Podcasts are a brilliant resource for teenagers, whether they are looking to be entertained or educated there are so many teen-friendly podcasts out there that there is bound to be one your teen will enjoy and in this post we will share the best we have found.
I will admit to being late to the whole Podcast party as I have spent the past ten years reading and writing blogs. I love the written word and reading and therefore it has taken me a while to get to the world of podcasts. However, there are so many good podcasts for teens that inspire and entertain. When compiling this list of the best podcasts I also asked my two teenagers for their favourites – because if they are endorsed by actual teens then they must be good!
They have suggested plenty of podcasts that they enjoy for different reasons.
Good podcasts for teens can include positive messages about people who reached success through hard work and determination, cool perspectives to stay positive and motivated, educational podcasts, political activism, action-packed spy series, the latest beauty tips, tricks and products, and podcasts for teens who love to chat about the latest news, books, and music.
Benefits of Podcasts
Podcasts are really beneficial for teenagers and a great podcast is a modern form of pop culture. Parents of teenagers will probably remember picking up a copy of a weekly magazine, podcasts are today’s teens equivalent and a weekly podcast can cover a wide range of topics that provoke a response.
Teenage life can be full of challenges and a podcast can be a new way to explore issues that matter to them. Podcasts can be a great opportunity to consolidate learning or add more detail to a subject that they are interested in. Older teens are often told to read widely in order to expand their minds, well listening to a podcast has the same positive outcome.
Another benefit is that they are the best way to improve listening skills, which is an important skill to master. Furthermore, it can increase vocabulary in the same way that reading does. Therefore for young people who dislike reading, listening can be just as purposeful. Finally listening to apple podcasts can be a great way to reduce screen time and video games as they tune in to a different medium.
Did you know Amazon stream podcasts – follow this link to get free podcasts.
Here is a round-up of good podcasts for teens that might just help keep them occupied.
How to Listen to Podcasts
There are a number of ways to listen to podcasts and this can include using Alexa or your own mobile device for me listening on my phone is the best way. You simply download an episode and listen, most are free and they last anything from a min or two to an hour. You can search for podcasts using a streaming service like Spotify or Amazon Music. Using Spotify it is easy to find top podcasts by looking at the podcast charts, check out the Education chart and also the Top News Podcasts.
I often wear a wireless pair of headphones as I can wander around the home with ease. It also means that I can listen to ones that might not be suitable for my ten year old! I listen when ironing or just relaxing.
More recently I have taken to listening on long car rides or walking the dog! Listening to podcasts is a great option when studying too. I have been listening to coaching podcasts that gave me more background knowledge for an assignment I was writing.
When parenting teens we will need various tools up our sleeves to keep our young people busy. I know many are worried about teaching their children and we need to remember that we are not expected to be the same as their qualified teachers.
The best podcasts for teens are made specifically with teenage ears in mind, either by breaking down abstract concepts into smaller, more manageable chunks or by focusing on celebrities or issues and current events that matter most to teenagers. Many a good podcast has special guests that will also have an important message for young adults. Good Role Models for Kids are really important for inspiring and motivating them. There are podcasts for all ages and if you have older teenagers doing GCSE’s or A-Levels many will help aid their understanding of their subjects, for example The Economist will help those doing Business topics.
Any podcast can be a springboard for great discussion between you and your teen, so they are great to listen to together. Listen in the car and start chatting, they can be a great way to connect and find some common ground.
Good Podcasts for Teens to Listen To
Dear Hank & John
The “Hank” and “John” in this case are, of course, brothers, authors and YouTubers Hank Green and John Green. (You may have heard about one of John’s little novels, The Fault in Our Stars.) On their podcast, they answer questions like how to quit a job, how irritation works and why it’s harder to wake up when it’s rainy outside.
Ted Talks Daily
This offers a wide variety of topics and includes current affairs and cultural events. This really helps young people understand what is happening in the real world and is such an informative podcast. Recent episodes include talks on climate change or starting a business. The talks range from about 5 minutes to 15 which is a great bite-sized chuck for those with shorter attention spans.
