Gimlet launches podcast to get your kiddos to brush their teeth

Podcasting giant Gimlet Media launched its shortest podcast yet this week, with Chompers, a two-minute podcast to listen to while brushing your teeth (especially if you’re a child).

Chompers is released twice a day, one for a morning brushing and one for the night, with kid-friendly stories such as “Will Drake the Snake ever find his map?” and animal-oriented jokes (“Knock knock.” “Who’s there?” “Alpaca.” “Alpaca who?” “Alpaca suitcase, ’cause I’m going on vacation!”). The stories and jokes are punctuated by brushing instructions timed for an even brush: “Now switch your brushing to the bottom of your mouth. Pick a side and make sure you’re reaching all the way to your back teeth.”

Chompers has no advertising and instead is sponsored by toothbrush company Oral-B. It’s available on the Amazon Echo, so that kids need only say “Alexa, play Chompers” to get that good, tooth-brushing content. Rachel Ward, previously a producer on NPR’s Morning Edition, hosts the podcast.

Parents of young children, this is awesome. Turned this on after ten minutes of refusal to brush. My 2 year old was into it! I think tonight's tooth brushing was in the top five. @chompers @Gimletmedia

Check out this podcast: Chompershttps://t.co/n2KX1flVfL via @PodcastAddict pic.twitter.com/cP2OX5ALzR

— Eric Rosenberg (@EricProfits) March 8, 2018

So is it a good idea? We asked one expert on having children (a parent) if he has any tricks that work for getting his five-year-old Anthony to polish the pearly whites.

“Not really,” said Jason Adams, of Pennsylvania, by phone. “It’s keeping his attention span once he’s there. He just mirrors what me and my wife do but keeping his attention span is the hardest thing.”

Some days are better than others on that front, he said. So, does Chompers sound like a good idea? Or just another overly digital lifehack?

“I think it’s a great idea, actually,” Adams said. “He does a lot better if he has stuff he can interact with.”

Young Anthony isn’t the only one. Overhearing the production of this story, a cofounder of Technical.ly walked by, offering that he might check it out, as he has issues with brushing for the full two.