Black Representation in a Kids Podcast, Stoopkid Stories

Links:

• Podcast Consultations  
• StoopKid Stories Website   
• StoopKid Stories on Instagram 
• StoopKid Stories on Apple Podcasts  
• The Adventure Episode
• A Helping Hand Episode

What is Stoopkids?

We follow seven characters every episode as they face a new adventure and we’ll have to overcome different obstacles, dealing with their friends, family, school, and community. These stories are perfect for children ages five and up. The length of each episode is about 15 to 20 minutes. 

Podcast Consultations 

I’ve been able to talk to some amazing podcasters about their shows while doing interviews for the friendly podcast guide. Along the way, I’ve learned so many tips and tricks on how to start a podcast from personal experience and from the hosts I’ve interviewed. I’ve talked to them about what made their launch successful and what made it more difficult. I for sure know what I would do differently if I could go back and launch my show again.

Now I want to share my knowledge with you. I’m offering podcast consults and I have a couple of spots open in the next month. If you need help nailing down your podcast idea, figuring out your niche, or any other podcast questions, I would love to work with you to make your show’s launch the best it can be.

If you’re interested in working with me, fill out the intake form in the show notes. I can’t wait to make a podcast plan that is tailored to you and your podcast, and we’ll make your launch as smooth and successful as possible.  

Black Representation 

I am the creator and host of an amazing kid podcast called Stoopkids Stories. I started Stoopkids Stories because I’m an actor and I was in between gigs.  I needed something to keep me creatively fulfilled.  I’ve always loved teaching kids and working with kids.

The idea came to me to make a podcast and specifically to make a podcast about black kids growing up in the city, just being everyday kids. It’s so kids who look and sound like me can hear themselves in storytelling and in this medium. Black representation is so important for them. It’s also for kids who don’t look like me to get an inside view of what it’s like to just be a black kid in the inner city. You get a window in both ways. 

Life Lessons and Fun

I want them to have a fun time listening. If you listen to the theme song, the theme song gets you up and moving and dancing. I have so many listeners who know the theme song by heart and they sing it. So I want you to have fun first. I also want you to get to know these characters and see what their daily lives are like and maybe you can learn something.

Maybe when you’re listening  you’re having an issue with your brother or your sister. You hear the BB twins and how they resolve their arguments. Or if you’re scared to ride your bike without training wheels and you hear how brave Nathaniel was. There are so many lessons in each and every episode that kids and grownups can take away from. I’ve had a lot of parents say, thank you for that episode, I needed that. I needed to learn how to be brave and stand up to my boss or I needed to learn how to find my voice in this uncomfortable situation. So fun and taking away lessons, those are my two big things I want people to get out of this podcast.

Classic 90’s TV Vibes

The vibe of the Podcast is very much, Hey Arnold from Nickelodeon meets like Proud Family from Disney Channel. It’s fun in a storytelling way because it’s me reading all the stories. These real life situations are really illustrated and beautifully narrated by me.

The stories are from these loud, rambunctious, optimistic, curious kids. The same way that Arnold and Gerald were in, uh, Hey Arnold, the same way Penny Proud was. Those characters really stuck in my head growing up and I wanted to create that world, in this podcast world. 

Tune In Anywhere

I am on every single podcast platform that you can imagine. Every single one, whether you listen to Apple, Spotify, iHeartRadio. I’m there.  I’m also on Storytopia, shout out to Merrick Kelly for Storytopia. I know a lot of people are building kid podcast apps so look out for your independent creators who are making apps for kids.

Wherever you listen to your favorite podcast, you can find Stoopkid Stories. You can also find me on Instagram as Stoopkidstories. 

Favorite Episodes

I’m really proud of myself for an episode called The Adventure. It was The Adventure Part 1, Part 2, and Part 3. It sent the seven Stoopkids on an adventure around their neighborhood. They had to answer questions and clues that were all related to Black history facts in order to get home. It was really cool to write and to teach people about Black history facts that they probably didn’t know. 

I also have an episode called, The Helping Hand where Peach and Nathaniel go to a foster home with one of the grownups and they donate clothes to kids in the foster home. It’s the first experience that they’ve had. They learn about sharing and giving back. Then they make a new friend named Lyric. It’s another point of view of how kids live. Not everyone comes from a two parent household. Not everyone comes from a big single family house. Some kids go to school and then they come back home and they go to a homeless shelter or to foster care. As someone who’s adopted, showing the different dynamics of families is really, really important to me.

Life Lessons for Little Ones

I always say my target audience is four to eight. What I’ve learned is that kids who are 9 and 10 still love me, but they’ve moved on to big kid podcasts, but 4 to 8 is my sweet spot. The characters in the show are in middle school, but the lessons that they’re learning are stuff that a 4 year old can learn when they’re going to kindergarten for the first time. An 8 year old can learn when they’re at summer camp. So I would say ages 4 to 8.