Podcasts have been on the rise in the UK for quite awhile now. Statista, an online platform specialized in market and consumer data, predicts that by 2026 the podcast audience in the UK will surpass 28 million. A significant part of this audience tunes in not simply because it's a convenient form of entertainment, but to learn something new.
It isn't surprising then that podcasts are increasingly being used in the classroom to complement studies, go over past material, and allow students at any level to learn at their own pace. It's also a nice way to add a little spark and inspire children to explore topics that piqued their curiosity in more depth.
Here's a number of great podcasts to expand your knowledge of Britain's and world history and have some fun with it:
For: children between 7 and 11 years-old
History Storytime is perfect as an additional learning material for primary school students, covering the topics from the UK Curriculum. The podcast is hosted by 8 year old Sophie and 6 year old Ellie who tell stories of different historical periods, countries and famous historical figures such as Julius Caesar, Genghis Khan, Florence Nightingale, Cleopatra and more, using funny and entertaining sound effects.
For: children between 8 and 12 years-old
Entertaining and engaging history lessons for the whole family, covering a broad range of historical topics. The podcast is hosted by a British author and historian Greg Jenner and was created by the producers from BBC Radio 4 as a support for classroom teaching during lockdowns, so many topics are related to the British school curriculum.
For: different ages
A predecessor to Homeschool History, also hosted by Greg Jenner, this BBC Radio 4 podcast is considered one of the best podcasts for children overall. It covers a great variety of historical topics, periods and figures, and in each episode a serious dive into history delightfully meets light-hearted and cheeky humour - a perfect recipe for kids.
For: children between 8 and 14 years-old
This is another fun and enlightening podcast with songs and quizzes that focuses more on American history and lesser-known but captivating stories and historical figures - from the history of spies to the complicated life of Marie Antoinette.
For: all ages
This podcast covers often overlooked and intriguing stories that are very much outside of the curriculum. For example, you can learn about the greatest female painter of the Baroque period or a fascinating life of Italian-French composer Jean-Baptiste Lully.