podcast listening guide: a tool for kids to retain + retell (free resource)
In early January of 2020, I adjusted our typical homeschool routines and curriculum in preparation for the arrival of our third son at the end of the month. At that time, we had no idea that a pandemic was on the horizon, nor could we foresee that the relaxed rhythms and simplified resources we had transitioned to for a temporary season would lay a foundation for some of the best learning and sweetest memories made around our table.
We traded in our language arts and math curricula for creative writing projects and loads of math games. We centered geography studies around our Letters from Afar subscription with lots of coordinating documentaries on YouTube. We explored STEM projects with our Kiwi and Tinker Crate subscriptions. And we worked through watercolor lessons and drawing tutorials from Let’s Make Art and Art Hub for Kids while listening to concerts from our local symphony and favorite bands.
One of our favorite discoveries during that season was the use of kid-friendly podcasts in our homeschool rhythm. There are countless options out there that cover all kinds of topics from history and science to faith and literature. Our favorite podcast was a science-based show called Brains On and my boys quickly fell in love with listening to episodes in the car while we ran errands around town or through their headphones as part of their official schoolwork. Some of the episodes that captured their curiosity and sparked some incredible discussions were: how do volcanoes erupt, how do elevators work, how does the internet get to us, and ask-a-scientist: bird bonanza.
While it was clear that the content of these podcasts was more than enough to hold their attention, I quickly discovered that if I gave them a place to capture what they were hearing, it sparked lots of follow-up questions and research. Additionally, coming up with a way to keep their fingers busy while their ears were engaged helped them better retain the information they were taking in. So, I designed a simple Podcast Listening Guide to extend the educational value of our time with podcasts and found that it helps me check all the boxes for several learning styles!
Auditory Learning — check
Visual Learning — check
Kinesthetic Learning — check
this simple resource gives six guided spaces:
A place to record the name of the podcast and the specific title of the episode.
A generous doodle bubble to sketch or take notes while they listen.
One big idea — a great place to practice summarizing what they heard in a succinct way.
Two juicy questions — a wonderful springboard for further study or conversation.
Three interesting facts — a gentle form of narration to capture the best of what they learned.
A simple star rating system to indicate their recommendation of the episode to others.
do you implement podcasts in your homeschool rhythm or do you have recommendations for kid-friendly podcasts we should check out? join the free resource library below to download your free podcast listening guide!
attribution: mockup from freepik
Welcome, friend — I’m Alle, a second-generation homeschooler with four boys living in the same mid-century ranch I grew up in.
In another season, my creative work took shape in the form of Kingdom-impacting projects for ministries and authors who were launching big things into the world — books and brands, courses and communities.
These days, I’m using those same skills and passions to create resources and tools for Homemakers and Home Educators who are building Kingdom-impacting families. You can sign up for free access to those simple projects in the Resource Library. I hope you will find some encouragement and support for your journey in this space.