She’s hoping to start a podcast revolution for kids!
Last month, actress Tika Sumpter released a new podcast inspired by her 7-year-old daughter, US Weekly reports. “Adventures of Curiosity Cove” was created by Sumpter and her husband under the actresses’ Fort Sumpter multimedia company. The “Haves and the Have Nots” star said it all began with her daughter, Ella-Loren’s imagination.
“We’ve been telling [our daughter] stories and using her imagination for forever. When I started playing other podcasts for her, I was so surprised that she’d be having [a] bath, and she’s like, ‘Mom, can you turn on my stories podcast?’” explained Sumpter.
It was a lightbulb moment, and Sumpter began to flesh out this character they dubbed “Ella the Curious.” Like her daughter, the character had an inquisitive nature, and what eventually became the podcast was centered around a “whirlwind of amazing, magical stories” based on Ella.
Sumpter realized that podcasts served a myriad of purposes. Not only was she able to find downtime as her daughter enjoyed these podcasts, but it also allowed her little one to be entertained without having to worry about the harmful effects of too much screen time. Sumpter feels the audio revolution for kids is just beginning, and she hopes to be a part of that.
“It gives inspiration to kids without having them on their screen so much. It’s listening, it’s using their brains, it’s connecting different things. [The podcast] gave me peace, too. We wanna give them a break, and give them a moment and feel good about something that their kid is listening to.”
The “Adventures of Curiosity Cove” uses childlike themes to help children develop critical social skills. They’re hoping to spark more creativity in children, Sumpter even making the episodes interactive by asking children to “to send in drawings of what they imagine of the story.” It’s the burgeoning seeds of what Sumpter is calling a “podcast revolution” for kids.
Sumpter is prompting parents to encourage their young ones to ditch the technology in favor of a more creative pursuit that engages the whole child and promotes peace and joy.
“We [want]…kids to use all the things inside of them without just watching something,” explained Sumpter.
Original episodes of “Adventures of Curiosity Cove” are currently streaming on Apple Podcasts or wherever you listen to podcasts!
Cover photo: Actress Tika Sumpter Creates Children’s Podcast Inspired After Her 7-Year-Old Daughter/Photo credit: Gilbert Flores/Variety/Penske Media/Getty Images