Ear Snacks Podcast for Kids
Ear Snacks is a kids' podcast where children discuss music, art, science, and culture one topic at a time, exploring everyday absurdity and wonder. Each episode is filled with catchy earworms and made with heart. The show has been praised by The New York Times as one of the best podcasts for kids and recommended by Common Sense Media.
Episodes
Lights! (Explaining Hanukkah & How Candles Work)
Light the lights! Andrew & Polly ask their friends about sources of illumination, human-made and natural. Lori Hoch Stiefel from PJ Library shares her Hanukkah story and we begin to wonder...why do candlelight and winter celebrations go hand-in-hand?
Ear Snacks is a free podcast centered around children’s voices & ideas. Please support us by subscribing, leaving a 5-star review, and sharin
The Neuroscience of Bad Guys & Superheroes!
Andrew & Polly's Bad Guy game continues! When they can't figure out WHY they are having fun scaring fish and serving them their least favorite foods, they call up a "Bad Doctor" to find out!
Dr. Emiliana R. Simon-Thomas from UC Berkeley's Greater Good Science Center tells us about what brains have to do with Bad Guys & Superheroes.
We're looking for more friends to share what they know! To
Playing Bad Guys!
What's a "bad guy?" Is it fun to pretend to be one? (When is it not fun?)
Andrew & Polly model conflict in play, learn how to talk like a villain from voice actor Morla Gorrondona, and ask kids what they know about "bad guys!"
To learn more or to be on the show, visit earsnacks.org - and thanks for listening!
Disguises! (Halloween!)
What's a disguises? (How is it different from a costume?)
Andrew & Polly solve a mystery for forlorn giraffes Kevin & Lousie, learn how to disguise their voices with voice actor Greg Chun, and explore the link between evolution and animal disguises (crypsis & camouflage) with CalAcademy's Rebecca Johnson! And as always, we ask our friends what they know about...DISGUISES!
To learn mor
What's a Muppet? (Happy Birthday, Jim Henson!)
We got a whole lot of chickens.
Andrew & Polly celebrate the birthday of one of their heroes by asking their friends one of life's eternal questions: what's a muppet?
To learn more or to be on the show, visit earsnacks.org - and thanks for listening!
Pirates! (Talk Like a Pirate Day!)
Ahoy, matey! How cold are yer timbers?
Andrew & Polly ask some friends about the steps to talking like a pirate, sprinkled in with some historical pirate factoids and Andrew's dad shares buccaneer tales from Post Office Bay in the Galapagos Islands.
To learn more or to be on the show, visit earsnacks.org - and thanks for listening!
Treats!
What's the best treat of all-time?
From the food science of sugar rushes to the bellies of hungry musicians, Andrew & Polly ask their friends what makes a good treat. Sensory scientist Dr. Sara Yang explains how people evolved to think about food, why we like what we like, and how we make our decisions. Then Koo Koo's Brian and Neil expound on the virtues of sheet cake, old-fashioned donuts
Keys!
What do la clave, the difference between public and private, and two giraffes have in common?
In this sneaky episode of Ear Snacks, Andrew & Polly learn about the rhythms of Cuban music with Martina Castro (producer of The Vivo Songbook), and then explore the ideas behind artist Paul Ramirez Jonas' project Key to the City (involving 24,000 keys!) Oh - and Kevin & Louise try to crack Andrew
Cartoons!
Meep meep! What's a cartoon?
New Yorker cartoonist Tom Toro (Home Free, Back to School Backpack) talks cartoons of all shapes and sizes on this episode of Ear Snacks! Andrew & Polly avoid anvils, consider political cartoons, think about how it feels to STOP watching your favorite stories, and sing a brand new song by Eilis Cahill.
Thanks for listening! A big thank you to Leo, Solomon, Hannah,
Soap & Thought Bubbles!
Is your family feeling as mid-summer-y as ours? On this 'Bubbles!' episode of Ear Snacks, e've got some amazing crafting & imagination activities for lazy days and long rides alike!
First, Claudia Zanes shares her love of (and the science behind) soap-making. Gather some materials to try the basics at home, and learn more about her handmade soaps and incredible family folk music!
Then we inven
Bells & Blindness!
