Reading and Writing

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.

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 both like and unlike our own.

What is journalism, and why does it matter? On this episode of The Children’s Hour, we learn what journalism is and how journalists help us understand the world around us. We meet trailblazing reporters, hear from our Kids Crew, and talk with Pulitzer Prize–winning journalist Maria Hinojosa. She shares what it means to be a good journalist, why she started her career, and how young people can begin telling important stories.

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.

In this episode of The Children’s Hour, Grammy-winning oud player Rahim AlHaj shares his story of leaving Iraq as a refugee and finding a new home in New Mexico. Listeners will discover the oud, a 5,000-year-old string instrument, and learn about the challenges and strengths that refugees bring to their communities. The Kids Crew also talk about Malala Yousafzai and what it means to welcome strangers with kindness and compassion.

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.

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!

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.

This time on The Children's Hour we learn about two of the most endangered big wild cats: tigers and snow leopards.

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 Kids Crew.