Culture Kids

In this episode, the Culture Train sails to Oʻahu, Hawaiʻi, to meet Mark from the Polynesian Voyaging Society and step aboard Hōkūleʻa, a traditional double-hulled voyaging canoe. Kids learn how the Hawaiian Islands formed, what it means to sail using wayfinding (ancient, non-instrument navigation using the stars, sun, wind, and waves), and why this tradition still matters today.

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ABOUT THE POLYNESIAN VOYAGING SOCIETY:

Founded in 1973 by Herb Kawainui Kāne, Ben Finney, and Tommy Holmes, the Polynesian Voyaging Society was created to prove that ancient Polynesians navigated across the Pacific with skill and purpose, not by accident. Their voyaging canoe, Hōkūleʻa ("Star of Gladness"), launched in 1975 and has since sailed over 300,000 nautical miles, carrying forward the practice of traditional wayfinding taught by master navigator Mau Piailug. Learn more and track Hōkūleʻa's real-time voyages at hokulea.com, or explore learning resources for kids at waahonua.com.

Website: hokulea.com

Social media: @hokuleacrew (Instagram and Facebook)Third canoe / educational platform: Waʻa Honua ("Canoe for the Earth"), https://waahonua.com/

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ABOUT TEACH AAPI:This episode was created in partnership with TeachAAPI, a national nonprofit on a mission to build student belonging through AAPI education. TeachAAPI arms PK-12 schools with turn-key lesson plans and programming, trains educators in culturally responsive teaching, and supports them all year long. 

Academic Materials for Educators:TeachAAPI provides educators with books, activity boxes, performances, and a range of AAPI lesson plans - from quick mini lessons to two-week, cross-curricular units. Mini lessons are free and accessible to all.

Find the full classroom lesson paired with this episode, along with additional AAPI academic resources, at https://teachaapi.org/resources/.

Website: teachaapi.org

Instagram: @teachaapi

LinkedIn: TeachAAPI

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A Note from Culture Kids:
Grown-ups, if you haven't already, please consider making a small donation to our nonprofit, Culture Kids. We're a small team with a big dream, raising a generation of kids who are curious, globally minded, and ready to make friendships across every border, all while keeping our show ad-free. Every dollar helps us create more adventures and reach more families. You'll find the donation link below.

Links:Donate: https://www.culturekidsmedia.com/support/Website: culturekidsproductions.orgInstagram: @culturekidsproductionsYouTube: youtube.com/@culturekidspodcast

Credits:

Hosted by Kristen and Asher Kim Executive Producer: Kristen KimProduced By:  Culture Kids Productions, TeachAAPI, Polynesian Voyaging Society, Nikki Kealalio, Mark Ellis Guest Host: Mark EllisSound Design:  Kristen KimSound FX & Music: Envato ElementsAudio Engineering:  Robin LaiAcademic Consultant: Elisha LiGFX: Tessa Gin, TeachAAPI, Kristen KimNonprofit Consultant:  Jesseca Ryan, Emil KangYouth Advisor:  Asher Kim

Culture Kids heads to the bottom of the world this episode, Antarctica! Join Mom and Asher as they explore towering icebergs, meet emperor penguins and a very sleepy Weddell seal, then dive nearly two miles beneath the frozen Weddell Sea to uncover one of the greatest shipwreck discoveries in modern history: Ernest Shackleton's Endurance, lost for over 100 years and found perfectly preserved on the ocean floor in 2022.

Along the way, we learn why Antarctica is technically a desert, how emperor penguins huddle for warmth, why the Weddell Sea is one of the only places on Earth where a hundred-year-old wooden ship can still look brand new, and the incredible true story of how all 28 members of Shackleton's crew made it home safely.

A Note from Culture Kids:
Grown-ups, if you haven't already, please consider making a small donation to our nonprofit, Culture Kids. We're a small team with a big dream, raising a generation of kids who are curious, globally minded, and ready to make friendships across every border, all while keeping our show ad-free. Every dollar helps us create more adventures and reach more families. You'll find the donation link below.

Links:
Donate: https://www.culturekidsmedia.com/support/
Website: culturekidsproductions.org
Instagram: @culturekidsproductions
YouTube: youtube.com/@culturekidspodcast

Thanks for joining us today! Stay tuned in two weeks as we sail off to Hawaii to learn about Polynesian voyaging, and don't miss our Halloween specials coming up as we return to the Culture Kids Spooky Forest.

Asher and Mom visit family friend Miral Sattar, whose roots stretch from Pakistan to Burma to Persia, for a hands-on lesson in how food becomes a love language across cultures. Kids will learn about Rooh Afza rose milk, crispy beef samosas, Burmese khow suey noodles, the tradition of chai hospitality, and creamy pistachio kulfi, all while discovering why sharing a meal is one of the most universal ways people show they care.

About Miral Sattar:

🎧 Miral Sattar is the creator and host of Bearily Bear Reimagined Fairy Tales, an award-winning kids podcast with more than 3 million listeners that reimagines classic fairy tales with brave heroines, diverse cultures, and stories from around the world. She's also a mom of three and a children's media advocate passionate about raising curious, empathetic kids through stories.

Bearily Bear Reimagined Fairy Tales: wherever you get your podcasts!

Miral on Instagram: ⁠https://www.instagram.com/miralreads⁠

About The Saami Family

🎶 A special thank you to The Saami Family for allowing us to use their beautiful Khayal music, a centuries-old South Asian classical vocal tradition, in this episode.

Listen to The Saami Family website: ⁠https://voiceofsaamis.com/⁠

The Saami Brothers on Instagram: ⁠https://www.instagram.com/thesaamibrothersofficial/⁠

💛 Please consider supporting our nonprofit, Culture Kids Productions and help us stay ad-free and help us keep our show accessible for every family:

Culture Kids is a small team with a big dream: raising a generation of kids who are curious, globally minded, and ready to build friendships across every border, all while keeping our show completely free and ad-free for families everywhere.

If our adventures have brought a little wonder into your home, we'd be so grateful for your support. Every donation, big or small, helps us create new episodes, partner with cultural experts and organizations, and reach even more curious young explorers around the world.

DONATE HERE:

https://www.culturekidsmedia.com/support/

Thank you.

Credits:

Hosts: Kristen and Asher Kim

Guest Collaborator: Miral Sittar

Produced By: Culture Kids Productions

Executive Producer: Kristen Kim

Sound Design: Kristen Kim

Audio Engineer: Robin Lai

Nonprofit Consultant: Emil Kang, Jesseca Ryan

Academic Consultant: Elisha Li

Sound FX: Envato Elements, The Saami Family

It's a Culture Kids first, an entire episode made by YOU! For this summer special, Kristen and Asher hand the mic over to the Culture Kids community, featuring voicemails sent in from listeners all around the world sharing what they love most about the show, plus a whole lot of jokes to keep things silly. This episode is a celebration of the curious, kind, and adventurous kids who make up the Culture Kids family, and a reminder that every single explorer who tunes in is part of what makes this show special.

Hosted by Kristen Kim and Asher, Culture Kids Productions
Featuring voicemails from the Culture Kids community

Grab your imaginary passports, Culture Kids! In this episode, Kristen, Asher, and Arden hop aboard the Culture Train time machine to investigate one of history's most enduring legends: mermaids. Are they pure myth, or did real people really believe they saw one? The adventure begins over 2,300 years ago in the ancient city of Hierapolis, in what is now northern Syria, home to a sacred temple dedicated to the goddess Atargatis, widely considered one of the oldest mermaid-like figures in recorded history. From there, the Culture Train jumps nearly 1,800 years forward to 1493, landing aboard Christopher Columbus's ship in the Caribbean Sea, where Columbus famously recorded seeing three "mermaids" in his own journal.