Ding dong! Andrew & Polly wax poetic about bells and blindness with Country of the Blind author Andrew Leland and visit an enormous percussion warehouse with LAPR’s Abby Savell.
Happy Disability Pride Month! Andrew & Polly are proud members of RAMPD, Recording Artists and Music Professionals with Disabilities. July is a great month to open conversations with people of all ages about differ
Happy Birthday, Ear Snacks!
Many happy returns! How should we celebrate Ear Snacks’ 10th birthday? Should we make an Ear Snacks: Songs from the Podcast Vol. 2?!? Today we’re sharing some of the original songs we’ve written for these episodes since Ear Snacks: Songs from the Podcast Vol. 1 came out in 2016, and we thought it’s kind of a magical time capsule of these episodes inspired by the ideas of children. From the absurd
Fruit!
Happy Birthday, Ear Snacks!
10 years ago this July, we started this bonkers idea. Our music had started reaching kids all over the world , but with our growing family, we didn't get to sing with them very often...but what if we could make a show *with* them? This is that show.
So today on Ear Snacks, we want to share our very first episode "Fruit!" - it's still one of the grapes ! Whether you've
Aquairums!
Whale hello there! What's your favorite quarium?
Andrew & Polly are getting ready for a big July -- the 10th year of Ear Snacks! Wolftrap on July 11th! -- but we can't leave June without celebrating Aquarium Appreciation Month! Nate from The Show About Science talks about Luna the Otter at the Shed Aquarium in Chicago, Rebecca Johnson from the California Academy of Science talks about nudibr
Juneteenth!
Today on Ear Snacks we're celebrating Juneteenth (Freedom Day! Jubilee Day! Emancipation Day!) with songs from the GRAMMY-nominated family music album "All One Tribe" - we hope your family will find, support, and share their work!
On this episode you'll hear:
For All by The Wise Channel
Family Reunion by Fyütch feat. Divinity Roxx
What Do You Believe? by Shine and the Moonbeams
Clap Your Hands by
Fiddle Around!
Polly goes to Fiddle Camp, violinist Katie Buckbee and her son Archer expound on their love of bluegrass, and our pal Eddie Berman introduce us to his 5-string banjo. A bit of ear training on Ear Snacks!
(And we use "fiddling" as a model for ways of learning by doing.)
We're getting ready for the 10th year of Ear Snacks, and we can't make this show without you! Parents around the world have shared
What's a Mustache?
We mustache you a question -- What exactly IS a mustache? And WHO can have one?
Celebrate Pride month with Andrew & Polly by wondering about all the different types of hairs that can grow on a face! Filmamker Sally Rubin joins us to talk about her family's mustaches and her animated short film "Mama Has a Mustache" a conversation starter for families and educators thinking about gender (that w
Comfort & Joy Playlist! (Winter Break remix)
(Hello! We're excited to make more music and podcasts for & with you in 2025! Meanwhile, enjoy these holiday-themed episode remixes -- and thanks for listening!)
Happy Happy Holidays! Let these completely original family-music tunes light up your holidays, road trips and home days! Thanks to these incredibly talented and generous musicians who fill our ears and hearts all year long - a great w
Boxing Day! (Winter Break remix)
(Hello! We're excited to make more music and podcasts for & with you in 2025! Meanwhile, enjoy these holiday-themed episode remixes -- and thanks for listening!)
Andrew & Polly talk about BOXES in a special interview with Antoinette Portis, author of Not a Box. This episode also highlights The Box Project with Eliza Gregory - and, of course, thanks to our kid experts: Ruslan, Gavin, Manny,
Hanukkah & How Candles Work (Winter Break remix)
(Hello! We're excited to make more music and podcasts for & with you in 2025! Meanwhile, enjoy these holiday-themed episode remixes -- and thanks for listening!)
Sundown, lights up! Andrew & Polly ask their friends about sources of illumination, human-made and natural. Lori Hoch Stiefel from PJ Library shares her Hanukkah story and we begin to wonder...why do candlelight and winter celebra
Bioluminescence! (Winter Break remix)
(Hello! We're excited to make more music and podcasts for & with you in 2025! Meanwhile, enjoy these holiday-themed episode remixes -- and thanks for listening!)
