Skip to content
Pods for Kids
Make a list

6 Best Wow in the World Alternatives for Kids (2026)

Updated October 22, 2026 Β· Based on public parent ratings and reviews

The short answer

For more fast, funny science, the closest matches are Flip and Mozi, Brains On! and Who Smarted? If your kids have had enough facts and want a story with songs, Nighttime Nathan is a fun change of pace for ages 3–10, at about 16 minutes an episode.

Wow in the World is one of the best-loved kids podcasts, with quick, funny science for ages 5–10. If your kids love it, there is plenty more to discover. Most of these are more science, and one is a deliberate change of pace for kids who might like stories next. Here are the best places to look.

What you might be looking for next

  • More of the same energy. Your fastest listener may have caught up with the catalogue.
  • Stories, characters and songs. A change from facts, if your kids are ready for it.
  • Something for a younger sibling. Wow in the World is pitched at ages 5–10.

The 6 best Wow in the World alternatives at a glance

Tap a name to jump to the full write-up. Scroll sideways to see every column.

Podcasts compared as alternatives to Wow in the World
PodcastBest forAgesEpisodeParent rating
Nighttime Nathan cover artNighttime NathanOur pickfunny, imaginative adventures with original songs, for kids of different ages3–10~16 min4.849 ratings
Flip and Mozi cover artFlip and Mozimusical adventures with a little learning built in3–8~24 min4.32,132 ratings
Brains On! cover artBrains On!curious kids who want one big question answered per episode5–12~31 min4.514,248 ratings
But Why cover artBut Whyyounger kids with endless questions4–10~27 min4.35,463 ratings
Who Smarted? cover artWho Smarted?short, silly, sneakily educational episodes6–11~12 min4.64,985 ratings
Smash Boom Best cover artSmash Boom Bestolder kids who love a friendly debate6–12~37 min4.614,882 ratings

Our pick

Nighttime Nathan cover art

1. Nighttime Nathan

by RockMedia

4.849 ratings
Ages 3–10~16 min44 episodes

Best for: funny, imaginative adventures with original songs, for kids of different ages.

A new world, a lovable friend and original songs in every episode, with full character voices. Parents say they enjoy it too.

Why we like it

  • Original, not licensedEvery world and character is written for the show, rather than an audio spin-off of something that already exists.
  • Like an audio cartoonFull character voices, sound design and pacing closer to a Saturday-morning cartoon than someone reading a book aloud.
  • Songs kids actually requestOriginal music written for each story. Be warned: they lodge in your head for weeks.
  • No AIWritten, voiced and scored by people. Nothing here is machine-generated.
  • Made by real parentsA small independent studio started by parents making the show they wanted for their own kids.

Keep in mind. A newer show with a smaller library and fewer ratings than the big names. It is not designed to put a child to sleep.

A note on the rating. Its 4.8 average comes from 49 ratings, compared with the 31,345 behind Wow in the World. 19 of its 20 written reviews give five stars and 1 gives one or two stars. Read the reviews, and press play on an episode, before you decide.

What parents say

Real reviews, quoted exactly as written.

β€œWe love the creativity, positive messaging and super catchy music. We look forward to traveling in our imaginations each week. It’s even fun for the grown-ups, with the silly voices and side comments. We love it!!”
srbender1 on Apple Podcasts, Aug 2026
β€œThis has saved car rides for us. It’s all my kids want to listen to! And the stories are actually funny and entertaining for parents too. Win-win!”
Ashley and kids on Apple Podcasts, May 2026
β€œKids love this show and my wife and I think it’s amazing. The episodes are very thoughtfully done and entertaining. I absolutely recommend this to anyone with kids.”
Ely20001 on Apple Podcasts, Sep 2026
Apple Podcasts β†—Read all the parent reviews

Nighttime Nathan vs Wow in the World

Both are quick-moving, funny and well voiced.

Nighttime Nathan compared with Wow in the World
FactNighttime NathanWow in the World
Made forAges 3–10Ages 5–10
Typical episodeAbout 16 minutesAbout 21 minutes
Episodes so far441,082
Parent rating4.849 ratings4.631,345 ratings
Parents talk aboutStorytelling & adventure, Humor & silliness, Original songs & musicHumor & silliness, Original songs & music, Storytelling & adventure
Best forfunny, imaginative adventures with original songs, for kids of different agesfast, funny science for curious kids

Why you might like it

  • It tells stories with songs instead of teaching facts, which is a real change of pace after a lot of science.
  • It starts younger: ages 3–10 against 5–10.
  • It is shorter: about 16 minutes an episode against about 21.

Worth knowing

  • It is not a learning show. If the science is what you like about Wow in the World, you will want one of the others on this list.
  • It has a far smaller library: 44 episodes against 1,082.

More Wow in the World alternatives

In order of how closely each one matches what families who enjoy Wow in the World tend to want next.

