The Children's Hour

The Children's Hour Inc.
  • 4.3 (67)
  • EDUCATION FOR KIDS
  • UPDATED WEEKLY
The Children's Hour

Eclectic, entertaining, educational public radio for kids of all ages on every topic under and beyond the sun. The Children's Hour radio show includes kids in every production, and our themes focus on civics, STEM, culture and performance. The Children's Hour keeps everyone in the family engrossed, with great music and subjects that teach listeners something new, regardless of your age. Heard on nearly 200 public radio stations worldwide each week, and hosted by Katie Stone with her intrepid Kids Crew who are real kids learning to make radio. Subscribe and learn with us!

  1. 2D AGO

    Roots

    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 https://childrenshour.org/roots We met Jane Westbrook, an artist and educator who calls herself a “rootologist.” Jane has spent years studying roots and even painted a massive mural showing different kinds of roots at the Open Space Visitor Center in Albuquerque, New Mexico. She taught us about different types of roots and how they feed plants, store food, and even talk to each other through underground networks! Did you know that some of the food we eat comes from roots? Carrots, radishes, beets, and potatoes are all roots! We talked about how plants store energy in their roots, making them a great food source for humans and animals. Some roots, like ginger and turmeric, are even used as medicine! Trees don’t just stand there quietly—they actually talk to each other! We learned that tree roots are connected underground by tiny threads called mycelium, a type of fungus that helps trees share nutrients and send messages. If a tree is attacked by bugs, it can send a warning through its roots to other trees nearby! We were also joined by Robin Wall Kimmerer, the author of Braiding Sweetgrass, and Monique Gray Smith, who adapted the book for young readers. Braiding Sweetgrass is about how Indigenous knowledge and science can work together to help us understand plants and nature. Robin and Monique shared stories about how plants teach us important lessons, and how we can give back to the Earth in return for all the gifts it gives us. Robin Wall Kimmerer told us the ancient Haudenosaunee (Iroquois) story of Sky Woman. In this legend, a woman falls from the sky and is saved by animals who help create the land we live on today. This story reminds us that we must care for the Earth, just as it cares for us. Roots do so much for the planet! They: • Hold soil in place to prevent erosion. • Help plants survive by finding water and nutrients. • Store carbon from the air, helping to slow climate change. • Create food for animals and humans. By planting trees and taking care of plants, we can help keep the Earth's roots strong! Credits This episode was written and produced by Katie Stone, with production help from Sarah Gabrielli and Thaniel Lentz. Special thanks to our guests Jane Westbrook, Robin Wall Kimmerer, and Monique Gray Smith. The Children’s Hour is produced by The Children's Hour Inc., a non-profit supported by listeners like you. Our theme music was written by C.K. Barlow, and we are distributed by Native Voice One, the Native American Radio Network. © 2025 The Children's Hour Inc, All Rights Reserved

    59 min

  2. APR 13

    Many Kinds of Minds

    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 autistic child at its center. Carl is great at remembering facts about his collections and birthdays, but sometimes he struggles to understand emotions and social situations. The show’s creator and Executive Producer, Zachariah O’Hora and director Lisa Whittick, join us to share why it’s important for kids to see neurodivergent characters in media. They explain how they worked closely with autistic writers and artists to make Carl and his friend Lotta, another autistic character, feel authentic. Lotta experiences autism differently than Carl—she wears headphones to block loud noises and sometimes sees colors in music, a condition called synesthesia. By showing different autistic experiences, Carl the Collector helps all kids better understand and appreciate neurodiversity. Emotions can be hard to manage, but music can help! Former Wiggles star Sam Moran joins us to talk about his album All the Feels, which helps kids understand their emotions through song. After the COVID-19 pandemic, many children struggled with anxiety and big feelings. Sam, who has experienced depression himself, wanted to create songs that could help kids name their emotions and feel less alone. His album includes songs about joy, sadness, nervousness, and more. He reminds us that emotional intelligence—the ability to understand and manage emotions—is like a muscle that gets stronger with practice. AI, or artificial intelligence, is everywhere—when we use Alexa, get YouTube recommendations, or even check our spelling in a document. But how does it really work, and what does it mean for our future? Dr. Martin Spinelli joins us to explain AI and how it’s already affecting our daily lives. He shares his work in training AI to be kinder and more empathetic, and we discuss the challenges of AI-generated content, misinformation, and ethics. Should AI be used in schools? What happens when AI gets things wrong? We explore the big questions about this powerful technology. There are many different kinds of minds, and each one sees the world in its own way. Some people are great at recognizing patterns, while others excel at reading emotions or coming up with creative ideas. By learning about neurodiversity, emotional intelligence, and artificial intelligence, we gain a deeper understanding of how people think and process information. This episode encourages kids to embrace differences, ask questions, and appreciate the many ways minds work. No matter how our brains function, we all have something unique to offer the world. The Children's Hour is produced by The Children's Hour Inc., a New Mexico-based nonprofit. This episode was written and produced by Katie Stone, with production help from Christina Stella, Sarah Gabrielli, Jacqui Fulton and our intern Thaniel. Our theme music was composed by C.K. Barlow. The Children's Hour is distributed by Native Voice One, the Native American Radio Network. © 2025 The Children's Hour Inc, All Rights Reserved.