Along the way, kids discover that mermaid-like legends appear across cultures all over the world, from the ningyo of Japan to Mami Wata in West and Central Africa, and learn the real, scientific explanation historians believe is behind Columbus's sighting: the gentle, slow-moving manatee. It's a story about curiosity, the mystery of the ocean, and how humans everywhere have always tried to make sense of the unknown through story.

The real historical origins of mermaid mythology, starting with the goddess Atargatis in ancient Hierapolis

How Christopher Columbus's 1493 ship log describes a real "mermaid" sighting

The scientific explanation behind Columbus's sighting: manatees, and why sailors mistook them for mythical creatures

How mermaid-like legends appear independently across cultures, including Japanese ningyo and West/Central African Mami Wata

Why humans across history and geography have always turned mysterious sightings into story

Families with kids ages 4 to 10 who love ocean adventures, mythology, world history, marine animals, and time-travel storytelling.

Hierapolis, ancient Syria — Temple of Atargatis

The Caribbean Sea, 1493 — Christopher Columbus's voyage near Hispaniola

Cross-cultural mermaid mythology: Japan (ningyo) and West/Central Africa (Mami Wata)

Credits:

Hosts: Kristen and Asher Kim

Producer & Sound Designer: Kristen Kim

Sound FX License: Envato Elements & Epidemic Sounds

Audio Engineer: Robin Lai

Academic Consultant: Elisha Li

Nonprofit Consultant: Emil Kang, Jesseca Ryan

Priest: Kristen Kim

Christopher Columbus: Kristen Kim

Sailor: Kristen Kim

This episode is a work of fiction created for children's entertainment and educational enrichment purposes only. While inspired by mermaid mythology and folklore from various cultures, the characters, dialogue, and specific story events depicted are fictionalized and should not be relied upon as an accurate, complete, or authoritative account of any culture's traditions, beliefs, or history.

Culture Kids Productions has made a good faith effort to represent the cultural and mythological source material respectfully, but listeners seeking factual or academic information about these traditions should consult qualified cultural experts, historians, or primary sources.

Grab your imaginary passports, Culture Kids! In this episode, Kristen and Asher welcome their friend Senna into the kitchen to cook up a Korean side dish called sukju namul (숙주나물), better known in English as seasoned mung bean sprouts. But this isn't just a cooking lesson. Halfway through sautéing sprouts with soy sauce and sesame oil, the Culture Train whisks the kids back to 15th century Hanyang (modern-day Seoul) during the Joseon Dynasty, where they uncover the real reason this humble vegetable carries the name of a royal scholar named Shin Suk-ju.

Kids will learn how a political betrayal during a real moment in Korean history became forever linked to a fast-spoiling vegetable, and why Koreans have called mung bean sprouts "sukju namul" for hundreds of years. It's a story about food, memory, loyalty, and how history hides in the meals we eat every day.

What mung bean sprouts (sukju namul) are and how they're prepared in Korean cooking

The difference between how mung bean sprouts were cooked in the Joseon Dynasty versus how they're cooked today

The true story of Korean scholar Shin Suk-ju and the royal succession crisis that changed his legacy

How a vegetable came to be named after a real historical figure

A hands-on family recipe families can recreate at home

Sukju Namul (Korean Seasoned Mung Bean Sprouts)
Lightly boiled mung bean sprouts, tossed with sesame oil, garlic, salt, and sesame seeds. Serve as a banchan (Korean side dish) alongside rice.

Hosted by Kristen Kim and Asher, Culture Kids Productions

Host & Producer: Kristen Kim

Co Host & Co Producer: Asher Kim

Guest Host: Senna Turin

Script Review/Academic Consultant: Elisha Li

Nonprofit Consultant: Emil Kang

Audio Engineering: Robin Lai

Music & Sound FX: Envato Elements

This episode is a work of fiction created for children's entertainment and educational enrichment purposes only. The characters, dialogue, and specific story events depicted are fictionalized and should not be relied upon as an accurate, complete, or authoritative account of any culture's traditions, beliefs, or history.

Culture Kids Productions has made a good faith effort to represent the cultural and mythological source material respectfully, but listeners seeking factual or academic information about these traditions should consult qualified cultural experts, historians, or primary sources.

Kristen, Asher, and Arden board the Culture Train Time Machine and travel to two extraordinary moments in history. First, they land on the Persian Royal Road in 400 BCE, where merchants and travelers are exchanging stories from distant lands - including eyewitness accounts of mysterious one-horned creatures from beyond the rivers of India.

Then they leap forward to a Medieval European castle, where knights and nobles are marveling at what they believe is a real unicorn horn - not knowing it is actually the spiral tusk of a narwhal, carried thousands of miles by clever traders.

Along the way, kids learn how stories travel, how imagination fills in the gaps, and how a legend is born when one curious mind sparks an idea and another passes it on.

Fun Facts from This Episode

The earliest known written description of a unicorn-like creature was recorded by the Greek historian Ctesias around 400 BCE

Historians believe early unicorn stories may have been inspired by travelers describing a rhinoceros to people who had never seen one

In Medieval Europe, narwhal tusks were sold as unicorn horns and were sometimes worth more than gold

Traders carried narwhal tusks thousands of miles south from the Arctic, and most buyers had no idea what they really were

Unicorn legends appear independently in ancient India, China, Persia, and Europe- showing how powerful a traveling story can be

SUPPORT CULTURE KIDS

If you enjoyed today's adventure, please subscribe, leave a review, and share Culture Kids with a family you love. Every share helps more children discover new places, meet new people, and grow curious about the world around them.

Culture Kids Productions is a 3x Webby Award-winning nonprofit podcast dedicated to sparking curiosity, connection, and wonder in children around the world. Rated five stars by Common Sense Media. Listed as an Apple Podcasts Essentials pick for Kids and Family.

Join our newsletter:https://culturekidsproductions.org

Support our mission:https://culturekidsproductions.org

Follow Culture Kids:

Instagram:https://www.instagram.com/culturekidsproductions

Credits:

Host & Producer: Kristen Kim

Co Host & Co Producer: Asher Kim and Arden Kim

Script Review/Academic Consultant: Elisha Li

Audio Engineering: Robin Lai

Music & Sound FX: Envato Elements

Merchant: Kristen Kim

This episode is a work of fiction created for children's entertainment and educational enrichment purposes only. The characters, dialogue, and specific story events depicted are fictionalized and should not be relied upon as an accurate, complete, or authoritative account of any culture's traditions, beliefs, or history.

Culture Kids Productions has made a good faith effort to represent the cultural and mythological source material respectfully, but listeners seeking factual or academic information about these traditions should consult qualified cultural experts, historians, or primary sources.

Hop aboard the Culture Train with Kristen and Asher as they head to the world famous San Diego Zoo to meet wildlife specialist Marco Wendt. Twelve thousand animals, more than 650 species, and a whole lot of heart await on this stop in sunny San Diego, California.

In this episode, families will discover:

Why San Diego Zoo Wildlife Alliance is a nonprofit conservation organization, not just a zoo, and how their work has helped reintroduce more than 44 endangered species back into the wild

The incredible true story of Tatqiq, a polar bear rescued as an orphaned cub in Alaska, who now helps scientists understand how polar bears hear, move, and survive a warming Arctic

How Karen the orangutan became the first great ape in history to undergo open heart surgery, and how she's thriving today with her orangutan and siamang family

The journey of giant pandas from Endangered to Vulnerable, and just how much bamboo it takes to keep Yun Chuan and Xin Bao happy (hint: it's a lot~!)

About our guest:

Marco Wendt has worked as a wildlife specialist at the San Diego Zoo for almost thirty years, caring for everything from cranes and cassowaries to red river hogs and giant pandas.

