Road Trippin’
Podcasts FOR KIDS
Long car rides are the ideal time to sneak in
some summer learning. These educational
podcasts below are so engaging, you might not
even hear your kids say, “Are we there yet?”
1 THE PAST &
THE CURIOUS
This history podcast
is full of excitement!
From stories of spies and
funny foods to George
Washington’s foibles and
historical hoaxes, this
fascinating podcast makes
learning about the past
oh-so fun. Each episode includes themed songs
and a recap quiz.

2 BUT WHY: A
PODCAST FOR
CURIOUS KIDS
But Why is a show that
aims at answering any
question your little one
can imagine. Kids submit
questions, and this podcast
delivers answers in a fun,
interesting and easy-to-
understand way. It tackles a plethora of topics
including nature, animals, cultural beliefs and even
the end of the world.

what they will be learning. The
same thing can be said for any of
the other Smithsonian museums
(and the zoo).

Another good choice is the new
International Spy Museum, which
provides a great opportunity to
use critical thinking skills. Visi-
tors are given a mission to carry
out while they are there and have
to use problem-solving skills to
complete it. This museum has an
admission fee, but kids absolutely
love it (even big kids).

Many of the embassies hold
cultural events and provide
programming for children.

These opportunities are great
for cultural awareness, building
tolerance, developing a strong
knowledge of geography and
learning about the arts.

Another thing to look out for
is events on the National Mall.

You never know what you might
find there, and you can always
visit the monuments to learn
about history and government.

At-Home Learning
Rainy summer days inside pro-
vide a great opportunity to play
educational games! This can be
on a tablet or smartphone, but
sometimes classic board games
are a better way to engage the
whole family. You can find games
for virtually any theme and any
age. If you are looking, Lake-
shore Learning has a lot of great
options. Some great board games
to keep your children’s minds’
sharp are Jenga, Word-A-Melon,
Suspend, Uno, Prime Climb and
good old-fashioned Chess.

If you implement some of
these ideas into your next sum-
mer vacation or just a lazy day
at home, you’ll be sure to keep
your child learning without
sacrificing any summer fun! ■
Stephanie Hosfeld is a
local tutor at Educational
Connections Tutoring, serving
the D.C. area.

3 PANTS
ON FIRE
It’s always important
for kids to know how to
decipher from fact and
fiction. In this hilarious
podcast, kids learn how to
discover what is true and
what is false in a game
show-style setting, where
kids interview adults on a particular topic. One is a
genuine expert, while the other is not, so kids must
spot the difference. It teaches young ones how to
ask insightful questions and analyze information
given — both essential skills.

4 TUMBLE
Tumble is the
ultimate science
podcast for kids! With the
help of real scientists, this
podcast tells stories about
science discoveries and
mysteries. In an ultra-
creative way, they make
learning about all aspects
of science easy and entertaining. Plus, your kids
don’t have to be full-on science enthusiasts to
enjoy this podcast. It’s amusing for all. ■
WashingtonFAMILY.com 25