Discover different styles of Podcasts
Explore and create short podcasts in several styles—interview, storytelling, news, and soundscape—learning recording, scripting, and editing basics with friends or alone.
Step-by-step guide to create short podcasts in different styles
Step 1
Gather all your materials and put them on a table so everything is ready.
Step 2
Decide if you will work alone or with friends and choose who will do each job.
Step 3
Pick one fun topic you want to explore in all four podcast styles.
Step 4
Write one short idea line for each style: one interview question idea one main story event one news fact and a list of sounds for the soundscape.
Step 5
Write a short 1-minute interview script with a host question and a guest answer.
Step 6
Write a short 1-minute storytelling script with a clear beginning middle and end.
Step 7
Write a short 1-minute news script with a headline a quick fact and one short quote.
Step 8
Gather at least three small objects to make the soundscape and decide how each will be used.
Step 9
Read each script aloud once to practice your voice and timing.
Step 10
Set up a quiet recording spot and make sure your microphone or headphones are ready.
Step 11
Record each style one by one saving each recording as its own clip.
Step 12
Trim each clip to keep the best thirty to sixty seconds and remove big mistakes.
Step 13
Put the trimmed clips in the order you like and listen to make sure levels sound even.
Step 14
Save or export each final clip with a name that shows its style like Interview Story News Soundscape.
Step 15
Share your finished podcast creations on DIY.org
Final steps
You're almost there! Complete all the steps, bring your creation to life, post it, and conquer the challenge!
Help!?
What can we use if we don't have a microphone, headphones, or special props for the soundscape?
Use a smartphone or tablet built-in microphone and everyday items like rice in a box, keys, or a saucepan for the 'at least three small objects to make the soundscape' and record them in your quiet recording spot.
My recording is too quiet or there's background noise—how do I fix it during this activity?
Move the phone or mic closer, turn off noisy devices, test levels while you 'read each script aloud once to practice your voice and timing', then re-record or 'trim each clip' to remove big mistakes and noisy sections.
How should we adapt the steps for younger kids or older kids doing the podcast styles?
For younger kids shorten each script to about 30 seconds and have an adult help 'set up a quiet recording spot' and 'trim each clip', while older kids keep 1-minute scripts, 'decide who will do each job', and handle editing and naming themselves.
How can we enhance or personalize our final podcast clips before sharing on DIY.org?
Create a short theme jingle from your soundscape objects, add simple transitions when you 'put the trimmed clips in the order you like', and 'save or export each final clip with a name that shows its style' before sharing on DIY.org.
Watch videos on how to create short podcasts in different styles
Best Podcasts for Kids - Jenny's top 8 picks!
4 Videos
Best Podcasts for Kids - Jenny's top 8 picks!
How We Create Podcasts Kids (and Parents) Love 🎧 | Inside Lingokids
Create Your First Student Podcast TODAY (Step by Step)
Podcasting in the Classroom: A Step-by-Step Guide
Facts about podcasting and audio production for kids
🎧 The word “podcast” blends “iPod” and “broadcast” and became popular around 2004–2005.
📻 Modern podcasting grew out of radio, blogging, and the ease of downloadable audio files.
🎙️ Great interviews often use open-ended 'how' and 'why' questions to turn answers into stories.
🌆 A soundscape is an audio collage of environmental sounds that can tell a place’s story without words.
✂️ Free tools like Audacity let you trim mistakes, add music, and balance volume to polish episodes.