Celebrate the winter solstice by exploring the darkest depths of the ocean with marine biologist and self-proclaimed Mermaid Danni Washington! Check out her amazing book, Bold Women in Science, and her podcast for kids, Genius Generat
Homemade Instruments for the Holidays! (Winter Break mixtape)
(Hello! We're excited to make more music and podcasts for & with you in 2025! Meanwhile, enjoy these holiday-themed episode remixes -- and thanks for listening!)
Andrew & Polly think about how to stay warm in the winter with some of our favorite family holiday tunes. For more great episodes on the holidays, check out these episodes about Hanukkah, Kwanzaa, our most favoritest family holida
Sing with Andrew & Polly at Austin City Limits!
Hey Texas! Andrew & Polly are SUPER-excited to finally perform in you!
We're taking the stage at Austin City Limits / Austin Kiddie Limits this Friday and Saturday, October 4th & 5th, at 12:30p. Awesome band? GRAMMY-nominated music? Double check. Enough shakers, stickers & bubbles to share? Check, check, check! The good people of ACL are bringing some amazing live acts for all ages alo
Songs About Rainbows
Kick off your summer with new bops and classic tunes about translucent spectra! Here’s just a taste of the songs you’ll discover on our Spotify playlist, Songs About Rainbows 🌈:
Sing a Rainbow by Peggy Lee
Cry a Rainbow by Pierce Freelon & Nnenna Freelon
Rainbowland by Miley Cyrus & Dolly Parton
Rainbow Seekers by Ants on a Log
Rainbow Shoppe by Andrew & Polly feat. Lucy Kalantari
A World of Bugs! (Earth Week remix)
Metamorphic caterpillars! Fungus farming ants! Digital bees? Oh my! -- how can these all be bugs? In this episode, Avery talks about bugs in computer code and how she built a pollination video game with a Raspberry Pi. Izaiah updates us about the worms in the compost pile on his farm. And our friends at Valle de Niños in San Francisco take us on a tour of the life cycle of caterpillars. (Entomolgi
Critters around the World! (Earth Week remix)
What IS a CRITTER? Andrew & Polly ask some friends around the world about the different critters that live in their neighborhoods.
Ear Snacks is a free interactive experience centered around children’s voices & ideas. To support the work we’re doing for your kids (and all kids), become a supporter on Patreon or through Apple Podcasts Premium Subscription feature. Thanks for listening!
Need
Oceans vs. Microplastic vs. Mermaids! (Earth Week remix)
An interview with a mermaid scientist!!!
This Earth Week remix episode of Ear Snacks features the bright light of science communicator and mermaid, Danni Washington. Check out her amazing book, Bold Women in Science, and her podcast for kids, Genius Generation.
Thanks again to our friends Arlo, Molly, Poppy, Opal, Sam, and Thiri (and their parents) for sharing what they know about lights! And than
Family of Trees! (Earth Week remix)
Happy Earth Week! What has 3 trillion trees and one kid named after a birch tree?
Andrew & Polly's family tree has (at least!) 3 tree experts who give us just the tiniest glimpse into the wonder of all things arboreal. Thanks to Bay Area-based Plant Stars and Oakland Aesthetics for sharing what they love!
To learn more or to be on the show, visit earsnacks.org - and thanks for listening!
Eclipse!
What do you see during an eclipse? What does it feel like? What does it sound like?
In 2017, we asked kids and families living in the path of totality to record their experience of the Great American Eclipse. If you're getting ready for the total solar eclipse on April 8th, 2024 that will stretch from Texas to Maine, check this out!
More awesome eclipse- and science-related listening goodness, inc
Rainbows & Holi (with Charu Suri)
Why ARE there so many songs about rainbows? Because there's SO MUCH TO SAY about them!
Happy Holi! Andrew & Polly act as the prism for some awesome tangential concepts connected to ROY G BIV. Jazz piansit Charu Suri shares the connection between raga (Sanskrit for "color" or "dye") and the aura of music, as well as her love of the mischievously vibrant paint-throwing Festival of Colors, Holi
Pi + Pie! (with America’s Test Kitchen Kids)
WHAT IS PIE? What about pi? Can I have 3.1415 pieces, please?
