Top Podcasts and Other Online Content for Early Childhood Learning

Accessing high-quality educational materials for young learners has never been easier! Thanks to the abundance of online content geared toward early childhood learning, children have the resources they need to succeed in academics right at their fingertips. With engaging, fun educational programming and podcasts available via websites and apps, your little one can get a head start with reading and math readiness concepts through content that entertains as it educates.

Best Educational Podcasts for Kids

Pinna

You know how much you love listening to podcasts to discover new ideas and learn new things. Imagine how much your child would love a podcast designed just for them! Fortunately, such a thing exists. Meet Pinna, an immersive podcast that educates and entertains young children through the magic of storytelling. Parents who are concerned about their young children having too much screen time will love Pinna for inspiring kids to use their imagination and make pictures in their minds as they listen and interact with a story, no screens required.

Because every great podcast requires an equally great pair of headphones, Pinna has partnered with school headphones giant AVID Products to ensure that young listeners have the equipment they need to properly enjoy their experience. As the manufacturers of the wildly popular AE-25 Pre-K to Grade 3 classroom headset, which features safe volume control that doesn’t go beyond 85 decibels, along with optimal sound quality, AVID knows a thing or two about safe, comfortable listening experiences for young children and wants to promote quality podcasts like Pinna that take listening enjoyment to a new level.

Featuring a variety of titles in a broad range of genres for children ages 3 to 12, Pinna offers something for every young listener. The perfect activity for long car rides, orthodontist appointments or winding down at bedtime, Pinna helps to calm kids’ busy minds and gives them the opportunity to practice their listening and focus skills, but they’ll be too busy enjoying their story to know they’re learning something!

Wow! In the World

Give your curious elementary-school kids a reason to say “wow” with this STEM-oriented podcast. Featuring easily-digestible 25-minute episodes, this public radio podcast features high-quality, science-driven content that explores various areas of inquiry (such as how birds fly) or scientific discoveries (did you know that bees can do math?) Developed for curious young minds, Wow! In the World is a fun listen for kids and adults alike.

What If World

What if cats ruled the world? If you have the kind of inquisitive child who loves asking about a hundred “what if” questions before you’ve had your morning coffee, this podcast is about to become your new best friend! Kids get the opportunity to explore zany ‘what if’ scenarios independently (read: without your participation) and get all the sillies out of their system while stretching their imaginations. Hosted by Eric O’Keefe, this podcast builds on questions submitted by real-life children, turning each ‘what if’ scenario into wacky stories that are guaranteed to make your little ones giggle.

Online Learning Content

With the wealth of information available on the internet and the variety of devices to enjoy them on, now is a great time to be a child! A number of early learning platforms exist to make learning fun for toddlers and preschoolers, as well as elementary school-age students.

ABCMouse.com

One of the most popular platforms, ABCMouse.com, bills itself as the most comprehensive learning site on Earth for kids ages 2 to 7. Kids can listen to fun songs and stories, watch interactive videos and play games that are all part of a customizable curriculum designed by teachers and early childhood education experts. At $9.99 a month, the subscription to ABCMouse can be a little pricey, but you and your child can try it free for a month before you commit.

PBS Kids

Since the advent of Sesame Street and Mr. Rogers’ Neighborhood, PBS has distinguished itself as a leader in children’s educational entertainment. Because of this, it’s no surprise that they’ve designed a fun website featuring all of the most popular characters from their PBS Kids programming block. With educational games, coloring printouts and more, your child will love their PBS Kids online experience.

Curious World

Designed by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt to prepare children for kindergarten, Curious World brings math and reading readiness concepts, along with social skills, to life through a series of fun online adventures with the one and only Curious George! In addition to a variety of activities that can be enjoyed anytime, Curious World allows parents to create customizable flash cards geared toward a child’s age level and a particular subject.

BrainPOP

Learning can be fun with a quirky robot by your side! BrainPOP sparks children’s creativity and imagination through interactive stories and activities that make topics relatable, easy to understand, and, best of all, fun! The platform covers lessons and activities in history, STEM concepts, language arts and more with the help of robot sidekick Pop, inspiring students from kindergarten to 8th grade and beyond to learn something new.

FarFaria

Instill the love of learning in your kids with FarFaria, an e-book app that brings stories to life on their tablet. FarFaria turns screen time into reading time, unleashing story time magic designed to inspire imagination, creativity and a passion for discovery in even the youngest readers. According to their website, FarFaria boasts one million books read per month, with an average of 15 books read per child on a monthly basis. With these kinds of numbers, it’s safe to say that it’s a favorite learning app among kids.

Keeping your kids’ brains stimulated and occupied while encouraging imagination, creativity and curiosity is no easy feat. It’s essential to ensure that your young learners have every opportunity to find new things out every day, and the internet is a powerful tool that can help them develop a true love of learning. Thanks to these great online resources, your little ones can explore new worlds and make new discoveries right from their tablet, laptop or mobile device. This truly is a great time to be an early learner!