Summer is a time for road trips. When I was young, my dad would take my sister and me on road trips to South Carolina where my grandmother was from. There were certain markers along the way that became nostalgic for me over the years. The smell of pine trees along the road told me we were getting closer, as did the ubiquity of country music stations on the radio. Back then (and it wasn’t that long ago), we killed time reading and listening to music in the car. We stopped at roadside stands or pawn shops to break up the drive. I can’t remember if we did any “kid things” in the car, to be honest. Not like these days when I pack goody bags for my kids and allow them to have unhealthy doses of screen time.

With the current state of the nation right now, we might not be making as long of road trips as we’d like to. So if you have the “luxury” of taking a road trip, or just need something other than screen time to occupy your kids. We’ve put together a list of fun kid podcasts for the summer.

1. Circle Round (Ages 4-10)- Using music and acting, this podcast retells folk tales from around the world.
2. Story Pirates (All Ages)- A band of colorful pirates host this podcast that perform audio drama inspired by stories written by kids. Visit their website to download printables related to weekly themes (for a fee).
3. Smash Boom Best (All Ages)- This debate show focuses on kid topics like “Pizza vs Tacos” or “Swimming vs Soccer.” (Also a great podcast to show your kids when they’ll use logic and rhetoric in the real world.)
4. Wow in the World (Ages 5-12)- A sort of “Radio Lab” for kids that answers questions about science and technology.
5. Young Ben Franklin (Ages 8-12)- With music, sound effects and child actors, this storytelling podcast brings the 13-year-old mischievous Ben Franklin to life.
6. The Radio Adventures of Dr. Floyd (All Ages)- This podcast is recorded like an old-timey radio program. It’s fast-paced and a little bit slapstick while exploring curious questions about history. (Note: This podcast is no longer producing new episodes, but there are plenty of episodes dating all the way back to 2014 to download on their site)
7. The Unexplainable Disappearance of Mars Patel (Ages 8-12) - This Peabody-award-winning serial mystery is written for and performed by middle school kids.
8. The Past and the Curious (Ages 8-12) - While there aren’t a lot of bells and whistles in this podcast, it draws you in until the very end. Each episode explores little known stories in history.
9. Ear Snacks (Ages 3-7) - A musical podcast for younger kids about the world.
10. Mystery Recipe (Ages 4-10) - Not super high energy, but great for food lovers. There’s even a cook-along finale episode.