Pre-heat your International Pi Day festivities! Andrew & Polly get granular with Molly Birnbaum from America’s Test Kitchen Kids who does all kinds of fascinating kitchen experiments and games on her new kids podcast, Mystery Recipe. Find more at ATKkids.com/mysteryrecipe and earsnacks.org — we hope family time can be filled with fu
Yarn & Protest Puppets (with Andy Ferguson)
Do you ever make things in your house? Do you ever use YARN?
Unwind the knotty world of knitting, coziness, and monster design with our friends Lilah, Gertie, Dot, and Andy Ferguson a.k.a. musician & puppeteer, Red Yarn! Andy shares a paper bag craft, using pantomime to create new puppetry characters, and how crafting can contribute to protest movements.
Our pal Angela Diveglia shares about he
Hearts! (with Ruben Rojas)
Do all hearts beat the same? We don’t know…unless we listen to them.
With the help of four well-informed hummingbirds and renowned muralist Ruben Rojas, Andrew & Polly explore what they know about hearts – biological and metaphorical! Our friends Maya, Anders, Jackson, and Emmet share about how their hearts feel when they give and receive Valentines. And Polly shares about the little robot i
Ear Snacks Presents: Best Children’s Music from the GRAMMY® Awards
Guest host extraordinaire Carly Ciarrocchi introduces you to the GRAMMY®-nominated artists for Best Children's Music Album in 2024:
DJ Willy Wow! for HIP-HOPE FOR KIDS!
123 Andrés for WE GROW TOGETHER: PRESCHOOL SONGS
Andrew & Polly for AHHHHH!
Uncle Jumbo for TASTE THE SKY
Pierce Freelon and Nnenna Freelon for ANCESTARS
Congratulations to all the nominees for the 66th GRAMMY Awards!
Bells & Blindness with Andrew Leland
Ding ding! Andrew & Polly explore a world of bell sounds and sensations guided by blind author Andrew Leland and percussionist Abby Savell. Kora, Nora, Hazel, Max, Fortney and Berlin think about the use of bells in mindfulness and meditation, around the necks of cats and cows, and the language of fairies.
Topics include the physics of sound, the spectrum of blindness, the British punk band Wir
Songs of Comfort & Joy!
Happy Happy Holidays! Let these completely original family-music tunes light up your holidays and upcoming home days. Thanks to these incredibly talented and generous musicians who fill our ears and hearts all year long - a great way to support their work is by sharing their music, adding their songs to your playlists and following them on social media!
Happy Happy Holidays by Aaron Nigel Smith
Science Class Soundtrack!
Fun and funny songs to inspire the next generation of scientists!
On this episode, we're sharing the growing-things (biology) part of our Spotify playlist Science Class Soundtrack featuring these radically thoughtful artists:
The Scientific Method by Andrew & Polly feat. Mista Cookie Jar
The Dichotomous Key by Billy Kelly & Molly Ledford
Trees by Ozomatli Presents Ozokids
Micro Biome
Slides!
Wheeeee! How do slides work? What makes something slippery? And what happens when one person wants to go down a slide and another person wants to go up?
Andrew & Polly think about the physics of playgrounds, sledding, trombones, and outer space. Our friends Oscar, Alexis, Calvin, Monroe, Tenney, Ainsley, and aerospace engineer Frankie help us make friends with gravity and friction. Plus we tur
Feel It All!
On this episode of Ear Snacks, Andrew & Polly play some of their favorite songs from family music artists about BIG feelings -- and how it's okay to notice them and be with them for a while. This is just a small selection of the great music made for kids we're curating on Spotify playlists, so check 'em out! On this episode of Ear Snacks, you'll hear:
Tiger in a Hammock by You and Us
Wild T
We can do hard things!
When you need a little pep talk, these songs will reassure you - you can do it! We're celebrating our new album “AHHHHH!” by playing our new songs along with awesome songs from some other amazing family music artists – all about positive self-talk.
Worthy Mantra by Tiptoe Giants
Soy Yo by Bomba Estereo
Powerful, Wonderful by Andrew & Polly (feat. Raye Zaragoza)
Smardi Gras by Secret Agent
Joy & Resilience - A Playlist!
