Some of my favorite podcast episodes of the year gone by + a few extra kindie picks!
As you may have known, 2020 has been a very tough year for all of us. But at least there had been a few bright spots in this year, especially in the field of podcasting. And many shows for kids and families have come out with spectacular episodes, all that despite social distancing.
And as I had been consuming a plethora of podcasts this year, I had been developing a few favorites, as they had either touched my, they had a message about COVID-19, or they were quite fascinating to listen to. They also touched on current global events, like systemic racism.
Here are my Top 10 favorite kid's podcast episodes of this year. I chose them based on how the episodes touched and inspired me.
(You can subscribe to all the mentioned shows on Spotify, or your other favorite podcast apps)
10. Book Club For Kids - The Poet X
(Kitty Felde)
Photo credit: Book Club for Kids Facebook page
I particularly like this episode because the themes here are very timely and just what we need right now. It covers Elizabeth Acevedo's award winning novel about this young girl who writes poetry while being bullied upon for her body image. She uses poetry to express herself and try to keep all her fears away. That also was what some people did under lockdown to keep the news at bay, describing things like being able to appreciate nature for the first time. The body image aspect also resonates with me very much as many people have been body shamed, especially on social media. And she uses poetry to stand up and celebrate herself. Kitty Felde has put her whole heart in this episode, discussing with schoolkids on how inspiring this book is.
9. Ear Snacks - The Notorious RBG
(Andrew & Polly)
Photo credit: Andrew & Polly
In a past article, I showed off how kindie musician Joanie Leeds celebrated the late great US Supreme Court justice, Ruth Bader Ginsburg.
However this time around, I'm talking about another kindie powerhouse, Andrew & Polly, and how they celebrated the notorious leader was by asking kids about what they know about the inspiring female leader.
What I liked about the episode is that I found out that some kids have very wide knowledge about RBG and I admire Andrew and Polly for this effort of making kids understand American civics and true leadership at such a young age, proving the long-told philosophy that "the youth can make the future". That fact alone is enough to warm your heart and make you go "Awww, they know so much about RBG!". And they put in a mixture of fun twists, in traditional Andrew & Polly fashion.
8. Circle Round - The Fantastic Fiddle
(WBUR)
Photo credit: WBUR
This is one of my favorite episodes of this podcast in this year. It is based upon a Hispanic-American folktale about the consequence of not being able to do so, and what happens when you are found guilty of heinous crimes. I cannot spoil much but when the lead character plays her fiddle, everyone within earshot dances when the fiddle is played. It is heartwarming, fascinating, suspenseful, and super fun!
7. Julie's Library - Ten Ways to Hear Snow and Daniel Finds a Poem
(American Public Media)
Photo: Julie's Library/American Public Media
Of course, the best podcast ever to come out of a worse year is obviously Julie's Library. It started as an initiative by Hollywood luminary Julie Andrews along with her daughter Emma Walton Hamilton. They started taping in late 2019, but the pandemic forced them to hunker down and record from home. But that did not stop them from bringing families together through reading books about diversity, being brave, appreciating who you are, and opening up to the wonders of the world around you.
The messages of both books featured in this episode are about being able to explore the wonders of nature and the beauty of poetry. The first book here was read by the author herself, Cathy Camper, and there have been many star guests on Julie's Library, as you will see later on, but it details the way that snow can be enjoyed, and it it is just wonderful. The second book here is about what a poem is all about and how it can reflect the world around you. I just love the beauty of the story, as it profiles the many forms poetry can take on, and it is in line with Julie Andrews' and Emma Walton Hamilton's advocacy for appreciating poetry. It feels like Emma here is willing to tell you about poetry.
All in all, this has made me appreciate poetry even more, and it has inspired me to write one pf my own about the podcast.
6. Wow in the World - Introducing Two Whats? And a Wow!
(NPR/Tinkercast)
Photo credit: Two Whats and a Wow on Facebook
NPR's blockbuster kid's science podcast Wow in the World has very much been on a roll in 2019, with a string of new episodes and live stage shows. But 2020 put on a hold for such events, so what happened? They were STILL able to churn out new episodes under social distancing.
However, after the widespread school cancellations under COVID lockdowns, Mindy Thomas, from SiriusXM's Kid's Place Live channel and Guy Raz, who is one of NPR's esteemed journalists and had covered stories like the Iraqi War and the Sandy Hook school shooting, and a master of the art of podcasting with two shows under his belt, namely How I Built This and formerly the TED Radio Hour, devised a secret plan and went on a stealth mission to keep kids entertained and enlightened. They created a daily game show-style podcast called "Two Whats? And a Wow!". It was a massive success as the first season was a daily show, and I liked the fact that I have Mindy and Guy Raz to keep me company every day. The series returned in October, but now in a weekly format, similar to the main Wow in the World. It's fun and education, all well-packed in the span of less than 10 minutes.
5. Million Bazillion - Negotiation is a super important skill
(American Public Media)
Photo: Million Bazillion/Marketplace/American Public Media
One of my favorite pandemic-borne podcasts is without a doubt, Million Bazillion. As I had stated before, it introduced me to the world of business, finance, and how money works.
This is my personal favorite of all the episodes, as it really does detail how important it is to negotiate and hear from the other side if you are looking to get what you want, and consider if it collides with the interest of others. It really does leave you thinking about all your interests and the things you would love and to get for yourself. And to get what you want, it really takes a lot of understanding, especially the interests of others.
