The Past and the Curious: A History Podcast for Kids and Families
By Lakshmi Hutchinson,
Common Sense Media Reviewer
Common Sense Media Reviewers
Fun and engaging history podcast for the whole family.
Add your rating
A Lot or a Little?
What you will—and won't—find in this podcast.
Where to Listen
Community Reviews
Based on 1 parent review
interesting facts, valuable lessons and a feel-good mood booster
What’s It About?
Each episode of THE PAST AND THE CURIOUS weaves together stories of people and events in history, often in an unexpected way. Stories that at first seem to be about fashion or bicycle racing are also about the women's suffrage movement. Background information and context are always clearly provided, so you don't need any prior knowledge about the topic. "Quiz time" takes place in the middle of the episode, and it's a great way for the host to share fun facts in quiz form. Every episode ends with a song that's related to the topics covered in the episode, performed either by the host or a musical guest.
Is It Any Good?
If you're after a thoughtful and engaging history podcast for kids and adults alike, you can't go wrong with this one. The Past and The Curious manages to inform and entertain, using well-told stories to give listeners insight into people's lives throughout history. The host, Mick Sullivan, does a great job of connecting the stories, quiz questions, and music around a theme. The podcast really makes you think about whose stories get told, why it's important to learn about the past, and how learning about history can be fun.
Talk to Your Kids About ...
Families can talk about the types of stories chosen for The Past and The Curious. What makes them relevant or interesting to us today?
Why have some groups' stories traditionally been left out of history books? Why do you think their stories are less well known?
Why is it important for us to learn about people and events so far in the past? How do these stories help us shape our future?
Podcast Details
- Release date: October 1, 2016
- Genre: History
- Average Run Time: 30 minutes
- Website: https://thepastandthecurious.com/
- Host: Mick Sullivan
- Production Company and Network: Independent
- Pricing structure: Free
- Topics: History , Music and Sing-Along
- Last updated: July 1, 2022
Did we miss something on diversity?
Research shows a connection between kids' healthy self-esteem and positive portrayals in media. That's why we've added a new "Diverse Representations" section to our reviews that will be rolling out on an ongoing basis. You can help us help kids by suggesting a diversity update.
Suggest an Update
Where to Listen
Our Editors Recommend
Graphic Novels That Teach History
Games That Teach History
Common Sense Media's unbiased ratings are created by expert reviewers and aren't influenced by the product's creators or by any of our funders, affiliates, or partners.
See how we rate