Today on Ear Snacks we're celebrating our new album “AHHHHH!” by playing our new songs along with awesome songs from some other amazing family music artists – all about joy and resilience. Resilience is that thing kids need to help them get through tough stuff, and allowing joyfulness is one of the ways we can fill our tanks when we're feeling on empty. So get ready to bounce - and practice how to
Cartoons! (with Tom Toro)
New Yorker cartoonist Tom Toro (Home Free, Back to School Backpack) talks cartoons of all shapes and sizes on this episode of Ear Snacks! Andrew & Polly avoid anvils, consider political cartoons, think about how it feels to STOP watching your favorite stories, and sing a brand new song by Eilis Cahill.
Thanks for listening! A big thank you to Leo, Solomon, Hannah, Seamus, Leon, Waylan and Izz
Moves!
Sloths on motorcycles. Stereo sound. Ball bearings left over from WWII.
We're talking about Moves, people. Independent ride operator Bruce Perlman talks about how he got into the carnival industry, how his friend Sergio designs gigantic moving attractions, and how boats and 22-wheelers move these carnival rides from place to place. Ramona, Hank, Willa, Colin, Bella, Desmond, and Charlie also mak
Shapes! (with Carter Higgins)
Math and art intersect in this super-fun episode of Ear Snacks! Andrew & Polly invent awesome shape games with author illustrator Carter Higgins, who shares about her awesome book Circle Under Berry and our friends Emmet, Milena, Phoenix and Gertie dish on things with more than three sides.
For more information or to be on the show, visit earsnacks.org.
Summer Mixtape
Put these hot beats in your hot feets! Ear Snacks is back and Andrew & Polly are sharing some of the sunniest, most funniest tunes for your family to enjoy. Feast your ears on:
Ear Snacks Summer Mixtape 2023
“Rainbow Shoppe” by Andrew & Polly feat. Lucy Kalantari
“Be You You You” by Uncle Jumbo
“Start the Discussion” by Esther Crow feat. Strawbitty Yops
“Beautiful You” by Mista Cookie
Gut Friends with Charlie Mgee (Formidable Vegetable)
Are you human?
Meet the 90 trillion non-human friends that each one of us carries around every day (plus a couple of goats) with one of our new music friends from down under, Formidable Vegetable's Charlie Mgee. Charlie's music and ideas take us on a journey to consider our relationship to the environment and think about how to be a good friend to the whole world.
100 trillion thanks to Charli
You Are Not Alone with Alphabet Rockers
GRAMMY-Award-Winning Artists, Alphabet Rockers, join us in a heart-centering conversation about feeling alone. Along with friends Harlow, Alex, Miles, Maya, Jacob & Isabel we think a more about friendship and the vocabulary around sharing and noticing alone feelings.
Many many thanks to Kaitlin McGaw and Tommy Shepherd of Alphabet Rockers. On this episode you heard two of their songs - "You ar
2023 GRAMMY Awards for Kids: Know Your Noms!
Get to know some of the family music artists nominated for a 2023 GRAMMY Award for Best Children’s Album:
Divinity Roxx from NYC (@diviroxx and @diviroxxkids) plays bass for Beyoncé, writes children’s books, and loves mini-kayaking adventures. She shared “Be Yourself” from her GRAMMY-nominated album “Ready, Set, Go!”
Justin Roberts from Evanston, IL (@justiroberts) plays pinball, complex faming
Making Friends by Singing with Helena Ku Rhee
Who are your friends? How do people become friends? Can *we* be friends? On this episode of Ear Snacks, Andrew & Polly and their friends contemplate the nature of friendship. We also squawk on our parrot phone to call children’s author Helena Ku Rhee (The Paper Kingdom) about her experience making friends as she grew up in a multilingual apartment complex in Los Angeles, the basis of her 2022
Happy Warm and Wishy Holidays
Andrew & Polly think about how to stay warm in the winter with some of our favorite family holiday tunes. For more great episodes on the holidays, check out these episodes about Hanukkah, Kwanzaa, our most favoritest family holiday music playlist and lights in the ocean! Thanks to Sara Louise Callaway from The Music Box and the one and only Mista Cookie Jar. Thanks to Arlo, Molly, Poppy, Opal,
What do you do when something breaks?
