As worldschoolers on the go people always wonder how my son learns! There are definitely many ways but, for us, they all have to meet some criteria. Be portable. Lol. Yup, honestly, that’s the main criteria. I’m flexible with everything else but we just cannot add more things to carry in our carry-ons. The most amazing tools I have found for my son’s worldschooling education are podcasts!
Podcasts Have Changed Our World
No kidding. Podcasts have been amazing at teaching my son so many things. I started listening to them to pass time on my daily commute in my previous life. My son started getting into mine and eventually sought out his own. Here’s a list of podcasts that are great for worldschoolers and why we think so!
Wow In The World
There are quite a few science podcasts out there for kids but nothing comes close to Wow in the World, in our humble opinions. Co-hosted by Guy Roz and Mindy, these two know how to create a world that pulls kids (and parents) in. They dive into every area of science through fun, engaging stories that pose questions and have you feeling like you’re really there. The creativity and silliness is at it’s highest level with Mindy but Guy Roz manages to speak for all of the level-headed folks out there. At the end of the day, it’s all about science and leaves you thinking, “wow, I just learned something and didn’t even realize it!”. This podcast is so fun that I sometimes pull it up even without my son asking.
Civics 101
I won’t lie, this podcast is a far cry from the engagement and fun of Wow in the World. However, this podcast provides great lessons in civics in a compact and thorough format. Civics 101 dives into one topic per episode and explains what that thing is. For example on a show about Tariffs they explain what they are and what the pros/cons of taxing goods are for our country. They ask and answer what is the affect on consumers and how do we end trade wars. The best part is that these episodes are relatively short so your kids (most likely) won’t tune out.
Elenor Amplified
A radio adventure series for all about the (fictional) famed reporter, Elenor Amplified, as she digs for the truth despite villains, crazy plots and those trying to change the world! Honestly, this is a great podcast. My son LOVES it. While it may not be outwardly educational, I do think there are some educational elements to it. It shows an example of hard work, digging beyond the surface for answers, and getting creative with solutions. Now on their 3rd season, the smart producers of this podcast rounded up each season with what they call “Road Trip” episodes. These episodes condense a whole season into one episode for easy listening. Be careful because it’s easy, mom and dad, to get caught up in the crazy world of Elenor Amplified!
Circle Round
My son was never really into story telling but for some reason took to Circle Round like a magnet. A podcast about stories from around the world, which are retold by actors (many parents will recognize from their favorite TV shows and movies). My son loves listening to this for the stories and the morals at the end of each story. I enjoy listening to see which actor/actress is featured and how they sound in the episode. As worldschoolers, this podcast gives us a great way to learn and experience stories from around the world in a way that’s fun.
Short & Curly
I think I like this one more than my son though it is for kids. It’s all about morals and tough dilemmas. Who gets to make the decisions and why? Is that fair? What is the moral price one would pay for such a decision? I know, it sounds heavy but it’s great to get your kids thinking about things they wouldn’t otherwise think about. It also does it in a kid-friendly way so it never feels heavy. What I love about it most this podcast really aims to help children learn to think critically. This podcast really understands that kids are listening and their topics should be discussed instead of pondered, internally. Due to this, they leave breaks for you to pause the podcast and discuss it with your family. Again, my son doesn’t run to this but when it’s on he is engaged.
Unlikely Podcasts That Made the List
I know I started this post talking about podcasts that help my son learn. And I will continue on that path. However, these podcasts may make you wonder why they made the list. My son learns beyond what the school’s deem he should learn. He learns about things he’s interested in. As a result, these two podcasts are favorites and teach him so many things that I can’t even fully run down.
How I Built This
An NPR podcast that interviews founders of major, house-hold name companies. They dig into the founder’s head to understand where the idea for their company came from, how they started (from the very beginning), how they got funding, what choices they made that pivoted the company and more. It’s really interesting to learn that many of founders may not be running the companies anymore and they go into why. Sometimes it’s a buy out, sometimes they want a different direction in life. My son loves hearing these stories. In the process he is learning about grit and perseverance and about having an idea and making it into something…just to name a few things!
BiggerPockets
I will be honest and say this is more a favorite of mine. BUT I see so much that my son learns from this one, even though he doesn’t choose to turn it on. I listen to it, weekly, and my son is always with me soaking it in. Bigger Pockets is a podcast for real estate investors to learn about…real estate investing! However, there is so much to take away from these interviews that have nothing to do with real estate investing but everything to do with life. My son has learned about mortgages, escrow, ROI, getting creative, passive income verse non-passive income, the 2018 crash and what caused it, gentrification…ok, ok, enough. You get it. It’s teaching him a lot!
So that’s our round up. What podcasts are on your family’s podcast list?
