Story Pirates

Story Pirates does something brilliant: it takes stories written by actual children and turns them into professionally produced sketch comedy and original songs. The results are often hilarious and surprisingly creative, because kids come up with plots that no adult writer would think of -- talking pizza that saves the world, a dog who becomes president, that sort of thing. Hosts Lee Overtree and Peter McNerney lead a cast of comedians, musicians, and voice actors who treat every kid's submission with genuine enthusiasm. Episodes run around 45 minutes, which is on the longer side for kindergarteners, but the variety show format means you can easily pause between sketches. Celebrity guests pop up regularly, and the musical numbers are catchy enough that your child will be singing them for days. The show also runs a "Story Love" segment where they interview young writers about their creative process, which is a surprisingly sweet touch. The podcast has nearly 500 episodes and holds a 4.5-star rating from almost 17,000 reviews. It works beautifully as a family listen because the humor operates on two levels -- kids laugh at the silly premises while adults appreciate the clever performances. Your kindergartner might even want to submit their own story, which is exactly the kind of creative confidence this show inspires.