A huge thank you to San Diego Zoo Wildlife Alliance for believing in our work and partnering with us on this episode and for the incredible work they do protecting wildlife for future generations. 

About San Diego Zoo

The San Diego Zoo is located at 2920 Zoo Drive in Balboa Park, San Diego, CA 92101, and is operated by the San Diego Zoo Wildlife Alliance, an international nonprofit committed to creating a world where all life thrives. The Zoo is 100 acres and home to more than 12,000 animals representing over 650 species and subspecies! 

Website: zoo.sandiegozoo.orgWildlife Alliance site: sandiegozoowildlifealliance.orgInstagram: @sandiegozooFacebook: facebook.com/SanDiegoZooTikTok: @sandiegozooX: @sandiegozoo

SUPPORT CULTURE KIDS

If you enjoyed today's adventure, please subscribe, leave a review, and share Culture Kids with a family you love. Every share helps more children discover new places, meet new people, and grow curious about the world around them.

Culture Kids is a nonprofit organization creating free educational adventures for families around the world.

Join our newsletter:https://culturekidsmedia.com

Support our mission:https://culturekidsproductions.org

Follow Culture Kids:

Instagram:https://www.instagram.com/culturekidsproductions

Credits:

Host & Producer: Kristen Kim

Co Host & Co Producer: Asher Kim

Guest & Collaborator: Marco Wendt

Sponsored By: San Diego Zoo Wildlife Alliance

Script Review/Academic Consultant: Elisha Li

Audio Engineering: Robin Lai

Music & Sound FX: Envato Elements

In this special adventure, Kristen and Asher step off their magical Culture Train and onto a real-life train, the Pacific Surfliner, for one of the most beautiful train journeys in America.

Together with special guest Alyssa Dowdalls from Pacific Surfliner, families travel along the stunning California coastline, discover the history of train travel, learn about the Chumash people who have called this region home for thousands of years, and explore the beautiful beach city of Santa Barbara.

Along the way, kids will learn:

• How trains changed the world and helped people travel farther than ever before

• Why the Pacific Surfliner is one of the most scenic train routes in the United States

• What it feels like to ride on a two-story passenger train

• The rich history and living culture of the Chumash people

• Why Santa Barbara's famous red tile roofs and white buildings tell an important story

• Fun family activities to enjoy in Santa Barbara, including MOXI, Stearns Wharf, beaches, and more

• Important travel etiquette and train safety tips for kids

ABOUT PACIFIC SURFLINER

Pacific Surfliner is Southern California's premier passenger rail service, connecting San Diego, Orange County, Los Angeles, Ventura, Santa Barbara, San Luis Obispo, and many communities in between. Known for breathtaking ocean views, spacious seating, onboard amenities, and family-friendly travel, Pacific Surfliner offers one of the most memorable ways to experience California's coastline.

Learn more and plan your trip:https://www.pacificsurfliner.com

CONNECT WITH PACIFIC SURFLINER

Website:https://www.pacificsurfliner.com

Instagram:https://www.instagram.com/pacificsurfliner

Facebook:https://www.facebook.com/PacificSurfliner

SUPPORT CULTURE KIDS

If you enjoyed today's adventure, please subscribe, leave a review, and share Culture Kids with a family you love. Every share helps more children discover new places, meet new people, and grow curious about the world around them.

Culture Kids is a nonprofit organization creating free educational adventures for families around the world.

Join our newsletter:https://culturekidsmedia.com

Support our mission:https://culturekidsproductions.org

Follow Culture Kids:

Instagram:https://www.instagram.com/culturekidsproductions

This episode of Culture Kids was made possible through a paid partnership with Pacific Surfliner.

How to Be a Good Neighbor on Buses, Trains & Airplanes | Public Transportation Etiquette for Kids!

Have you ever wondered how to act on a bus, train, or airplane? In this episode, Kristen and Asher hop aboard real city transit and a jet plane with special guest Ms. Kelly, an etiquette coach and early childhood educator, to learn the art of being a thoughtful, respectful traveler in shared spaces.

Together, they explore what etiquette really means, why it looks different around the world, and why the heart of it is always the same: see the people around you and make the shared space better because you were in it.

In this episode, kids will learn:

Why we let passengers off before getting on a bus or train

What the "invisible bubble" rule is and why it matters on airplanes

How the greeting culture in Nigeria teaches us something beautiful about respect

Why offering your seat to an elder is a universal act of kindness

Simple ways every child can be a good neighbor wherever they travel

ABOUT OUR GUEST
Ms. Kelly (Kelechi Anselem-Okorie) is an etiquette coach and early childhood educator based in California, originally from Nigeria. She helps children build confidence, make friends, and show up their best everywhere they go through the power of manners, kindness, and cultural awareness.

📖 Order Ms. Kelly's book Food, Friends and Finesse (Mirrors and Manners Series):

Amazon

Follow Ms. Kelly:


Instagram: @mirrorsandmanners


Website: http://mirrorsandmanners.com

ABOUT CULTURE KIDS
Culture Kids is an award-winning, screen-free audio adventure podcast for children ages 4-8, hosted by mom and son duo Kristen and Asher. With 177+ episodes, three Webby Awards, and partnerships with 90+ cultural organizations including the San Diego Zoo, the Getty Museum, and the New York Hall of Science, Culture Kids brings the world to your child's ears, one adventure at a time.

📱 Instagram: @culturekidsproductions

🎙 Listen on Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/culture-kids/id1492741709

🎙 Listen on Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/culturekids

SUPPORT CULTURE KIDS

Culture Kids is a nonprofit production. Every episode is made possible by listeners like you. If this show has brought joy, curiosity, or a little more connection to your family, please consider supporting us.

💛 Donate here: http://culturekidsmedia.com/support

Your contribution helps us keep creating free, screen-free adventures for children everywhere.

CREDITS

Hosted by: Kristen Kim and Asher Kim

Guest: Ms. Kelly (Kelechi Anselem-Okorie)

Written and Produced by Kristen Kim

Sound Design and Post Production: Culture Kids Productions/Envato Elements

Hop aboard the magical Culture Train for a brand new adventure, then switch tracks and climb into a real-life 18-wheeler as we hit the highway with our new friend, Mr. Avie 🚚

In this episode, Culture Kids travel across the United States to discover the important role truck drivers play in keeping communities connected. From delivering food and supplies to traveling long distances across the country, we learn how these everyday heroes help make sure families everywhere have what they need.

Along the way, we explore:

What it’s like to drive a semi-truck (and why it has 18 wheels!)

How truck drivers plan long journeys and stay safe on the road

Why truck drivers are essential to communities across the world

Why there are so many Sikh drivers in America

How music—like Punjabi music—helps people stay connected to their culture

What Sikhism is, and how it shapes Mr. Avie’s life and work

How people from many different backgrounds and traditions help keep our world moving

This episode is a beautiful reminder that behind the things we use every day, there are real people, with stories, cultures, and journeys of their own.

The Sikh Coalition is the nation's largest Sikh civil rights organization. For 25 years, they have worked to help Sikhs who face discrimination or mistreatment. You can learn more about them at www.sikhcoalition.org, and see some of the work they've done specifically for Sikh and Punjabi truckers at thesikh.co/truckers.

Instagram: @sikhcoalition

Twitter: @sikh_coalition

Roadies

Avie Nagra, a military veteran and experienced trucker, founded Roadies Inc in 2014 and has grown it from one truck to a fleet of over 100 trucks and 150 trailers, building a team committed to excellence in logistics.

https://roadiesinc.com/

Credits:

Executive Producer: Kristen Kim

Producer: Nimarta Narang

Hosts: Kristen & Asher Kim

Guest Host: Avie Nagra

Audio Engineer: Robin Lai

Academic Consultant: Elisha Li

Nonprofit Consultant: Emil Kang

Sound FX Elements: Envato Elements

All aboard the Culture Train!!!!🚂✨

In this fun and educational episode for kids, we explore the amazing world of bees, pollination, and beehives with our special guest Windy Weatherfoot, a nature adventurer who teaches kids about animals, ecosystems, and the tiny helpers that keep our planet growing.

