5 Best Podcasts to Help Parents Survive the Coronavirus Pandemic

Prior to the coronavirus outbreak, we’d wade in and out of podcasts whenever we could steal a moment — whether it was driving in the car to work, walking home from school drop-off, or waiting in Starbucks for our latte. Now, however, podcasts are more than just transitional entertainment; they are the reassuring and knowledgeable friend guiding us through this uncharted time. If you, too, are seeking solace in podcasts, here are five that we recommend that will make parents feel better-equipped to deal with life in quarantine.

#1 – Healthy You: Surviving a Pandemic

Craving expert insight? Look no further than this podcast produced by the George Washington University Milken Institute School of Public Health, in partnership with their School of Media and Public Affairs. “Healthy You: Surviving a Pandemic” is a fantastic new podcast that they launched to address the COVID-19 pandemic. This week, they talk with George Washington University Milken Institute School of Public Health Dean Lynn Goldman. As an environmental epidemiologist and pediatrician, she shares the potential effects of coronavirus on children, the importance of maintaining your mental and physical health during the pandemic, and advice for parents during social distancing.

In the premier episode, they spoke with emergency physician Dr. Leana Wen, who served as the Health Commissioner for the City of Baltimore, and is a visiting professor of health policy and management at GWSPH. Only days away from giving birth to her second child, Dr. Wen shared what it’s like being an expectant mother during a global pandemic, the importance of having a daily routine, and what resources we need nationwide to end the lock-down.

#2 – Life Kit

This NPR podcast offers listeners advice about the basic aspects of human life, from how to sleep better to how to parent more effectively. Their most recent episodes have, not surprisingly, focused on surviving coronavirus with plenty o’ tips for parents, including how to pick a college during coronavirus (no easy feat when you can’t even visit campuses), how to shop for groceries, cooking hacks and helpful budgeting tips.

#3 – Circle Round

Another great podcast courtesy of NPR, Circle Round is produced for kids ages 4-10, by the parents of young children. So if you want to get a guilt-free break for 10 to 20 minutes (we’ll take what we can get), entertain the kids with this podcast, which explores important issues like kindness, persistence and generosity. And each episode ends with an activity that inspires a deeper conversation between children and adults (so be ready for that!).

#4 – The Kids Are All…Home

This new podcast from Pineapple Street Studios is designed for kids stuck at home because of coronavirus school closures. The creators have gathered homemade podcasts from kids all around the world sharing tips on how to stay safe, activities to pass the time, snack ideas and original entertainment such as the “court proceedings” of a young man beseeching his mom to get TikTok. (Stay strong, Mom!) Not only will this let your kids know they’re not alone (and, again, give you a much-needed break), but they may even be compelled to make their own podcast for the show, which is accepting submissions from around the globe — a unique, creative way to spend time with your kids.

#5 – Home Cooking

Salt Fat Acid Heat cookbook author and chef Samin Nosrat — who also stars in the Netflix documentary series based on her book — and veteran podcaster Hrishikesh Hirway have teamed up, along with special guests, to address all of your quarantine cooking questions. What should you bake when flour is in short supply? What is the magic of the two-ingredient pancake? If you have a similarly pressing question, simply record a voice memo with your question and email it to them.