Ear Snacks

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 along with crafts, activities & snacks to support a full day of rocking and rolling -- so come sing & dance with us? Or tell a friend who can? Thank you for any way you can support family musicians these days, so we can keep making good stuff for your kids - and all kids!

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

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. (Entomolgist Chris Wheeler also gets some words in edge-wise1)

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 more snacks? Connect with us on Instagram, Facebook, Twitter or TikTok!

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 thank you to all our listeners for your beautiful inner lights and for using them to help others see something new. Please consider supporting our work this holiday season at patreon.com/earsnacks (and receive a cameo-style personalized video!) To learn more or to be on the show, visit earsnacks.org – thanks for listening!

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!

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!

Why ARE there so many songs about rainbows? Because there's SO MUCH TO SAY about them! 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! And Nina Silver takes us on a guided unpacking of flood myths and rainbows as symbols of hope in a sonically rich imagining of Noah's Ark at the Skirball Cultural Center. In this episode, you'll hear: Rainbow Shoppe by Andrew & Polly (feat. Lucy Kalantari) Bourbon Street Stroll (Raga Hemant) by Charu Suri from Rags & Ragas Aaj Rang Hai (Today There is Color) by Charu Suri from The Book of Ragas (Vol. 2) additional underscore by Andrew & Polly You can hear more colorful bops on our Spotify Playlist: (So Many) Songs About Rainbows Many thanks to Charu, Nina, and our friends Adrian, Stella Rose, Townes, and Tenny (and their parents & siblings) for sharing what they know about rainbows! If you know a kid who has something to say (spoiler alert: they all do!), to learn more or to be on the show, visit earsnacks.org

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 fun and learning and good food!

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 her time working with Bread and Circus Theater and the giant protest puppets they've used in civic engagement since the 60's. Many thanks to Andy Ferguson for sharing his artistry and Red Yarn's song, Town Hall Meeting. You can find more of his music and puppetry at redyarnproductions.com. Thanks to librarian Angela Diveglia for hopping on the phone with old college friends to talk about her super-inspiring work (and muscles!) with Bread and Puppet Theater Company. If you're in Vermont, look 'em up! Vocabulary & Ideas in this episode include: Twizzle Pantomime Collaborate Protest puppetry To learn more or to be on the show, visit earsnacks.org

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 in her chest (her pacemaker-defibrillator) and the way it keeps her heart dancing to a steady beat. Many thanks to artist, muralist, designer, entrepreneur and podcaster Ruben Rojas for talking with us. His podcast explores the emotional journeys of artists, athletes and other creators seeking to Live Through Love. You can find more of Reuben's work at rubenrojas.com – or if you walk around, you might just find it on GIANT WALLS. And thanks to Fyütch + Aura V for sharing their new single, I AM LOVE, I AM LIGHT, available wherever you get your affirmational bops! Vocabulary & Ideas in this episode include: Stethoscope Animal heart rates Aorta! Atrium! Ventricle! Arrhythmia Pacemaker-defibrillator Mural Electro-pounce Thanks to EVERYPLATE for sponsoring Ear Sncaks. Go to everyplate.com/podcast and enter code 49earsnacks for $1.49 per meal + $1 steaks for life. Subscription must be active to qualify and redeem $1 steak. Need more snacks? Connect with us on Instagram, Facebook, Twitter or TikTok! To learn more or to be on the show, visit earsnacks.org

Guest host extraordinaire Carly Ciarrocchi introduces you to the 5 GRAMMY-nominated artists for Best Children's Music Album: 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! We hope you'll follow these artists and support their work! @djwillywow @123conandres @andrewandpolly @hellounclehumbo @piercefreelon @nnennafreelon There is so much amazing music being made for families right now, and it's hard work - do you part and share what you love! To learn more about Ear Snacks or to be on the show, visit earsnacks.org - and thanks for listening!

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 Wire, and a vast array of bells including: Almglocken, Bell Trees, Bicycle Bells, Camel Bells, Cat Bells, Chimes, Church Bells, Cow Bells, Door Bells, Elephant Bells, Hand Bells, Microtonal Bells, Orchestral Bells, Sleigh Bells, Ship Bells, Telephone Bells, Tubular Bells and more! Many thanks to North American mammal and author Andrew Leland whose book helped us share about visual impairment, parenting with a disability, the spectrum of blindness and disabilities, and the importance of language regarding inclusion. The Country of the Blind is available wherever you get your books. Thanks to Abby Savell of L.A. Percussion Rentals for generously touring us around her cornucopia of over 1300+ percussion instruments available to rent for live and studio music productions in Southern California. This episode features "The Finest Drops" from A Bell is a Cup by Wire and original underscore by GRAMMY-nominated musicians, Andrew & Polly. Thanks to EVERYPLATE for sponsoring Ear Sncaks. Go to everyplate.com/podcast and enter code 49earsnacks for $1.49 per meal + $1 steaks for life. Subscription must be active to qualify and redeem $1 steak.