Perfect for curious kids ages 4–8, families, and classrooms, this episode blends storytelling with real science to help children understand why bees are important and how they help grow the food we eat.

🌼 What Kids Will Learn in This Episode

What bees are and why they are important

How pollination works (explained simply for kids)

How bees help grow fruits, vegetables, and flowers

What a beehive looks like and how bees live together

The role of the queen bee and worker bees

How to safely observe bees and nature

🌱 Explore More with Windy Weatherfoot

Keep the adventure going with Windy Weatherfoot!

🎥 YouTube: Windy Weatherfoot📸 Instagram: @windyweatherfoot

Windy creates fun, educational content for kids about nature, animals, bees, flowers, and ecosystems, perfect for families who love outdoor learning and exploration.

💛 Support Culture Kids (Nonprofit Podcast)

Culture Kids is a nonprofit, mom-and-son–created podcast helping children explore the world through culture, nature, and storytelling.

If you enjoyed this episode, you can support us by:

⭐ Leaving a 5-star review📣 Sharing with a friend, family, or teacher💛 Supporting our mission to keep episodes free for all families

🌐 Visit: www.culturekidsproductions.org

What if you could step inside your brain and see how it works?

In this special Culture Kids adventure, we travel to an imaginative world called Brain Stations, where each stop helps us understand how our brains notice sounds, feel emotions, and connect with others.

Joined by speech-language pathologist and autism advocate Ms. Andi, we explore how different brains experience the world in different ways and why that matters for friendship, understanding, and everyday life.

Along the way, we’ll:

Visit Sound Station and discover how people hear and process sounds differently

Learn what it feels like when the brain becomes overwhelmed

Explore ways to feel calm and safe again

Travel to Connection Station to understand feelings and how we express them

Learn how to be a thoughtful and supportive friend to someone whose brain works differently

This episode helps children build awareness, empathy, and real-life tools for connecting with others, while reminding them that every brain has its own strengths.

 About Our Guest: Andi Putt

Andi Putt is a speech-language pathologist and autistic educator who helps families better understand communication, regulation, and connection in a strengths-based, supportive way.

 Website: www.mrsspeechiep.com Instagram & Facebook: @mrsspeechiep

 Special Announcement:In this episode, we explored the “downstairs brain,” which can take over when kids feel dysregulated. Andi has a new resource called The Regulation Routine, designed to help children become and stay regulated, available starting April 20th on her website:  ⁠www.mrsspeechiep.com

Credits:

Host & Producer: Kristen Kim

Co Host: Asher Kim

Co Producer: Andi Putt

Sound Design & Edit: Kristen Kim

Sound Design Elements: Envato Elements

Academic Consultant: Elisha Li

Audio Engineer: Robin Lai

Nonprofit Consultant: Jesseca Ryan, Emil Kang

This episode was made possible by the Arthur M Blank Family Foundation.

We’re so grateful for their support in helping us create meaningful, story driven experiences for families everywhere. Partnerships like this make it possible for us to keep these adventures accessible to all.

Support Culture Kids:

We’re honored to share that Culture Kids has been nominated for not just one, but TWO Webby Awards.

If you’ve enjoyed listening and would like to support what we’re building, we would be so grateful for your vote. It takes just a moment and makes a meaningful difference in helping more families discover Culture Kids, thank you so much!

Best Kids & Familyhttps://lnkd.in/gsNQSycY

Best Kids & Family – Individual Episodehttps://lnkd.in/ghmshkci

As a nonprofit, Culture Kids is supported by listeners like you. If you’d like to help us continue creating these stories and keep them accessible for families everywhere, you can also support us through a donation on our website.

Please consider making a donation here:

https://www.culturekidsmedia.com/support/

Thank you!

Hellooo Culture Kids! Grab your imaginary passports because today we’re heading into a cozy home to celebrate Nowruz, a springtime New Year that has been celebrated for over 3,000 years.

In this episode, we visit our friends Hannah and her mom, Ms. Sadaf, to experience how their family prepares for this special holiday. Through storytelling, sound, and imagination, we step inside their home, smell delicious foods, see beautiful traditions, and learn what this celebration means to families around the world.

What You’ll Discover

What Nowruz is and why it marks the first day of spring

How families celebrate across Iran, Afghanistan, Central Asia, and beyond

The meaning behind Khaneh-Tekani (spring cleaning)

The beautiful Haft-Seen table and what each item represents

How to say “Happy New Year” in Farsi: Sal-e No Mobarak

Nowruz is more than a celebration; it’s a reminder that new beginnings, hope, and connection are shared across cultures in different and beautiful ways.

Through this adventure, children are invited to see the world as a place full of traditions, stories, and families who may do things differently, but share many of the same hopes for joy, renewal, and togetherness.

A heartfelt thank you to Hannah and Ms. Sadaf for welcoming us into their home and sharing their traditions with our Culture Kids families.

To our Culture Kids families celebrating, Sal-e No Mobarak!
We wish you light, peace, and a beautiful new beginning.

PLEASE KEEP OUR CULTURE TRAIN RUNNING!!!

If you loved this episode, please take a moment to leave us a 5-star review on Apple Podcasts or Spotify.
You can also support our work with a donation on our website. Every bit helps us continue creating meaningful stories for children everywhere.

http://culturekidsproductions.org

Follow us on IG: @culturekidsproductions

Leave a comment on Spotify and we will get right back to you!

Hello Culture Kids explorers! Grab your imaginary passports and climb aboard the Culture Train because today we’re heading high into the sky for a magical hot air balloon adventure.

In this episode, Mom, Asher, and Arden learn how hot air balloons work and discover the science that helps them float. Along the way, we travel back in time to France in 1783 when the first hot air balloon flight with people on board took place. Before humans went up, inventors tested their balloon with a sheep, a duck, and a rooster to make sure living creatures could breathe safely in the sky.

Once we understand the science of warm air, buoyancy, and balloon envelopes, our journey begins. With the help of a friendly balloon pilot, we gently lift off and drift above some of the most breathtaking landscapes on Earth.

Our first stop takes us over Cappadocia, Turkey, one of the most famous hot air balloon destinations in the world. From the sky we see ancient volcanic rock formations shaped like towering cones and sandcastles. Long ago, people carved homes, churches, and even entire underground cities into these soft rock hills, creating a remarkable landscape filled with history and imagination.

Next, the wind carries us across the sky to the Loire Valley in France, where we float above a peaceful river, patchwork fields, and hundreds of beautiful châteaux. These grand stone homes were once places where French kings and queens came to relax in the countryside. Today, the Loire Valley is a UNESCO World Heritage Site known for its history, architecture, and stunning scenery.

As we drift gently back toward the ground, we are reminded that seeing the world from a new angle can help us notice beauty, creativity, and wonder in places we may never have imagined.

PLEASE SUPPORT CULTURE KIDS!

Culture Kids is a grassroots nonprofit creating free, accessible cultural and educational audio for children everywhere.
You can support our mission by:
⭐ Leaving a 5-star review on Apple Podcasts or Spotify
📲 Sharing the show with a friend
🌍 Donating through our website

🔗 Website: https://culturekidsproductions.org and click on SUPPORT TAB
📸 Instagram: https://instagram.com/culturekidsproductions

All aboard the Culture Train! In this episode, we head back to New York City on a chilly winter morning to ride along on a real garbage truck and discover what happens to our trash after we throw it away.

