I predict that podcast choices are going to continue to grow and grow. I also think many young people will start creating more podcast shows or one-offs. I say this because when I talk with young people they light up when the word podcast comes up. They talk about podcasts they like — as well as the fact that many have thought of doing podcasts of their own, and some have.

Sharing podcast recommendations is something I do often with friends and colleagues. I wanted to share some of my recent picks for listening with the youth in your life. (I will spare you my podcasts on medicine topics or my Hindi podcast. I lived in India and am refreshing my Hindi. Just 5 minutes most days, but those 5 minutes do make a difference).

So to start, let me say that all of these are tame. I wish I could give a precise age-appropriateness for anything I ever recommend, but it is impossible. Personally, I know I get a mamma bear reaction when things in shows, podcasts, etc… are inappropriate. Heads up – the podcast about social gatherings I talk about below has one line about taking a shot of liquor, kind of a game situation. It is mild what she says but anything that is about liquor and game I am very much opposed to. You can turn this into a teachable moment by having a short, calm conversation with your teens about their thoughts around that topic.

So to start, here are some fun podcast episodes I recommend.  

First, Screenagers Podcast — Yes, we have one

Encyclopedia Womannica

I loved finding this little gem — particularly the first episode. It was about a woman who has always fascinated me, Mary Pickford. Once you listen to this 5-minute episode about her, you will see why I have been so intrigued by all her accomplishments.

I also want to hear the one about Lucille Ball. I spent way too many hours watching reruns of her growing up.

Short Wave‍

This is a new podcast show with women reporters full of interesting science and stories. It is pretty awesome.

Does Your Dog REALLY Love You?

Clive Wynne, founding director of the Canine Science Collaboratory at Arizona State University, draws on studies from his lab and others around the world to explain what biology, neuroscience, and genetics reveal about dogs and love.

One Small Step For Cookie Baking

Can you imagine cooking in microgravity? Food floating around. That is the reality for the six astronauts aboard the International Space Station. This incredibly interesting podcast looks at the evolution of astronaut food and an attempt to make chocolate chip cookies in space.

TED Talks

Most are on the computer and not on podcasts but fortunately, TED Talks has an app where they put many of their talks.

Here are a few TED Talk suggestions:

3 Steps to Turn Everyday Gatherings into Transformative Gatherings

For the holidays, I think stepping back and reflecting on what makes for a meaningful gathering is a cool idea. Maybe it will inspire a new approach in your home.

App That Helps Incarcerated People Stay Connected to Their Families

One of the many social issues that makes me incredibly emotional is our prison industrial complex and the fact that we talk so little about people in prison. We have so few conversations as a society. This podcast will bring up really important issues about mistakes, redemption, and love.

My Journey to Thank All The People Responsible for My Morning Coffee.

And what would the holidays be without a TED TALK on “thank yous”? This is a fun one.

If you want a longer show, the TED Radio Hour is usually a winner. This is from their archive:

nspire to Action

This episode looks at what it takes to inspire a movement. There are several people featured including Simon Sinek who was in SCREENAGERS. There is also a poignant story about how a boy approached the female Icelandic president who had been in office a few terms, “can boys also grow up to be president?”

It would not be a Tech Talk Tuesday without a few of my recommendations being tech-focused for any history-minded adults and kids.

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Open Source World

Open source has changed the way we work, create, build, collaborate and govern. This episode features TED speakers talking about the pros and cons of open source. When is it productive and when is it pure chaos?

Your Undivided Attention

There are not many episodes but I found a few worth sharing with my teens. These can be a bit long so you might consider listening to even just the first 5 or 10 minutes.

In Episode 1: “What Happened in Vegas”
Natasha Dow Schüll, author of Addiction by Design, explains how the design of slot machines in Las Vegas laid the ground for the design of games and social media on our personal devices.

And in Episode 7: “Pardon the Interruptions”
Bing, buzz, ring. That’s our phone or computer letting us know we received a message, an email or an update. Our attention is constantly being interrupted. Gloria Mark, a professor in the Department of Informatics at the University of California, Irvine measures the attention span of office workers. She has found that our attention breaks every 40 seconds. This is creating a pandemic of stress, she says, that follows people from their offices to their homes. Mark talks about her latest findings of her studies and gives helpful advice on how to become aware of the interruptions and give our brains a break.

Planet Money

This show does a wonderful job of being upbeat and fast-paced but not too fast that you miss the information. It often covers topics that can be of interest to 10-year-olds on up.

Overrated Or Underrated

I liked this little episode. Economist Tyler Cowen talks about things he thinks are overrated and underrated. He gives his opinions on things like the NBA, Adam Smith, your neighbors, and more. I use the same idea of overrated/underrated as a fun way to give quick opinions to spark discussions.

Oprah’s SuperSoul Conversations

I particularly like the one where she talks to Malcolm Gladwell about talking to strangers.

How I Built This with Guy Raz

Guy has been at this since 2016 and has so many great episodes about how businesses were built. I really love the podcast he did with Kathleen King about Tate’s Bake Shop. King started baking when she was 11 years old. Now 18 years later, she sold her cookie company to Tate’s Bake Shop for $500 million. Incredible. I especially love the end.

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Here are 3 other TTTs you might also be interested in:

23 Films to Bond over this Holiday Break
Screen-less Holiday Break Ideas
12 Screen-less Gift Ideas Kids will Love

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As well as our weekly blog, we publish videos like this one every week on the Screenagers YouTube channel