Wow in the World is ideal if you have science-minded kids or your family likes learning. This podcast is designed to ignite curiosity for all listeners by providing captivating looks at various topics related to science and technology.

This podcast is presented in language that kids can understand, with lively hosts and a dash of interactive storytelling, but it’s also interesting enough to keep adults engaged. It has over 300 episodes, too, so you’ll find at least a few topics of interest for your next road trip.

This debate podcast pits two concepts against each other, with the hosts each taking up one side or the other. Each debater makes a passionate case for their side, using facts and classic debate tactics that can help your kids learn to form and defend their own opinions in the real world.

The fun part is in the subject matter since this show doesn’t waste any time on boring topics. Instead, the hosts get to argue the merits of pizza vs. tacos, who would win in the age-old battle of electric eels vs. Tasmanian devils, or opine on the relative strengths and weaknesses of the Tooth Fairy vs. the Sandman. Most episodes are around 30 minutes.

This storytelling podcast is perfect for creative kids, as it takes wild and out-there concepts, like “what if sharks had legs?” and renders them into fun and entertaining stories. Each episode focuses on a single “what if” scenario, often weaving in valuable life lessons about bravery, friendship, kindness, and other positive traits while exploring fun, crazy, and fantastical concepts.

Each episode is pretty short (under 30 minutes), so cue up a single one for shorter drives or load up an entire playlist for an extended road trip. The inventive premises and wild stories often encourage lively post-episode discussions, allowing you to pause at the end and chat with your kids about the implications of what you just listened to.

You can also help your kids submit their own “what if” scenarios that might be featured in a future podcast episode.

Ahoy, family road-trippers! If you’re looking for a fun podcast that mixes stories, comedy, and music, you’ll want to set sail for Story Pirates immediately. Each episode is produced and performed by professional voice actors, with special guest stars ranging from Julie Andrews to Lin-Manuel Miranda, but the stories, skits, and songs are all written by kids.

If you have a budding creative in your family, you can even help them submit their own stories that might be featured in a future podcast episode. Episode lengths vary, but they typically run less than 20 minutes each.

This interactive game show experience spawned a live-action version on Disney+, but the original is still available on your podcast platform of choice. Each episode presents two supposed experts in a specific field and tasks you and your kids with figuring out which one is on the up and up and which is a big fibber.

It’s part trivia game and part detective work, as you’ll need to put on your critical thinking cap to separate truth from lies. Work with your kids as a family to uncover the truth, or play your hand closer to the vest and see who in the family is the best at picking out the big fibber. Each episode is about 25 minutes long, with hundreds to choose from. 

If your kid’s favorite words seem to be, “But why?” then this is the perfect podcast to load up for a long road trip. Updated monthly, each episode answers questions from real kids, so the topics are of genuine interest.

Information is presented in a very accessible way, even for younger kids, while providing enough in-depth information to satisfy older listeners. You’ll likely find that you already know the answers to many of the questions, but many topics, like an exploration of how we learn to read and an exploration of why social media is so addictive, will teach some parents right alongside their kids.

Tumble combines exciting and engaging storytelling with real science, so it’s entertaining while sneakily adding facts and information. Since it isn’t too heavy-handed, it’s great for science-minded kids and kids who might be less excited about an educational podcast. Plus, the episodes are digestible for shorter trips, with most lasting under 30 minutes.

Topics range across various family-friendly subjects, with engaging interviews featuring real scientists and interactive science experiments encouraging your kids to ask questions and spur fun family conversations on the road.

This fun and engaging podcast will turn your car into a game show arena, allowing each family member to compete to see who knows more about trivia. The kid-friendly topics cover various areas, like geography, history, science, and even pop culture, so you’ll likely find that some family members do better in one while others will excel in the next.

The basic format of this game show podcast presents a series of trivia questions, with brief pauses for each player to think about and jot down the answer. You can work together by brainstorming out loud, or each write down your answers silently to see who knows the most. The answers are presented afterward, with fun banter and jokes interspersed throughout.

This delightful podcast features stories based on classic fairy tales, myths, legends, and fables alongside entirely original works. Stories are selected from a wide range of sources, allowing you to introduce your kids to varied literary traditions that go far beyond the basics they’re already familiar with from popular media.

The stories are easy to follow, even for young listeners, and have a high production level that should also keep you engaged. Each episode is pretty short, with most falling in the range of 10 to 20 minutes, so they’re just as suitable for faster drives as they are for inclusion on a longer road trip playlist. 

This serialized mystery podcast features a middle-school-aged cast, making it especially relatable for kids. It’s billed as a thematic cross between Goonies, Spy Kids, and Stranger Things, so parents will likely enjoy it for nostalgia. At the same time, kids will latch on to the suspenseful storyline that makes this the perfect “just one more episode” podcast for a long road trip.

This podcast is heavily serialized, so you’ll probably want to start at the beginning, and your kids will probably want to keep listening long after your road trip is over.

This colorful series of bedtime-style stories is perfect for loading up as the sun sets on a long day of driving. You may even need to load up on a fresh serving of gas station coffee as this podcast’s comfy, cozy atmosphere creates a relaxing environment to help lull your kids to sleep while continuing to entertain.

Each episode is about 10 to 15 minutes long, with themes and language that are age-appropriate for younger kids and themes that range from friendship and family to swashbuckling adventure. The narration is rich and captivating, which helps younger kids visualize the stories and spur their own imaginations. 

Ear Snacks is a fun and engaging podcast that captures and keeps a child’s interest on long road trips with interactive segments inviting them to sing, answer questions, and think critically. The hosts are talented musicians and storytellers and cover a diverse variety of subjects that entertain and educate at the same time.

Music features heavily in each episode, including sing-along segments and other interactive content. Topics are more aimed at younger kids than older kids, but each episode is fairly short, so it’s easy to mix things up if you’re trying to satisfy kids of different ages.

This American Life is an NPR classic that gets rolled into a podcast each week, with each episode featuring a slice of American backed up by excellent reporting, compelling narratives, and soothing narration by Ira Glass. It’s aimed at general audiences, so it may not hold the interest of younger children, but the subject matter and content are typically appropriate for the whole family (a warning is mentioned at the start of each episode if the producers feel it might be inappropriate or contain curse words).

If you have teens or thoughtful older children tired of content specifically aimed at kids, This American Life will provide a welcome break from that type of content.

Each episode delves deep into a theme, providing a listening experience that’s both entertaining and educational and which can also serve as a jumping-off point for conversations with your teens on various engaging subjects.