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 All I Want for Christmas is Used by Formidable Vegetable Coniferous Trees by Molly Ledford & Billy Kelly Zat You Santa Claus by Jazzy Ash Kwanzaa Slide by Culture Queen & Fyütch Bright Winter Day by Little Miss Ann Esta Lucesita by Elizabeth Mitchell & Suni Paz So Freaking Ready for a New Year by those jokers Andrew & Polly

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 by Formidable Vegetable Little Mushroom by Pierce Freelon & Nnenna Freelon The Mycelium Underground News by the Okee Dokee Brothers Why is Fruit Fruit? by Andrew & Polly  We hope you love these tunes, sing them to people who need this information, and support these artists. We've been sharing music from our friends in celebration of our new album, "Ahhhhh!" - songs that empower kids to take on tough stuff by helping them think, feel and sometimes even SHOUT their way through challenges. To find out more or to be on the show, visit earsnacks.org

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 turn a playground structure into a percussion instrument. You can hear the full version of the song featured at the end of the episode “The Scientific Method” (feat. Mista Cookie Jar) on Andrew & Polly's GRAMMY-nominated album “Ahhhhh!” wherever your get your music. Thanks to Shopify for supporting Ear Snacks! Sign up for a $1/month trial period at shopify.com/earsnacks

You're doing great! Share your whole heart - whether it's feeling heavy or floating with joy. Dance it out, y'all! On this episode of Er 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. You'll hear: Tiger in a Hammock by You and Us Wild Thing by Hot Toast Music Company Let's Get Mad by Andrew & Polly feat. Alphabet Rockers Let It Out by Mills Trills feat. Augie Dungey No Nap Today by Flor Bromley Grandma Told Me by Makayla Malaka Everybody Needs to Cry by Strawbitty Yops Like a Bubble by Andrew & Polly feat. Mista Cookie Jar We hope you love these tunes, sing them at the top of your lungs, and support these artists. To find out more or to be on the show, visit earsnacks.org

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 23 Skidoo I Am Enough by Miss Julieann & Propel Schools Performing Arts Academy I Can Do It! by Kath Bee (feat. Suzy Cato) Affirmation Interlude by Lavender Blues Tiny Dino by Andrew & Polly What Book? by Ants on a Log The Knowing by Ani DiFranco We hope you'll follow and support their work – and find these songs and more rad music like this on our "I Can Do It!" Spotify 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 bounce back! Many thanks to these awesome music-makers for sharing their songs: All We Can Be by Kendall Glitter Off the Paper by Uncle Jumbo @hellouncleumbo Rainbow Shoppe by Andrew & Polly feat. Lucy Kalantari @lucytoon Help You Do the Work by Pierce Freelon @piercefreelon & Nnenna Freelon @nnennafrelon feat. Jarrett Johnson @jarrettamjohnson Little Grey Cloud (It's OK to Cry) by Benny Time @bennytimemusic feat. Claudia Robin Guynn, Eastcoast Inspirational Singers @EastcoastInspirationalSingers I've Got a Problem (Ahhhhh!) by Andrew & Polly feat. Kristin Andreassen @thebrightsidersmusic We Feel It by Alphabet Rockers @alphabetrockers Hope is a Verb by Claudia Robin Gunn @claudiarobingunn We hope you'll follow and support their work – and find these songs and more rad music like this on our Joy & Resilience playlist on Spotify. We hope these bops brighten your day!

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 Izzy — and their parents — for sharing what they know about cartoons. To learn more or to be on the show, visit earsnacks.org Thanks to Shopify for supporting Ear Snacks. Sign up for a $1/month trial period at shopify.com/earsnacks

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 make their Ear Snacks debut pondering what they know about movement.

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.

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 Jar feat. Fyütch, Genevieve Goings, Orbit Dean “ABC You A G” by Nnenna & Pierce Freelon feat. Stella Freelon “Sunflower (Kindness Grows)”by Claudia Robin Gunn & Itty Bitty Beats “So Many Ways” by Little Miss Ann feat. Uncle Jumbo Please follow, share and support the work of these amazing musicians! To find out more or be on the show, visit earsnacks.org! Thanks to Shopify for supporting Ear Snacks. Go to Shopify.com/earsnacks for a FREE trial.

