The Children's Hour
The Children's Hour is Kids Public Radio, broadcasting weekly on public radio stations worldwide. Each themed episode is entertaining and educational, featuring only the best music. Perfect for road trips, the show explores our world and encourages learning.
Episodes
Black Footed Ferret
This week we explore a creature that used to live throughout the grasslands of the United States, the elusive black footed ferret. Once declared extinct, the highly endangered specialist predator may make a comeback in the North American prairie thanks in part to our guest, Paul Marinari, retired Senior Curator at the Smithsonian Conservation Biology Institute at the National Zoo.
Space Junk Podcast for Kids
This time on The Children’s Hour, learn about space junk with space anthropologist Dr. Alice Gorman. We’ll explore the consequences of polluting our upper stratosphere, and what the plan is to pick up our trash in orbit. Comes with a learning guide, this is a space junk podcast for kids.
ICKY: A Radio Musical
ICKY: A Radio Musical podcast is a pandemic inspired, original theatrical performance and musical podcast for kids with a learning guide.
Way back in the days before the end of The Big Sick, students everywhere were forced to stare at computer screens featuring live video feeds of their classmates. This was happening in bedrooms, living rooms, and kitchens across the country and the world ...
Greenland
Take a trip with The Children's Hour to Greenland to learn about the world’s largest island and the people who live there. We’ll explore Greenland’s culture, landscape, and hear music in the Greenlandic language. Find out the history of the Greenlandic people from the first migrations until today in this Greenland podcast and radio show for kids.
Jim Henson Podcast for Kids
This time on The Children's Hour podcast for kids we learn about the extraordinary life of Jim Henson, the legendary puppeteer who created Sesame Street, the Muppets, and many movies, TV shows, and songs. Jim Henson's biographer Brian Jay Jones joins the Kids Crew in an exploration of the creative genius of a guy who just wanted to be remembered as a true artist. Learn even more in our learning gu
Bears Podcast for Kids
Bear with us this time on The Children's Hour as we learn about bears. Meet the legendary Dr. Lynn Rogers from the North American Bear Center. Find out how these gentle giants fit into our ecology, where and how they live, and how Dr. Rogers overcame his fear of bears. It's a bears podcast for kids, with a companion learning guide and activities.
Summertime Best Kids Music Podcast
Join The Children's Hour as we say goodbye to summer with the summertime best releases in 2026. Get ready to hang up your towel and grab your lunchbox, but first we have a dance party in this musical special.
Exoplanets
Learn with our kids science podcast about exoplanets on The Children’s Hour. The Kids Crew talk with an exoplanetologist, Dr. Diana Dragomir. We discover what an exoplanet is, and how astronomers find them in a vast sea of stars. Find out if they have found aliens, and how you can help in the search.
Fossils
Learn about fossils in a Kids Crew field trip to a secret fossil quarry in the mountains outside of Albuquerque, as well as in a chat with New Mexico Natural History Museum educator Mike Sanchez. Will we become fossilized too? Fossils teach us about the Ice Age and climate change at the La Brea Tar pits in the heart of Los Angeles. This episode comes with a Learn-Along guide and is mixed with gre
Folk Art Podcast For Kids
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. The podcast learning guide and activities for use in classrooms can be found at ChildrensHour.org/folk-art
Communication Nation: Together We Can
Together we can do anything, and this time on The Children's Hour we explore teamwork, improv, and how playing games brings builds community. The Kids Crew gets a workshop in improvisation as a team building exercise. Then, we learn about games kids have played for thousands of years which helped create and sustain strong communities. Learn with us!
Communication Nation: Other Voices, Other Sounds
We speak with our bodies, and some people speak only with their bodies. Communication Nation Episode 3: Other Voices, Other Sounds explores nonverbal communication, sign language, deaf culture, and assistive technology. Comes with a learning guide. Learn with us!
