CBeebies Parenting

CBeebies
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  • PARENTING
  • UPDATED WEEKLY

Pods for all parents of preschoolers. Parenting Download looks at the topics gripping your group chats, while we take your calls and put them to the experts on Parenting Helpline.

  1. Download – What is Matrescence? How motherhood can change your brain and identity with Zoe Blaskey and Smitha Mundasad

    17 HR AGO

    Download – What is Matrescence? How motherhood can change your brain and identity with Zoe Blaskey and Smitha Mundasad

    Matrescence is the physical, psychological and emotional changes you go through after the birth of your child, but despite being coined over 50 years ago, it is a word many still don’t understand. In this episode, Katie Thistleton and Guvna B explore how pregnancy and early parenthood can reshape the brain, alter priorities and change identity. They discuss why moving beyond the phrase ‘baby brain’ helps parents feel understood, and how recognising a real transition can change expectations at home, in friendships and at work. BBC Health and Science Reporter Smitha Mundasad shares insight from the Be Mother project in Spain, which scanned the brains of 127 pregnant volunteers and found neurological changes in mothers-to-be. Smitha explored this in her documentary Baby Brain: What’s really going on? Author, podcast host and Motherkind founder Zoe Blaskey shares her own experience of matrescence and the work she's been doing to raise awareness of these changes with other parents and businesses. She also sets matrescence as a life stage alongside adolescence, to frame it as a normal developmental process. There is information and support for pregnancy related issues on the BBC Action Line website www.bbc.co.uk/actionline. For more ideas and resources, visit the CBeebies Parenting website. Get in touch: parentingdownload@bbc.co.uk or WhatsApp 0800 022 4808

    32 min
  2. Download – Getting active with Joe Wicks and Gladiator Nitro

    14 MAR

    Download – Getting active with Joe Wicks and Gladiator Nitro

    How do you fit movement and exercise into family life when you are tired, busy and juggling everything at once? Katie Thistleton and Guvna B explore realistic, low‑pressure ways to get active with your little ones. From five‑minute bursts at home to quick trips outside, the focus is on doing what you can, when you can, so everyone feels better. Harry Aikines‑Aryeetey (Gladiators star Nitro) talks about keeping activity playful and letting children lead the way. He explains how becoming a parent shifted his motivation from performance to wellbeing and connection. Whether it is seizing a sunny hour after school to ride a new bike, turning a trampoline park into a family workout, or joining in alongside them at a class, his message is to take part and look for balance, even on busy days. The nation’s PE teacher, Joe Wicks MBE, brings a short and doable outlook for parents who are pressed for time. He champions five‑minute resets, home workouts even in small spaces, and quick walks in fresh air that lift energy and mood. Exercise, he says, is a tool for patience as much as fitness, and he highlights the importance of encouraging active play for families, even when you do not feel in the mood. For more ideas and resources on getting active and playing with your kids, visit the CBeebies Parenting website. Get in touch: parentingdownload@bbc.com or WhatsApp 0800 022 4808

    34 min
  3. BONUS EPISODE: School and Nursery Readiness with Christina Lydon

    12 MAR

    BONUS EPISODE: School and Nursery Readiness with Christina Lydon

    Parents often worry that their children just aren't ready to take the step up to school. Early years educator Christina Lydon takes questions on how to help kids start school with confidence.

    35 min
  4. Download - A parent’s guide to AI with Kamille and Zoe Kleinman

    7 MAR

    Download - A parent’s guide to AI with Kamille and Zoe Kleinman

    For BBC AI Unpacked Week Katie Thistleton and Guvna B explore Artificial Intelligence chatbots, where they can genuinely help parents and when to be cautious, offering practical ideas to save time and stress while keeping human judgment at the centre. Singer, songwriter and Grammy, BRIT and Ivor Novello award-winner Kamille shares how she uses AI to help organise her parenting life from navigating missed naps to managing her busy schedule. BBC technology editor Zoe Kleinman explains what AI chatbots are, how they work and why some people can become over reliant on them. Zoe recommends we use AI as a 'second brain' and gives expert advice on how to use this technology safely and effectively. For more ideas and parenting resources, visit the CBeebies Parenting website. Get in touch: parentingdownload@bbc.com or WhatsApp 0800 022 4808

    37 min
  5. Download – Live at the Natural History Museum with Andy Day for a play special

