THINKING ORGANIZEDEveryone knows that reading over the summer is an essential part of helping students to maintain their comprehension, vocabulary, and reading fluency skills. However, there’s another great way to keep your children engaged and learning while they’re out of school: podcasts! There’s no limit to what these audio recordings can teach students. They range in topics from current events, science, and technology to learning about emotional and social skills. Podcasts are great to follow on a weekly basis as they are updated, or to indulge in on a rainy summer afternoon. Here are some ideas for educational, interesting, and fun podcasts for elementary or middle school children.
| Podcast Name | Site | Description |
| Brains On! | www.brainson.org | In this podcast, a different kid cohosts each week to discuss a variety of fascinating science questions sent in by listeners across the United States. |
| The Imagine Neighborhood | www.imagineneighborhood.org | Children explore social-emotional skills through outrageous stories, songs, and activities. This helps to begin conversations about big feelings. |
| The Past and the Curious | https://thepastandthecurious.com | Kids and families can learn about shocking, inspirational, and often humorous historical events and people through short stories and music. |
| Wow in the World | https://tinkercast.com/shows/wow-in-the-world listeners | This podcast is centered around STEM topics. Funny facts about science and technology are discussed, which is sure to keep any kid engaged. |
| But Why: A Podcast for Curious Kids | https://www.vpr.org/programs/why-podcast-curious-kids | This podcasts answers questions on a wide variety of topics. Some examples include, “How do you whistle?” and “Why are mammoths extinct?” Additionally, learning guides to accompany episodes can be accessed on their website. |
Finding novel ways to engage with learning is something that all kids (and adults!) can benefit from. Let us know which podcasts you and your family will be listening to this summer!
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