Top 10 Podcasts for Family Road Trips

When we travel, we inevitably find ourselves spending a lot of time in the car. Like many families we enjoy a family road trip! We’ve always tried to avoid giving our kids the iPad as soon as they get in the car, but we know they still require some entertainment.

Our go-to road trip entertainment for years has been family friendly podcasts. During our family road trips, I find podcasts the perfect solution for engaging my kids without resorting to endless screen time. They can look out their window and admire their surroundings while their minds wander in the stories they listen to.

Podcasts captivate our kids’ imaginations and provide an opportunity for our entire family to share in the joy of storytelling. Here are some of my recommendations for the best podcasts for family road trips that our family has enjoyed throughout the years.

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The 10 Best Family Friendly Podcasts For Road Trips

1. Circle Round

Of all the podcasts we have listed to with our kids over the years, our favorite podcast for family road trips is Circle Round. Produced by WBUR, Circle Round adapts folktales from various cultures into sound-rich radio plays for children, featuring original music and notable voices from the stage and screen.

The Circle Round stories are carefully designed to spark meaningful conversations between children and adults. There are over 100 episodes, each about 20-30 minutes long, ideal for children aged 4 to 10.

We have been long time listeners to Circle Round. It’s one of the top podcasts for younger children. They do a wonderful job of making the stories interesting, so much so that my kids would ask to listen to them over and over again! This family-friendly podcast was a big hit driving to hiking trails while we were in Palm Springs with Kids.

Circle Round isn’t just a podcast for family road trips – we listened to it at home all the time! You can find coloring pages to go along with the Circle Round episodes, which made for the perfect indoor activity! You could even print a few pages out and bring them with you for your kids to color in the hotel room after a day in the car.

2. Greeking Out

The Greeking Out podcast by National Geographic Kids is a narrative journey into the thrilling world of Greek mythology. Expertly blending facts with engaging storytelling, it introduces young listeners to the tales of gods, heroes, and monsters in ancient Greece. With 9 seasons of 10 episodes each, where each episode lasts about 20-30 minutes, it’s an educational and fun listen for kids aged 8 and up.

We were on the hunt for a new kid-friendly podcast during our trip to Seoul with Kids and downloaded Greeking Out. From the first episode, my kids were hooked! The episodes were so entertaining that my kids would ask for another Greeking Out podcast the second we got in the car.

3. Six Minutes

Produced by Gen-Z Media, Six Minutes is a gripping mystery-adventure podcast. The story revolves around a girl named Holiday who finds herself in the middle of a thrilling adventure. The story unfolds in real-time and each six-minute episode leaves kids eagerly awaiting the next twist.

With three seasons each consisting of 70 to 100 episodes, it’s engaging for kids aged 6 and up (the whole family will enjoy this one).

We learned about Six Minutes when our daughter listened to a few episodes in grade 3. She suggested it when we were looking for family road trip podcasts for our drive to the ski hill when at home. Once we started listening to it, we were hooked!

And not just the kids, our entire family couldn’t wait to get in the car to listen to what would happen next. It ended up being the perfect entertainment for our kids while we had a few long drives in Costa Rica with Kids.

4. Unexplainable Disappearance of Mars Patel

Next up on our list of the best podcasts for road trips is the Unexplainable Disappearance of Mars Patel. Also produced by Gen-Z Media, this Peabody Award-winning scripted storytelling podcast for middle graders follows Mars Patel and his friends as they embark on a daring adventure to find their missing friends, uncovering secrets and mysteries along the way.

Unexplainable Disappearance of Mars Patel has 3 seasons, each consisting of 10 episodes. Each episode spans around 20-30 minutes, is a great listen packed with intrigue that you can easily get through in one summer road trip. This kid-friendly podcast is perfect for kids aged 8 to 12.

We started to listen to the Unexplainable Disappearance of Mars Patel because we were on the lookout for more family road trip podcasts that would work on our summer trip to France with kids. It took us a little longer to get into this podcast, but in the end we really enjoyed it and highly recommend it.

