The Kids Crew discover the animals living right outside our doors. From prairie dogs, coyotes, and roadrunners in New Mexico to monkeys in Thailand, stray dogs in India, koalas in Australia, and wildlife in Brazil, we learn how animals adapt to city life. With expert guest Cooper Freeman and research from junior producer Thaniel Lentz, we explore the challenges and joys of living alongside wild creatures everywhere. Find the full episode post at: https://www.childrenshour.org/animals-in-the-back...
Oct 12, 2025•59 min
On this episode of The Children’s Hour, we explore balloons. From party balloons to weather balloons, and from the first hot air balloons in 18th-century France to the Albuquerque International Balloon Fiesta, the Kids Crew dives into the history, science, art, and wonder of ballooning. Find the full episode page, including a companion learning guide and activities at https://www.childrenshour.org/balloons/ We learn how the Montgolfier brothers sent a sheep, a duck, and a chicken up in the very ...
Oct 05, 2025•59 min
Everything we do uses energy, but not all energy is the same. On this episode of The Children’s Hour, we learn about renewable energy—power that comes from sources we can use again and again without running out. Find the learning guide, activities, and full episode page at https://childrenshour.org/renewable-energy Our Kids Crew wondered: what exactly makes energy “renewable”? Experts joined us to explain. Rebecca “Puck” Stair, director of New Mexico’s State Energy, Minerals and Natural Resource...
Sep 29, 2025•59 min
What does it mean to be a stranger in a new land? On this episode of The Children’s Hour, we explore the experiences of refugees—people who must leave their homes to find safety somewhere else. Find the learning guide, photos, links and the episode page at https://childrenshour.org/welcome-stranger Our special guest is Rahim AlHaj, a two-time Grammy Award-winning musician and composer. He grew up in Baghdad, Iraq, where he began playing the oud, a string instrument that is more than 5,000 years ...
Sep 21, 2025•59 min
On this episode of The Children’s Hour, junior producer and intern Thaniel Lentz takes us through the incredible history and science of animation. From early tools like the zoetrope and flipbooks to famous characters like Felix the Cat and Mickey Mouse, we learn how still pictures came to life. Thaniel explains how Disney’s Snow White used cels to transform animation, and how computers made it possible to create 3D films like Toy Story and Into the Spider-Verse. This episode is a celebration of ...
Sep 14, 2025•59 min
Have you ever looked up and spotted a bright red dot in the night sky? That’s Mars — our neighbor in the solar system, and a planet full of mysteries. On this episode of The Children’s Hour, we journey to the Red Planet with planetary volcanologist Dr. Larry Crumpler from the New Mexico Museum of Natural History and Science. He works directly with NASA’s Perseverance Rover, which is exploring Mars right now! Find the full episode page and learning guide at https://childrenshour.org/mars We learn...
Sep 07, 2025•59 min
What is journalism, and why does it matter? On this episode of The Children’s Hour, we learn what journalism is and how journalists help us understand the world around us. We meet trailblazing reporters, hear from our Kids Crew, and talk with Pulitzer Prize–winning journalist Maria Hinojosa. She shares what it means to be a good journalist, why she started her career, and how young people can begin telling important stories. Find the full episode page at https://childrenshour.org/journalism Sher...
Aug 31, 2025•59 min
Birthdays are something many kids look forward to every year. On this episode of The Children’s Hour, we celebrate everything about birthdays! From candles and cakes to songs, games, and traditions around the globe, our Kids Crew explores what makes a birthday special in different places and cultures. We also find out how birthday customs have changed over time, and where ideas like singing “Happy Birthday” or hitting a piñata came from. Find the episode page at https://childrenshour.org/birthda...
Aug 24, 2025•59 min
Have you ever wished your classroom could be outside? On this episode of The Children’s Hour, we explore what happens when kids learn in the open air. We visit summer programs across New Mexico where children share how nature helps them feel strong, calm, and curious. Find our learning guide and the full episode page with activity links at https://ChildrensHour.org/every-kid-outside We learn how sunshine, trees, birds, and even raindrops can teach us important lessons. The organization Environme...
Aug 17, 2025•59 min
Join our Kids Crew in a conversation with the beloved children’s authors, Goosebump’s RL Stine and Marc Brown, the author and illustrator of the Arthur books and TV show. We discover their secrets to creating some of the most widely read kids’ books of all time. Get reading with The Children’s Hour! Find the full episode post at: https://www.childrenshour.org/reading-and-writing/ RL Stine is the author of more than 150 Goosebumps books, and now is working on a TV adaptation of Goosebumps that ju...
