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Kids Listen: Podcasts for Kids
A robust collection of podcasts just for kids
ABOUT
Kids Listen: Podcasts for Kids is a podcast app and website that has hundreds of podcasts created just for kids.
The app is simple to navigate and the quality of the podcasts is pretty good. There’s content from organizations like NPR and other large podcast networks, plus podcasts created by educators and parents alike. Some podcasts are even created by kids, which we found to be really inspirational for media enthusiasts in your home.
The podcasts are organized in a variety of formats, from age (5 & under, 5-8, and 8+) or by categories like “Launch Your Imagination” and “Jump into an adventure”. Kids can create their own playlists, known as their “stash” to save their favorite content.
Kids Listen is a not-for-profit corporation based out of California and their privacy policy is a little on the questionable side. While there isn’t any information your child can share within the app, we weren’t too keen on the idea of Facebook authentication for registration within the app. The parental gate isn’t very hard to bypass, especially for kids 8 and up, so it does leave some exposure.
While we didn’t encounter any direct advertisements within the app, podcast creators are able to promote content within their podcasts. For example, one podcast had a promotion to pre-order their book prior to the podcast beginning. There was no direct link to make a purchase, but the app isn’t genuinely ad-free as a result.
The subscription is really more to support the company putting together the app and doesn’t unlock a lot of additional content. Unless your child listens to podcasts all the time they would rarely encounter a point where they needed to make the purchase. That said, apps like this do require support and for the monthly price of $3.99, we found it was worth it if you could afford it.
SCREENSHOTS
REVIEWS
Kids Listen: Podcasts for Kids
- Value
- Privacy
- Educational Value
- Ads
- In-App Purchases
- Editor Rating
3.9
Summary
If you have a child who loves storytime or staying on top of current events, this is a must-have app. The podcasts are varied and all kid-friendly which made our editors feel at ease leaving it on for a child without supervision. Some podcasts do have small advertisements to promote books or other content, but nothing so intrusive that we found it to be problematic. The $3.99 subscription is a nice way to support the app and unlock all the content, however, there is plenty to access without a paid membership.
Pros
Kid-friendly content
Good variety
Can listen offline
Cons
Facebook authentication raises privacy concerns
Sending