Some things crack by design - like eggs! But it can be really surprising for kids when something breaks, especially if that thing can't be repaired. In this episode, we think about what to do about the unpredictable. Everett (from South Africa), Henry & Saul, Jackson & Beanie and Ainsley tell Andrew & Polly about things that break. Elizabeth Cochran (aka Dr. Earthquakes!) from the USGS
What are you going to be for Halloween?
Andrew & Polly receive an urgent voice message from their friends Kevin & Louise. We learned A LOT about disguises from marine biologist Rebecca Johnson from the California Academy of Sciences and voice actor and composer Greg Chun. Thanks to our pals Sadie A, Sadie E, Grey, Georgia, Zoey, Gavin, Gavin, Devorah, Elliot, Ainsley, Tanner, Luke & Ace for making Ear Snacks so delicious!
Ea
The Steps to Making Great Art with John Baldessari
Andrew & Polly and their friends think about STEPS - the kinds you take with your feet, like when you go on a walk with mom, or when you have an idea for a sandwich, paper airplane - or amazing art project. We interview an alien, our friends, and art legend John Baldessari who died in January, 2020 at the age of 88.
Many thanks to Malcolm, Jonas, Milena, Sady, Ella, and to Patrick Pardo for ar
A Visit to the Dentist
It's important to keep your teeth healthy! Andrew & Polly learn what to expect when visiting the dentist and get some official teeth info from one of the friendliest pediatric dentists around, Dr. Jessie Schwarz. Plus, a song about a Saw & Zipper (who both have teeth).
Bubbles! (It’s ephemeral, kid.)
Pop! Welcome to a very floaty episode of Ear Snacks in which Andrew & Polly (literally) get into bubbles. Come ponder the nature of glistening spheres, learn the science of surface tension and explore the wonders of Bubble Planet at Kidspace Children’s Museum, and wax poetic about the joy of sharing bubbles with our effortlessly effervescent pal, Mista Cookie Jar -- who helps us make a brand n
Is it going to rain?
Forget weather apps -- by looking and listening outside, how can you tell if it's going to rain? Perfect for staring out of car windows or finding a cozy space to draw, Andrew & Polly ask their friends from New Zealand to Arkansas all about the weather where they live.
We learn about how the water cycle works by imagining ourselves as rain drops with Carie Fallwell from the Glazer Children's M
What should we pack? (Camping with kids + helping refugee families with Miry’s List)
Kevin & Louise Giraffe attempt to pack for a camping trip while Andrew & Polly ask kids what they know about tents. Miry's List founder Miry Whitehill helps kids and families imagine what makes a home feel safe and cozy and helps us think about ways we can welcome refugee families resettling in our neighborhoods.
We're figuring out what to pack for our July mini-tour in Colorado! Visit a
Celebrating Juneteenth!
In this episode of Ear Snacks we celebrate Juneteenth by sharing songs from "All One Tribe," a compilation celebrating the rich culture and diversity that Black voices bring to family music.
All One Tribe / Juneteenth Mixtape
For All by The Wise Channel
Family Reunion by Fyütch (feat. Divinity Roxx)
I Believe by Shine & the Moonbeams
Clap Your Hands by The Magic Jones
Shine (Melanin Remi
Here’s one thing you’ll need for summer travel!
What is a hat!?!? Andrew & Polly are determined to find out.
Thanks for listening! Ear Snacks is centered around children’s voices & ideas. To support the work we’re doing or to be on the show, visit earsnacks.org or become a supporter on Patreon.
Need more snacks? Connect with us on Instagram, Facebook, Twitter or TikTok!
Thanks to NOVO for supporting Ear Snacks. Go to Novo.co/EARSNACKS a
Time Travel Experiments with Letter Writing!
H-E-L-L-O! What's a letter? How old is the invention of type? How does a ballpoint pen work? Andrew & Polly investigate. Ana Gomez-Bernaus explains the art of typography and designing your own letters, and The Pen Addict's Brad Dowdy muses on drawing miniature cities and writing letters to baseball players to get their autographs.
We first published this episode in 2017 with an incorrect menti
Back on Stage this Weekend - Gotta Get Ready!
We are so excited to be back on stage this weekend at the LA Times Festival of Books *and* the grand opening of CAMP West LA! But first we have to get ready. What do *you* do to get ready before you leave home? Hint hint - this episode, full of fun-facts all about teeth, will give you a clue!