With our friend Amelia from the New York Hall of Science, we explore the hidden systems that keep a city running. We learn why sanitation workers start their day before sunrise, how trash is collected from busy sidewalks, and why NYC sanitation workers are known as the “strongest” for lifting heavy bags by hand.

• Why different neighborhoods have different trash pickup schedules
• What “coned” trash cans are and how kids can help when bins are full
• The difference between household trash and recycling
• Why batteries, electronics, and glass should never go in regular trash bags
• What a transfer station is and where trash goes next

Then we hop on the Culture Train to visit a recycling sorting center, where we watch conveyor belts, giant machines, and real workers separate paper, cans, glass, and food scraps so they can be turned into something new.

• Paper can become pizza boxes
• Food scraps can become soil
• Soda cans can become new cans
• Glass can be crushed and reused in new materials

This episode helps kids understand that everything has a system, a place, and a story, and that even small everyday choices, like using the right bin or holding onto trash until you find one, can help the people who keep our communities clean.

About the New York Hall of Science

This episode was created in collaboration with the New York Hall of Science (NYSCI), a hands-on science and technology museum located in Queens, New York, in Flushing Meadows Corona Park.

🌐 Website: https://nysci.org📍 Location: Flushing Meadows–Corona Park, Queens, New York

Follow NYSCI for hands-on science activities, family programs, and exhibit updates:

📸 Instagram: @nysci📘 Facebook: New York Hall of Science

In this Culture Kids adventure, we travel to Bird Island, South Africa with our friend Lisa Faith from SANCCOB to meet African penguins in their natural habitat. Surrounded by ocean waves, rocky shores, and thousands of seabirds, we learn what makes this island a safe nesting home for penguins and other coastal birds.

We discover:


What baby penguins look like before they get their waterproof feathers


Why penguins huddle together in family groups


What moulting is and why penguins cannot swim for several weeks


The challenges African penguins face, including not having enough fish, pollution, oil spills, and habitat loss


How SANCCOB rescues, rehabilitates, and releases seabirds back into the wild

We also learn ways kids can help, like using less plastic, sharing what they learn, and supporting organizations that protect wildlife.

Thank you to Lisa Faith and the entire SANCCOB team for the incredible work they do to care for African penguins and coastal seabirds.

🎧 Be sure to listen to our previous SANCCOB episode to learn more about penguin rescue and rehabilitation.

PLEASE SUPPORT CULTURE KIDS!

Culture Kids is a grassroots nonprofit creating free, accessible cultural and educational audio for children everywhere.
You can support our mission by:
⭐ Leaving a 5-star review on Apple Podcasts or Spotify
📲 Sharing the show with a friend
🌍 Making a donation through our website

🔗 Website: https://culturekidsproductions.org and click on SUPPORT TAB
📸 Instagram: https://instagram.com/culturekidsproductions

The Southern African Foundation for the Conservation of Coastal Birds (SANCCOB) rescues, rehabilitates, and releases seabirds, including critically endangered African penguins.

🔗 Website: https://sanccob.co.za
📸 Instagram: https://instagram.com/sanccob
📘 Facebook: https://facebook.com/SANCCOB
🐧 Adopt a penguin: https://sanccob.co.za/adopt

In this episode, Culture Kids travels to New York City to explore City Works, a hands-on family exhibit at the New York Hall of Science.

Together with Amelia- the Director of Exhibit Design and Development, Asher and Mom discover the incredible systems and the people behind them that keep cities running every single day. From buses and ferries to water pipes and wastewater treatment, this episode helps kids understand that cities are much more than buildings. They’re living systems powered by teamwork, science, and care.


How transportation systems like buses, subways, and ferries help people move around a city


Where clean drinking water comes from and what happens after we flush the toilet


How sanitation and wastewater systems protect neighborhoods, rivers, and oceans


Why scientists, engineers, and city workers are so important to everyday life


How cities around the world may look different—but all work to care for their communities

Kids will love pretending to drive a city bus through Times Square, learning about rainwater and drains, and discovering the famous “4 Ps” of what’s safe to flush: pee, poop, puke, and paper!

About CityWorks

City Works is a large-scale, interactive exhibit designed especially for children and families. Through hands-on play, kids can explore real city systems like transportation, water, sanitation, and energy—and see how these systems are connected and supported by people working behind the scenes.

The exhibit encourages curiosity, problem-solving, and empathy by helping children understand how cities function and how their everyday choices matter.


Museum: New York Hall of Science


Location: Queens, New York


Website: https://nysci.org


Exhibit Info: https://nysci.org/exhibitions/city-works

The New York Hall of Science is a family-favorite destination with hundreds of interactive exhibits that make science fun, accessible, and engaging for kids of all ages.

🎧 Credits

Host & Producer: Kristen Kim & Asher Kim

Guest & Collaborator: Amelia, Director of Exhibit Design and Development

Sound Design/Music/Edit: Culture Kids Productions

Music: Envato Elements

Audio Engineer: Robin Lai

Academic Consultant: Elisha Li

In this immersive Culture Kids adventure, Kristen and Asher hop aboard the Culture Train and travel to the lush island of Kauai in Hawaii to visit Aunty Christy at the Kauai Animal Education Farm. Along the way, families learn where Kauai is located, why it is known as the “Garden Isle,” and how its rainforests, rivers, waterfalls, and dramatic coastline were shaped over millions of years. Once at the farm, listeners are welcomed into a peaceful, storybook-like setting where rescued animals roam freely and live in environments designed to help them feel safe, calm, and at home. Asher meets gentle tortoise Sherman, playful sheep Twinkletoes, and energetic rabbits doing joyful binkies, while Aunty Christy explains how animals come to the farm, how they are cared for, and how spending time with them can help people slow down, feel grounded, and connect more deeply with the world around them.

This episode invites children and grown-ups alike to explore what it means to care for animals, learn their stories, and discover how humans and animals can support one another. Through hands-on moments, cultural connections, and thoughtful conversations, Culture Kids highlights how learning about animals where you live can be a meaningful way to help them, even from afar. Families will leave this episode feeling relaxed, curious, and inspired by the idea that every living being has a story worth listening to. As always, Culture Kids reminds listeners that they belong, that their curiosity matters, and that every adventure begins with an open heart and a willingness to learn.

About Kauai Education Farm

Websitehttps://www.kauaianimaleducationfarm.org

Instagramhttps://www.instagram.com/kauaianimaleducationfarm
(@kauaianimaleducationfarm)

Facebookhttps://www.facebook.com/kauaianimaleducationfarm

Visiting the Farm
Visits are typically by appointment or through scheduled programs and events. Families, schools, and community groups are encouraged to reach out through the website to learn about current offerings, educational experiences, and opportunities to visit.

Supporting the Farm
Kauai Animal Education Farm is supported by community care, donations, and shared stewardship of the land and animals. Information about how to support the farm, stay connected, or learn more about the animals can be found on their website and social channels.

Please support Culture Kids!

Culture Kids is a volunteer supported nonprofit creating immersive, screen free stories that help children and families explore the world together through curiosity, respect, and imagination.

If you would like to support our mission of creating a more connected world for our children, please consider donating any amount to help keep the Culture Train chugging along!

http://culturekidsproductions.org

Click on "Support"

Check out our instagram and send us a DM! @culturekidsproductions

🎧 Credits

Host & Producer: Kristen Kim & Asher Kim

Guest & Collaborator: Christy at Kauai Education Farm

Sound Design/Music/Edit: Culture Kids Productions

Music: Envato Elements

Audio Engineer: Robin Lai

Academic Consultant: Elisha Li

All aboard the Culture Train. This week, Kristen and Asher travel to sunny South Africa to meet some very special coastal residents, African penguins.