You’re Dead To Me
This covers history including topics like the History of General Elections or about people like Joan of Arc. This is a great way to learn about the important people in history, making them good podcasts for teens to listen to, especially for a history buff!
My Favorite Murder
Hosted by true crime fanatics Karen Kilgariff and Georgia Hardstark, this podcast has plenty of girl talk, true crime retelling and even mental health advocacy, in a formula that’s pretty perfect for teens who are mature enough for a little crass talk.
Let’s Be Real With Sammy Jaye
Actual Gen Zer Sammy Jaye heads up the interviews on this podcast that features celebrities, activists, actors and changemakers talking about real issues. Past guests have included Jordan Fisher, Kesha and Bachelor stars Ashley and Jared.
Teach Me a Lesson with Greg James and Bella Mackie
These two have an awesome podcast where they interview the best teachers on a wide range of school subjects, it offers an interesting insight into some of the most popular school issues.
Every Little Thing Minis
This is a super short and sweet podcast talks that answer burning questions like Is Brain Freeze Dangerous? Don’t pretend that you don’t want to know the answer and we all want to know how stuff works!
The Mortified Podcast
This podcast is all about those cringeworthy moments that teen life is made of, so they’ll definitely relate to some of the stories shared. It might even help them feel less alone if they’re frequently embarrassed (especially by their parents).
What’s good games
This weekly podcast is a funny, informative show all about video games. The three female co-hosts have great chemistry and demonstrate clear expertise on the biggest games on the market. They cover news, listener questions, and personal experiences playing games.
Feel Better – Live More
This podcast has grown rapidly to become the Number 1 health podcast in the UK. It covers lots of discussions on physical health and mental health and is definitely an inspiring listen. A recent episode is about how being kind helps your immune system. All essential stuff for our teenagers who are currently experiencing increasing numbers of mental health issues including an increase in depression.
Anything Goes with Emma Chamberlian
Emma is a YouTuber who has a LOT on her mind. Thoughts, conversations, and advice on topics from relationships, social media and dealing with failure, to the trials and tribulations of being a cat mom, and ridiculous stories with best friends we can all relate to. It’s raw, intimate, and nothing is off-limits (seriously, Anything Goes). It may be serious, it’ll mostly be funny, and it’ll always be entertaining. New episodes every Thursday. This weekly show is popular with teenagers as it comes from a young person themselves and is really relatable for many.
Spooked
This podcast revels in firsthand accounts of the paranormal, told by souls who have experienced them — and still “can’t believe” what’s happened. Addictively creepy, especially for teens who fall down this rabbit hole!
Good Night Stories for Rebel Girls
We loved the books of Rebel Girls and Erin really enjoys learning about strong influential women. She has often dressed as a woman in history for book days or other history dress-up days at school. These podcasts tell the story of feminist women that we want our children to learn about and they can bring a history class to life.
The Week Junior Show
This is an up-to-date show that chats about current issues in the news and is great for podcast newbies. We also subscribe to the weekly newspaper which helps explain the news to tweens and teenagers.
Happy Place Podcast
Fearne’s HAPPY PLACE podcast series builds on the success of the top 10 bestseller HAPPY where Fearne draws on her own experiences and shares advice from experts on how to work through feeling blue to finding joy each and every day. Whatever your reason may be for feeling lost or frazzled by the pressures of this fast-paced life, there are ways to put one foot in front of the other and help you unlock that inner happiness.
Teenage Kicks Podcast
Helen’s podcast draws on real-life experiences that happened to others when they were teenagers. There are episodes on coping with acne, managing depression, what to think about when teenage dating and so much more. The episodes are interview in style and share a specific situation and what happened after. the stories are inspirational and motivational and are brilliant for both teens and their parents / carers to listen to. You can even hear my episode on teenage depression and how it affected me.
We hope these great podcasts are a brilliant starting place for a new generation of listeners.
Other posts that might help keep teenagers entertained at the moment include the following: Ted Talks for Teenagers and inspirational films for teenagers to watch. Do let me know which podcasts you teen is enjoying