Aug 10, 2025•59 min
This time on The Children's Hour we learn about the concept of querencia: the feeling of "home" in a place, and within our communities. Using poetry, imagery, history, music and sharing, we explore the elements of home with our special guest from the Center for Social Sustainable Systems, Alicia Chavez. Find the full episode page at: https://www.childrenshour.org/querencia-is-home/ When you feel like you are "home" can you describe what that feeling embodies? We learn about this feeling, which i...
Aug 03, 2025•59 min
This time on The Children’s Hour, we immerse ourselves in good vibes for summertime fun with some excellence in Kindie music and a classic Bill Harley story about the terror of the high dive, and the power of unrequited love. Be uplifted with us and spread the joy of summer.
Jul 25, 2025•59 min
Tigers and snow leopards are two of the most powerful and secretive big cats on the planet. This week on The Children’s Hour, our Kids Crew learns from zookeepers and wildlife experts who study and care for these amazing animals. Discover how tigers and snow leopards survive in the wild, how zoos help them thrive, and what we can do to protect them. Join us for a wild adventure into the lives of these majestic felines!
Jul 20, 2025•59 min
Astronomy begins at home, just looking up and seeing what we see. The Kids Crew meet with Professor Raman Prinja, Head of Astronomy and Physics at University College in London. Professor Prinja’s book Wonders of the Night Sky details the many celestial sights we can see just by looking up at the sky after dark. Find the full episode page at https://childrenshour.org/just-look-up Exploring the universe and its wonders does not require a spaceship or even a telescope, but just by paying attention ...
Jul 13, 2025•59 min
What does the Pledge of Allegiance really mean? And what makes someone a great leader? On this episode of The Children’s Hour, we explore patriotism and leadership with bilingual eighth graders from Washington Middle School and fourth graders from Adobe Acres Elementary in Albuquerque. These students share powerful insights about what it means to love your country, and why some people protest the pledge while others embrace it. Find the full episode page at https://childrenshour.org/patriotism-l...
Jul 06, 2025•59 min
Who’s hooting? This time on The Children’s Hour, we learn all about owls. Inspired by Mrs. Monica Charles’s second grade class from Coronado Elementary School in Albuquerque, New Mexico, we explore the lives of these mysterious night flyers. Find the full episode page at https://childrenshour.org/owls The 2nd graders share their owl research, discuss findings from dissecting owl pellets, and teach us why owls are so important, how to keep them protected, and much more! We also learn from our spe...
Jun 29, 2025•59 min
Have you ever seen a story carved into a rock? This week on The Children’s Hour, we explore the meaning and magic of petroglyphs - images etched into stone by ancient hands. Find a learning guide, activities, and the full episode page at https://childrenshour.org/petroglyphs Our Kids Crew visited Mesa Prieta Petroglyph Project, home to more than 60,000 documented carvings, and talked with archaeologist Jerod Roberts, educator Sandy Romero, and volunteer Judy Chaddick. Then we met up with Ranger ...
Jun 22, 2025•59 min
This time on The Children’s Hour, we're celebrating Father's Day with a musical special all about dads and father figures. Through songs, poetry, and rhythm, we hear how fathers love, teach, and support their kids in many different ways. Find the episode page at https://childrenshour.org/for-dad Our guest is the legendary John Legend. He joins us to talk about being a parent and how that inspired his Grammy-nominated children's album, My Favorite Dream. We hear songs from the album, including L-...
Jun 15, 2025•59 min
This time on The Children’s Hour we learn how everyone can contribute to active scientific research by participating in Community Science with groups like BEMP: the Bosque Ecosystem Monitoring Program. Find the learning guide and full episode page at https://childrenshour.org/community-science The Bosque Ecosystem Monitoring Program or BEMP, studies the riparian forest along the Rio Grande in New Mexico as it travels from Colorado’s Rocky Mountains, down to the Gulf of Mexico in El Paso, Texas. ...
Jun 08, 2025•59 min
Get ready to celebrate the end of the school year with The Children’s Hour! This week, we honor teachers, cheer for graduates, and dive into hilarious and heartfelt stories about finishing school. Plus, we share songs about summer adventures and new beginnings. Join us for a joyful goodbye to another great year!