On this adventure, Culture Kids learn that not all penguins live in icy places. African penguins live along warm, sandy beaches and rocky coastlines in southern Africa. We visit SANCCOB, the Southern African Foundation for the Conservation of Coastal Birds, where we meet Lisa Faith, an education supervisor and real life penguin protector. SANCCOB is like a hospital for seabirds, rescuing injured and orphaned African penguins, helping them heal, and preparing them to return safely to the ocean.

Along the way, Culture Kids discover why African penguins are critically endangered and what that means for their future. We learn how SANCCOB began over 50 years ago when a woman named Althea turned her own bathroom into a penguin wash station after an oil spill, and how today the organization has helped more than 100,000 seabirds. Asher even gets to help feed real African penguins, meeting penguins named Sammy and Batman, and learning how each penguin’s belly spots are as unique as fingerprints.

This episode is full of fun facts and meaningful learning. Culture Kids hear how African penguins eat sardines and anchovies, why they sneeze out extra salt from the ocean, how humans help replace lost nesting spaces, and how people and animals depend on one another. Most of all, this journey shows how care, teamwork, and learning can help protect animals and the planet we all share.

ABOUT SANCCOB:

Visit: www.sanccob.co.za.

You can also follow them on Instagram at @sanccob and on Facebook by searching SANCCOB.

Families can even adopt a penguin to help support their ongoing care and conservation efforts!

Please support Culture Kids!

Culture Kids is a volunteer supported nonprofit creating immersive, screen free stories that help children and families explore the world together through curiosity, respect, and imagination.

If you would like to support our mission of creating a more connected world for our children, please consider making a donation of any amount to help keep the Culture Train chugging along!

http://culturekidsproductions.org

Click on "Support"

Check out our instagram and send us a DM! @culturekidsproductions

🎧 Credits

Host & Producer: Kristen Kim & Asher Kim

Guest & Collaborator: Lisa Faith, Education Supervisor at SANCCOB

Sound Design/Music/Edit: Culture Kids Productions

Music: Envato Elements

Audio Engineer: Robin Lai

Academic Consultant: Elisha Li

Today, the Culture Train rolls back in time to explore the incredible story of Dalmatians, the spotted dogs you might recognize right away but whose history might surprise you.

With Mom, Asher, and special guest Arden, we travel to England in the late 1700s, where Dalmatians worked as carriage dogs, running alongside horses on busy cobblestone streets. We then journey forward to an early 1800s firehouse, where these hardworking dogs became trusted companions to firefighters and the horses that pulled fire wagons through growing cities.

Along the way, we learn what makes Dalmatians unique, how their strong bodies and steady focus were shaped by life on the road, and why they became such an important symbol in firehouse history. We also explore how their role changed as technology evolved and what families should know about Dalmatians as pets today.

This episode reminds us that animals, just like people and places, are shaped by where they come from and what they experience over time. Every journey leaves a story behind.

💙 A Note for Families

Today’s adventure reminds us that everything around us has a story. When we take time to listen and learn, our curiosity grows and we feel more connected to the world around us.

So next time you meet someone new, notice an animal, or discover something unfamiliar, try asking yourself, “What’s their story?”

If you enjoy Culture Kids, a five star rating or review on Apple Podcasts or Spotify helps more families discover the show. Culture Kids is a volunteer run nonprofit, and your support helps keep our Culture Train moving.

Grab your imaginary passport and join us again soon for another adventure around the world.

CREDITS

Host and Produced By: Kristen Kim
Co-Hosts: Asher & Arden Kim
Post Production & Audio Engineer: Robin Lai
Academic Consultant: Elisha Li
Nonprofit Consultant:  Ami Awad, Emil Kang

STAY CONNECTED WITH US!

Instagram: @culturekidsproductions
Website: http://culturekidsproductions.com

Email / Voicemail: available through our site, we love hearing from you!

This episode is lovingly dedicated to our forever family dog, Sammy. The pawprints you left on our hearts will stay with us always. As a beautiful white Jindo, brave, loyal, and full of curious energy , you always found your way back home to us. We love you Sammy.

Today, the Culture Train travels to Jindo Island in South Korea, the enchanting home of Korea’s national treasure, the extraordinary Jindo dog.

With Mom and Asher leading the way, we explore a peaceful island filled with pine trees, fishing villages, ocean breezes, and deep connections between people, land, and animals. Along the shore, we meet a friendly white Jindo dog named Miso and begin to discover what makes this breed so special.

In this episode, we learn how Jindo dogs have lived alongside families on Jindo Island for hundreds of years, helping guard homes, move through forests and mountains, and build strong bonds with the people they love. We discover why Jindos are known for their loyalty, why they rarely bark unless there is a reason, how they groom themselves like cats, and how the island itself helped shape their courage, intelligence, and calm nature.

Through sights, sounds, and stories from the island, this adventure reminds us that just like dog breeds, cultures and communities are shaped by the places they grow from and the people who care for them. Jindo Island shows us how land and living beings can shape each other over time.

This episode invites Culture Kids and families to reflect on their own communities, the places that feel like home, and the experiences that help shape who they are becoming.

As always, we end with a reminder that here at Culture Kids, you and your family are welcomed, included, and celebrated for exactly who you are.

CREDITS

Host and Produced By: Kristen Kim

Co-Hosts: Asher Kim

Post Production & Audio Engineer: Robin Lai

Academic Consultant: Elisha Li

Nonprofit Consultant: Ami Awad & Emil Kang

STAY CONNECTED WITH US!

Instagram: @culturekidsproductions

Website: http://culturekidsproductions.com

Email / Voicemail: available through our site, we love hearing from you!

Sources:

https://www.thekkf.or.kr/new_home/en/koreanbreeds.php

https://www.royalkennelclub.com/search/breeds-a-to-z/breeds/utility/korean-jindo-imp/

https://english.visitkorea.or.kr/svc/contents/contentsView.do?vcontsId=93802

http://www.jindos.org/breed-info.htm

https://korelimited.com

Get ready for giggles! Culture Kids from around the world are sharing their silliest, funniest, laugh-out-loud jokes! 😂🌍

From animal jokes to classic kid humor, this special episode is pure joy: funny children's jokes, big belly laughs, and a heartfelt celebration of every curious, imaginative, adventure-loving kid riding the Culture Train.

🎉 What Kids Will Experience

Hilarious jokes submitted by real Culture Kids from around the globe

Animal jokes, silly jokes, and classic kid humor for the whole family

A warm, joyful New Year celebration for children and families everywhere

A love letter to every curious kid who makes the Culture Train worth riding

💛 A Message to Our Culture Kids

There is nobody else in the world like you. Your curiosity, imagination, and sense of adventure make our world brighter every single day. As we step into a brand new year, we want you to know how much you matter, how much your jokes made us laugh, and how grateful we are that you are riding the Culture Train with us.

To the grown-ups listening: thank you for helping create a more connected, welcoming world for children everywhere. Here is to a year filled with joy, wonder, and exciting new journeys. 🚂✨

🎙️ About Culture Kids Podcast

Culture Kids is an award-winning 501(c)(3) nonprofit children's podcast delivering free, immersive, screen-free cultural education for kids ages 4 to 8. Three Webby Awards. Apple Podcasts Essential. Five-star Common Sense Media. Gold Anthem Award. 90+ cultural organization partners worldwide.

🌈 Support Culture Kids


Donate: culturekidsmedia.com/support


Website: culturekidsproductions.com


Instagram: @culturekidsproductions


Leave a 5-star review on Apple Podcasts or Spotify!

🎬 Credits

Host & Producer: Kristen Kim
Co-Hosts: Asher and Arden Kim
Audio Engineer: Robin Lai
Academic Consultant: Elisha Li
Nonprofit Consultants: Ami Awad and Emil Kang

Please note this episode was originally produced last year and has been thoughtfully recreated this year with updated storytelling and sound design.

