5 Reasons to Listen to Podcasts With Your Kids

I was provided compensation to share my honest thoughts and opinions about Melon’s House Party. All thoughts and opinions are 100% my own.

Podcasts are big around here. If I’m alone, you can probably find me listening to one of my favorites. If the kids and I are together, there’s a good chance we’re listening to one. We listen in the car, while we play, during chore time, and any time we need a calm-down activity. Our favorite podcast right now, you ask? We are loving Melon’s House Party from Wondery Kids. The 2nd season just started, and after binging the first season, Cam is constantly asking when the next episode will be released. Listening to Melon’s House Party is a highlight of our week! And screen-free listening is so beneficial for kids. Here’s 5 Reasons to Listen to Podcasts With Kids!

Podcasts Teach Listening Skills

Melon’s House Party features a puppy named Melon who lives with her owners, Luke and Chloe. When her humans leave each day, all the items in the house come to life, like Melon’s best friend Couch, and the always-singing Rita Record Player. They have adventures, get into trouble, solve problems and more together.

When Camden listens to the podcast, he has to listen closely. He has to listen to who is talking, and what they’re doing. In order to stay interested and connected, he has to practice his listening skills. That helps him follow the story, and is such an important skill for kids of any age to learn.

Podcasts Promote Imagination

In season 1, Couch wants to go on a walk like Melon does three times a day. So they get ahold of some magic, give Couch legs, and head out on a once-in-a-lifetime walk. It was so fun to listen to that story and then chat with Cam about what he imagined everyone looked like, what was happening, etc. There is no screen to create the picture for you, so it’s a great way to develop the imagination.

Podcasts Help Kids Learn Comprehension Skills

Every week on Melon’s House Party, there’s a new story, but it’s most of the same characters. Camden has to remember facts about them, who they are, what they do, etc, and carry that information over from week to week. It’s a super important skill for kids to develop listening comprehension. (If your kiddo struggles with listening comprehension, you can pause the podcast periodically and check in to help them remember. Give them a refresher before you listen to the next episode a week later).

Podcasts Create Shared Experiences

Shared watching is becoming a popular way to let your young kids watch tv, and listening to a podcast creates a shared listening experience. It helps you relate to kids (and Melon’s House Party is honestly fun for adults to listen to as well), and it lets you enjoy a story together. If your child spends all day at school or daycare away from you, listening to a podcast while you drive home with them or while you make dinner is a wonderful way to relate to each other and create shared experience.

Melon’s House Party Has the BEST Music

While all kid-friendly podcasts are great to listen to with kids, Melon’s House Party is especially great. Every episode has original songs, and they are SO CATCHY. They’re fun, upbeat, trendy, and you’ll find yourselves having dance parties in the kitchen or car together! I love the songs, Camden loves the songs, and they get stuck in our heads. They also make us want to relisten to episodes to hear the songs again.

Baby Lawson is one, and he LOVES music. Whenever the music from Melon starts playing, he dances and smiles, and he loves to wander off with the phone or tablet while we’re listening. haha.

Podcasts are such a perfect way to connect with your kids in the car, while you’re making dinner, while you’re having a snack, playing outside, or pretty much anywhere you can think of. There are so many reasons to listen to podcast with kids!

Where do you like to listen to your podcasts? Add Melon’s House Party from Wondery Kids to your listening list; the second season just started at the beginning of September, and new episodes are released weekly!