If you've got a long car journey planned or flight, there is no better time to make sure you have a few podcasts downloaded for your kids. A brilliant alternative to the iPad on long journeys (and great for bedtimes too) podcasts made for (and by) children are springing up all over the place – and they can be enjoyed by grown-ups too. Here are some of our favourites.

David Walliams’ Marvellous Musical Podcast


Best for: 7-12 years

Introduce your children to classical music with David Walliams as he goes on a marvellous musical journey of discovery to meet some of the genre’s most famous names – from Ludwig ‘Grumpy’ Beethoven to 19th Century rock star Franz Liszt. Download or stream via the Classic FM app, Google Podcasts or Apple Podcasts. Available from Monday 4 February.

Everything Under the Sun


Best for: 7-12 years

Join author and QI contributor Molly Oldfield on this brand new weekly podcast as she and various experts answer questions sent into the show by kids from around the world. Can Blue Whales Talk to Killer Whales? Why are Rainbows so Colourful? and the dreaded Where do Babies Come From? are all covered. A brilliant way to feed their curiosity (and yours).

CBeebies Bedtime Stories


Best for: 6 and under

Join a celebrity for a new bedtime story every night with this new offering from CBeebies. Listen to Tom Hardy reading Bear on My Chair, George Ezra reading Under the Same Sky, Dolly Parton reading Dog Loves Book – and many more besides. Snuggle up for a family story or press play and go have a glass of wine.

Spare the Rock, Spoil the Child


Best for: All ages

Wheels on the Bus or This Wheel’s on Fire? If your favourite albums have been ousted on family car journeys in favour of cheesy kids tunes (anything to keep them quiet), here’s a compromise. Spare the Rock, Spoil the Child puts together a weekly playlist of “grown-up” music that will also appeal to the smalls in the back. Artists range from Elvis Costello and Louis Armstrong to Lead Belly and SeanPaul. Kids, your musical education starts here.

The Unexplainable Disappearance of Mars Patel


Best for: 8-12 year olds

Long car journey ahead? Written for and performed by kids, this award-wining podcast has been described as a ‘Goonies meets Spy Kids meets Stranger Things’ for middle-schoolers, but it is gripping for adults, too. A serial mystery about an 11-year-old searching for his missing friends, expect a tight plot, lots of suspense and a five hour running time that should (hopefully) take you door to door.

For more podcast recommendations, read these:

Digital Detox: the best five podcasts to help you reconnect with your real life

Five best podcasts from BBC Sounds

Five best holiday podcasts dubbed the Richard and Judy of easy listening

March 2019