Grab your imaginary passports and hop aboard the Culture Train, because today we are traveling to the Sahara Desert in Morocco, located in North Africa, where golden sand dunes stretch as far as the eye can see.

On this immersive adventure, Kristen and Asher meet Mohammed, a local Amazigh (Berber) tour guide who grew up in the Sahara Desert and speaks seven languages. With Mohammed as our guide, we learn what daily life is like in the desert and what it means to grow up in a nomadic community.


What the word “Sahara” means in Arabic


Where Morocco is located and why it’s known for colorful cities and vast deserts


Who the Amazigh (Berber) people are and why they are the Indigenous people of North Africa


The languages spoken in Morocco, including Arabic, Amazigh, French, and more


Moroccan mint tea traditions, including why bubbles matter


Riding dromedary camels and learning why they have one hump


How desert homes are built using mud, clay, and hay to stay cool and warm


Why soccer is loved by kids all over the world


Desert adventures like sandboarding and watching the sunset over the dunes

Through gentle conversation, sound-rich storytelling, and lots of imagination, this episode helps kids picture life in the Sahara while learning how environment, culture, and history shape the way people live.

This episode features Mohammed, a local Amazigh guide who grew up in the Sahara Desert and now shares Moroccan culture, language, and desert life with families from around the world.

If your family is planning a trip to Morocco and would like to experience the Sahara Desert with a local guide, you can learn more through:

Positively Morocco Tours (ask for Mohammed from Culture Kids)

https://positivelymoroccotours.com/

https://www.tripadvisor.com/Attraction_Review-g293732-d16734409-Reviews-Positively_Morocco_Tours-Casablanca_Casablanca_Settat.html

CREDITS

Host and Produced By: Kristen Kim

Co-Hosts: Asher & Arden Kim

Guest: Mohammed from Positively Tours Morocco

Post Production & Audio Engineer: Robin Lai

Academic Consultant: Elisha Li

Nonprofit Consultant:  Ami Awad, Emil Kang

STAY CONNECTED WITH US!

Instagram: @culturekidsproductions

Website: http://culturekidsproductions.com

Email / Voicemail: available through our site, we love hearing from you!

All aboard, Culture Kids families! In this adventure, Mom and Asher hop back onto the Culture Train Time Machine for an unforgettable visit to ancient Rome, where they reunite with Ms. Zoe, producer of the Getty Museum podcast If Objects Could Talk. Together, they tiptoe into a glowing triclinium, the Roman dining room, to watch a real dinner party happening over two thousand years ago.

 VISIT THE GETTY VILLA MUSEUM

The Getty Villa Museum in Los Angeles is dedicated to the arts and cultures of ancient Greece, Rome, and Etruria. It is housed in a re-created Roman country home, complete with gardens, pools, mosaics, and over a thousand ancient artworks. 

Website: ⁠https://www.getty.edu/visit/villa/⁠

Follow the Getty: Instagram: ⁠ https://www.instagram.com/gettymuseum⁠

YouTube: ⁠https://www.youtube.com/gettymuseum

⁠ TikTok: ⁠https://www.tiktok.com/@gettymuseum⁠ Facebook: ⁠https://www.facebook.com/gettymuseum⁠

CHECK OUT IF OBJECTS COULD TALK:

https://www.getty.edu/podcasts/if-objects-could-talk/⁠ 

includes episodes, transcripts, activity guides, coloring sheets, and images

Apple Podcasts : ⁠https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/if-objects-could-talk/id1833978909⁠ ⁠Apple Podcasts⁠

YouTube : https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLij2XTFgmBSRjG57WlJA2RhkWB4OkGGtG

*********************

ABOUT CULTURE KIDS

Culture Kids is a grassroots 501(c)(3) nonprofit powered by families and volunteers, creating free, world-class cultural education for children everywhere. We rely on your support to keep the Culture Train chugging along.

Here’s how you can help:

Donate: https://www.culturekidsmedia.com/support/

Leave us a 5-star review on Apple Podcasts — it really helps new families discover our show.

CREDITS

Host and Produced By: Kristen Kim

Co-Hosts: Asher & Arden Kim

Guest & Co Producer: Zoe Goldman/ J. Paul Getty Trust

Post Production & Audio Engineer: Robin Lai

Academic Consultant: Elisha Li

Nonprofit Consultant: Ami Awad

STAY CONNECTED WITH US!

Instagram: @culturekidsproductions

Website: http://culturekidsproductions.com

Email / Voicemail: available through our site, we love hearing from you!

🎉 Culture Kids Joke Fest Reminder!

There is still time to send in your funniest joke. Simply leave it in a 5 star review on Apple Podcasts. Your joke might be featured in our special end of year Joke Fest episode.

Here's a rewritten version optimized for SEO while keeping the warmth and voice intact:

Grab your imaginary passports! Today, we're fluttering into a magical world of glowing flowers, shimmering wings, and butterflies from every corner of the globe.

This enchanted episode was inspired by Eleanor, age 5. Thank you, Eleanor, for the most beautiful suggestion!

🌼 What Kids Will Experience

In this immersive kids' podcast adventure, children and families explore an enchanted meadow where flowers shift colors, mango trees appear out of nowhere, and butterflies reveal their most astonishing secrets. Through rich storytelling, imaginative play, and playful discovery, kids uncover surprising butterfly facts and discover how butterflies appear in cultures around the world, from the Amazon rainforest to Mexican Día de Muertos traditions.

🦋 Butterfly Facts Kids Will Learn

Why butterflies taste with their feet

How butterflies see colors invisible to the human eye

How some butterfly species survive freezing winters

What a proboscis is and how butterflies use it to eat

Why Monarch butterflies migrate up to 3,000 miles

The cultural significance of Monarch butterflies during Día de Muertos

Why Blue Morpho butterflies appear blue even though they technically aren't

How butterflies support healthy forests and ecosystems

How Indigenous communities in the Amazon honor and connect with brightly colored butterflies

This adventure invites children to slow down, look closely, and appreciate the small wonders hiding in plain sight. Butterflies remind us that even the most delicate creatures can be extraordinary, and that our world is full of magic waiting to be discovered.

🎙️ About Culture Kids Podcast

Culture Kids is an award-winning, grassroots 501(c)(3) nonprofit children's podcast creating free, world-class cultural education for kids ages 4 to 8. Every episode is powered by families and volunteers who believe every child deserves a window into the wider world. We cover global cultures, animal conservation, social-emotional learning, and the beauty of belonging, one adventure at a time.

Help us keep the Culture Train going:


Donate: culturekidsmedia.com/support


Leave a 5-star review on Apple Podcasts, it helps new families find us!

🎧 Episode Credits

Host & Executive Producer: Kristen Kim
Co-Host: Asher Kim
Post Production & Audio Engineer: Robin Lai
Academic Consultant: Elisha Li
Nonprofit Consultant: Ami Awad

📲 Stay Connected

Instagram: @culturekidsproductionsWebsite: culturekidsproductions.comEmail & Voicemail: Available through our site. We love hearing from you!

Bundle up, Culture Kids! Today, we travel to the sparkling heart of winter magic at Rockefeller Center in New York City. Together, we explore the world-famous Rockefeller Christmas Tree, sip hot chocolate, glide past the ice-skating rink, and discover the golden story of Prometheus, the statue who brings light and hope to millions. This audio-immersive episode is filled with twinkling lights, heartwarming stories from history, and the incredible tradition that began with one small tree during the Great Depression. Your Culture Train tickets are ready… all aboard!

In this episode, kids will learn the rich history behind the Rockefeller Christmas Tree, starting from its humble beginnings in 1931 and the reason it brought so much hope during the Great Depression. They’ll discover fun facts about the Norway spruce and the glittering star that crowns it, along with the meaning behind Paul Manship’s Prometheus statue and why it shines so brightly at Rockefeller Center. Children will also explore what winter holiday magic means to families around the world and learn simple, meaningful ways they can share their own spark of kindness this season.