It will really leave a few thoughts racing up your mind.
4. The Super Secret Hive - UnBEElievable BEEginnings
(Kid Save The World)
Photo: KID Save The World
Here's another awesome podcast we had seen this year.
This was made by two Disney World employees, Julie and Mike, who were laid off by the COVID pandemic. And with no livelihood, they decided that "Hey, we need to do something to entertain and perhaps inspire all the kids stuck at home!" And so they did.
I really like this episode as it is all about bees, hence the name "Super Secret Hive". It really does sound very magical. It's like a Disney movie but in sound form. It captures the pure essences of a Disney-style production while sprinkling in a dash of science and history, as this episode focuses on bees, how they live, and what we can do to protect them from hazards like climate change, in order to inspire kids to change the world and make it a better place for the future generation. It's a podcast that really does blend fun, excitement, inspiration, and activism.
This definitely deserves a space on my year-end podcast countdown for all the right reasons and its heartwarming aim and message.
3. Book Club For Kids - Ghost Boys
(Kitty Felde)
Photo: Book Club for Kids
This episode tackles another book which centers around the Civil Rights movement of the 1960s. It describes the struggles of the African-American community, especially the abuses made be police over Black people then. As I listened, I was told of tales of grief, sorrow, mourning, and most importantly, the power of activism and how the loss of one voice could trigger thousands of others. It's a very timely book, especially with the movement surrounding brutality in America. It's yet another insightful conversation from Kitty Felde about such a riveting read. And it inspired me to get a copy and read it for myself and wonder what the buzz is all about.
2. Wow in the World - What in the Wow?! The Science of Awe
(NPR/Tinkercast)
Photo: Robb Hohmann/NPR/Tinkercast
In the finale of the fourth season of this hit science podcast covers why we always look out for a sense of wonder and awe, or Wow, in the case of Mindy Thomas and Guy Raz. Here, they beautifully describe a recent study by London scientists on what sparks our curiosity and what makes us want to explore more. As always, in true Mindy and Guy-style fashion, they splice all the science inside a little story, where Mindy plans to put up a mobile museum of all their scientific adventures. I like this episode as it not only reinforces the podcast's message, but also shows how much we can be inspired by this and other episodes of this and the other podcasts featured here. Mindy's performance here is very much heartfelt, especially at the end of the episode, where she laments the power of science, how much has been discovered and how many great new things are out there. It'll leave you thinking of what great scientific wonders are out there and it sends a powerful message: Science is indeed for everyone.
It feels quite interesting to hear as to why we always look out for amazing things, as that is the aim of the podcast since its start back in 2017 as NPR's first ever program for children.
1. Julie's Library - From the Stars in the Sky to the Fish in the Sea
(American Public Media)
This is the second episode of Julie's Library in the list, and my personal favorite podcast episode this year.
I love this episode so much as it covers the amazing story of a very gifted child that always seems to change his form every so often an cannot fit in with the rest of the crowd, but he always gets reassured whenever his mother tells him that she believes that he can be anything, as he is blessed with her love.
It's quite a very relevant theme right now, as many people feel sad about not being able to fit in, and this is a very beautiful reassurance not only from the authors of this book, but also of Julie Andrews and Emma Walton Hamilton: You will find your own way to stand out from the crowd, and people will like what makes you unique and special. And that will always stay that way.
It's a very heartwarming episode. You will really be touched by its message.
HONORABLE MENTIONS:
Brains On COVID-19 episodes
(American Public Media)
Photo: Brains On! on Facebook
One of Brains On's primary missions is to give kids a closer connection to science and make them understand it better.
However, with all the fake news, misinformation, and political opinions surrounding the pandemic, that mission has been increasingly relevant. Their COVID-19 reportage is certainly the best one around, especially for kids and families. What I like the most about it is that their coverage is fact-based, unbiased, centered on science and so well-translated for kids' imaginations. And also with their 5-year experience with podcasting to kids, they dug through the archives to find clips from episodes that relate to things like social distancing, the spread of germs, and how humans have been fighting off diseases and viruses. One even details how you can help people who have been impoverished by the pandemic.
I'm very much well-informed by this series of COVID-related episodes. They do one big job spreading this knowledge to young audiences.
Not to mention, they had even made a behind-the-scenes special that details how the podcast has been made while under social distancing. It's a very beautiful testament to how much these podcasters had to endure too ensure "regular programming" during this time of social distancing, as audio has no physical contact, that "contact" only happens in your imagination. It's great to hear that despite Hollywood, Broadway, and major league sports being on a slight hiatus, podcasters are here to bridge the long gap in the field of entertainment.
Wow in the World - Masking for a Friend
(Tinkercast/NPR)
Photo: Wow in the World on Facebook
Just like the Brains On episodes mentioned, this is another great podcast episode that covers the pandemic very well. The way Mindy and Guy Raz explain face masks and how they have been helpful in warding off the risk of getting the disease and also makes it easier to understand why it's so important to wear a face mask and how it protects you from getting airborne germs. I really laud Mindy and Guy for this relevant and fact-based endeavor, and making people see (and hear) how important it is to wear a mask. If only Donald Trump can hear this.....
And there you have it! My favorite podcast episodes for this crazy year! This proves that podcasters have made the most and the best of this very bad and dreary year.
Happy new year from the Matt's Random Thoughts Blog!
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