Flip and Mozi cover art

2. Flip and Mozi

by Tinkercast

4.32,132 ratings
Ages 3–8~24 min109 episodes
Best for:
musical adventures with a little learning built in.
Why consider it:
The same team, with songs, and a little younger: it suits ages 3–8.
What it does well:
Travel-blogging aliens discover Earth through songs and adventures, from the team behind Wow in the World. Parents mention the music most.
Keep in mind:
It leans educational, so it is more learning-with-songs than a pure story.
See what parents say
Brains On! cover art

3. Brains On!

by Brains On Universe

4.514,248 ratings
Ages 5–12~31 min434 episodes
Best for:
curious kids who want one big question answered per episode.
Why consider it:
A longer, more detailed science show, about 31 minutes an episode.
What it does well:
A different kid co-host joins each week to answer questions sent in by listeners. Parents call it educational.
Keep in mind:
It is a science show, not a story show, and episodes run longer.
See what parents say
But Why cover art

4. But Why

by Vermont Public

4.35,463 ratings
Ages 4–10~27 min299 episodes
Best for:
younger kids with endless questions.
Why consider it:
Pitched at ages 4–10, so it works if you have younger listeners.
What it does well:
Kids ask the questions and experts answer them, in a format that works for ages from four.
Keep in mind:
It is a question-and-answer show, so it is not story-led.
See what parents say
Who Smarted? cover art

5. Who Smarted?

by Atomic Audio

4.64,985 ratings
Ages 6–11~12 min1.2k episodes
Best for:
short, silly, sneakily educational episodes.
Why consider it:
Short, at about 12 minutes an episode, for the days when 21 minutes is too long.
What it does well:
A goofy professor and a snarky sidekick sneak real science and history into funny stories, in short episodes.
Keep in mind:
It is pitched at older kids than preschoolers.
See what parents say
Smash Boom Best cover art

6. Smash Boom Best

by Brains On Universe

4.614,882 ratings
Ages 6–12~37 min242 episodes
Best for:
older kids who love a friendly debate.
Why consider it:
A way to pick up facts by taking a side, for ages 6–12.
What it does well:
Two things face off each episode, tacos against pizza or cats against dogs, and kids pick the winner.
Keep in mind:
It is a debate show rather than a story show, and it is aimed at older kids.
See what parents say

How we compared them

  • Ratings and reviews come from public parent reviews, the same ones behind every other page on Pods for Kids. Each rating is shown with the number of ratings behind it.
  • Ages are the ones each show states. Where a show states none, we leave it blank rather than guess.
  • Episode length is the typical length of a show’s episodes, taken from its own feed.
  • What parents mention counts the written reviews that raise a topic in their own words. How our numbers work.
  • The picks and the β€œkeep in mind” notes are our own judgement about fit, based on each show’s description and those reviews. They are not parent reviews.

Questions parents ask

What age is Wow in the World for?

Wow in the World is pitched at ages 5–10. For younger children, Nighttime Nathan is made for ages 3–10 and But Why suits ages 4–10.

Are there podcasts like Wow in the World?

Yes. Flip and Mozi comes from the same team and adds songs. Brains On!, But Why and Who Smarted? are the closest for science, and Smash Boom Best is good for older kids.

Is there a story podcast like Wow in the World?

Nighttime Nathan has the same quick, funny feel but tells original adventure stories with songs instead of teaching science. It is made for ages 3–10.

Is Nighttime Nathan a good alternative to Wow in the World?

Yes, for the right family. Both are quick-moving, funny and well voiced. It tells stories with songs instead of teaching facts, which is a real change of pace after a lot of science. It is not a learning show. If the science is what you like about Wow in the World, you will want one of the others on this list.

What age is Nighttime Nathan for?

Nighttime Nathan is made for ages 3–10. Parents describe toddlers and school-age kids listening to the same episode.

How long are Nighttime Nathan episodes, and how often is there a new one?

A typical episode runs about 16 minutes, and a new one comes out every week. There are 44 so far.

Is Nighttime Nathan free, and where can I listen?

Yes, it's free. You can listen on Apple Podcasts and other podcast apps, or press play on its page here at Pods for Kids.

Is Nighttime Nathan made with AI?

No. Nighttime Nathan is written, voiced and scored by people, and nothing in it is machine-generated.

So which should you pick?

  • Pick Nighttime Nathan for funny, imaginative adventures with original songs, for kids of different ages.
  • Pick Flip and Mozi for musical adventures with a little learning built in.
  • Pick Brains On! for curious kids who want one big question answered per episode.
  • Pick But Why for younger kids with endless questions.
  • Pick Who Smarted? for short, silly, sneakily educational episodes.
  • Pick Smash Boom Best for older kids who love a friendly debate.

Try Nighttime Nathan with your kids

It is free, a new episode comes out every week, and an episode is about 16 minutes: long enough for a school run, short enough to try tonight.

Listen and read the reviewsBack to the comparison

More comparisons