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Artwork for Circle Round

Circle Round

WBUR
Kindness
Friendship
Folktales
WBUR
Circle Round
Circle Round Club
Music
Wisdom
Greed
India
Community
Honesty
Boston Symphony Orchestra
Japan
Vietnam
Queen
Magic
The Wild Goose Chase
King
Fire

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.

PublishesWeeklyEpisodes471Founded9 years ago
Number of ListenersCategory
Kids & Family

Listen to this Podcast

Artwork for Circle Round

Latest Episodes

Jennifer Hale (Stars Wars: The Clone Wars, X-Men β€˜97) stars in a Portuguese tale about a big bad wolf and a sharp shrewd owl.

This Circle Round episode originally was released on Nov. 05, 2024.

Sign up for our monthly newsletter, "The Lion's Roar",... more

Jeremy Sisto (Law and Order, FBI) and Rory Culkin (Waco, Halston) co-star in this Hungarian story about two farmers, one wise king, and a whole mess of canines.

This Circle Round episode originally was released on Feb. 2, 2021.

Sign up for our mont... more

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 episode originally was released on Oct... more

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.

Sign up for our monthly newsletter,... more

Key Facts

Accepts Guests
Accepts Sponsors
Contact Information
Podcast Host
Number of Listeners
Find out how many people listen to this podcast per episode and each month.

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Recent Guests

Rachel Martin
NPR host of Up First, Weekend Edition Sunday and Enlighten Me
NPR
Episode: The Sweetest Sounds
Ayesha Rascoe
NPR host of Weekend Edition Sunday and Up First
NPR
Episode: The Sweetest Sounds
Adam Goldberg
Actor known for The Equalizer
Episode: Encore: The Polka-Dotted Pigeon
Erica Rose
Actor
Episode: Encore: The Polka-Dotted Pigeon
Paul Date
Actor
Episode: Encore: The Polka-Dotted Pigeon
Saara Chaudry
Actor mentioned as part of inspirations and credits, known for The Muppets Mayhem and The Breadwinner
Entertainment/Film
Episode: Encore: A Biscuit, A Basket
BΓ©chir Sylvain
Actor and co-star in Jurassic World Rebirth
Episode: Encore: The Round Mossy Stone
Julian Lerner
Actor, voice in Alma's Way, appeared in reboot of The Wonder Years on ABC
Various (acting credits)
Episode: Encore: The Stork King
Tatyana Ali
Voice actor for this episode
Actor
Episode: Summer Camp: Top Banana

Hosts

Rebecca Shear
Writer, story adapter and presenter of children's folktales.
Ben Brock Johnson
WBUR journalist and podcast host.

Reviews

4.5 out of 5 stars from 24.4k ratings
  • I like Top Banana

    Teach that monkey a lesson! (Review from Max, age 6)

    Apple Podcasts
    5
    goober zoom
    United States2 months ago
  • Love, love, love!!!

    Our family (grown ups and 4&8yo) LOOOOOOOVE this show. I am always interested in how parenting works in different cultures and I learned at one point that a lot of cultures don’t reprimand their children but tell them moral stories instead to teach them… and when I came across this, I was so delighted. Such a gem!

    Apple Podcasts
    5
    OntheMKdSB
    United States2 months ago
  • honstely like it

    I really like these short stories. Will say though that there is some reused audio… and 2 minutes adds… but other then that I like this. Also there need to be more guests stars. Love u guys!!!!!

    Apple Podcasts
    5
    ZeusTheDog!
    United States2 months ago
  • fine…

    repetitive and boring. ads ALL THE TIME. intro and outro are long enough for me to bike four miles and back.

    Apple Podcasts
    1
    raynebowπŸ¦„πŸŒˆ
    United States2 months ago
  • Awesome

    I listen to this every single night every time i clean up my roomit helps me focus 🧘 i love πŸ’• everything about this podcast

    You’re the best, Rebecca

    Spot the difference

    πŸ˜…πŸ˜…πŸ˜…πŸ˜…πŸ˜…πŸ˜…πŸ˜…πŸ˜…πŸ˜…πŸ˜…πŸ˜…πŸ˜…πŸ˜…πŸ˜…πŸ˜…πŸ˜…πŸ˜…πŸ˜…πŸ˜…πŸ˜…πŸ˜…πŸ˜…πŸ₯²πŸ˜…πŸ˜…πŸ˜…πŸ˜…πŸ˜…πŸ˜…πŸ˜…πŸ˜…πŸ˜…πŸ˜…πŸ˜…πŸ˜…πŸ˜…πŸ˜…

    πŸ˜œπŸ˜œπŸ˜œπŸ˜œπŸ˜œπŸ˜œπŸ˜œπŸ˜œπŸ˜œπŸ˜œπŸ˜œπŸ˜œπŸ˜œπŸ˜œπŸ˜œπŸ˜œπŸ˜œπŸ˜œπŸ˜œπŸ˜œπŸ˜œπŸ˜œπŸ˜œπŸ˜œπŸ˜œπŸ˜œπŸ˜›πŸ˜œπŸ˜œ

    Apple Podcasts
    5
    I love potato’s πŸ₯” πŸŒ½πŸ€“
    United States2 months ago

Listeners Say

Key themes from listener reviews, highlighting what works and what could be improved about the show.

