Podcasts are a fantastic resource for anyone stuck at home (which, hopefully, is all of us right now). Not only are podcasts entertaining, they’re informative. And they’re free! Podcasts are available on many smartphone apps, including Apple Podcasts on iPhones, Stitcher (an app you can download on any smartphone device via the App Store or Google Play), and Spotify. You can also listen to podcasts from the comfort of your own computer.
There are podcasts for every interest you have, based on any subject you can think of. Today, I’ll be discussing ten different podcasts you and your family can listen to while social distancing. Here we go:
5 PODCASTS TO LEARN MORE ABOUT COVID 19:
- This Podcast Will Kill You (http://thispodcastwillkillyou.com/category/covid-19/)
TPWKY, hosted by Erin Welsh and Erin Allman-Updike, is an informative, yet entertaining podcast all about disease. This specific series I’m linking to above is all about COVID-19. The Erins are informative without inspiring panic, entertaining without being flippant–and perhaps most importantly, they know what they’re talking about.
- Coronavirus Daily from NPR (https://www.npr.org/podcasts/510355/coronavirusdaily)
Coronavirus Daily from NPR is a daily news podcast keeping you updated on everything you need to know about the current pandemic. These are helpful, bite-sized episodes you can listen to every day to get the latest news.
- Viral: Coronavirus (https://playlist.megaphone.fm/?p=SONY7964168339)
Another short-form podcast that brings in experts to talk about COVID-19. This podcast focuses specifically on the impact the virus has have on the United States thus far.
- Coronavirus: Fact vs Fiction from CNN (https://www.cnn.com/audio/podcasts/corona-virus)
Dr. Sanjay Gupta from CNN hosts this podcast, which keeps listeners up to date on everything related to COVID-19. Dr. Gupta also dispels many myths surrounding the virus, arming listeners with facts, not fiction.
- Confronting Coronavirus from the Irish Times (https://www.irishtimes.com/news/health/confronting-coronavirus)
For those curious about the international response to COVID-19, this podcast is for you. Confronting Coronavirus spans many different countries and takes a look at each area’s response to the disease, as well as offering advice to those living under new social distancing guidelines.
5 PODCASTS FOR WHEN YOU’RE TIRED OF HEARING ABOUT DISEASE:
- Finding Fred (https://www.iheart.com/podcast/1119-finding-fred-51090582/)
Finding Fred is a podcast about Mister Fred Rogers himself. Who was Fred Rogers? How did he come to develop his belief system? What lessons can we learn from him in this increasingly chaotic time? This podcast answers these questions and many more.
- You Must Remember This (http://www.youmustrememberthispodcast.com/episodes)
A personal favorite of mine. You Must Remember This, hosted by Karina Longworth, is a podcast all about Hollywood’s golden age, spanning from the 1920s all the way up to the 1970s. YMRT has been around for years and every episode is both well done and deeply entertaining. Some episode subjects include: Charles Manson in Hollywood, Hollywood during WWII, as well as an entire series called Dead Blondes–all about Hollywood blondes who died under mysterious circumstances.
- Science Rules! with Bill Nye (https://www.stitcher.com/podcast/stitcher/science-rules-with-bill-nye)
That’s right, fellow 90s kids. Bill Nye the Science Guy has a podcast now. Our favorite TV scientist releases episodes about many different scientific curiosities, including climate change, memory, and of course, coronaviruses.
- My Favorite Murder (https://myfavoritemurder.com/episodes)
Another personal favorite of mine. My Favorite Murder is a wildly popular true crime podcast hosted by Karen Kilgariff and Georgia Hardstark, two funny ladies who sit around talking about horrific crimes. While this podcast may not exactly be family friendly, it sure is entertaining. And there are plenty of episodes to binge.
- Stuff You Missed In History Class (https://open.spotify.com/show/4Zkj8TTa7XAZYI6aFetlec)
Exactly what it says on the tin. This podcast is all about the stuff you may have missed in history class, covering a wide range of topics, including: The discovery of insulin, the invention of Asprin, and the catacombs of Paris.
That’s it! Hopefully these podcasts will bring you and your family peace-of-mind, and even a little bit of joy, in these turbulent times. Happy listening!