Communication Nation: Mother Tongues
Communication Nation Episode 2: Mother Tongues focuses on the incredible diversity of language around us, from appreciation of the way names sound, to the restoration of endangered languages. Learn with us on The Children's Hour!
Communication Nation: Speaking the Truth
Communication Nation Episode One: Speaking the Truth - Media Literacy & Misinformation is the first of a four part radio series exploring communication to better understand one another. We can only have effective communication when we can trust our sources. We learn about media literacy and misinformation from Eisha Buch at Common Sense Media.
Southwest US History Podcast For Kids
This week on The Children’s Hour, learn about the history of the Southwest United States. Adapted from our educational podcast series: A Brief History of the American Southwest for Kids, join us for a dive into 23,000 years of American history.
Kid Pan Alley Podcast for Kids About Writing Songs
We're joined this time on The Children's Hour by Paul and Cheryl Reisler from Kid Pan Alley, who have written more than 2,500 songs with more than 70,000 children over the last 30 years.
Dad – Father’s Day Podcast for Kids
We’re celebrating dads with a musical special Father's Day podcast for kids. As we think about our fathers, we remember the important role they play in our families, and our lives with their nurturing, love, and care. Happy Father’s Day to all the dads from all of us on The Children’s Hour.
Squid Podcast For Kids
This time on The Children's Hour, we learn about squid with Skype A Scientist, Dr. Sarah McAnulty. These ubiquitous creatures are the psychedelic acrobats of the ocean.
The Sun Podcast For Kids
The Kids Crew explores the Sun with scientists from the Sunspot Solar Observatory. Learn how the Sun gives us light and heat, how it helps plants grow, and how experts study it safely. This episode also shares the story of the sudden and permanent closure at the observatory. Comes with a learning guide!
Globalquerquito Musical Podcast For Kids
It's Globalquerquito, a kid's global music show recorded live Albuquerque Museum, with Taos Pueblo's Robert Mirabal, and Quebecois Mélisande.
Dragons Podcast For Kids
The Kids Crew explores the world of dragons with author Mari Mancusi. From ancient myths to modern stories, kids learn about many types of dragons and how they appear across cultures. The episode also includes a Kids Crew book review and what makes dragon stories fun to read.
Banned Books Podcast For Kids
This time on The Children’s Hour, our summer interns Julia Wolfe and Sophie Anderson-Haynie have co-written and produced a program about Banned Books. They teach us what that means, the history of banning books, and how it’s even possible in the era of digital reading, and with the First Amendment right to free speech. This episode comes with a new learning guide.
Mothers Day Podcast For Kids
Celebrate Mom with The Children's Hour in a musical Mother's Day special. We feature some of our favorite songs by Kindie artists honoring mothers, and we hear poetry about the special bond between kids and our moms. Happy Mother's Day to all who celebrate from The Children's Hour.
Bill Harley Podcast For Kids
Grammy winning storyteller and author Bill Harley joins The Children’s Hour for a joyful hour of music and storytelling. From hilarious songs about whining and walking around the moon to a true story from second grade about courage and friendship, Bill reminds us that the moments that happen to kids every day really matter. Listen in for laughter, sing-alongs, and inspiration from one of the natio
Whales Podcast For Children
The Kids Crew explores the amazing world of whales. Learn how these giant ocean mammals breathe, migrate across oceans, and communicate through songs that travel for miles underwater. This episode also explains why protecting whale habitats is important for the health of our planet.
Earth Day – Rivers Podcast For Kids
We celebrate Earth Day on The Children’s Hour with students working to save the environment around them. RiverXchange is a program that partners with schools on the Rio Grande to create projects that protect our precious environment. We also learn about the founder of Earth Day, Gaylord Nelson.
Kindness Podcast For Kids
Imagine a world where kindness is a habit. The Kids Crew talks about real moments when someone showed them care and understanding. Musician Lindsay Monroe joins us to explain how music can help children practice empathy and respect. We explore the science behind kindness and how even one thoughtful act can strengthen a community.