5. Eleanor Amplified

Eleanor Amplified is an adventure, storytelling podcast about an intrepid journalist who goes on wild adventures to get the big scoop and thwart villains. It’s a fun, family-friendly road trip podcast that encourages critical thinking and media awareness, with each episode lasting about 15-25 minutes. Recommended for children aged 8 to 12.

My kids really enjoyed this podcast, but in all honesty we started listening to it right after we finished Six Minutes. Six Minutes was so well done, that it was really hard to compare them.

6. Story Pirates

Based on stories written by children, Story Pirates is a creative and hilarious road trip podcast that brings these stories to life with a professional cast. It’s an engaging listen that celebrates the uniqueness of children’s imaginations. There are well over 100 episodes, that range anywhere from 10 to 45 minutes each, suitable for a wide age range.

Again while in South Korea, we gave Story Pirates a try during long drives on Jeju Island with kids. My kids found this podcast for road trips to be weird the first time they listened to it. But after a couple more episodes they really started to enjoy it.

7. Story Time

Perfect for younger listeners, Story Time offers a delightful collection of children’s stories aimed at helping little ones drift off to sleep. These soothing tales span a variety of themes, ensuring a calm and relaxing end to the day. With over 50 episodes, each about 15-20 minutes long, it’s suitable for kids aged 2 to 13.

Our kids enjoyed Story Time on family road trips when they were smaller (around 2 to 6 years old). We would listen to them peppered in between the Circle Round podcast when we needed a change.

Best Educational Road Trip Podcasts for Kids

When we are at home or short road trips, we don’t always want a long story for our podcasts. These are a few of the family friendly podcasts that we always have a few episodes downloaded and ready to listen to on our next family car trip.

8. Trivia for Kids

This entertaining podcast is great fun on family road trips. It’s filled with fascinating trivia, covering a wide range of interesting topics from science to history. It’s designed to educate and entertain, sparking a love for learning in young listeners. With each episode lasting about around 35 minutes, there are almost 100 episodes suitable for kids aged 7 and up.

Our entire family loves the Trivia For Kids podcast! To be honest, I’m always amazed at the fun facts that my kids know and share with us when the trivia questions come up. We listen to this podcast on family road trips but also frequently at home.

9. Brains On! Science Podcast for Kids

Aimed at inquisitive young minds, the Brains On! podcast answers questions sent in by children about anything and everything. The podcast encourages curiosity and learning, making complex topics accessible and fun. Each episode of Brains On! is about 30 minutes long, perfect for children aged 5 to 12.

My kids really do enjoy this one, but they typically only want to listen to one or two episodes at a time. I use this one to mix in with other kid friendly podcasts when we are on a long family road trip.

10. Wow in the World

Hosts Guy Raz and Mindy Thomas guide kids on a journey into the wonders of the world around them, from science to technology and new discoveries. This family-friendly podcast encourages curiosity and discovery, making each 20-30 minute episode a delightful learning experience for kids aged 5 to 12.

Similar to Brains On!, I use this educational family-friendly podcast to mix in with other ones or when we are in between storytelling podcasts.

Audiobooks for Family Road Trips

Our 10 favorite podcasts for family road trips are awesome, but sometimes we like to mix in a good audiobook too. A nice long family-friendly audiobook is a good choice for a long road trip, as longer drives are perfect for longer storytelling sessions.

My kids love listening to the entire Harry Potter series, narrated by the talented Jim Dale.

Here are other audiobooks for family road trips that I recommend:

• Matilda by Roald Dahl (Narrated by Kate Winslet)
• The Chronicles of Narnia Series by C.S. Lewis
• How to Train Your Dragon Series by Cressida Cowell (Narrated by David Tennant)

Better yet, get a 30-day free trial with Audible then you can grab these great audiobooks for your next family road trip!

These fun podcasts for family road trips and audiobook suggestions can help overcome the challenges of long hours of traveling with a kid. So, load up your playlist, hit the road, and let the shared adventures begin!

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