Our Family’s Favorite Spooky Season Podcasts

Every fall, as soon as the air gets crisp and the pumpkins show up on porches, our family settles into one of our favorite traditions: spooky story nights.

It’s simple — popcorn in a big bowl, blankets piled on the couch, fire place glowing lights turned down just enough — and then we press play. The kids lean in, I sneak a peek at their faces (wide eyes, little gasps, giggles when it’s not too scary), and I’m reminded why I love this ritual so much.

There’s something magical about audio stories in October. They’re cozy but thrilling, imaginative but safe, and they turn an ordinary Tuesday night into a memory my kids will carry forever.

This year, here are the podcasts we keep coming back to again and again:

Favorite Spooky Series

• Mina and Lucy’s Guide to Slayinng Dracula – Spook Level 🎃🎃.

  A GZM audio drama brought to you by the people who made Six Minutes! When a mysterious ship washes ashore in Whitby, best friends Mina and Lucy begin to wonder if there’s something strange about the new kid in school. With Dr. Van Helsing as their guide, Mina and Lucy will come face to face with a terrifying threat…from the legendary Dracula himself! Spook level is low- medium but exciting and intensity is high. We LOVE it!

• The Hollow – Spook Level 🎃🎃

  Another incredible audio drama by Gen-Z Media. When three 6th graders at Sleepy Hollow Middle School stumble upon a real-life ghost story, they find themselves on the trail of the Headless Horseman himself. Is he truly a terrifying ghoul, or has he been misunderstood for all these years? Spook level is medium. My 7 year old listened to this one all the way through without feeling too scared. It is one of the best! Don’t miss this one! I guarantee your kids will love it.

• The Creeping – Spook Level 🎃🎃-🎃🎃🎃

  The Creeping Hour is a horror anthology series hosted by the Creeps, three friends who listened to so many scary stories that they turned into monsters themselves. Spook level is medium to high. I listened to every episode with my 7 year old and 11 year old- it was just the right amount of spook and intensity (without giving us nightmares).

• Olympus Dale – Spook Level 🎃🎃
  Part mystery, part mythology, and part small-town adventure. It follows kids uncovering strange happenings in a place where the ordinary brushes up against the legendary. The spook level feels more eerie than terrifying — think suspenseful twists, shadowy moments, and just enough creep to keep kids hooked. I listened with my 10-year-old, and it struck the perfect balance: exciting, a little spine-tingling, but still bedtime-friendly.

• Nightingale –Spook Level 🎃🎃
  Nightingale follows three teens — Sarah, Dani, and Rocco — who stumble upon a portal from their hospital cancer ward into a magical world filled with sentient beings and a mysterious past. Suddenly, they’re caught in an epic fight to save Nightingale from The Darkness before it spills into our world. The story is immersive, a little haunting, and layered with suspense which makes it perfect for October listening. Spook level is medium — intense in moments but rooted in adventure and heart.

• Treasure Island – Spook Level 🎃-🎃🎃
  Treasure Island is a classic adventure story with a spooky edge. Pirates, dark coves, hidden maps — the atmosphere carries enough suspense to feel thrilling, especially when listened to in the glow of October evenings. The spook level is light to medium; it’s more about shadowy adventure than true scares. My kids loved it — they were caught up in the danger without feeling spooked at bedtime.

Favorite Episodic Shows

• Night Light Zone – Spook Level 🎃

  Extremely fun, ”not too scary” tales of intrigue for kids! Think goosebumps meets funnybone! Exciting and mysterious. My 8 year old and 12 year old have listened to every episode 3 or 4 times. We listened to a few around the campfire and it was perfect!

• Grim, Grimmer, Grimmest – Spook Level 🎃-🎃🎃

  This is one of best podcasts ever made! My 7 year old listened to this nonstop. We have listened to every episodes multiple times. Imagine the classic tales of the Brothers Grimm turned upside down, inside out, and spun around like a witch's cauldron. "Grim, Grimmer, Grimmest" is the fantastical podcast narrated by Adam Gidwitz (and a full cast) that takes familiar fairy tales and adds a hilarious twist, making them grimmer and groovier than ever before. You will adore these laugh-out-loud adventures into the land of fairy tales gone wild. Some episodes get a bit spooky but mostly playful and funny.

• Unspookable – Spook Level 🎃🎃
  This one isn’t about jump scares — it’s about the stories behind the scares. Each week listeners dives into the history, science, and psychology behind classic myths and urban legends like Bloody Mary, Ouija Boards, and other spooky tales kids whisper about at sleepovers. Each episode peels back the mystery to reveal where these stories came from and why they’ve lasted. It’s smart, thought-provoking, and just spooky enough to keep kids leaning in without losing any sleep. Perfect for curious minds who love a little fright with a lot of facts. Recommended for ages 8 and up.

• R.L. Stine’s Story Club – Spook Level 🎃🎃

  The master of spine-tingling tales, R.L. Stine, brings his storytelling prowess to the podcast world. "R.L. Stine's Story Club" offers a thrilling mix of spooky stories and unexpected twists that will keep your kids on the edge of their seats. It's like a Halloween night bonfire with tales to make you shiver and chuckle.

• Spooky FM – Spook Level 🎃-🎃🎃

  A mysterious radio station that shows up just in time for Halloween, broadcasting stories packed with werewolves, witches, evil fairies, and even slimy sea monsters. Each episode feels like tuning into a slightly eerie, slightly playful late-night broadcast. The spook level is low-medium — perfect for kids who love a good thrill.

• Defenders of Monstrovia- Spook Level 🎃

  This one is good for younger kids. Step into the enchanting realm of Monstrovia, a place where the lines between monsters, magic, and mysteries blur. Young Kara, a newcomer from Brooklyn, is thrust into the role of a defender in the Monstrovia courthouse, navigating a world of peculiar laws and even stranger inhabitants. With the guidance of Button, her flying hedgehog sidekick, Kara tackles cases that are anything but ordinary.

If your family is ready to go deeper, we’ve also put together detailed guides to spooky podcasts by age group and spook level — check out our recommendations for ages 6+, ages 8+, and ages 10+.

But honestly? You don’t need a long list to start. Just pick one from the “Spooky” category on Kidspod, grab some popcorn, snuggle close, and press play. That’s where the magic happens.

Why Spooky Podcasts Are the Best Kind of Treat

The best part about spooky podcasts is that kids think they’re just getting a treat — thrills, laughs, and a little dose of mystery. But we know it’s more than that. Audio stories sneak in all the good stuff: focus, imagination, empathy, vocabulary.

It’s like slipping veggies into brownies. Kids are delighted, and parents know they’re nourishing something deeper. That’s why October feels like the perfect month for podcasts — they’re festive, screen-free, and secretly full of benefits.

So go ahead. Make the popcorn, dim the lights, and press play. You might just find a new family tradition, too.

Download the Kidspod app for free today to find all the best spooky podcasts for kids in one safe place.