The Moon Podcast For Kids
Next time on The Children’s Hour, we’re going to The Moon with Commander Reid Wiseman from NASA’s Artemis 2 mission. The Bad Astronomer, Dr. Phil Plait teaches us how the moon was formed, and we learn what happens to the lunar rocks back on Earth from Dr. Chip Sharer. Comes with a learning guide - and mixed with great music!
Manatees Podcast For Kids
On this episode of The Children’s Hour, the Kids Crew explores the world of manatees with educator Andrea Herman from the Clearwater Marine Aquarium. Kids will learn how these large aquatic mammals live, what they eat, how they raise their young, and why protecting warm-water habitats is essential to their survival. This episode includes a standards-aligned learning guide for classroom use.
Money Smart Podcast For Kids
How does money work? In this episode of The Children’s Hour, the Kids Crew explores earning, saving, budgeting, borrowing, and investing. With guidance from KidVestors co-founder Courtney Petway and New Mexico State Treasurer Laura Montoya, listeners gain practical skills for making thoughtful financial decisions.
Do Something – Podcast For Kids About Taking Action
The Children’s Hour takes on bullying by helping kids understand what they can do when they see someone being treated unfairly. The Kids Crew talks with trainers from Right To Be, an organization that teaches people how to respond to harassment in safe and thoughtful ways. Through clear examples, simple exercises, and music about empathy and courage, kids learn the Five Ds of bystander interventio
Storytime With Joe Hayes – Kids Podcast About Storytelling
What makes a great story? Spend time with legendary storyteller Joe Hayes, who has been telling stories for more than fifty years, sharing tales passed down through families, cultures, and communities of the American Southwest. Joined by the Kids Crew at the Outpost Performance Space, Joe explains why stories matter, how listeners help shape every story, and why imagination is such an important pa
Forests Podcast For Kids
Forests are full of life, stories, and connections we cannot always see. Learn how forests help keep our planet healthy, how trees communicate, and why old growth forests matter. With songs, questions from kids, and a biologist who studies trees and fungi, this show explores what makes a forest more than just a group of trees.
Underground Railroad Podcast For Kids
Fourth graders teach listeners about the Underground Railroad and the life of Harriet Tubman. Kids learn how secret routes, brave helpers, and the North Star guided people to freedom. This episode helps young listeners understand courage, teamwork, and an important chapter in American history.
Love – Kids Valentine’s Day Podcast
Celebrate Valentine’s Day and honor love in all its many forms. From the history of the holiday and exchanging cards, to the science behind how love makes our hearts race and our brains feel happy, we explore how love helps us feel connected and makes the world a kinder place. This episode is our Valentine to all our listeners, created with love by The Children’s Hour!
The Skin We’re In – Podcast For Kids About Skin
This time on The Children’s Hour, we explore the skin we are in. We are joined by Dr. Holly McGee and Dr. Nina Jablonski, who have written a book to explain the cultural and social history of skin color called It’s Just Skin, Silly. Then we meet Dr. Adnan Mir, a pediatric dermatologist who helps us understand even more about our skin from a medical point of view. This episode comes with a learning
Skunks Podcast For Kids
We learn all about skunks with world renown mephitologist, Dr. Jerry Dragoo. Mixed with great music sure to captivate kids of all ages. Comes with a Learning Guide!
Firefighters Podcast For Kids
Firefighters are helpers who rush toward danger when others need help. On this episode of The Children’s Hour, the Kids Crew visits AFR Fire Station Number Three in Albuquerque, New Mexico to learn how firefighters protect people, animals, and neighborhoods every day.
Reading To Dogs – Podcast For Kids
The Kids Crew explores the world of reading to dogs and learns how therapy dogs help kids feel calm, safe, and excited to read. Guests from the local library explain how the program works, why dogs make great listeners, and how reading out loud builds confidence. The episode also includes the story of Rover the Reading Dog, who helps students overcome fear and enjoy books. This show celebrates rea
World War II Podcast For Kids
We take a step back in time, to 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.
