Modulo

Classics for Kids

Recommended Ages

K–5th grades

Classics for Kids is a music education program from public radio that introduces children to composers, musical eras, and key concepts through short audio episodes, activity sheets, and online games. Each episode blends storytelling with carefully chosen musical excerpts, helping kids connect what they hear to names, instruments, and ideas like tempo or theme. Parents appreciate that it makes classical music approachable and fun without dumbing it down, and that most resources are free. It’s easy to slot into a morning basket or car ride. While it’s not a complete, graded music curriculum, Classics for Kids provides a rich, low-cost foundation for lifelong listening.

Ideal for elementary-aged kids who enjoy stories and audio content (“car-schooling” families especially), and for parents who want a simple, secular way to introduce composers and concert music without committing to instrument lessons yet. It pairs nicely with picture-book biographies and simple listening journals.

Pros

Families appreciate that Classics for Kids offers short, engaging audio episodes about famous composers and pieces, making classical music feel like a set of stories rather than background noise. The website includes quizzes, games, and printable materials, so you can extend an episode into a mini-lesson without much prep, and secular homeschoolers like that it’s free and ad-light. 

Cons

The website design feels a bit dated, navigation can be clunky on mobile devices, and younger kids may occasionally find the narration a little fast or information-dense. It’s mainly focused on Western classical music and doesn’t offer the same breadth of global musical traditions that some newer programs emphasize. 

Because the program is free, ESA or charter funding isn’t needed; some programs simply list it as an optional enrichment resource.

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Classics for Kids
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Skills

What kids will learn
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Music
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History
History

Classics for Kids Mission

Classics for Kids exists to introduce children to the world of classical music in a way that is friendly, story-driven, and fun. Through short radio and podcast episodes, interactive online games, and ready-made lesson plans, it helps kids meet famous composers, hear landmark pieces, and learn musical vocabulary without needing any prior background. Produced by Cincinnati Public Radio's 90.9 WGUC, the program's goal is to make high-quality music education accessible to families and teachers everywhere.

Classics for Kids Story

Classics for Kids was created by Cincinnati's classical music station 90.9 WGUC as an educational outreach project to bring orchestral music to elementary-age listeners. The six-minute weekly broadcast format was designed to fit easily into classroom schedules and car rides, with each episode focusing on a composer, theme, or musical idea. Over time, host Naomi Lewin's warm storytelling and carefully chosen musical excerpts became the heart of the show, and the team built a companion website full of activities, timelines, and print-and-go resources. The program has since grown into a syndicated podcast aired on stations across the United States and a popular online hub for homeschool and school music lessons.

About Modular Learning

FAQ: Additional Details about Classics for Kids

A typical session has your child listening to a five‑minute story about a composer, hearing music clips, answering a quick online quiz, and then coloring or completing a simple rhythm or notation worksheet.

Classics for Kids is a free radio show and website that introduces children to classical composers and musical concepts through short audio episodes, online games, and printable activities; families simply stream episodes and optionally use the companion materials. 

Parents often listen alongside, point out instruments or motifs, and connect episodes to history or geography studies.

There are no formal prerequisites beyond being able to listen to short audio clips; reading skills help with website games and printed activities.

Classics for Kids uses short audio episodes and stories about composers, so it’s naturally accessible to auditory learners, ADHD kids, and dyslexic students who benefit from listening instead of reading. Families can adapt by pairing episodes with simple movement, drawing, or timelines, making it gentle enrichment for a wide range of abilities.

Classics for Kids combines short audio stories, music clips, and simple rhythm games, which can work well for auditory sensory seekers and kids who like to move or fidget while they listen.

No fees are charged to use Classics for Kids, so there is no refund policy.

Not ideal if your child strongly dislikes spoken audio, needs lots of movement and visuals to stay engaged, or if your priority is non-Western or contemporary music; in those cases, you’ll want to supplement heavily or choose a different core resource.

Musical Explorers, SQUILT, and Prodigies can broaden styles and add movement or instrument work; picture books like Zin! Zin! Zin! a Violin or the Story Orchestra series are also lovely for visual learners.

New episodes and seasonal specials are added periodically, and the site maintains a large archive of past shows, composer bios, and teacher resources.

Build a simple weekly routine: pick one composer, listen to an episode during a snack or drive, then play the featured piece while your child draws how the music makes them feel—this keeps it reflective and sensory, not just informational.

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Meet Naomi

Naomi Lewin is the longtime host of Classics for Kids and a veteran classical music broadcaster and producer. She brings stories of composers and their times to life with clear, engaging narration and carefully curated musical examples, making complex ideas understandable for young listeners. Naomi's broader career has included hosting and producing programs for major public radio stations, writing program notes, and interviewing performers, all of which feed into the depth and accuracy of Classics for Kids. Her work on the show has helped countless children (and parents) feel at home in the concert hall and curious to explore more music.