    28 FEB

    Download – Live at the Natural History Museum with Andy Day for a play special

    Recorded in front of a live audience at London’s Natural History Museum, this bonus episode brings Katie Thistleton and Guvna B together with CBeebies legend, Andy Day, research psychologist and founder of the Good Play Guide, Dr Amanda Gummer, and celebrity parents, Olivia and Alex Bowen. The group share playful childhood memories: from Olivia’s forest dens to Alex’s love of drawing, Andy’s dinosaur games with his brothers and Dr Amanda’s board game evenings with her grandparents, setting the scene for how early experiences shape the way we play with children today. They explore why play can feel difficult to prioritise, how busy routines add pressure and why even short bursts of focused attention can help little ones learn. The guests talk openly about finding ideas in everyday life, whether that’s outdoor time, quick imaginative games or playful routines inspired by children’s favourite shows. This bonus episode offers reassurance that play does not have to be perfect to be meaningful. For more ideas and resources, visit the CBeebies Parenting website. Get in touch: parentingdownload@bbc.com or WhatsApp 0800 022 4808

    14 min
  6. Parenting Download – Charlie Hedges joins Katie and Guvna B to discuss the importance of play

    25 FEB

    Parenting Download – Charlie Hedges joins Katie and Guvna B to discuss the importance of play

    Katie Thistleton and Guvna B explore how to build a balanced play diet that helps children learn, imagine and unwind, even when time is tight. They focus on turning everyday routines into quick games, choosing ideas that work indoors and outside, and using short bursts of activity to keep things fun without adding pressure. Research psychologist and founder of the Good Play Guide Dr Amanda Gummer explains how to blend active, social, solo and calm moments across the day, and why letting children lead makes play more engaging. DJ and presenter of the CBeebies Parenting Helpline podcast Charlie Hedges offers what is working in her home right now, including small ‘silly’ rituals that build connection and make ordinary moments feel special. From treasure hunts for leaves and stones and a morning coffee machine dance, to simple make believe, she shows how a cardboard box and mud pies can deliver big smiles on any budget. For more information, research and guidance, visit the CBeebies Parenting website. Get in touch: parentingdownload@bbc.com or WhatsApp 0800 022 4808

    38 min
  7. Download – Another baby on the way? How to prepare your children and yourselves with DJ Jamz Supernova

    18 FEB

    Download – Another baby on the way? How to prepare your children and yourselves with DJ Jamz Supernova

    Katie Thistleton and Guvna B explore how to get ready for another baby when there is already a child or children at home, focusing on what to say, how to keep routines steady and the small moments that help everyone feel settled and involved. Professional child development and parenting support specialist Lorraine Lee explains how to handle big feelings around scans, baby showers and changing routines. From using a simple 'feelings' chart to keeping language calm and age appropriate, and why aiming for equality rather than sameness helps children feel valued. She also shares phrasing to avoid negativity about the baby, such as attributing every change to ‘because of the baby’, and offers tips for tricky school days when an older child imagines home is more exciting than class. 6Music presenter and DJ Jamz Supernova, who is expecting her second child, shares what is working in her home right now, including small rituals that build connection, and a collaborative family approach to planning life around the new arrival. Together they underline that there is no perfect age gap, and that simple, consistent steps can help older children feel prepared and confident about their new sibling. For more information and guidance, visit the CBeebies Parenting website. Get in touch: parentingdownload@bbc.com or WhatsApp 0800 022 4808

    40 min
  8. Download – Scarlett Moffatt on love languages, her imaginary housemate and keeping romance alive this Valentine’s Day

    11 FEB

    Download – Scarlett Moffatt on love languages, her imaginary housemate and keeping romance alive this Valentine’s Day

    Romance after kids can look and feel very different, but CBeebies Parenting Download is here to help reignite that spark. Katie Thistleton and Guvna B are joined by TV personality and presenter Scarlett Moffatt, psychologist Dr Lalitaa Suglani and dating coach Hayley Quinn to decode love languages, shifting routines, and share Valentine’s ideas for tired couples and single parents. Former Gogglebox star, Scarlett offers a playful way to defuse petty rows, suggests keeping some individual interests and hobbies so there is more to talk about than nappies, and encourages parents to accept the inevitable changes that come with parenting. Dr Lalitaa explains how priorities shift, why naming feelings of guilt or shame helps, and how short, consistent moments of emotional intimacy can begin to rebuild connection. Hayley talks about her own parenting experience and recommends micro rituals like a quick phone-free walk and, for single parents, advises honesty, plus small weekly steps toward dating at a manageable pace. Expect practical takeaways on sharing the load without scorekeeping, cherishing bite-size time together and keeping Valentine’s low pressure. For more ideas and parenting resources, visit the CBeebies Parenting website. Get in touch: parentingdownload@bbc.com or WhatsApp 0800 022 4808

    41 min
See All (42)

About

Pods for all parents of preschoolers. Parenting Download looks at the topics gripping your group chats, while we take your calls and put them to the experts on Parenting Helpline.

Information

  • Creator
    CBeebies
  • Years Active
    2025 - 2026
  • Episodes
    42
  • Rating
    Clean
  • Copyright
    © (C) BBC 2026
  • Show Website
    CBeebies Parenting

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