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Podcasting for Parents: A Roadmap for Making A Podcast with Your Kids

Podcasts are officially flourishing, and that’s a blessing to aspiring podcasters and listeners. 

You can find podcasts about pretty much anything you could ever want, from movies to fashion and games. But if you’re going to find some cool channels for kids produced by or in collaboration with children, you may be disappointed to see there are very few that offer high-quality content. None of Apple Inc’s top 100 podcasts include children-directed content. If you’re not a parent, you can easily miss it. And even as a parent, you might not be aware of it because you don’t naturally think of podcasts for children. After all, it’s a very new category. 

So, what about making your own podcast? Think about it. Your kids know what they want to learn from a podcast and can help you start a fun and meaningful series for other children. Podcasts have gained popularity among parents and children lately. A recent survey revealed that 89% of children who listen to podcasts are aged eight or under. Half of them listen to podcasts weekly, and one-third daily. Podcasts are catching parents’ attention, searching for screen-free entertainment activities for their children. They perceive podcasts (and any other audio program) differently because they don’t require children to spend time in front of screens such as smartphones, computers, or TVs. 

But how do you make a fantastic and memorable podcast for kids? It’s not too tricky, and you could really enjoy the process if you do it together with your children. 

Let’s explore the roadmap.

Top view photo of podcast concept - lightbox with letters podcast on it, headphones and professional microphone on the table

Choose a topic your kids are passionate about

Do your children love animals? Ask them what their favorite animal is, and they’ll probably answer all of them. Or maybe they’ll say elephants. Who knows? Children are unpredictable. If they love animals and always ask for more animal encyclopedias, they are the natural choice for your podcast’s topic. 

You can’t miss the subject your kids are passionate about because they probably talk non-stop about it. 

Make sure your podcast’s topic isn’t over-covered

There is indeed a lack of podcasts for children, but it’s essential to research the existing ones before starting your own. If you want to talk about animals, check if other series discuss the subject. For example, there may be some podcasts on pets, but very few or none about wild animals like elephants. Entering a marketplace that’s not overcrowded allows you to stand out and allows parents and children to find your series easily. 

Research, research, research

We cannot stress enough how important it is to dedicate your time to research. Your child may provide you with the topic and even help you create content for the podcast, but only research can help you understand what it takes to make a successful podcast. 

Understand when and where children usually listen to podcasts. Surprisingly, they have longer attention spans. As an adult, you’ve been programmed by social media to think that audio content needs to be short and fast to capture attention. But a survey found that 15-20 minutes is the optimum episode length for children. 42% of the children involved in the study listened to 30+ minutes of audio in a sitting. Most kids listen to audio content on a daily commute or while they wait for something (l dinner, a doctor’s visit). 

Before you make the first podcast, research the subject you want to talk about and glean the most astounding facts about it. Write them down on a sheet of paper and go over them with your child to make sure they’re comfortable with the information. 

directly above shot of podcast recording equipment on desk with words new podcast episode written on note pad

Record the podcast

It’s ideal to use a voice recorder to record the content, pause when your kids need a break, and share the files. All smartphones, computers, and tablets have voice recorder apps. iPhones have an app called Voice Memos, and Android devices come with apps named Sound Recorder, Voice Recorder, or something like this. 

Keep out background noise to deliver a high-quality piece of content. However, an excited scream from a child in the middle of the episode won’t be an issue. In fact, it might help the listener connect with your content because they’ll become aware that the speaker is genuinely interested in the topic they’re talking about. Silently encourage your kids as you record the episode. Smile, nod, and give them a thumbs-up to keep them talking about the topic. Pause the recording whenever they need a break. However, if your children are known as tricksters or for telling funny things, keep the tape rolling the whole time. Who knows what you can catch?

Put the podcast together

If you have no editing skills, record the podcast as a set of separate audio files. Then you can use an editing tool to join them together into a single audio piece and cut out the parts you want to remove. In time you can learn how to use audio-editing software to add sound effects music and create fade-ins and fade-outs. 

Use a podcast audiogram developer to create a snippet introducing the episode’s topic and share it across your social media platforms. Once you’re happy with the teaser, download it and publish it on Facebook, Instagram, or Twitter. 

Podcast concept on smart phone screen with office objects on white wooden table. All screen content is designed by me. Flat lay

Promote your podcast

Luckily, you’re living in an era when social media is king, and you can use it to promote your podcast series. Once your first episode is edited, use the podcast audiogram to engage your audiences on social media platforms. If you’re part of a parents’ group, ask the other members to share your link to reach as many people as possible. Medium wants to encourage the listeners to comment and ask questions and answer them the next episode to engage them and show them your gratitude. 

Final thoughts

Experts expect podcasts for kids to grow in popularity alongside adult video series, so this is your opportunity to start a successful project together with your kids. Who knows, maybe one day the podcast channel will make them famous. 


Resources:

https://www.podcastinsights.com/top-us-podcasts/

https://www.kidslisten.org/survey

http://docs.wixstatic.com/ugd/10c540_8056b16c7caa47b091ca25a5cc426176.pdf

https://reel.so/podcast-audiogram

           

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