ABC launches ABC KIDS listen

The ABC is excited to announce the launch of ABC KIDS listen, a dedicated kids digital radio station and app for preschoolers and their families.

ABC KIDS listen provides children ages 0-5 and their families with a safe space to access trusted, educational and entertaining audio programs that feature music and stories from their favourite ABC KIDS characters.

ABC KIDS listen is aligned with the Early Years Learning Framework for Australia, the national early childhood curriculum for childhood educators, that encourages children to learn through play. ABC KIDS listen aims to enhance learning, imagination, cognitive and physical activity, creativity and family experiences, which will assist parents and caregivers to bridge the gap between home and child-care.

Available through DAB+ radios and a live radio stream online, families can enjoy fourteen regular weekly audio programs from 6:00am every day. The programs are themed and designed to suit a child’s daily routine, encouraging children to explore, learn, play, and later wind down, rest, and sleep.

Listeners can select programs on demand to suit their child’s changing needs. Listeners can also download a full program within the ABC KIDS listen app allowing families seven days to listen to their selected program anytime and anywhere without an internet connection.

Stephanie Carrick, Manager of ABC KIDS listen said: “Programs on ABC KIDS listen are carefully crafted to activate the brain and body, and align to key principles of the Early Years Learning Framework for Australia. Our child focused music programming creates a harmonious soundtrack that is soothing to the ears of parents too.”

Angela Stengel, Head of Content Ideas Lab overseeing ABC KIDS listen said: “We trialled the radio station and app in homes and early education centres and were overwhelmed by the positive feedback from parents and educators who were genuinely surprised and delighted that ABC KIDS listen increased independent play time, helped children concentrate, and assisted children in winding down.”

ABC KIDS listen is available on DAB+ radios (scan for the station named ABC KIDS listen), to stream at abc.net.au/kidslisten, or by downloading the app free on the Apple App Store and Google Play.

ABC KIDS listen highlights

Daily Acknowledgement of Country
Developed in collaboration with Reconciliation Australia’s Narragunnawali team who work with Early Education centres to develop their reconciliation action plans

ABC KIDS listen news Bulletins
Daily news for preschoolers, produced by Behind the News, covering the important issues of the day such as a rocket launching a car to orbit around the sun, and is it a sunny day to play? Daily at 10:30am (beginning of Let’s Explore)

Language Learning
Throughout the day, you’ll hear ABC presenters, such as Kumi Taguchi, introducing words in their languages such as Japanese, Cantonese, Mandarin, Hindi and Spanish.

Sleep Through Soundtracks
Ambient soundscapes with field recordings, specifically designed to aid sleep for young children, composed by the Sonic Arts convener at University of New South Wales.

Radio Hosts
You’ll hear from a range of ABC KIDS personalities as they host our programs, music, and stories including The Wiggles, Jimmy Giggle, and Zindzi, Karen, Alex and Rachael from Play School.

Program highlights

Good Morning
Airing 6:00am – 8:00am
Wake up peacefully with music for early risers, and songs to get ready for the day.

Sing Along
Airing from 8:00am –9:00am
Fun songs for the whole family to sing along to. Great for car trips!

Make and Do
Airing from 9:00am – 10:30am
Background music to encourage sensory play, inspire creativity and focus on activities.

Let’s Explore
Airing from 10:30am – 11:00am
A range of programs for curious kids to learn about the world around them – Ready Steady Wiggle!, Kindergarten of the Air, ABC KIDS listen news bulletins and Curious Kids.

Let’s Pretend
Airing from 4:00pm – 5:00pm
Creative play and imagination are kick-started with a new themed playlist every day!

Story Time
Airing from 12:00 – 12:30pm and 7:00pm – 7:30pm
Stories from around the world to captivate children and help them wind down, including Miffy, Grug, Elmer, Thomas and Friends, Enid Blyton, Play School Story Time, Story Tree, 5 Minutes More, and Indigenous stories from Grandpa’s Honey Ant.

Sleep Through
Airing Midnight – 6:00am
Ambient sounds and field recordings designed for a deep, restorative sleep.

Hip Hip Hooray
Airing from 10:00am – 11:00am (Weekends only)
Lively, joyful music to dance and celebrate with family and friends.

Kindergarten of the Air
The ABC’s original early education program that aired from the 1940’s to 1980’s on ABC Radio. This beloved radio program, a precursor to Play School, was originally developed when children in Western Australia could not attend school during WW2. We’ve dug up from the archives so a new generation of children can enjoy as part of our Let’s Explore program.

#abckidslisten