Smash Boom Best – WISE Score & Parent Review | Screenwise

Smash Boom Best

Name: Screenwise
Author: Screenwise

podcast

90%

WISE Score

Kids debate ridiculous matchups with facts and passion—Pikachu vs. Mario, toilets vs. fridges—while sneakily learning how to argue well.

Smash Boom Best

podcast

Clean

90%

WISE Score

Kids debate ridiculous matchups with facts and passion—Pikachu vs. Mario, toilets vs. fridges—while sneakily learning how to argue well.

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Screenwise Verdict

This is one of those rare podcasts that's actually educational without feeling like homework. The debate format is clever—it teaches critical thinking, argumentation, and evidence-based reasoning while keeping things light and funny.

The matchups are absurd enough to be entertaining (toilets vs. refrigerators!) but grounded enough that kids learn real facts along the way. It's also a great model for how to disagree respectfully, which is a skill we desperately need more of.

Perfect for family road trips or as background listening while kids do art projects. It'll probably spark some heated dinner table debates, which is exactly what you want.

Age Fit

Best for kids roughly 6-13 who can follow verbal arguments and enjoy playful debate. Younger kids might enjoy the silly matchups but could lose the thread of the reasoning. Teens might find it a bit young unless they're into the specific topic being debated.

WISE Breakdown

Wholesome

A debate show that celebrates curiosity and playful disagreement without meanness. Models how to defend opinions with facts and passion while keeping things fun and family-friendly. The format inherently teaches kids that different people can prefer different things—and that's okay.

Imaginative

The premise itself is delightfully creative: pitting flamingos against axolotls, refrigerators against toilets, mermaids against Bigfoot. It invites kids to think sideways, build arguments, and consider unexpected angles. The show models how to take a position and defend it creatively, which is exactly the kind of thinking we want kids practicing.

Safe

This is a kids-and-family podcast from the Brains On Universe, a trusted producer of quality children's audio content. The format is debate-based but playful, with no mature themes, explicit language, or content that would be inappropriate for young ears. Safe to play in the car, at dinner, or anywhere kids might overhear.

Enriching

Teaches critical thinking, argumentation, and how to defend opinions with evidence—all wrapped in entertainment. Kids learn to evaluate competing claims, consider multiple perspectives, and articulate their own reasoning. The fact-based approach means they're also picking up random knowledge about everything from pop culture to animals to household appliances.

Parent Info

✓

Why It Might Be Great

Teaches kids how to build arguments, use evidence, and defend their opinions without being a jerk about it
The matchups are genuinely funny and unexpected—refrigerators vs. toilets is comedy gold
From the Brains On Universe, which has a solid track record of making smart content that kids actually want to listen to
Great for car rides because it naturally sparks family debate and conversation
Exposes kids to the idea that disagreement can be fun, respectful, and intellectually stimulating

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What to Watch For

Some kids might get really intense about their favorite side winning—competitive spirits will emerge
The debate format means there's a lot of talking and back-and-forth, which might not hold attention for kids under 6
If your kid already argues about everything, this might give them even more ammunition (though at least it'll be well-reasoned ammunition)

Conversation Starters

"Which side do you think won? What was their strongest argument?"
"If you were debating, what would you say to defend [your favorite thing]?"
"What's the weirdest matchup you can think of? Let's debate it right now."
"Did they change your mind about anything, or did you stick with your original opinion?"

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