Tune In! The Best Podcasts for Preschoolers

Whether in the car, before bedtime, or as a nice non-screen time activity, podcasts for preschoolers are wonderful for supporting language development, imagination, and listening skills. Plus, they promote family bonding and expand cultural understanding. Boost learning for you and your little learner year-round with Denver Preschool Program’s (DPP) overview of the best podcasts for preschoolers, as well as a little science behind how podcasts can help calm the nervous system. 

The Science Behind Listening to Podcasts

The benefits of listening to audiobooks or podcasts for kids of all ages are wide-ranging. Plus, they provide an engaging and educational alternative to screen time. 

Here’s what the experts say about audiobooks and podcasts for preschoolers:

• Listen to This! Children’s Podcasts, Family Engagement, and Opportunities for Learning, a 2025 study by the Education Development Center (EDC), found that podcasts lead to meaningful family interactions, easily fit into family routines, and sparked imagination and storytelling among children and the adults in their lives. 
• A 2024 University of California analysis of two different studies found that 11  minutes of daily listening to story‑based science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) podcasts paired with parent-and-child conversations enhanced the child’s higher-order learning skills, like critical thinking. 
• A 2011 National Literacy Trust report studied the effect of interactive audio on building literacy skills. The study found that audio storytelling for kids ages 3-8 introduced them to vocabulary words they might not hear at home and helped them build empathy toward characters. In addition, the lack of visuals created opportunities for imagination. 
• When adults co-listen with children and engage in back-and-forth conversation about the content, children experience enhanced learning potential, according to a Harvard Center on the Developing Child Study on “Serve and Return” interactions. 
• Audiobooks make storytelling more accessible, especially for kids or caregivers with visual challenges, fostering a love for reading and creating opportunities to share favorite stories with friends and family. 

Tips for Introducing Audiobooks and Podcasts to Your Preschooler

Before you press play on an audiobook or podcast, be sure to keep in mind a few helpful tips to ensure they are well-received by your preschooler:  

• Preview content before sharing a new podcast with your child
• Look for age-appropriate content; even stories for 6+ might be too advanced for young kids
• Focus on a maximum length of 5-15 minutes 
• Choose slow-paced podcasts with simple language and interactive narratives where the author asks questions 
• Find content that helps children think about and identify emotions, relationship skills, or a subject-matter they are interested in 
• Pause to ask questions and talk about the story to create shared experiences; questions like, “What do you think will happen next?” are great! 
• Use audiobooks and podcasts for transitions, like car rides, wind-down time, or bath time

Top Five Podcasts for Preschoolers

Now that you’re ready to download and share in podcast listening with your little learner, here are our top 5 podcasts for preschoolers:

1. Circle Round (Ages 3+): This podcast features folktales from around the world that focus on mindfulness and music.
2. Wow in the World (Ages 4+): Science, tech, and exploration in a kid-friendly storytelling format make this podcast unique.
3. Story Pirates (Ages 3-7): This podcast uses real stories written by kids and transforms them into sketch comedy and songs.
4. Little Stories for Tiny People (Ages 3+): Who doesn’t need help at bedtime? This podcast features original, calming bedtime stories.
5. Goodnight, World! (Ages 2-5): A partnership between Sesame Street and Headspace, Goodnight, World! is the perfect podcast for wind-down time as it uses stories and imagination to promote mindfulness, self-regulation, and calmness at bedtime.

When in doubt (or in an urgent toddler meltdown), search specifically for your child’s favorite book on your go-to audio platform. Audible, Apple Books, Spotify, and Google Play all offer paid subscriptions that include thousands of children’s audiobooks. In addition, many libraries offer audiobooks through free accounts like Hoopla. On Spotify, there are countless Children’s Book Playlists, classic series like Frog and Toad or Pout Pout Fish, or accounts full of read-aloud options like Read Along with Mom. 

Need a break from digital devices? No problem! Denver Public Library also offers storytelling in locations across the city and for all ages! Check out their events page for storytime near you and read more about DPP’s longtime partnership with Denver Public Library in our March 2024 blog post “Denver Public Library: Space, Activities for All Families, Anytime.”