Some listeners find repeated episodes and reused audio frustrating.
Rebecca Shear is a strong point of connection for many longtime listeners, who express concern about changes to the hosting.
Listeners value the short stories, creative activities and opportunities for families to talk together.
A few reviews complain about advertising and lengthy introductions or endings.
Families praise the engaging folktales and the way stories introduce children to moral themes.

Chart Rankings

How this podcast ranks in the Apple Podcasts, Spotify and YouTube charts.

Apple Podcasts
#2
United States/Kids & Family
Apple Podcasts
#8
Canada/Kids & Family
Apple Podcasts
#55
United Kingdom/Kids & Family
Apple Podcasts
#17
Italy/Kids & Family
Apple Podcasts
#29
Australia/Kids & Family
Apple Podcasts
#150
France/Kids & Family

Talking Points

Recent interactions between the hosts and their guests.

The Secret of Success | Ep. 231
Q: What was the secret of the businesswoman's success?
The businesswoman attributed her success to imagination and the principles of supply and demand.
The Secret of Success | Ep. 231
Q: What do you think Yuna will do next?
Yuna decides to trade rice for flowers and then sells those flowers to the florist, starting her entrepreneurial journey.
A Bee in the Bush
Q: What did the landlord promise?
The landlord promised that Rose and her mother wouldn't owe rent for three months if Rose explained his riddles.
A Bee in the Bush
Q: What do you think Rose is planning?
Rose has a plan to hold the landlord accountable for his broken promise.

Audience Metrics

Listeners, social reach, demographics and more for this podcast.

Listeners per Episode
Gender Skew
Location
Interests
Professions
Age Range
Household Income
Social Media Reach

Frequently Asked Questions About Circle Round

What is Circle Round about and what kind of topics does it cover?

Folktales from around the world become short, music-rich audio dramas about kindness, honesty, courage, generosity and other themes children can discuss with grown-ups. Rebecca Shear guides the stories, with Ben Brock Johnson also appearing as a host, while professional actors and occasional public-radio voices bring the characters to life. The format often ends with a simple family activity that extends the story into conversation or creative play.

Episodes draw on traditions from many regions and pair lively narration and sound design with clear, child-friendly storytelling. Live performances add musical accompaniment and an ensemble feel. The combination of globally sourced tales, polished dramatic performances and practical discussion ... more

Where can I find podcast stats for Circle Round?

Rephonic provides a wide range of podcast stats for Circle Round. We scanned the web and collated all of the information that we could find in our comprehensive podcast database. See how many people listen to Circle Round and access YouTube viewership numbers, download stats, audience demographics, chart rankings, ratings, reviews and more.

How many listeners does Circle Round get?

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What are the audience demographics for Circle Round?

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How many subscribers and views does Circle Round have?

To see how many followers or subscribers Circle Round has on Spotify and other platforms such as Castbox and Podcast Addict, simply upgrade your account. You'll also find viewership figures for their YouTube channel if they have one.

Which podcasts are similar to Circle Round?

These podcasts share a similar audience with Circle Round:

1. Wow in the World
2. Brains On! Science podcast for kids
3. Story Pirates
4. Lions and Legends
5. Storynory - Audio Stories For Kids

How many episodes of Circle Round are there?

Circle Round launched 9 years ago and published 471 episodes to date. You can find more information about this podcast including rankings, audience demographics and engagement in our podcast database.

How do I contact Circle Round?

Our systems regularly scour the web to find email addresses and social media links for this podcast. We scanned the web and collated all of the contact information that we could find in our podcast database. But in the unlikely event that you can't find what you're looking for, our concierge service lets you request our research team to source better contacts for you.

Where can I see ratings and reviews for Circle Round?

Rephonic pulls ratings and reviews for Circle Round from multiple sources, including Spotify, Apple Podcasts, Castbox, and Podcast Addict.

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How do I access podcast episode transcripts for Circle Round?

Rephonic provides full transcripts for episodes of Circle Round. Search within each transcript for your keywords, whether they be topics, brands or people, and figure out if it's worth pitching as a guest or sponsor. You can even set-up alerts to get notified when your keywords are mentioned.

What guests have appeared on Circle Round?

Recent guests on Circle Round include:

1. Rachel Martin
2. Ayesha Rascoe
3. Adam Goldberg
4. Erica Rose
5. Paul Date
6. Saara Chaudry
7. BΓ©chir Sylvain
8. Julian Lerner

To view more recent guests and their details, simply upgrade your Rephonic account. You'll also get access to a typical guest profile to help you decide if the show is worth pitching.

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