    59 min

  3. APR 6

    Create Your Own Way

    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 working with temporary media, and how she found her creative passion. We’re also joined by some of the most imaginative minds in entertainment, including the legendary William Shatner, who speaks about his creative process as an actor, musician, and storyteller. Hear a track from his children’s release, Where Will The Animal Sleep. Dan Gutman, bestselling author of the My Weird School series, tells us how he turned a childhood love of stories into a career writing books that make kids laugh. Plus, we chat with Celestina Harris, an 11-year-old actress and voice talent known for her work on The Backyardigans and Young Jedi Adventures. Music plays a huge role in creativity, and in this episode, we showcase the world premiere of A Balloon’s Breath, a symphony for strings composed by 12-year-old Evan Daitz. Inspired by the sound of hot air balloons during Albuquerque’s International Balloon Fiesta, this piece highlights the boundless possibilities of young composers. Performed at Chatter, a monthly series at the Santa Fe Contemporary Art Center. Directed by David Feilberg. This episode was recorded at Tiguex Park in Albuquerque, New Mexico, the Santa Fe Contemporary Art Center in Santa Fe, New Mexico, with additional studio recordings in Albuquerque and Rio Rancho New Mexico. The Children’s Hour is produced by Katie Stone with production help this week from Sarah Gabrielli, Anne Lopez, Thaniel Lentz, Claire Reynolds, and Benjamin Green. Our audio engineer is Chad Sheer, with additional engineering by Grant Taylor, Katie Stone and Thaniel Lentz. Special thanks to David Feilberg and the musicians at Chatter for their performance of A Balloon’s Breath. The Children’s Hour is distributed by Native Voice One: The Native American Radio Network. © 2025 The Children’s Hour Inc. All Rights Reserved.

    59 min

  4. MAR 31

    What is Justice?

    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 courts to the biggest court in the country, the U.S. Supreme Court. Maria explains how courts handle both criminal cases (when someone is accused of breaking the law) and civil cases (when people have a disagreement that needs to be solved). Maria also helps us understand how a trial works. She talks about how juries decide cases, how judges make sure everything is fair, and how people can appeal if they think a court made a mistake. We hear about important court cases in history, like Brown v. Board of Education, which made it illegal to separate students in schools based on their skin color. The Kids Crew asks Maria lots of questions about laws, fairness, and how courts protect our rights. But did you know that the United States actually has two different kinds of justice systems? Native American tribes have their own tribal courts, which work separately from state and federal courts. Our second guest, Chief Justice Rosanna Toya, helps us understand how tribal courts work. She explains that every tribe has its own way of handling justice—some use a system similar to the U.S. government, while others follow traditional laws passed down for generations. Chief Justice Toya tells us how tribal courts handle problems in their communities, like arguments between neighbors or bigger cases that affect the whole tribe. She explains why it’s important for Native American nations to have their own laws and judges, so they can protect their traditions while keeping people safe and treated fairly. This episode of The Children's Hour takes listeners on a journey to understand what justice is, how courts work, and why different justice systems exist in the U.S. This episode was produced by Katie Stone with production help from Sarah Gabrielli and Thaniel Lentz. Many thanks to the ACLU-NM Legal Director Maria Martinez Sanchez, and to Chief Justice Roshanna Toya for being with us on the show. The Children's Hour is a production of The Children's Hour Inc., a New Mexico-based nonprofit. Our show is distributed by Native Voice One: The Native American Radio Network. © 2025 The Children's Hour Inc., All Rights Reserved.

