Culture Kids

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

Beep Beep! It's Garbage Truck Day!

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