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 Executive Director of Cottonwood Gulch, and educator Naina Panthaki, who both lead youth camping and backpacking trips across the Southwest. They explain how to pick a campsite, what to pack, and how to protect yourself from bears, bugs, and even poison ivy! 

Then, meteorologist Kerry Jones teaches us how to read the sky for signs of dangerous storms and what to do if lightning or flooding strike.

Plus, the Kids Crew tells stories from their own hiking and backpacking experiences, and gives listeners advice on exploring the outdoors responsibly. Whether you're heading into the mountains or your own backyard, this show will help you get ready to camp!

This episode was produced by Katie Stone, with help from Sarah Gabrielli, Thaniel Lentz, and Isaac Lacerda. Our guests were Jordan Stone and Naina Panthaki from Cottonwood Gulch Expeditions, and meteorologist Kerry Jones. Many thanks to our Kids Crew: Melissa, Evan, Zen, Lumanana, Thaniel, Octavia, Amadeus, Imogene, Maya, Isaac, Lucas, and Illy.  

The Children's Hour radio show is distributed by Native Voice One: The Native American Radio Network.

© 2025 The Children's Hour Inc., All Rights Reserved.

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 it’s time to migrate, and how they manage to find their way without getting lost. Scott also shares how animals like whales, butterflies, and even sea turtles make epic seasonal journeys. We learn why migration is risky, and how we can help protect animals along their way.

Some birds travel at night to avoid predators and fly through calm air. We hear a special feature from Bird Note called The Music of Birds Migrating at Night. It’s filled with the tiny peeps, squeaks, and whistles birds make as they pass overhead. These special nighttime sounds help scientists learn more about the birds’ migration paths.

We also discover the amazing science behind how birds navigate using the stars and even Earth’s magnetic field. Scott tells us about bar-tailed godwits, which fly more than 8,000 miles nonstop across the ocean, and Arctic terns, which travel over 60,000 miles in a single year!

Learn more about migration, how climate change is affecting animal travel, and how planting native shrubs and trees in your backyard can help migrating birds along their way. You’ll also hear the Kids Crew in conversation with Scott, asking great questions about nature and navigation.

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 Sarah Gabrielli and our intern Thaniel. Our show was recorded at Outpost Performance Space in Albuquerque, New Mexico USA by Chad Scheer. 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.

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, whether it’s through hugs, making dinner, or cheering them on when things get tough.

We also learn about the history of Mother's Day and how honoring moms is a tradition around the world. From the very first Mother’s Day in the United States to how moms help us grow into our best selves, this show reminds us why mothers are so special.

Plus, in a segment from BirdNote, we discover how bird moms care for their chicks. Some share the work with dads, others do it all alone. Whether it’s feeding their babies or teaching them to fly, bird moms are just as amazing as human ones!

This episode was written and produced by Katie Stone, with production help from Sarah Gabrielli and Thaniel Lentz. Special thanks to the kids who submitted Mother's Day shoutouts via our Speakpipe.

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.

This time on The Children’s Hour, we take a step back in time over 80 years ago to World War II, one of the biggest conflicts in human history, which changed modern humanity forever. Learn from Ms. Teresa Rand Bridges’ bilingual 5th grade class at Alvarado Elementary, a public school in Albuquerque, New Mexico.

Find the full episode page with photos and more at https://www.childrenshour.org/world-war-ii/

We will hear about where the United States stood, and how the war started in Europe. Students present the story of Anne Franke, and we hear about a Jewish family who escaped thanks to two teenage penpals. This piece is from the United States Holocaust Memorial Museum.

The kids in Ms. Rand Bridges’ class explain how the United States came to enter the war, when a military outpost in Hawaii was bombed by the Japanese military. After Pearl Harbor, over 120,000 Japanese-Americans were imprisoned from March 1942 to November 1945. Producers Robin Amer and Jesse Seay talked with some of their survivors who were themeselves children in that long incarceration, from Listenwise Students.

The students teach us about the role women played in the war, including teaching about Victory Gardens in a bilingual piece.  Then we learn about the arsenal of weapons, ships and aircraft used by the Allied and Axis forces.  World War 2 was the most deadly conflict ever in human history, with nearly 52 million people killed worldwide.

World War 2 came to an end on September 2, 1945, when the final treaty was signed between the Americans and Japanese. The kids in Ms. Rand Bridges’ class are from the place where the nuclear bomb was developed and tested. They cover nuclear weapons and the part they played at the end of the war.

