Podcasts · Kids & Family

Circle Round

WBUR

300 episodes

WBUR's Circle Round adapts carefully selected folktales from around the world into sound- and music-rich radio plays for kids ages 3-103. Each 15 to 25-minute episode explores important issues like kindness, persistence and generosity. And each episode ends with an activity that inspires a deeper conversation between children and grown-ups.

Episodes page 1 of 6

  1. The Sweetest Sounds

    · 20 min · S9 E68

    NPR's Rachel Martin (Up First, Enlighten Me) and Ayesha Rascoe (Weekend Edition, Up First) co-star in a Hungarian tale about a violinist, a wizardess, and listening to the music of your heart. This Circle Round…

  2. Encore: Little Cu

    · 23 min · S9 E67

    Desmin Borges (You're The Worst, Utopia) plays a tiny bird with an ever-growing ego in this playful story with roots in Mexico and Puerto Rico. This Circle Round episode originally was released on Sept. 15, 2020.…

  3. Encore: The Polka-Dotted Pigeon

    · 29 min · S9 E66

    Adam Goldberg (The Equalizer) stars in this Portuguese tale about ambitions, imposters, and making the feathers fly! This Circle Round episode originally was released on March 12, 2024. Sign up for our monthly…

  4. Encore: A Biscuit, A Basket

    · 26 min · S9 E65

    Saara Chaudry (The Muppets Mayhem, Holly Hobby) stars in this tale from India and beyond about good deeds, bad intentions, and biscuits. Lots of biscuits. This Circle Round episode originally was released on Aug. 8,…

  5. Encore: The Hiding Place

    · 27 min · S9 E64

    Broadway's Aaron Bartz, Erik Christopher Peterson and Cara Ricketts (Harry Potter and the Cursed Child) headline a Jewish and Egyptian story about a high-stakes game of hide and seek. This Circle Round episode…

  6. Encore: The Round Mossy Stone

    · 25 min · S9 E63

    Béchir Sylvain (Jurassic World Rebirth) stars as trickster Anansi in a West African tale about a magic stone, a major trick, and getting a taste of your own medicine. This Circle Round episode originally was released…

  7. Encore: The Stork King

    · 29 min · S9 E62

    Julian Lerner (The Wonder Years, Alma's Way) stars in a Ukrainian tale about how high-flying risks can pay off in the end. This Circle Round episode originally was released on Oct. 3, 2023. Sign up for our monthly…

  8. Encore: The Cleverest Person in the Room

    · 26 min · S9 E61

    Vanessa Aspillaga (Dora Saves the Snow Princess, Leave the World Behind) stars in this Puerto Rican and Chilean tale about baby basil, cuddly kittens, and how two heads can be better than one. This Circle Round…

  9. Encore: The Seamstress and the Deev

    · 29 min · S9 E60

    Recorded live at Tanglewood with Boston Symphony Orchestra musicians and a star-studded cast, this Afghan tale follows a savvy seamstress and her chatty kitty on a royally epic adventure. This Circle Round episode…

  10. Summer Camp: Top Banana

    · 26 min · S9 E59

    Welcome back to Circle Round Summer Camp! We're revisiting our favorite stories about the outdoors. Tatyana Ali (Fresh Prince of Bel-Air, Abbot Elementary) and Jack De Sena (Lego Monkie Kid, Avatar: The Last…

  11. Summer Camp: Crocus-Pocus

    · 21 min · S9 E58

    Welcome back to Circle Round Summer Camp! We're revisiting our favorite stories about the outdoors. Jacob Laval (The Unbreakable Boy, John Mulaney and the Sack Lunch Bunch) and Amanda Warren (The Night Agent, East New…

  12. Summer Camp: The Salmon Famine

    · 20 min · S9 E57

    Welcome back to Circle Round Summer Camp! We're revisiting our favorite stories about the outdoors. Recorded live at The Aladdin Theater in Portland, OR, this high-flying tale explains how the islands of the…

  13. Summer Camp: The Bird of a Different Feather

    · 23 min · S9 E55

    Welcome back to Circle Round Summer Camp! We're revisiting our favorite stories about the outdoors. Recorded live at Round House Theatre in Bethesda, MD, this African tale explains how the guinea fowl got its…

  14. Summer Camp: The Salmon Famine

    · 24 min · S9 E55

    Welcome back to Circle Round Summer Camp! We're revisiting our favorite stories about the outdoors. Recorded live at Symphony Hall with Boston Symphony Orchestra musicians and a star-studded cast, this indigenous…

  15. Summer Camp: The Snow Eater

    · 23 min · S9 E54

    Welcome back to Circle Round Summer Camp! We're revisiting our favorite stories about the outdoors. Cree Summer (Good Times, Abbott Elementary) headlines a Blackfoot legend about fast friends, warm winds, and why…

  16. Summer Camp: The Long Crimson Thread

    · 21 min · S9 E53

    Welcome back to Circle Round Summer Camp! We're revisiting our favorite stories about the outdoors. Jessika Van (Seoul Searching, Awkward) and Mark Pellegrino (American Rust, Beverly Hills Cop: Axel Foley) co-star in…

