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2026 in review

The 7 best podcast episodes and shows of 2026 on kids, learning and tech

If you only have a commute or a dishwasher's worth of time, these are the 2026 listens that explain the year best. Five are for grown-ups: a practical how-to on teens and chatbots, a sharp education interview, a deep dive on the Meta settlement and a weekly show that kept asking hard AI questions. Two are award-winning shows made for kids themselves. We picked episodes that give you something to do, not just something to worry about. Most run 20 to 45 minutes and are free in any podcast app.

We chose 2026 episodes from established shows with named experts, plus 2026 Kidscreen Award-winning kids' podcasts. Dates and titles were checked on show pages in October 2026. Checked 2026-10-24. Nobody paid to be here and nothing is an affiliate link.

  1. Life Kit: Using AI chatbots can impact your teen's mental health. Here's what to do

    NPR · Ages Parents

    April 2, about 21 minutes. Reporter Rhitu Chatterjee talks with experts about why chatbots are risky for emotional support and how to raise the topic with a teen without starting a fight.

    Watch for: Mentions suicide; listen first before sharing with a teen.

  2. Your Undivided Attention: AI Is Breaking Education. Rebecca Winthrop Has the Blueprint to Fix It.

    Center for Humane Technology · Ages Parents, teachers

    March 5. The Brookings researcher behind 2026's big AI-in-schools "premortem" explains what is going wrong and her three-part plan for students to prosper, prepare and stay protected.

    Watch for: About 46 minutes; skeptical of edtech by design.

  3. The Screenagers Podcast: Kids Using AI Chatbots: The Risks Parents Can't Ignore

    Delaney Ruston, MD · Ages Parents

    Rebroadcast April 6. Natalie Foos of VoiceBox, lead author of a report on young people's relationships with AI chatbots, explains what kids actually do with companions. From the team behind Screenagers: Generation AI.

    Watch for: An encore of an earlier episode.

  4. The Daily: A Historic Settlement Over Social Media Addiction

    The New York Times · Ages Parents

    Late August, 28 minutes. Why Meta settled with the states over teen addiction claims, what limits it accepted, and whether this starts a new era of accountability for Big Tech.

    Watch for: Full access may need a New York Times subscription in some apps.

  5. This Week with EdSurge: Are Preschoolers Too Young for AI?

    EdSurge · Ages Parents, teachers

    Aug. 12. A weekly education show that spent 2026 on AI questions; this one asks how early is too early. Pair it with June 17's "Your Kids Know More About AI Than You Do" on starting with conversation, not rules.

    Watch for: Aimed at educators; some school jargon.

  6. Work It Out Wombats! podcast

    GBH Kids, PRX and PBS KIDS · Free · Ages 3-6

    Won Best Podcast for preschool at the 2026 Kidscreen Awards. Audio stories from the PBS KIDS series about three wombat siblings who solve everyday problems step by step.

  7. Live From Mount Olympus

    Onassis Foundation and the TEAM · Free · Ages 6-12

    Won Best Podcast for kids 6+ at the 2026 Kidscreen Awards. Retells Greek myths for young listeners as dramatic audio stories. Screen-free and great for car trips.

    Watch for: Some myths include battles and monsters.

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