Sleep Podcast For Kids
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.
Best Of 2025 – Musical Podcast For Kids
Celebrate the year in kids’ radio and music with The Children’s Hour Best of 2025. Hear favorite moments from the Kids Crew’s interviews and shows, along with songs from Grammy-nominated children’s artists. It’s a joyful look back at a year filled with learning, laughter, and discovery.
Holidays Podcast For Kids 2025
Celebrate the season with Holidays 2025, a joyful Children’s Hour episode filled with winter songs, multicultural traditions, kid-friendly stories, and festive music. Enjoy classic carols, new holiday tracks, and cheerful moments perfect for families, classrooms, and holiday listening.
Fungus Podcast For Kids
This time on The Children’s Hour we explore mushrooms with mycology educator and author, Peter McCoy. This episode comes with a companion learning guide.
Being Yourself – A Podcast For Kids
We celebrate being yourself with author Jane Yolen and cartoonist Craig Yoe as we explore creativity, confidence, and joy in being authentic.
Brain Podcast For Kids
How does your brain control everything you do? The Kids Crew and Katie Stone talk with scientists Ingrid Lane and Nick Aase from the Mind Research Network to uncover the secrets of how our brains work. From neurons and emotions to memory and movement, listeners learn what makes every brain unique and why our minds never stop growing.
Our Thanks – Kids Gratitude Podcast
This time on The Children’s Hour, we’re celebrating Thanksgiving in a musical special dedicated to gratitude, family, and appreciation of each another and the Earth. We’re finding the joy in every moment, in this Thanksgiving musical Children’s Hour.
Breakfast Podcast For Kids
Discover what makes a healthy breakfast with the Kids Crew and nutritionist Patty Keene, plus explore how kids worldwide start their mornings.
Lemurs Podcast For Kids
This time on The Children's Hour we're leaping into learning about lemurs with Faye Goodwin, an educator at the Duke Lemur Center. Find out how humans are related to these adorable primates, and discover why they only live in the wild in one place in the world.
Composers Podcast For Kids
In Composers, we explore how songs are created by people from long ago and today. We meet Bach, Mozart, and Beethoven, and learn how their lives shaped their sounds. We also hear from Sesame Street, and legendary Broadway composer Bill Sherman about writing catchy tunes with meaning. Listeners discover that anyone can start with a small idea and build a powerful piece of music.
Pumpkin Spice Podcast For Kids
It’s Halloween time on The Children’s Hour! In this episode, we celebrate pumpkins, jack-o’-lanterns, costumes, and trick-or-treating. Our Kids Crew shares their own traditions, from trunk-or-treat clothing drives to festive parades in northern New Mexico. We’ll find out why some houses put teal pumpkins outside their doors, and learn how this helps kids with food allergies have a safe and fun hol
Dating Trees Kids Podcast
Trees have birthdays too, and scientists find out when they are by studying tree rings. This episode comes with a learning guide.
Animals In The Backyard – Kids Podcast
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 cr
Balloons Podcast For Kids
This time on Children’s Hour get blown away with us as we learn all about balloons. We begin with the history of hot air balloons, and we end up in the air on a real balloon. Then we explore latex balloon art and clothing with the team at Airigami. Plus, find out what happens when helium balloons get released into nature. And, that mysterious object you might see floating around in the middle of
Renewable Energy Podcast For Kids
We explore renewable energy with experts in solar, wind, geothermal, and hydro power. The Kids Crew ask big questions about how renewable energy works, why it’s cleaner than fossil fuels, and what the future of energy could look like. With guests Rebecca “Puck” Stair, Jim DesJardins, and Dr. Sherri Kelly, we learn how kids can be part of building a cleaner, brighter tomorrow.
