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Podcasts Like Story Pirates: 6 Parent-Reviewed Picks (2026)

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

The short answer

Nighttime Nathan is the best swap if you like Story Pirates’ songs and silliness but want shorter episodes made for younger kids: it is for ages 3–10 and runs about 16 minutes. For more music and comedy, try Flip and Mozi or What If World. For stories without the sketches, try Circle Round.

Story Pirates turns stories written by kids into sketch comedy and songs, and it is one of the most popular kids podcasts around. If your family likes funny, story-led audio with plenty of music, there is a lot more to discover. Some of these shows are close cousins, and some change one thing, like a shorter episode or a younger audience. Here are the best places to look next, with what parents say about each one.

What you might be looking for next

  • Shorter episodes. A typical Story Pirates episode is about 37 minutes, which is a lot for bedtime or a short drive.
  • Something for younger kids. Story Pirates is pitched at ages 5–12, and a 3 or 4 year old may want a show made for them.
  • A running cast. Each Story Pirates episode is a fresh set of sketches, so there are no characters to come back to.

The 6 best podcasts like Story Pirates, at a glance

Tap a name to jump to the full write-up, or the globe to visit the show’s website.

Podcasts compared as alternatives to Story Pirates
Nighttime Nathan cover artNighttime NathanOur pickfunny, imaginative adventures with original songs, for kids of different agesAges: 3–104.8
Flip and Mozi cover artFlip and Mozimusical adventures with a little learning built inAges: 3–84.3
What If World cover artWhat If Worldimaginative, silly stories that start from a kid’s questionAges: Not stated4.5
Circle Round cover artCircle Roundbedtime and mixed-age listening, with folktales from around the worldAges: 4–104.5
Super Great Kids’ Stories cover artSuper Great Kids’ Storiescar rides and bedtime, with funny and heartfelt talesAges: 1–84.5
Who Smarted? cover artWho Smarted?short, silly, sneakily educational episodesAges: 6–114.6

Our 6 picks, one by one

In order of how closely each one matches what families who enjoy Story Pirates tend to want next.

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.
Why consider it:
Both are funny, story-led and built around original songs. It is shorter: about 16 minutes an episode against about 37.
What it does well:
A new world, a lovable friend and original songs in every episode, with full character voices. Parents say they enjoy it too.
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.
Official website β†—Apple Podcasts β†—See what parents say
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 closest match for funny, musical adventures, 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.
Official website β†—Apple Podcasts β†—See what parents say
What If World cover art

3. What If World

by Eric O'Keeffe / Starglow Media

4.56,239 ratings
~22 min533 episodes
Best for:
imaginative, silly stories that start from a kid’s question.
Why consider it:
Silly and imaginative, with 533 episodes to work through and no sketch format.
What it does well:
Mr. Eric tells imaginative stories sparked by kids’ questions, and there is a very large back catalogue. Parents mention humor and imagination.
Keep in mind:
It does not state an age range, so it is worth previewing an episode first.
Official website β†—Apple Podcasts β†—See what parents say
Circle Round cover art

4. Circle Round

by WBUR

4.516,987 ratings
Ages 4–10~23 min468 episodes
Best for:
bedtime and mixed-age listening, with folktales from around the world.
Why consider it:
For stories without the sketch comedy. Episodes run about 23 minutes.
What it does well:
Folktales from around the world, performed as sound- and music-rich radio plays. Parents mention bedtime and listening with kids of different ages.
Keep in mind:
Reviews talk about lessons and calm more than laughs, so it is a weaker fit when kids want to be silly.
Official website β†—Apple Podcasts β†—See what parents say
Super Great Kids’ Stories cover art

5. Super Great Kids’ Stories

by Wardour Studios

4.51,508 ratings
Ages 1–8~29 min175 episodes
Best for:
car rides and bedtime, with funny and heartfelt tales.
Why consider it:
Another funny option that is easy to play on a drive, with standalone stories you can drop into anywhere.
What it does well:
Tales to make you laugh and cry, told by storytellers from around the world. Parents mention car rides and bedtime most.
Keep in mind:
Stories range from funny to sad, so it is worth listening first with younger kids.
Official website β†—Apple Podcasts β†—See what parents say
Who Smarted? cover art

6. 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 37 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.
Official website β†—Apple Podcasts β†—See what parents say

Nighttime Nathan vs Story Pirates

Both are funny, story-led and built around original songs.

Nighttime Nathan compared with Story Pirates
FactNighttime NathanStory Pirates
Made forAges 3–10Ages 5–12
Typical episodeAbout 16 minutesAbout 37 minutes
Episodes so far44480
Parent rating4.849 ratings4.517,471 ratings
Parents talk aboutStorytelling & adventure, Humor & silliness, Original songs & musicStorytelling & adventure, Humor & silliness, Original songs & music
Best forfunny, imaginative adventures with original songs, for kids of different ageskids who love sketch comedy and silly songs

Why you might like it

  • It is shorter: about 16 minutes an episode against about 37.
  • It is made for younger listeners: ages 3–10, with parents describing a 2 year old listening alongside older siblings.
  • It has a running cast. Nathan and Peanut Butter Jim visit a new world each week, so kids come back to characters they know.

Worth knowing

  • It has no kid-written stories. That is Story Pirates’ signature, and Nighttime Nathan does not do it.
  • It has a much smaller library: 44 episodes against 480.

Why we like Nighttime Nathan

  • Original, not licensed
  • Like an audio cartoon
  • Songs kids actually request
  • No AI
  • Made by real parents

A note on the rating. Nighttime Nathan’s 4.8 average comes from 49 ratings, compared with the 17,471 behind Story Pirates. 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€œMy 3 and 5 year old both love the show, and we laugh along with them every night. The songs are super catchy and they do a great job with lessons that aren’t heavy handed. Great pod, premium follow!”
IHaveVeryGoodTaste 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

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 are the best podcasts like Story Pirates?

Nighttime Nathan is the best swap if you like Story Pirates’ songs and silliness but want shorter episodes made for younger kids: it is for ages 3–10 and runs about 16 minutes. For more music and comedy, try Flip and Mozi or What If World. For stories without the sketches, try Circle Round.

How long are Story Pirates episodes?

A typical Story Pirates episode runs about 37 minutes. If that is too long for bedtime or a short drive, Nighttime Nathan runs about 16 minutes and Who Smarted? about 12.

What age is Story Pirates for?

Story Pirates is pitched at ages 5–12. For younger children, Nighttime Nathan is made for ages 3–10, and going by parent reviews Flip and Mozi suits ages 3–8.

Are there podcasts like Story Pirates with songs?

Yes. Flip and Mozi and Nighttime Nathan both build original songs into their episodes, and parents mention the music often.

Is Nighttime Nathan a good alternative to Story Pirates?

Yes, for the right family. Both are funny, story-led and built around original songs. It is shorter: about 16 minutes an episode against about 37. It has no kid-written stories. That is Story Pirates’ signature, and Nighttime Nathan does not do it.

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 What If World for imaginative, silly stories that start from a kid’s question.
  • Pick Circle Round for bedtime and mixed-age listening, with folktales from around the world.
  • Pick Super Great Kids’ Stories for car rides and bedtime, with funny and heartfelt tales.
  • Pick Who Smarted? for short, silly, sneakily educational episodes.

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.

Visit nighttimenathan.com β†—Listen and read the reviewsBack to the comparison

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