    59 min

  5. MAR 23

    Sloths

    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 of Georgeanne Irvine’s book, Teaching Tornero: The True Story of a Sloth Superstar. Georgeanne Irvine works in the publishing office at the San Diego Zoo, and has written more than 50 books about animals, but this is the first one about sloths. The kids talk with her about Tornero’s extraordinary life at the San Diego Zoo, and we learn a bit about the different species of sloths. Then, Jo from our Kids Crew reviews Teaching Tornero. The book is geared toward elementary aged kids, and is full of stunning photos of Tornero at the zoo throughout his lifetime. Then we head down to Manuel Antonio, Costa Rica where we meet Sam Trull. She is a founder of the Sloth Institute, a conservation organization dedicated to saving sloths who are orphaned, or injured. Sloths in Costa Rica face numerous challenges, including electrocution from the commonplace, uninsulated electrical wiring used throughout the country. Sloths are also prone to becoming orphans as a result of their mothers being injured, killed, and the ever-shrinking habitat they call home. Even the loss of one tree can be devastating for a sloth population. We learn how we can support sloths no matter where we live, by refusing to participate in invasive, exploitive sloth tourism. Sam Trull explains that anywhere people are allowed to interact up close, or pet sloths, they are actually harming the animals. Sloths are solitary, and the best way to enjoy them in the wild is to quietly observe them in the tree canopy while staying far away from them, or seeing them from the ground. Then meet the Paleolithic Ground Sloth, a mega fauna that thrived on the American continent for millions of years until just 11,000 years ago, when humans made them extinct. You can learn more about ground sloths in our Fossils episode, and hear how they interacted with people in our Brief History of the American Southwest for Kids podcast series. This episode was written and produced by our Senior Producer, Christina Stella and Katie Stone, our Executive Producer. Production help was also provided by Thaniel Lentz. We recorded this show at the Outpost Performance Space in Albuquerque, New Mexico, with help from engineer Chad Scheer. Our Learn-Along guide was written by Lorraine Archibald. © 2025 The Children’s Hour Inc. All Rights Reserved.

    59 min

  6. MAR 16

    Lucky Diaz

    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 American band to ever win a Latin Grammy. They tell us what it was like to receive seven Grammy nominations and finally take home the award for their album ¡Brillo, Brillo! in 2025. Our Kids Crew brings us book reviews of stories written by Lucky and Alicia, including Palitero Man and She Loves Me All the Same. These books celebrate culture, family, and love. Join us and dance to the infectious beats and learn through a lively discussion with the 2025 Best Children’s Release winners, Alicia Gaddis and Lucky Diaz from Lucky Diaz and The Family Jam Band. Credits: The Children's Hour is written and produced by Katie Stone, with production help from Thaniel Lentz. Our show is distributed by Native Voice One, the Native American Radio Network. ©2025 The Children’s Hour Inc, All Rights Reserved.

