their sense of wonder, ignite their creativity, and inspire them to become the thinkers and tinkerers that will shape tomorrow. The team of Tinkerers behind our award-winning podcasts, best-selling books, live events, videos, and educational content embodies the spirit of play, curiosity, creative innovation, and collaboration every single day and is nothing short of WOW.

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Whose Amazing Life?

You venture deep into the jungle to solve its greatest mysteries. You gaze at Earth from the surface of the moon. You write music that has the whole world humming along. WHOSE AMAZING LIFE? is the new series from the creators of Little Stories Everywhere and Adventures of Cairo. Walk in the shoes of the world’s most inspiring people, from Amelia Earhart to Lin-Manuel Miranda to Ariana Grande. Experience the challenges and triumphs they faced on their journeys — before everyone on the planet knew their names. Listen closely for clues, because we won’t reveal who the person is until the very end of each episode! Each week brings a new adventure where listeners of all ages can immerse themselves in the life of someone amazing.

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Wow in the World

The #1 science podcast for kids and their grown-ups. Hosts Mindy Thomas and Guy Raz share stories about the latest news in science, technology, and innovation. Stories that give kids hope, agency and make us all say "WOW"!

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Heather Anderson