Welcome Stranger – A Podcast About Refugees For Kids
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 a learning guide, activities, and a full 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
Animation Podcast For Kids
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.
Mars Podcast For Kids
On this episode of The Children’s Hour, we travel to Mars with planetary volcanologist Dr. Larry Crumpler. He shares the secrets of the Red Planet — from its rusty surface and giant volcanoes to its two tiny moons and ancient signs of water. We learn how rovers explore, search for life, and even make oxygen, plus what it might take to send humans there. This is a fascinating journey to a world bot
Journalism Podcast For Kids
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 begi
Birthdays Podcast For Kids
This time on The Children’s Hour, the Kids Crew does a deep dive to learn about birthday traditions from around the world. Here in the United States, many kids can expect a birthday cake, candles, presents, and maybe even a party. But in some regions, like where The Children’s Hour is in the Southwest, we have even more to add to a birthday celebration.
Every Kid Outside – Outdoors Podcast For Kids
This time on The Children’s Hour, we hear from kids who participated in summertime outdoor learning programs with Environmental Education of New Mexico about the importance of being outside to learn new things.
Reading And Writing Podcast For Kids
Join our Kids Crew in a conversation with the beloved children's authors, Goosebump's author 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!
Querencia Is Home – A Cultural Podcast For Kids
This time on The Children's Hour we learn about the concept of querencia: the feeling of "home" in a place, and with our communities. Using poetry, imagery, history, music and sharing, we explore the elements of home.
Good Vibes – Kids Summer Podcast
This time on The Children’s Hour, we immerse ourselves in good vibes with a summer fun soundtrack. We've got brand new Kindie music and a classic Bill Harley story about the terror of the high dive and power of unrequited love. Be uplifted with us!
Tigers & Snow Leopards Podcast For Kids
This time on The Children's Hour we learn about two of the most endangered big wild cats: tigers and snow leopards.
Just Look Up A Night Sky Podcast For Kids
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 new book Wonders of the Night Sky details the many celestial sights we can see just by looking up at the sky in our own backyards. Get out of this world with us in a conversation on astrophysics with the
Patriotism And Leadership Podcast For Kids
This time on The Children’s Hour, we have a show on Patriotism & Leadership. What does it mean to be patriotic, according to some bilingual 8th graders at Albuquerque’s Washington Middle School?
Owls Podcast For Kids
Who’s hooting? On this episode of The Children’s Hour, we learn all about owls!
More than 200 species of owls live around the world. Maybe you have had the experience like some of our Kids Crew, of seeing owls in the wild? If you want to learn more about these interesting creatures, this episode is for you!
Petroglyphs Podcast For Kids
This time on The Children’s Hour, our Kids Crew explores the ancient rock carvings known as petroglyphs. We visit Mesa Prieta in northern New Mexico and talk with archaeologists and educators who help protect over 60,000 carvings. Then we meet a Pueblo preservation officer and a national park ranger who explain why these images are still so important today. This episode is a journey into the past
For Dad – Fathers Day Podcast For Kids
Just in time for Father’s Day on June 15, 2025, this episode of The Children’s Hour is For Dad. We celebrate with the EGOT winning artist John Legend whose latest musical release is all about fatherhood, kids, and the love of childhood. Dads play a unique and special role in children’s lives, and we honor them through music and poetry. Happy Father's Day from The Children's Hour!
Community Science Podcast For Kids
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. This episode comes with a free Learn-Along Guide!
End of School Podcast For Kids
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!
Camping Podcast For Kids
It’s the season for sleeping outside under the stars, and The Children’s Hour kids learn more about how to avoid bears, stay safe in bad weather, and be prepared for campfires and camping from our friends Jordan Stone and Naina Panthaki at Cottonwood Gulch, and meteorologist Kerry Jones.
Migration Podcast For Kids
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.
For Mom
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
Frogs & Toads
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 c
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
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
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 p
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 t
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