I am a big fan of podcasts and was thrilled when my son started to sit down and enjoy podcasts at around three years old. Thoughtful consumption of media is a key element of my multilingual parenting journey.
What to Look For
I searched far and wide for podcasts that were age appropriate and had the following key elements:
- Appropriate pace and length – The narrator doesn’t speak too fast or too slow. The pace is just right for young children. The stories are short and easy to follow.
- Interesting content – The story contains topics that are of interest to a young child. These can include: friendship, food, animals, becoming a big sibling, meeting new people, and trying new things.
- Thoughtful messaging – The stories promote the values of kindness, compassion, creativity, justice, and resilience. The stories challenge harmful stereotypes and instill a sense of fairness and agency.
- Accessible vocabulary – The vocabulary uses plenty of base words that young children understand. The language is not too complex and young children understand enough words to stay interested. Vocabulary, however, is challenging enough to introduce new words for little ones to learn.
My Recommendations
The podcasts below hit most, if not all, of the key elements listed above. My son is a superfan of Cuentos Increíbles, but we often lean on the other podcasts below for long car rides or plane rides.
Cuentos Increíbles – ¿Alguna vez has soñado con viajar a la Antártida trepado en un dragón, jugar con duendes de extraños nombres, o recibir el regalo de un hada? Cuentos Increíbles es un podcast para niñas y niños de todas las edades, en cada episodio descubrirás una historia nueva donde todo es posible.
Cuento Cuentos – Cuentos infantiles para los chiquitines, cuentos de Puerto Rico para los grandecitos, rimas que dan risa, poesía que hipnotiza y algún trabalengua que te lengua la traba.
Cuentos Encantados – Maravillosos cuentos que tus hijos querrán escuchar una y otra vez. Cuentos tradicionales y nuevos cuentos creados por nosotras con los que tus peques alucinarán.
MamaLingua Go! Short Stories – Spanish and Bilingual stories we write for our kids to create enjoyable Spanish content to keep them engaged in Spanish. Enjoy!
Spanish Stories for Kids – Created to share some of my favorite bedtime stories read in Spanish by my mom. At the end of each episode, we leave you with new words to add to your Spanish vocabulary.
What are your favorite Spanish podcasts for kids? Leave your suggestions in the comment section below.