Links & Resources

Explore more about today’s destination:

Rockefeller Center Official Site:https://www.rockefellercenter.com
About the Rockefeller Christmas Tree:https://www.rockefellercenter.com/holidays/rockefeller-center-christmas-tree
About Prometheus Statue:https://www.rockefellercenter.com/art-and-history/prometheus

ABOUT CULTURE KIDS

Culture Kids is a grassroots 501(c)(3) nonprofit powered by families and volunteers, creating free, world-class cultural education for children everywhere. We rely on your support to keep the Culture Train chugging along.

Here’s how you can help:

Donate: https://www.culturekidsmedia.com/support/

Leave us a 5-star review on Apple Podcasts, it really helps new families discover our show!

CREDITS

Host and Produced By: Kristen Kim

Co-Hosts: Asher Kim

Guest: Dhruv Singhal

Post Production & Audio Engineer: Robin Lai

Academic Consultant: Elisha Li

Nonprofit Consultant: Ami Awad

STAY CONNECTED WITH US!

Instagram: @culturekidsproductions

Website: http://culturekidsproductions.com

Email / Voicemail: available through our site, we love hearing from you!

Pack your imaginary bags, Culture Kids! In this episode, Kristen, Asher, and our special guest Ms. Zoe, producer of Getty's podcast If Objects Could Talk, take you on a magical adventure to the Getty Villa Museum in Los Angeles. Together, we stroll through sunlit gardens and explore an ancient Roman-style villa. Then, with a whirl of our time machine, we journey back two thousand years to a grand dining room to see how Romans prepared for a spectacular dinner party. Kids will discover how ancient Romans reclined on couches while eating, what dishes and cups looked like in the ancient world, why people often ate with their hands, and how paintings inspired by Egypt became popular decorations inside Roman homes.

This episode also includes a special shout-out to Henry for his wonderful five-star review and a reminder to send in your funniest joke for our end-of-year Culture Kids Joke Fest!

 VISIT THE GETTY VILLA MUSEUM

The Getty Villa Museum in Los Angeles is dedicated to the arts and cultures of ancient Greece, Rome, and Etruria. It is housed in a re-created Roman country home, complete with gardens, pools, mosaics, and over a thousand ancient artworks. 

Website: ⁠https://www.getty.edu/visit/villa/⁠

Follow the Getty: Instagram: ⁠ https://www.instagram.com/gettymuseum⁠ YouTube: ⁠https://www.youtube.com/gettymuseum⁠ TikTok: ⁠https://www.tiktok.com/@gettymuseum⁠ Facebook: ⁠https://www.facebook.com/gettymuseum⁠

CHECK OUT IF OBJECTS COULD TALK:

https://www.getty.edu/podcasts/if-objects-could-talk/⁠ — includes episodes, transcripts, activity guides, coloring sheets, and images

Apple Podcasts : ⁠https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/if-objects-could-talk/id1833978909⁠ ⁠Apple Podcasts⁠

YouTube : https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLij2XTFgmBSRjG57WlJA2RhkWB4OkGGtG

*********************

ABOUT CULTURE KIDS

Culture Kids is a grassroots 501(c)(3) nonprofit powered by families and volunteers, creating free, world-class cultural education for children everywhere. We rely on your support to keep the Culture Train chugging along.

Here’s how you can help:

Donate: https://www.culturekidsmedia.com/support/

Leave us a 5-star review on Apple Podcasts — it really helps new families discover our show.

CREDITS

Host and Produced By: Kristen Kim

Co-Hosts: Asher & Arden Kim

Guest & Co Producer: Zoe Goldman/ J. Paul Getty Trust

Post Production & Audio Engineer: Robin Lai

Academic Consultant: Elisha Li

Nonprofit Consultant: Ami Awad

STAY CONNECTED WITH US!

Instagram: @culturekidsproductions

Website: http://culturekidsproductions.com

Email / Voicemail: available through our site, we love hearing from you!

All aboard, Culture Kids!

In this week’s magical adventure, Mom and Asher hop on the Culture Train and travel to Beijing, China, a city filled with history, color, and stories that stretch back thousands of years. Together with special guest Ms. Dan Song, author of the My City Adventures series, they step through the mighty red gates of the Forbidden City, where emperors once ruled and legends were born.

You’ll hear the echoes of ancient footsteps, learn what the color red means in Chinese culture, and even discover why the Forbidden City was once “forbidden.” From dragons and phoenixes to royal bedrooms and bronze cranes, this episode brings China’s past to life in a way kids can see, hear, and imagine. And of course, no Culture Kids adventure would be complete without food! 🍽️

Join us as we try Peking duck, one of Beijing’s most famous dishes, once enjoyed by emperors and still beloved today.

Families will also learn simple Mandarin phrases, explore what makes each region of China unique, and celebrate the beauty of cultural diversity across this incredible country.

About Our City Adventure Series :

The Our City Adventure series is published by Phoenix Tree Publishing, Inc.

These books invite readers to travel vicariously through several of China’s exciting cities: Xi’an, Chengdu, Hong Kong, Beijing, Shanghai, etc., learning about the local culture, language, foods, and more!

Buy Here:

https://www.phoenixtree.com/shop

Search for "Our City Adventures" and choose a city of your choice- or buy them all!

Culture Kids is a grassroots 501(c)(3) nonprofit powered by families and volunteers, creating free, world-class cultural education for children everywhere. We rely on your support to keep the Culture Train chugging along.

Here’s how you can help:

Donate: https://www.culturekidsmedia.com/support/

Leave us a 5-star review on Apple Podcasts — it really helps new families discover our show.

Credits

Host and Produced By: Kristen Kim

Co-Hosts: Asher & Arden Kim

Guest: Dan Song

Post Production & Audio Engineer: Robin Lai

Academic Consultant: Elisha Li

Nonprofit Consultant: Ami Awad

Stay connected with us:

Instagram: @culturekidsproductions

Website: http://culturekidsproductions.com

Email / Voicemail: available through our site — we love hearing from you!

Helloo Culture Kids! Grab your imaginary passports and bags because today, Mom (Kristen) and Asher hop on our magical train and travel to the beautiful island of the Dominican Republic. 🇩🇴 We meet our friend Ms. D, a Dominican social-media chef, by a riverside feast to cook the national dish: La Bandera Dominicana (the Dominican flag on a plate!). Together we explore the island’s music, languages, food, community spirit, and why this dish means so much. We hope you’re ready for delicious smells, sizzling pans, river fun, and lots of learning. And don’t forget Asher’s reminder: after all that cooking, we might just dip into the river!

In this episode, you’ll learn where the Dominican Republic is and what makes it such a musical, vibrant, and culturally rich country. You’ll discover what La Bandera Dominicana is and how its colors, white rice, red beans, stewed chicken, and a green salad, represent the nation’s flag. You’ll also hear how to cook chicken in a caldero, a traditional Dominican pot used over a fire, using sofrito, Dominican oregano, garlic, and black pepper. Ms. D even shows us the clever trick of adding a little brown sugar to create that deep, golden color on the chicken.

Connect & Follow Ms D

Instagram: @_cookingwitd — “The Dominican Way, bueno my way!”

TikTok: (look for “CookingWitD”)

Email/Partnerships: cookingwitd1@gmail.com

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Credits

Hosts: Kristen & Asher Kim

Guest & Co Producer: Ms. Dahianna (CookingwitD)

Edited, Written and Produced by: Kristen Kim

Music & Sound FX: Envato Elements

Audio Engineer & Post: Robin Lai

Academic Consultant: Elisha Li