Thank you to the students in Ms. Rand Bridges’ bilingual fifth grade class who researched, wrote and voiced their work on today’s show: Anekyn M, Alma Rose MH, Yaired MA, Ashely E, Rocco G, Allan CB, Melissa M, Emma P, Diego M, Luciano N, Jurem CB, Owen M, Jarel N, and Isabel S. and to their amazing teacher, Ms. Teresa Rand Bridges.

This episode was recorded by Terese Rand Bridges at the Alvarado Elementary School in Albuquerque, New Mexico and produced by Katie Stone, with production help from Christina Stella, Rodrigo Cuenca, Sarah Gabrielli and Thaniel Lentz.

The Children's Hour radio show is distributed by Native Voice One: The Native American Radio Network.

©2025 The Children’s Hour Inc. All Rights Reserved.

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://childrenshour.org/frogs-toads/

On this episode of The Children’s Hour, we met Josh Butler, the senior zookeeper for reptiles and amphibians at the Albuquerque Biopark Zoo. He taught us about these amazing creatures and even introduced us to one of the largest toads in North America: the Colorado River Toad, also called the Sonoran Desert Toad. This toad has a very poisonous skin, which protects it from predators like dogs. Its special skin glands help it stay moist and safe.

Toads are actually a kind of frog, even though they look different, they're in the same family. Toads usually have bumpy skin, short legs, and can live far from water. Frogs usually have smooth skin, long legs, and live in wetter places. Both frogs and toads eat bugs—a lot of bugs—and help keep insect populations under control.

We learned about the Woodhouse’s toad, a species that’s common in Albuquerque. These toads love to hang out near streetlights at night to snack on insects. We also heard how some frogs, like bullfrogs, make big, booming croaks. That’s actually how bullfrogs got their name—because of their loud voices, not because they like the color red!

Did you know frogs can breathe through their skin? That's why it's important they stay wet. Their thin skin can even absorb oxygen from water! Frogs and toads are not like lizards—they don’t have scales and need moisture to survive.

But not everything is happy in the frog world. According to the Extinction Diaries, about 40% of amphibians are at risk of going extinct in the next 20 years. That's nearly 2,000 kinds of frogs and toads! Pollution, pesticides, climate change, and a deadly skin disease are all hurting them. Some chemicals even mess up frog hormones, turning boy frogs into girls.

This episode was written and produced by Katie Stone, with production help from Sarah Gabrielli and Thaniel Lentz. Our interview with Josh Butler was recorded online at the Sunspot Solar Studio in Albuquerque, New Mexico.

The Children’s Hour radio show is distributed by Native Voice One, the Native American Radio Network.

© 2025 The Children’s Hour Inc. All Rights Reserved.

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

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

Why do we spend so much of our lives sleeping? Is anything happening in our brains while we sleep? Do animals sleep the same way we do? On this episode of The Children's Hour, we explore the science of sleep with expert guests and our Kids Crew.

Learn more about sleep, see photos, and explore activities at https://childrenshour.org/sleep

We spend about a third of our lives sleeping, but it's far from wasted time! Our brains and bodies work hard while we rest. Neuroscientist Vishal Sumra joins us to explain how sleep helps our brains clean up, repair, and store memories. We also talk about dreaming and why some people remember their dreams while others forget them completely. Did you know we dream for about two hours every night?

Sleep doesn’t just help our brains—it’s important for our bodies, too! We learn how sleep helps muscles grow and keeps us feeling strong and healthy. But what happens when we don’t get enough sleep? We find out how lack of sleep can make us feel cranky, forgetful, and even sick.

Have you ever wondered how animals sleep? Do sharks really sleep with their eyes open? Author Stephen J. Simmons shares stories from his book Where Do Ocean Creatures Sleep at Night? and tells us about the different ways animals sleep underwater.

Plus, our Kids Crew shares their own sleep stories and questions, and we have a book review from Max! And, of course, we’ve got great music to dream to. This episode was written and produced by Katie Stone with help from Sarah Gabrielli and Thaniel Lentz. Chad Scheer is our recording engineer at Outpost Performance Space. The learning tools were created by Ronnie Reynolds.

The Children’s Hour is distributed by Native Voice One, the Native American Radio Network.

© 2025 The Children’s Hour Inc. All Rights Reserved.

Join us on The Children's Hour as we celebrate the life and legacy of Ella Jenkins, the First Lady of Children's Music. Ella introduced kids everywhere to the joy of singing, rhythm, and music from different cultures. Her songs, filled with call-and-response, clapping, and playful melodies, have been teaching and inspiring young people for decades.

Find the full episode page at https://childrenshour.org/ella-jenkins

Ella believed that everyone can make music. Her songs often included call-and-response, where one person sings and others echo back. She encouraged kids to find rhythms in everyday life—clapping, stomping, and even knocking on doors!

