Parents' Guide to
Akili and Me
Common Sense Media Review
By Lauri C. Anderson
,
based on child development research. How do we rate?
Fun songs and stories teach valuable lessons and language.
Parents Need to Know
Why Age 3+?
Any Positive Content?
Where to Listen
Parent and Kid Reviews
Based on 1 parent review
What's It About?
Each episode of AKILI AND ME bounces cheerfully through original songs about letters, numbers, and other English language basics. The episode title gives an idea of what fictional 4-year-old Tanzanian girl Akili will encounter as she dreams through Lala Land in a narrated story. The podcast's creators, Africa's leading kids' entertainment producer Ubongo and multicultural media publisher ABF Creative, also offer Akili activities, books, and songs on the Akili and Me website. The Akili and Me YouTube channel has hundreds of videos to complement the podcast.
Is It Any Good?
Not only is this an essential starter podcast for young kids, but it also offers an inclusive form of screen-free media entertainment and learning. Akili and Me packs in repetitive original songs about shapes, body parts, letters, and numbers for 12 minutes straight, with no room for negative content. Although the main objective is for kids to learn alongside Akili, the podcast doesn't force education down kids' throats; instead, it folds learning into the entertaining stories and adventures of its endearing main character, Akili. The free educational activities and stories on the website and endless number of videos on the YouTube channel make this podcast a comprehensive experience for kids and their families.
Talk to Your Kids About ...
Families can talk about how music and songs are used to teach and retain basic concepts in Akili and Me. How do songs and music help you remember things? Is there something specific you're trying to learn right now? Can you make up a song about this to help you?
Perseverance is a major theme throughout each episode. How does Akili show she is trying hard to learn English, and not giving up? What is something you try hard to do or to learn?
Teamwork and compassion are two major themes throughout this podcast. Why are these important character strengths?
Akili is learning a new language. Have you ever tried to learn a new language? Do you know someone who is working on learning a new language? How can we support and encourage ourselves and others when it comes to learning something new?
Podcast Details
- Release date: August 4, 2020
- Genre: Educational
- Average Run Time: 12 minutes
- Website: https://akiliandme.com/
- Production Companies and Networks: Ubongo , ABF Creative
- Pricing structure: Free
- Topics: Music and Sing-Along , Numbers and Letters
- Character Strengths: Compassion , Perseverance , Teamwork
- Last updated: January 11, 2024
Did we miss something on diversity?
Research shows a connection between kids' healthy self-esteem and positive portrayals in media. That's why we've added a new "Diverse Representations" section to our reviews that will be rolling out on an ongoing basis. You can help us help kids by
Suggest an Update
What to Listen to Next
Common Sense Media's unbiased ratings are created by expert reviewers and aren't influenced by the product's creators or by any of our funders, affiliates, or partners.
See how we rate