Jun 01, 2025•59 min
What's it like to sleep outside, cook over a fire, and carry everything you need on your back? In this episode of The Children's Hour, our Kids Crew shares their own outdoor adventures and learns about how to stay safe and have fun while camping. We're joined by experts from Cottonwood Gulch Expeditions and a meteorologist to answer questions and share tips about preparing for the wilderness. Find the full episode page at https://www.childrenshour.org/kids-camping/ We meet Jordan Stone, the Exec...
May 25, 2025•59 min
Why do animals travel long distances every year? On this episode of The Children’s Hour, we learn all about migration—how it works, why it happens, and which creatures migrate the farthest. From the skies to the seas, we’ll explore the incredible journeys that animals take in search of food, warmth, and safety. Find the full episode page at https://childrenshour.org/migration Our guest is migration expert, author, and researcher Scott Weidensaul. He explains how birds and other animals know when...
May 18, 2025•59 min
This week on The Children’s Hour, we’re celebrating one of the most important people in our lives—our moms! This special episode, called For Mom, is filled with love, laughter, and appreciation for everything mothers do. Find the full episode page with the playlist at https://childrenshour.org/for-mom You’ll hear from kids on our Kids Crew and from listeners who share sweet, funny, and heartfelt messages for their moms. They talk about the ways their moms help, support, and care for them, whethe...
May 11, 2025•59 min
In this episode of The Children’s Hour, we explore the amazing world of frogs and toads with expert guest Josh Butler from the Albuquerque Biopark Zoo. Listeners will learn the differences between frogs and toads, what they eat, where they live, and why their survival is so important. With fun music and real-life science, this show dives deep into amphibian life. Plus, we discover simple ways we can all help protect frogs and toads in our own communities. Find the full episode page at https://ch...
Apr 27, 2025•59 min
Roots are everywhere! They grow under trees, flowers, and even the food we eat. In this episode of The Children's Hour, we dig deep into the ground to learn about roots and how they help our planet. Roots do more than just hold a plant in place—they gather water and nutrients from the soil, helping plants grow tall and strong. Some roots are so powerful that they can break through concrete, while others stretch deep underground to help trees survive in the desert. Find the full episode page at h...
Apr 20, 2025•59 min
Our minds help us understand, learn, and express ourselves. But not everyone thinks the same way! In this episode of The Children's Hour, we explore different kinds of minds, including neurodivergent thinkers, emotional intelligence, and artificial intelligence. Find the full episode page at https://childrenshour.org/many-kinds-of-minds Carl is a kid just like any other—except his brain works a little differently. He’s the main character in Carl the Collector, a PBS Kids show that features an au...
Apr 13, 2025•59 min
How do you express yourself? Creativity takes many forms, from drawing and painting to acting, composing music, and even writing stories. On this episode of The Children's Hour, we explore the many ways people create their own path through the arts. Find the full episode page at https://childrenshour.org/create-your-own-way We meet Albuquerque-based street artist Maywin Padilla, who transforms public sidewalks into vibrant works of chalk art. She shares her journey as an artist, the joys of work...
Apr 06, 2025•59 min
What is justice, and why is it important? In this episode of The Children’s Hour, the Kids Crew explores what justice means and how the courts help make sure laws are fair for everyone. Find the full episode page at https://childrenshour.org/justice Our first guest, Maria Martinez-Sanchez, is a lawyer from ACLU New Mexico. She teaches us about the three branches of government and how they work together to make and enforce laws. We learn that there are different kinds of courts, from small local ...
Mar 31, 2025•59 min
Learn all about sloths with author Georgeanne Irvine from the San Diego Zoo, and biologist Sam Trull from the Sloth Institute in Manuel Antonio Costa Rica. Find out how we can all help protect sloths. This episode comes with a hands-on Learn-Along guide. Find the full episode page with the learning guide at https://childrenshour.org/sloths Sloths live in the tropical rainforests of Central and South America, but Tornero lives in San Diego. A favorite at the San Diego Zoo, Tornero is the subject ...
Mar 23, 2025•59 min
What makes music so fun? It brings people together. On this episode of The Children’s Hour, we meet Grammy-winning musicians Lucky Diaz and Alicia Gaddis from Lucky Diaz and the Family Jam Band. They create songs that families love to sing and dance to—sometimes in English, sometimes in Spanish, and always filled with joy and energy. Find the full episode page at https://childrenshour.org/lucky-diaz Lucky and Alicia share their journey as musicians and storytellers. They were the first North Ame...
Mar 16, 2025•59 min