Her music was also about learning. She taught kids words in Spanish, Swahili, Hebrew, and many other languages. She wanted young people to know that music connects all of us, no matter where we come from.

Many people were influenced by Ella’s work, including our guests Dan and Claudia Zanes, Jason McInnis and Maria Martinez, storyteller Bill Harley, and documentarian Tim Ferrin.

This episode was produced by Katie Stone with help from Sarah Gabrielli, Jackie Fulton, and Thaneal Lentz. Thanks to Tim Ferrin for clips from his documentary Sing a Song Together. Special support for this show came from Bomi Parakh and Linda Blanchard.

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.

Black history is an important part of everyone’s history in this episode of The Children's Hour. We explore the stories of Black inventors, heroes, and pioneers who helped shape America. Plus, we dive into the human heart to learn about congenital heart defects and how people born with them can live strong, happy lives.

Find the full episode page at https://childrenshour.org/black-history

American history is full of stories of influential, resilient, powerful black people doing amazing things. With some of the most common inventions we use every day coming from black Americans, we have a lot to learn!

Dr. Marsha Hardeman from the University of New Mexico shares stories about Black Americans who were trailblazers and pioneers in the American Southwest and beyond. Did you know that Black inventors gave us things like the traffic signal, folding chairs, and even part of the light bulb? We’ll also talk about the first Juneteenth and the Buffalo Soldiers, who created new paths and opportunities for generations to come. Black history is filled with stories of courage, creativity, and resilience!

February 7 to 14 is Congenital Heart Disease Awareness week. We learn about the amazing human heart with Dubra Karnes-Padilla, a lecturer in the fitness and wellness education center at the University of New Mexico Valencia campus. Did you know your heart pumps oxygen to almost every part of your body?

Congenital heart defects (CHD) are the most common birth defect in America, but many kids born with CHD grow up strong and healthy. We’ll talk about what makes the heart special and how to care for it. You can learn more about Congenital Heart Defects at https://www.achaheart.org/

This episode of The Children's Hour was written and produced by Katie Stone, with production help from Sarah Gabrielli and Thaniel Lentz. Special thanks to Dr. Marsha Hardeman from the University of New Mexico Department of Africana Studies, and to Dubra Karnes-Padilla from the Adult Congenital Heart Association, for sharing their expertise with us.

The Children’s Hour is distributed by Native Voice One: The Native American Radio Network.

© 2025 The Children’s Hour Inc. All Rights Reserved.

Have you ever wondered about the mighty eagle, the king of the skies? In this episode of The Children’s Hour, we take flight with these incredible birds. Eagles are known for their sharp eyesight, powerful wings, and majestic presence. They’re also important symbols in cultures around the world, representing strength and freedom.

Find this episode page at https://childrenshour.org/eagles

We explore what makes eagles unique, from their incredible hunting skills to their ability to soar at great heights. You’ll learn about the different kinds of eagles, like the bald eagle and golden eagle, and where they live. Did you know that bald eagles aren’t actually bald? Their white feathers just make it look that way!

Our Kids Crew takes you on a journey to understand why eagles are so special. We’ll also share fun facts, like how eagles build giant nests called eyries and raise their chicks high up in the trees or cliffs.

We’re also thrilled to take you to the Zuni Eagle Sanctuary, a unique aviary where eagles are cared for and honored as part of the Zuni cultural tradition. Kids Crew members Caibiya and Lucasti bring us their field reporting from this incredible place, sharing what they learned about the connection between eagles and the Zuni people.

Then, we are joined by Dr. Brian Millsap, a research biologist from New Mexico State University, who shares his insights about eagle behavior and conservation. As we learn about the lives of these predators, we also discover what makes an eagle unique, and how their populations are managing around the globe.

Join us as we celebrate the beauty and power of eagles through stories, science, and fun. A favorite bird for so many people around the world, soar with eagles on The Children’s Hour.


This episode of The Children’s Hour is dedicated to the memory of Dorothy Jensen Blanchard of Albuquerque who passed away on June 20, 2024 at the age of 101. As a member of the Greatest Generation, Naval Chief Petty Officer Blanchard was one of the first women to serve in the military. She was also a devoted listener to The Children’s Hour. “May you have fair winds and following seas.”


Episode Credits

This episode of The Children’s Hour was produced by Katie Stone and the Kids Crew, along with Gus Tafoya, Sarah Gabrielli, and Thaniel Lentz. Engineering support was provided by Chad Scheer. Special thanks to everyone who contributed their voices, questions, and energy to make this show possible, including the Tsabetsaye family in Zuni Pueblo, and Dr. Brian Millsap at New Mexico State University.

