Kinderling: a radio station for kids

When you have kids, the soundtrack to your day might be a chaotic symphony of crashes and bangs, laughter, screaming and shouting, and the tinkling music of children’s TV. A new digital radio station, Kinderling, strives to make your day a little more musically pleasing – for the little ones and for you.

Accompanying wake ups, school runs, settle and sleep time, Kinderling’s clever curation of tracks is designed to reflect the different moods of your day. We asked the K-Team to share a little more about how Kinderling came to be, and how it can enhance your daily routine.

How did Kinderling come about?

Kinderling was founded by Evan Kaldor, who was previously General Manager of FBi Radio, a non-profit community radio station in Sydney. The idea for Kinderling came from his babysitter’s observation that there were no kids’ radio stations.

What are the sorts of tunes that kids connect with?

Kinderling believes kids connect with all forms of music, not just traditional kids music. They respond to harmony and melody, whether it be found in reggae, blues or pop. We talk to families from all across Australia and we know that they are playing music to their kids that is much broader than what you would expect.

How did you come up with the structure of Kinderling, from ‘Regression Session’ to ‘Settle Petal’?

Kinderling spent two years developing its programming. We drew heavily on research, such as a study done by Australian Institute of Family Studies in 2009, which followed a cohort of families and how they spent their day. We talked to midwives and mothercraft experts about how they advised their clients on an ideal daily routine and we calibrated that by conducting research with focus groups of parents.

The idea behind all of this was for Kinderling to be a companion to a family as it moved through the day. That is, for the programs, music and stories to adjust to the various energies and moods of households as they move through a day. So the morning is upbeat and energetic, while the afternoon programs understand the ‘witching hours’ when little people are tired and a bit cranky, and so is calmer and more soothing.

Is it tough finding tracks that little ones embrace but that are easy on the ear for any parents in earshot?

It is. Listening to traditional kids music for long periods of time can be relentless for parents. We’re very fortunate to have assembled a team with great experience in radio, who can balance the art and science of this type of programming.

We’ve spent a lot of time developing our programming to ensure it offers families a diverse range of content, tailored to their needs. The ambition is to entertain, excite, inspire and educate.

What sorts of topics are discussed during Kinderling Conversation?

Kinderling Conversation discusses a wide variety of topics from how to get your baby to sleep, to top educational apps for kids, feeding fussy toddlers, tips on creative play with your child and explaining the family tax benefit.

Is there a talkback element or is social media a way for listeners to share their thoughts/feedback?

Our talkback is a combination of live callers and social media. We have a flagship program called Baby Helpline on Mondays where parents from across Australia have been calling in and emailing questions for our mothercraft expert Chris Minogue about sleep and settling, long haul flights, biting, nursing and so on.

How has Kinderling been received so far?

We’ve had a great response so far. Kids are loving the sound of Kinderling and parents are telling us that they’re keeping it on even when the kids aren’t around – it’s a positive and upbeat mix for them. We’re also seeing a great response to our late night ambient programming which is all about soothing sounds to help little ones have a good night’s rest.

Kinderling is available on DAB+ by alphabetically searching 'kinderling' or by listening online at kinderling.com.au

Looking for more articles with tips and advice about those early years of childhood and parenting? Head here to read more.