Kinderling Kids Radio
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Kinderling Kids Radio
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A Lot or a Little?
The parents' guide to what's in this app.
What Parents Need to Know
Parents need to know that Kinderling Kids Radio is the central location for a large variety of audio programming for kids. Podcasts, stories, and music are tailored for routines throughout the day including bedtime, playtime, car rides, and the "witching hour" -- the potentially squirrelly stretch right before bedtime. Content varies from fables and traditional stories, science-based series, around the world language and cultural explorations, and more. Selections range in length from a few minutes to 20 minutes or more. There are even a few podcasts for parents as well. On the first open, Kinderling Kids Radio asks for access to your device's Bluetooth so that the audio can be broadcast through external listening devices. Parents also must create an account and provide an email address. Kinderling Kids Radio is based in Australia, and all content is in Australian English with a handful of words or phrases that may be unfamiliar to an American audience. There's also a small bilingual section with stories in English and another language such as Arabic, Greek, Mandarin, or Hindi. The free download includes access to the live radio streams and a limited amount of back content as well as ads before and/or after each story. To access all the content and get rid of ads, you have to subscribe. Read the developer's privacy policy for details on how your (or your kids') information is collected, used, and shared and any choices you may have in the matter, and note that privacy policies and terms of service frequently change.
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What’s It About?
After parents create an account with KINDERLING KIDS RADIO, parents or kids can browse audio content. On the home page stories, podcasts, and songs are grouped into categories like Fun Activities, Calm and Sleep, or For Parents. The Explore tab offers more browsing options such as alphabetical by show name; age group (up to age 6); needs (such as calm, music, stories); or routine (such as Get Up and Go, In the Car, Witching Hour). Tap any show to scroll through and read short descriptions of each episode, then tap play to listen. The premium feature includes options to mark episodes or shows as favorites, and to create custom playlists.
Is It Any Good?
There's a great variety of high-quality audio content for young kids packaged together in this easy to use app. Granted, it may be a challenge to get some kids into audio content when there are so many visually stimulating options out there. But, Kinderling Kids Radio has lots to offer, which can make it more likely that most kids will find something appealing. There's fiction, classic stories, weird science explorations, silly jokes, and lots of music. Some classic stories have fun modern twists, such as Rapunzel who, in Kinderling Kids Radio's version, isn't simply a damsel in need of saving. Content that comes in languages other than English boosts its value, too. And, content ranges in length from a few minutes to a half hour or more, which makes it easy to fit into whatever window of available time you have during your daily routine. It's nice that content is categorized by timely utility -- such as on a car ride or as a bedtime story. But, not all families will find those classifications right for them. For example, the bedtime stories are often classic tales rather than super calming, sleep inducing meditative narratives. Though the majority of content requires a subscription to listen to, there's actually enough available with the free download that families might find they can get away without the subscription.
Talk to Your Kids About ...
Families can talk about what kids enjoy listening to with Kinderling Kids Radio. What stories do they like best? What about the music? How can the use the categories to find something they like?
If your kid doesn't like to read but loves podcasts and audiobooks (which can be great for listening and auditory processing skills), check out Common Sense Media's article "My kid can read but prefers to be read to. Is that OK?."
Encourage your kids to record their own audio "podcast" about a topic they're interested in and know lots about.
App Details
- Devices: iPhone, iPod Touch, iPad, Android
- Subjects: Language & Reading: storytelling, Science: animals, Social Studies: cultural understanding
- Skills: Emotional Development: empathy, Communication: listening, multiple forms of expression
- Pricing structure: Free to try (30-day free trial, then subscribe for full access for $4.99/month or $36.99/year)
- Release date: April 6, 2021
- Category: Music
- Topics: Fairy Tales, Music and Sing-Along, Science and Nature
- Publisher: Kinderling Kids Radio Pty Ltd
- Version: 3.7.2
- Minimum software requirements: iOS 13.2 or later; Android 4.1 and up
- Last updated: September 9, 2021
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