Join us this weekend in LA! We'll be emceeing the kids stage at the LATimes Festival of Books on Saturday
Seeds & Ideas: How do they grow?
What does a seed need to grow? A kid? An idea? Andrew & Polly ask many different people about growing many different things.
How does bird poop bring the world together? With peppers, of course! Uncle Fred tells us about germination, the first World's Hottest Pepper (Bhut Jolokia), and... BIRD POOP. If you aren't a dragon and like spicy stuff, you can check out the Sparkling River Pepper Compa
What’s a Prank?
What's a prank? What makes a *good* prank? And how do you know when you're over The Line?
Andrew & his kids contemplate the nature of surprises, the intention behind jokes, and scheme up some wholesome pranks on their walk to school.
Thanks to musical guests Story Pirates for their song “Cat Sit on You” & New Zealand’s Captain Fectus McBoyle for his new single “Just Breathe” – and “Mom
Our World is a Family with Miry Whitehill & Jennifer Jackson
When we see someone new in our neighborhood, how can we make them feel safe and loved and important?
We visit again with Miry’s List founder Miry Whitehill and co-author Jennifer Jackson about their new book Our World is a Family. We learn new words of welcome, think about ways to talk to children about migration and refugees, and even inspire Louise Giraffe to undertake a creative welcoming proje
Fan Faves: Pajamas & The Incredible Edible Bed with Mindy Thomas from Wow in the World!
Do you wish you could wake up on a bed of delicious toast? Do restaurants in your neighborhood sound like song lyrics? Our friend Katara from Brooklyn, NY, shares two ways our episode about Pajamas (with Wow in the World’s Mindy Thomas!) connects with her life. Let’s get cozy!
In Pajamas II, we explore:
Pajama Day!
The Science of Sleep (why our bodies need rest)
The idea of the “Sleepunder” (inst
Fan Faves: Bad Guys!
Our friend Monk from Oakland, CA loves when Andrew tries to scare Polly in our episode about Bad Guys! So we’re replaying it here – play along with us!
We explore:
What are the parts of a story?
How can you play “bad guys” and keep everyone safe?
How to sound “like a bad guy” with voice actress Morla Gorondona!
To Play or Not To Play: Making Agreements!
Wondering why we don't have any pretend ja
Fan Faves: Fruit!
If you haven’t heard the very first episode of Ear Snacks, our friend Maeve from Madison, WI super-duper loves it. So she's sharing about it here – AND we're talking about one of Polly’s favorite fruit books: Grapefruit by Yoko Ono.
In this episode, you'll hear Polly read:
PAINTING FOR THE WIND (1961, summer)
PAINTING TO SEE THE ROOM (1961, autumn)
PAINTING TO ENLARGE AND SEE (1961, summer)
TUNAF
Smaller than Small: The Discovery of Quarks with Dr. Martin Breidenbach
What is the smallest thing you can think of? What’s smaller than that? For World Quark Day, experimental physicist Dr. Martin Breidenbach takes Andrew & Polly on a trip through the 70’s into subatomic space to recount his use of a gigantic device to discover how small the universe can get.
Innovations such as radiation oncology and the World Wide Web can trace their origins to the pioneering
Play this Great Grammy-Nominated Music for Kids!
New Year, New Tunes! Feast your ears on 5 delicious tracks representing the work of 30+ incredible family music artists nominated for Best Children’s Album in the 64th GRAMMY Awards!
Ven Conmigo a Jugar from Actívate by 123 Andrés feat. Juan Miguel and YoelKeys
Rainbow from A Colorful World by Falu
Another Day from Crayon Kids by Lucky Diaz and the Family Jam Band
Family Reunion from All O
How Marine Animals Communicate with Lights
An interview with a mermaid scientist!!! This episode of Ear Snacks features the bright light of science communicator and mermaid, Danni Washington. Check out her amazing book, Bold Women in Science, and her podcast for kids, Genius Generation.
Thanks again to our friends Arlo, Molly, Poppy, Opal, Sam, and Thiri (and their parents) for sharing what they know about lights! And thank you to all our
Light Up Your Holidays with this Holiday Mixtape!