    59 min

  7. MAR 9

    Fossils

    Learn about fossils in this action packed episode of The Children's Hour that comes with a Learn-Along guide that meets and cites National (US) Education Standards. Find this episode page at https://childrenshour.org/fossils The Kids Crew took a summer field trip to a secret fossil dig site located in an active mining quarry in the mountains of New Mexico. They spoke with the paleontologists working to extract 350 million year old fossilized marine creatures and plants. Then, Kids Crew member Amadeus Menendez is a longtime volunteer at the New Mexico Museum of Natural History and Science. To help us understand how fossils are made, he spoke with NMMNHS educator Mike Sanchez to learn more about how fossils develop, and dispel myths about what constitutes a fossil. We also spoke with Dr. Emily Lindsey, she’s the Assistant Curator and Excavation Site Director at the La Brea Tar Pits and Museum in Los Angeles, California. The tar pits perfectly preserved animals, plants, people and anything that fell into them over the last 60,000 years. They have found long extinct animals, like giant camels and sloths, as well as humans, insects, and critters who couldn't escape the sticky, oily tar. This episode was recorded at a super secret fossil dig site in the mountains of New Mexico, at the New Mexico Museum of Natural History & Science, and the Sunspot Solar Studio in Albuquerque, New Mexico. Many thanks to Amanda Cantrell and Thomas Suazo from Badlands Scientific Expeditions for taking our Kids Crew on the fossil field trip. We had production help from the Kids Crew & their parents, as well as Amadeus Menendez, Eli Henley, Christina Stella and Thaniel Lentz. Katie Stone is our Executive Producer. Our Learning Guide was written by Jonathan Dunski and Lorraine Archibald. The Children's Hour is distributed on radio stations by Native Voice One: The Native American Radio Network. © 2025 The Children's Hour Inc. All Rights Reserved.

    59 min

  8. MAR 2

    Dr. Seuss

    On this episode of The Children's Hour, we are going to dive into the life and legacy of Dr. Seuss, exploring how he crafted his beloved stories and why his books continue to captivate young readers today. Through engaging discussions, musical interludes, and fascinating insights, we uncover what makes his work so timeless and impactful. Find full episode details at https://childrenshour.org/dr-seuss We were joined by biographer Brian Jay Jones, who wrote Becoming Dr. Seuss: Theodor Geisel and the Making of an American Imagination. He shared amazing stories about how Dr. Seuss became an author, where he got his ideas, and how he changed children's books forever. Did you know Dr. Seuss wasnt really a doctor? And that he almost gave up after his first book was rejected many times? Brian Jay Jones told us all about it! Dr. Seuss' books arent just fun"they also carry important messages. The Lorax teaches about protecting the environment, Horton Hears a Who reminds us that every voice matters, and The Butter Battle Book shows how silly arguments can grow into big problems. His playful words make reading fun while helping us learn valuable lessons. Throughout the show, we heard songs inspired by Dr. Seuss, and had a lively discussion with our Kids Crew about their favorite Seuss books. Do you have a favorite? Maybe Oh, the Places You'll Go! or Horton Hears a Who!? Grab your Dr. Seuss books and join us as we learn about his incredible life and legacy. National Dr. Seuss Day is celebrated every year on March 2nd, the birthday of Theodor Seuss Geisel, better known as Dr. Seuss. This special day is part of Read Across America, a nationwide event that encourages children to discover the joy of reading. Schools, libraries, and communities honor Dr. Seuss' legacy by hosting fun literacy activities, reading his beloved books, and dressing up as favorite Seussian characters. Its a day to inspire a love for storytelling, creativity, and imagination in young readers everywhere! This episode was written and produced by The Children's Hour Inc, and executive producer Katie Stone, with production help from Sarah Gabrielli and Thaniel Lentz. Many thanks to our guest, Brian Jay Jones, for sharing his insights into the world of Dr. Seuss. Our show was recorded at the Outpost Performance Space in Albuquerque, New Mexico by Chad Scheer. The Children's Hour is distributed by Native Voice One: The Native American Radio Network.

    59 min
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    4.3
    out of 5
    67 Ratings

    About

    Eclectic, entertaining, educational public radio for kids of all ages on every topic under and beyond the sun. The Children's Hour radio show includes kids in every production, and our themes focus on civics, STEM, culture and performance. The Children's Hour keeps everyone in the family engrossed, with great music and subjects that teach listeners something new, regardless of your age. Heard on nearly 200 public radio stations worldwide each week, and hosted by Katie Stone with her intrepid Kids Crew who are real kids learning to make radio. Subscribe and learn with us!

    Information

    • Creator
      The Children's Hour Inc.
    • Years Active
      2018 - 2025
    • Episodes
      275
    • Rating
      Clean
    • Copyright
      © The Children's Hour Inc. All Rights Reserved.
    • Show Website
      The Children's Hour

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