Invasion of the Pod People

Last spring, I finally lurched into the 21st century and joined the iPod/mp3 world.  I got a iPod Touch and absolutely love it!  While I’m sure I would like an iPhone even better, I wasn’t crazy about the idea of paying the monthly data charge in addition to regular cell service.  I am managing just fine waiting until I can find WiFi.  I love that my iPod can talk to my email and my calendar and my online to-do list and all that other stuff, but I have also discovered podcasts.  Since one or more assorted kidlets instantly need my attention the second I wearing earphones (or trying to talk on the phone…same phenomenon), I have an adapter that hooks my iPod to the boom box in the kitchen and can listen during meal prep or other kitchen projects.  A few of my most favorites at the moment are:

• Classical Performances Podcast – classical music from WGBH Boston
• Earth Eats – real food and green living from Indiana NPR affiliate.  Very inspirational while I’m cooking!
• Naxos Classical Music Spotlight – basically extended commercials for Naxos recordings, but lots of interesting info about performers/composers and excerpts from the recordings
• NPR Car Talk – love me some Click and Clack!
• NPR Science Friday (audio and video) – I have always like SciFri when I managed to hear it, but was rarely near a radio or remembered to turn it on at the right time on Friday.  Now I listen at my convenience.  The bad news is that I am adding all sorts of books to my already ridiculously long to-read list.  Oh and Flora Lichtman’s videos are consistently awesome.
• PRI Living on Earth – new discovery with a nice mix of science, ecology, and sustainable living topics.

I also have an adaptor so I can play my iPod over the car radio and the kids have their own set of podcasts for car time

• 60-second Science – from Scientific American…quick reports and commentaries on what’s happening in the science world.  They are made for grown-ups, but the kids enjoy finding out about stuff in small doses.  Sometimes we find topics that we can go looking for more age appropriate material at the library to learn more about it.
• Classics for Kids – a six-minute long weekly podcast built around a different composer each month with all kinds of topics in music and music appreciation.
• FETCH! Podcast – not very frequent updates, but the kids love watching FETCH! with Ruff Ruffman on PBS, so these were fun while they lasted and there may be more coming.
• The Story Home – stories for kids
• Storynory – stories for kids.  We’ve tried several story podcasts, but these two are our favorites…good stories and good readers!
• Why! The Science Show for Kids – not my favorite of the bunch, but the kids enjoy it.  Fortunately for me, there aren’t very many episodes.

Disclaimer:  No one has paid me for any of these endorsements, but in the interest of full disclosure, I should probably confess a wee crush on Science Friday’s Ira Flatow.