The Children’s Hour is distributed by Native Voice One: The Native American Radio Network.

©2025 The Children’s Hour Inc. Learn more at ChildrensHour.org.

This time on The Children's Hour, the Kids Crew get aboard the JOIDES Resolution, virtually, while the ship is at sea off the coast of Portugal. We meet Amy Mayer, the Onboard Outreach Officer for the JOIDES Expedition 397, and research fellow Saray Sanchez. 

Find the full episode post at https://www.childrenshour.org/the-bottom-of-the-sea/

We learn how the JOIDES brings up core samples from the ocean floor, that they then slice, x-ray, and study. Some of the soils they are bringing to the surface are over 300 million years old. 

Scientists aboard the JOIDES stay for a short rotation, and collect as much data as possible. The ship is drilling for core samples 24 hours a day, 7 days a week when they are at the drilling site.

The Kids Crew have a lot of questions for Amy and Saray about life on board a scientific research vessel.   We also hear a poem by Kenn Nesbitt, from his poetry playground Poetry4Kids.com.

Mixed with great music celebrating the sea, get to the bottom of the ocean with us, this time on The Children's Hour.

This episode was written, recorded, and produced by Katie Stone at the Sunspot Solar Studio in Albuquerque, New Mexico USA, with production help from Christina Stella and Sarah Gabrielli.

The Children's Hour is distributed by Native Voice One: The Native American Radio Network.

© 2025 The Children's Hour Inc. All rights reserved.

Join The Children's Hour Kids Crew in a field trip to the Santa Fe International Folk Art Market, the largest in the world! Learn what makes something "Folk Art" in conversations with artists from dozens of countries. This episode comes with a Learn-Along guide for use in classrooms.

Find the learning guide and full episode page at https://childrenshour.org/folk-art

The Children's Hour wanted to learn more about Folk Art, so we took the train, and headed to the Santa Fe International Folk Art Market, an annual summer market and festival held every year in July in Santa Fe, New Mexico. The Folk Art Market is the largest in the world, generating millions of dollars in sales each year for the artisans from around the world.

The Santa Fe International Folk Art Market had over a 100 vendors from around the world, including Marzena Dłużniewska from Poland. Her nativity scenes are a traditional art of Poland, which she learned from her grandfather. She was at her booth with her daughter, who is also learning the art. 

This episode was recorded by Kids Crew members at the Santa Fe International Folk Art Market, along with their families, including Jo, Thorfin, Addie & Andrew. This episode was produced by Katie Stone, our executive producer. We had production help from Eli Henley, Gus Tafoya, and our senior producer, Christina Stella. Lorraine Archibald wrote our curriculum and provided educational oversight.

The Children’s Hour received special support to produce this show from New Mexico Arts, a division of the New Mexico Department of Cultural Affairs, the National Endowment for the Arts. Our thanks to the Santa Fe International Folk Art Market for making this show possible. 

© 2025 The Children's Hour Inc. All Rights Reserved.

Join The Children’s Hour as we venture into the enchanting world of forests. Hosted by Katie Stone, along with the inquisitive Kids Crew and special guest Dr. Lisa Markovchik, an ecologist from WildEarth Guardians, this episode delves deep into the vital role forests play in sustaining life on Earth.

Find the full episode page with the learning guide at https://childrenshour.org/forests

Forests are more than just a collection of trees; they are dynamic ecosystems teeming with life and intricate relationships. By understanding the science and magic of forests, we can appreciate their value and the importance of conserving them for future generations. Step into the woods with us!

Dr. Markovchick explains how forests are the lungs of the planet, and describes the important role they play in capturing carbon, and creating oxygen. By capturing carbon, forests help maintain the delicate balance in our atmosphere to sustain life on Earth.

We also learn how the trees in a forest use complex mycorrhizal networks to help communicate with one another, and so much more. The mushrooms we see in the forest are just the fruiting bodies of these beings which help decompose the forest debris, and deliver chemicals necessary to keep trees healthy.

You can learn a lot more about forests in our Forests Learning Guide at ChildrensHour.org

This episode was produced by Katie Stone, our Executive Producer and our Senior Producer, Christina Stella, and our intern Thaniel Lentz, with live engineering by Chad Scheer. Our Learn-Along Guide was written by Jonathan Dunski, with help from Lorraine Archibald. Many thanks to Dr. Lisa Markovchick for providing so many additional resources for us to share with our listeners.

The Children's Hour is distributed by Native Voice One, The Native American Radio Network.

©2025 The Children's Hour Inc. All Rights Reserved.