Podcasts are an amazing tool for parents.

They can provide entertainment, information, a sense of community, or a mixture of all three.

My personal favorite thing about listening to podcasts is the amount of energy I don’t have to exert – I just simply listen and learn, which makes vacuuming 1,000% more entertaining.

We asked parents like you for the names of their favorite podcasts in 2017, and compiled a list of their favorites. So the next time you’re washing the dishes, or are on a road trip visiting family, put on an episode. Whether you’re looking for entertainment, support, or tips, you won’t be disappointed.

Our Readers’ Favorite Podcasts

1) Read-Aloud Revival

Get motivated and encouraged with Sarah Mackenzie’s Read-Aloud Revival. This podcast equips you with the resources you need to build a family culture around reading. Parents, homeschoolers, and instructors are inspired through interviews to make reading aloud a focal point of family life.

2) The Way I Heard It with Mike Rowe

The Way I Heard It with Mike Rowe was made for those of us who the lack the attention span for an hour long history discussion but still crave the knowledge. Mike delivers fascinating short stories of history with a twist on people and events you thought you knew. Topics vary from pop culture to politics, and Hollywood to History.

3) Homeschool Snapshots

This podcast is perfect for parents who are looking for homeschool support. Find out what other parents are working on, worrying over, and learning about. Connect with the stories and lessons from other homeschool families miles away. Different categories, ranging from Talking Preschool, to Cultivating Young Entrepreneurs.

4) Your Morning Basket

With new episodes airing every other Tuesday, all of your morning time questions are answered in Your Morning Basket. Listen to moms discuss everything from choosing the right book for your child, to figuring out the best time to introduce Shakespeare into the lesson plan, to how to get your child to sit still. Chances are if you thought it, they’ve discussed it.

5) Simply Charlotte Mason

This podcast give parents the option to listen to their weekly blog. Each week, author and speaker, Sonya Shafer, gives encouragement and teaching tips to help parents homeschool with the Charlotte Mason Method.

6) A Delectable Education

This podcast is ideal for any parent who is seeking knowledge in the Charlotte Mason method of education. Through A Delectable Education, you can join in on the weekly conversations between three moms who’ve studied the approach and have practiced the principles in their home. The episodes provide information, support, and encouragement in a fun, laid-back way.

7) Stuff You Missed in History Class

Brought to you from the team behind How Stuff Works, this podcast will teach you the unique history of events and people you wouldn’t have learned about in school. Each episode varies from civil rights, to shipwrecks, and everything far out and in between.

8) Radiolab

This two-time Peabody Award-winner podcast is designed for the skeptics who appreciate wonder. Jad Abumrad and Robert Krulwich intertwine science and stories, making information sound like music to the ears.

9) Living Homegrown

Living Farm Fresh Without the Farm™ is easy with the Living Homegrown podcast. Each week allows you to live closer to your food with instructional how to episodes mixed with interviews with top authors and experts. Enjoy flavors of each season, and benefit from a more sustainable lifestyle. Host, Theresea Loe, covers the following topics:

• Canning, Preserving & Fermenting
• DIY Food Crafting (homemade yogurt, butter, cheese, sourdough, etc)
• Small-Space Food Growing
• Tips for living a more sustainable lifestyle

10) CraftLit

This podcast was made for anyone too busy to sit down and read a good classic book. CraftLit allows you to read the classics, without having to flip the pages. As an added bonus, you’re filled in on context you may have missed on your own.

11) The History Chicks

The History Chicks allows you to connect with women from history you may have never known existed, or never imagined you could relate with. Beckett Graham and Susan Vollenweider discuss the history of female characters throughout thousands of years. Each podcast is accompanied with show notes to give you a snapshot of the life of the person being discussed. The podcast then goes into more specific detail, painting history through storytelling.

12) Brains On

Curious minds of all ages can enjoy this podcast. Each episode is co-hosted by a kid scientist, as they tackle an array of scientific questions and discoveries like: how do airplanes fly, translating your cat’s purr, and discussing the connections between narwhals and the myth of unicorns! Next time you’re driving in the car with your child, listen to Brains On and learn about something fun, new, and interesting.

13) At Home with Sally Clarkson and Friends

Sally Clarkson shares her beliefs, advice, and stories in order to connect with other Christian mothers. Sally hopes to give mothers the inspiration and resources to cultivate a home with God’s love by giving her listeners inspiration and encouragement in each episode, varying from developing growth in: discipleship, motherhood, education, home, and leadership.

14) What Should I Read Next?

Stop stressing over your next read with the What Should I Read Next? podcast. Every week Anne Bogel interviews a reader about their favorite and least favorite books, ask questions about the books they are currently reading, and, afterwards, Anne suggest future novels that may interest the reader.

15) Dave Ramsey Show

In this podcast, Dave Ramsey speaks about life and money. He explains how life is revolved around money, while also educating his listeners on how to live in financial peace. If you are interested in managing and budgeting your money properly, getting out of debt, and building wealth, then this is a must.

What podcasts are you listening to? Share them in the comments below.