Frustration by parents over what they say remains the lack of accessibility and discoverability in the kids genre, has led to the creation of a new podcast platform that is targeted toward listeners between the ages of three and 13. KidsPod, designed and developed in partnership with kids’ tech expert Dubit Limited, offers more than 300 kids’ podcasts in what its creators say is a visual, intuitive and safe environment.
“We believe podcasts benefit children and adults in much the same way,” said cofounder and CEO Jessica Ray. “But for kids, who learn by listening more so than reading, they are absolutely transformational. Kids’ podcasts democratize the internet and education in a way unlike anything else. They are also a great parenting hack – absolute guilt-free screen time.”
While some kid-focused rivals like Pinna and Wondery+ Kids shun advertising, KidsPod will give parents the option of either subscribing or using the ad-supported tier. The company says it hopes to amplify the “untapped potential” for “responsible advertising” in the space. For those that do subscribe, the paid version – costing either $5 per month or $35 per year—unlocks additional listening features like individual user profiles, a favorites library, offline listening, playlist creation, and one of their more innovative features – an in-app coloring book.
“Just like adults, kids like to multitask while they listen,” said co-founder and Head of Content Rachel Lacy. “Podcast creators are already publishing coloring pages and activities on their websites, but that’s one more thing a child can’t safely access on their own.”
By bringing those resources in the app, KidsPod says children can color or doodle as they listen –without needing an adult. “While we fell in love with the screen-free nature of audio entertainment, making podcasts more interactive helps audio compete with streaming and gaming when kids do have a device in hand,” Lacy said.
Bozeman, MT-based KidsPod thinks there is a sizable market for podcasts targeted to young listeners. According to nonprofit Kids Listen, nearly half of kid listeners tune in daily, and kids’ podcasts are by far the most trusted media for recommendations among parents. Add to that the fact that 71% of parents are concerned that their child is spending too much time on screens.
“The launch of KidsPod is just perfect timing for the audiences it appeals to, as our research has shown that three- to13-year olds listening to music and podcasts on mobile devices is up over 30% year on year,” said Dubit CEO Matthew Warneford. U.K.-based Dubit is one of the largest developers of metaverse games, experiences, apps and events for brands.
KidsPod launches with both iOS and Android devices.
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