Happy Happy Holidays! Let these completely original family-music tunes light up your holidays and upcoming home days. Thanks to these incredibly talented and generous musicians who fill our ears and hearts all year long - a great way to support their work is by sharing their music, adding their songs to your playlists and following them on social media!
Happy Happy Holidays by Aaron Nigel Smith
Songs of Light + Celebrating Kwanzaa with Fyütch!
What do the bright lights of Time Square, the dancing lights of Nashville’s Opryland Hotel, and the seven candles of Kwanzaa have in common? Ask social justice artist Fyütch!
This episode of Ear Snacks features Fyütch’s love of various lights, his family’s new tradition of celebrating Kwanzaa, and his song This Kwanzaa (feat. Pierce Freelon) from his album Family Tree (Songs about Black history,
Fireflies, Glow-sticks & The Lights of Hanukkah
Sundown, lights up! Andrew & Polly ask their friends about sources of illumination, human-made and natural. Lori Hoch Stiefel from PJ Library shares her Hanukkah story and we begin to wonder...why do candlelight and winter celebrations go hand-in-hand?
Thanks to Arlo, Molly, Poppy, Opal, Sam, and Thiri (and their parents) for sharing what they know about lights and how their families use ligh
24,000 Keys: The Music of ”Vivo” from Lin-Manuel Miranda and Sony Pictures Animation + the art of Paul Ramirez Jonas
Kevin & Louise Giraffe continue cracking gate codes, Andrew & Polly think more about why things are locked, and two special guests share about 24,001 special keys!
Martina Castro (Adonde Media founder and host of The Vivo Songbook, the podcast about that awesome Lin-Mauel Miranda / Sony Pictures Animation movie) shares what she learned from Buena Vista Social Club’s Juan de Marcos about th
Keys: Unlocking What Makes Us Who We Are
Andrew & Polly explore keys -- the jingly kind and the genetic. Meanwhile, sneaky gift-giving giraffes Kevin & Louise have to crack Andrew & Polly’s new gate code to deliver some leftover Halloween candy.
Our friend Jack shares about his brother’s very unique chromosomes and how he thinks genetic codes and kindness go together. And we get another house call from pediatric surgeon Dr. W
When Kids Have to Get Shots - For Parents & Caregivers
Andrew & Polly have a frank conversation for parents about getting kids ready for the COVID-19 vaccine as well as routine pediatric vaccinations. We share some interesting stuff that didn't make the episode for kids, why Polly doesn't like to use the word "shots," our own parenting practice around pediatric vaccination appointments and the extended interview with Child Life Specialist Rose Tan
Getting Kids Ready for the COVID-19 Vaccine
In this special episode of Ear Snacks, Andrew & Polly explore what kids know (and don’t know) about the Pediatric COVID-19 vaccine now available in the U.S. for children age 5-11. We prepare for the experience of getting a shot with Child Life Specialist Rose Tandeta (UCSF Benioff Children’s Hospital Oakland) and explain how an mRNA vaccine works by sharing a hilarious pie analogy from Laurel
Mustaches!
Handlebar. Caterpillar. Pencil. Walrus. Andrew & Polly ponder the preponderance of upper-lip hair style choices and wonder -- can only men like Tom Selleck and Ron Swanson grow mustaches? Why aren't eyebrows called eye mustaches? Sally Rubin shares about her mustache and her film Mama Has a Mustache that encourages families to talk openly and listen curiously to what kids have to say about gen
Tissues: How to Sneeze and Cellular Lego Kits
Andrew & Polly investigate the science of sneezing, how tissues are made, how the amazing human body protects itself, and how we can all protect each other when we...ah...ah...achoo!
Thanks to Wow in the World’s Mindy Thomas for playing “Should I Pick It?” and communicating so much gooey science from her New York Times best-selling book The How and The Wow of the Human Body. And thanks to pedi
Raisins: Are They Great or Gross?
Andrew knows two people who have a real problem with raisins: Polly and visitor-from-the-Sun Gustafer Yellowgold. Musician/cartoonist Morgan Taylor was kind enough to facilitate this summit of Earthlings and Sunlings in our continuing series about what Treats are (and aren’t.)
You can find all of Morgan’s multimedia Gustafer chronicling at gustaferyellowgold.com or listen to his latest audiobook A
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