  17. Summer Camp: The Upside-Down Tree

    · 20 min · S9 E52

    Welcome back to Circle Round Summer Camp! We're revisiting our favorite stories about the outdoors. Comedian Alonzo Bodden (Wait, Wait... Don't Tell Me!, Heavy Lightweight) headlines this African legend about how one…

  18. Circle Round presents: The Midnight Rebellion, Ch. 3 "Into the Machine"

    · 15 min · S9 E51

    Circle Round continues our special presentation of WBUR's new podcast, The Midnight Rebellion, with Chapter 3, "Into the Machine." If you have not listened to Chapter 1, go back and start there! The Midnight…

  19. Circle Round presents: The Midnight Rebellion, Ch. 2 "Get Hart"

    · 5:50 · S9 E50

    Circle Round continues our special presentation of WBUR's new podcast, The Midnight Rebellion, with Chapter 2, "Get Hart." If you have not listened to Chapter 1, go back to the previous episode and start there. The…

  20. Circle Round presents: The Midnight Rebellion, Ch. 1

    · 17 min · S9 E53

    Circle Round brings you a special new podcast: The Midnight Rebellion, by WBUR, the same place that makes our show! Heads up! This podcast is recommended for ages 7+. The Midnight Rebellion, starring Erika Henningsen…

  21. Summer Camp: The Parakeet’s Promise

    · 20 min · S9 E48

    Welcome back to Circle Round Summer Camp! We're revisiting our favorite stories about the outdoors. Broadway stars Lorna Courtney (& Juliet) and Shoba Narayan (Aladdin) face off in this Indian legend about a tiny bird…

  22. Summer Camp: The Sunlight Tree

    · 28 min · S9 E47

    Welcome back to Circle Round Summer Camp! We're revisiting our favorite stories about the outdoors. Recorded live at Symphony Hall with Boston Symphony Orchestra members and a star-studded cast, this Swedish tale…

  23. Summer Camp: The Sweet Spot

    · 22 min · S9 E46

    Welcome back to Circle Round Summer Camp! We're revisiting our favorite stories about the outdoors. Tantoo Cardinal (Killers of the Flower Moon, Three Pines) and Jonathan Joss (King of the Hill, Tulsa King) star in…

  24. Summer Camp: The Missing Mountainside

    · 21 min · S9 E45

    Welcome to Circle Round Summer Camp! This summer, camp counselor Erika Henningsen (The Four Seasons, The Midnight Rebellion) will be reintroducing us to some of our favorite episodes celebrating the great outdoors and…

  25. Encore: The Four Winds

    · 24 min · S9 E44

    This Circle Round episode originally was released on Oct. 31, 2023. Kimberly Guerrero (Spirit Rangers, Reservation Dogs) stars in a tale from the Lakota people about one thieving fox and four wise winds. Sign up for…

  26. The Storyteller

    · 35 min · S9 E43

    Film, TV and theater star Maria-Christina Oliveras (The Balusters, Cymbeline) headlines a Portuguese tale about the magical ways stories bring us together. Sign up for our monthly newsletter, "The Lion's Roar", here.

  27. Seven Silver Rings

    · 21 min · S9 E42

    Marielle Heller (A Beautiful Day in the Neighborhood, Can You Ever Forgive Me) and Jorma Taccone (The Lonely Island and Seth Meyers Podcast, Little Fox and the Wild Imagination) headline a Seneca and Shawnee legend…

  28. Leader of the Birds

    · 21 min · S9 E41

    Carolyn Michelle (Familiar Touch, The Chi) and Christopher Rivas (Brown Enough, Rubirosa) headline a Maya tale about lies having short legs... and long tails! Sign up for our monthly newsletter, "The Lion's Roar", here.

  29. Chicken Scratches

    · 15 min · S9 E40

    Musician and podcaster Hrishikesh Hirway (Song Exploder) plays a cocky rooster in this Southern American tale about judging a book by its cover and eating humble pie. Sign up for our monthly newsletter, "The Lion's…

  30. Encore: The Blizzard Wizard

    · 22 min · S9 E39

    Vivien Lyra Blair (Obi-Wan Kenobi, The Boogeyman) headlines this story from the indigenous peoples of Siberia about a supernatural spirit with a very cold shoulder. Sign up for our monthly newsletter, "The Lion's…

  31. Encore: The Magic Touch

    · 29 min · S9 E38

    Edi Gathegi ("The Harder They Fall," "For All Mankind") stars in this East African story about twin brothers, enchanted fruit, and the magic of an open heart. Sign up for our monthly newsletter, "The Lion's Roar", here.

  32. Lighting a Spark

    · 18 min · S9 E37

    Charlene Amoia (The Breadwinner, How I Met Your Mother) plays a tiny but mighty bird in this French legend about the origin of fire. Sign up for our monthly newsletter, "The Lion's Roar", here.

  33. Swift Fox and the Coyote Twins

    · 22 min · S9 E36

    This Is Us co-stars (and That Was Us co-hosts) Sterling K. Brown, Mandy Moore and Chris Sullivan co-star in a multi-cultural legend about two conceited coyotes and the fox who outfoxes them. Sign up for our monthly…

  34. A Tale of Two Neighbors

    · 21 min · S9 E35

    Recorded live in Cleveland, OH, this Appalachian tale proves that true friends stick together through thick, thin, and everything in between. Sign up for our monthly newsletter, "The Lion's Roar", here.

  35. Copper and Dumplings

    · 24 min · S9 E34

    Recorded live in Cleveland, OH, this Japanese story pits a wise baker against two tricky goblins who refuse to face their fears. Sign up for our monthly newsletter, "The Lion's Roar", here.

  36. Encore: The Laughing Canoe

    · 20 min · S9 E33

    George Salazar (Be More Chill, Superstore) plays a wise-cracking waterborne vessel in this Brazilian story about the extraordinary things teamwork can bring. Sign up for our monthly newsletter, "The Lion's Roar", here.

  37. The Bolt of Silk

    · 25 min · S9 E32

    Samantha Béart (Baldur's Gate 3, Star Wars: The Old Republic) plays a sorceress with a knack for brewing up trouble in this tale with Sudanese, Egyptian and Palestinian roots. Sign up for our monthly newsletter, "The…

  38. The Beech-Wood Box

    · 25 min · S9 E31

    Krassimira Belev (The Therapy) and acclaimed violinist Christian Hebel star in a Romani tale about how the very first violin came to be. Sign up for our monthly newsletter, "The Lion's Roar", here.

  39. Stealing Summer

    · 17 min · S9 E30

    Bestselling children's author Meena Harris (Maya's Big Question, Kamala and Maya's Big Idea) plays an ambitious coyote in this Shoshone, Shasta and Hupa legend about how summer and winter came to be. Sign up for our…

  40. Down the Garden Path

    · 25 min · S9 E29

    Recorded live at Symphony Hall with Boston Symphony Orchestra players and a star-studded cast, this Buddhist story from Tibet and India proves we can all be helpers, no matter our size. Sign up for our monthly…

  41. The Masked Bandit

    · 26 min · S9 E28

    Recorded live at Symphony Hall with Boston Symphony Orchestra players and a star-studded cast, this Sioux legend follows a rascally raccoon on a gutsy -- and gummy -- quest. Sign up for our monthly newsletter, "The…

  42. The Noise Next Door

    · 24 min · S9 E27

    Recorded live in Glendale, CA, this Haitian tale about two blacksmiths whose banging, clanging, clinking and clanking cause a presidential uproar. Sign up for our monthly newsletter, "The Lion's Roar", here.

  43. Goodnight Sun

    · 20 min · S9 E26

    Recorded live in Glendale, CA, this story with roots in India and Vietnam follows a trio of birds on an illuminating adventure to bring back to the sun. Sign up for our monthly newsletter, "The Lion's Roar", here.

  44. Over the Sea

    · 23 min · S9 E25

    Tatyana Ali (Abbott Elementary, The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air) stars as a savvy starfish who outwits a wily whale in this tale from Aboriginal Australia. Sign up for our monthly newsletter, "The Lion's Roar", here.

  45. The Fourth Post

    · 28 min · S9 E24

    Jeff Meacham (Black-ish, Vampirina) plays a hapless hero whose life turns upside-down in this humorous tale from Great Britain, Italy, Russia and the Philippines. Sign up for our monthly newsletter, "The Lion's Roar",…

  46. Encore: The Fairy Fort

    · 22 min · S9 E23

    Taylor Richardson (The Gilded Age) and Alison Wright (The Americans, Snowpiercer) co-star in this Irish tale about mischievous fairies and the power of music. Sign up for our monthly newsletter, "The Lion's Roar", here.

  47. Encore: The Patched-Up Coat

    · 20 min · S9 E22

    NPR's Peter Sagal (Wait, Wait... Don't Tell Me!) stars in this Russian story about how fantastically priceless a little generosity can be. Sign up for our monthly newsletter, "The Lion's Roar", here.

  48. Encore: Finding the Light

    · 20 min · S9 E21

    Kennedy Kanagawa (Into The Woods) plays a young man who brings light to a dark world in this tale with roots in Alaska Native and First Nations legends. Sign up for our monthly newsletter, "The Lion's Roar", here.

  49. Python’s Drum

    · 27 min · S9 E20

    Gabe Kunda (Marvel Rivals, Apex Legends) and Natasha Rothwell (The White Lotus, Insecure) co-star in a Ugandan legend about friendship, rivalry, and making music. Sign up for our monthly newsletter, "The Lion's Roar",…

  50. Birbal's Barrels

    · 25 min · S9 E19

    Ravi V. Patel (Animal Control, LEGO Masters Jr.) headlines this Indian tale about distinguishing need from greed with help from grain, gold, and a barrel of lies. Sign up for our monthly newsletter, "The Lion's Roar",…

Shows are listed from Apple Podcasts' charts and directory, and Podcast Index where it is used. Every show and episode belongs to its publisher and plays from the publisher's own feed; this site hosts none of them. Explicit shows are for adult profiles only, and children’s profiles hear only children’s shows. More about this list.