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 Charlie Mgee for popping back on the grid to speak with us and sharing 3 songs from their most recent album "Garbage Buts". To find out more about Formidable Vegetable's music and permaculture activism, visit https://formidablevegetable.com.au/ To find out more about Ear Snacks or to be on the show, visit earsnacks.org

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 are Not Alone" which is a song AND NOW A BOOK! Their song "Get You a Friend" is on their new GRAMMY-Award-Winning Album, The Movement. On this show you heard their thoughts and their art and now you need to go hear more of their music and get their book and support their work at alphabetrockers.com.  For more or to be on the show, visit earsnacks.org. Thanks to Shopify for supporting Ear Snacks. Sign up for a one-dollar-per-month trial period at shopify.com/earsnacks

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-based board games, writes children's books illustrated by Christian Robinson, and advocates for musicians rights. He shared “I Have Been a Unicorn” from his GRAMMY-nominated album “Space Cadet” Alphabet Rockers from Oakland, CA (@alphabetrockets) contain multitudes. We've shared their community-based social justice projects The butterfly Effect and We Got Work To Do on the show, and their children's book You Are Not Alone features in an upcoming episode of Ear Snacks about friendship and loneliness. They shared “Our Turn” from their GRAMMY-nominated album “The Movement” Wendy and DB from Chicago, IL (@wendyandDB) work with and fundraise for the Chicago blues community, organize community art projects, and yes – eat tuna on crackers. They shared “If I Had a Hammer” from their GRAMMY-nominated album “Into the Little Blue House” We hope this playlist piques your family's interest in the awesome artistry at work in the children's genre and that you take the time to explore the work of these generous guests! Ear Snacks is made by Andrew & Polly. To find out more or to be on the show, visit earnacks.org - and thanks for listening!

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 picture book Rosa's Song illustrated by Pascal Campion. Many thanks to our friends Harlow, Elijah, Maya, Alex, Miles, Isabel (and their parents!) for sharing what they know about friends with us. For more information or to be on the show, please visit earsnacks.org Thanks to Shopify for supporting Ear Snacks. Sign up for a one-dollar-per-month trial period at shopify.com/earsnacks

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, Sam, and Thiri (and their parents) for sharing what they know about lights and how their families use lights to celebrate. 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 more snacks? Connect with us on Instagram, Facebook, Twitter or TikTok! Thanks to Shopify for supporting Ear Snacks. Go to Shopify.com/earsnacks for a FREE trial.

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 talks earthquake science (aka seismology) & L.A. Everett shares about how he cracked the bones in his arm. To find out more or to be on the show, visit earsnacks.org Thanks to Shopify for supporting Ear Snacks. Go to Shopify.com/earsnacks for a FREE trial.

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! 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 more snacks? Connect with us on Instagram, Facebook, Twitter or TikTok! Go to Shopify.com/earsnacks for a FREE trial.

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 arranging our interview with Mr. Baldessari. You can learn more about John Baldessari at baldessari.org or at most modern art museums. Or via this epic 6-minute biography narrated by Tom Waits. For more information or to be on the show, visit earsnacks.org. And thanks to Shopify for supporting Ear Snacks. Go to Shopify.com/earsnacks for a FREE fourteen-day trial and get full access to Shopify's entire suite of features.

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).

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 new song, “Like a Bubble!" Thanks to Kaya, Kali, Kieran, Vada & Shai (who made some bubble art for this episode) for sharing what they know about bubbles! To learn more or to be on the show, visit earsnacks.org and special thanks to our amazing new Patreon supporters Winona, Margot, Gussy, & Theo family! To support the work we do, join us at patreon.com/earsnacks Thanks to editor extraordinaire Allyson Holley for helping us make this episode, as well as musicians Bruno Serroni (cello), Davi Mello (cavaquino), Jon-Paul Frappier (trumpet), Chris Bonner (bass) and Chris Barber (drums) for bringing our original music to life. And as always, thank YOU for listening -- it means a lot. Need more snacks? Connect with us on Instagram, Facebook, Twitter or TikTok!

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 Museum in Tampa, Florida. We compose a storm of voices by sampling our incredible audience. We think about glaciers and droughts with hydrologist Dr. Jess Driscoll. And we put a tune to an age-old question, "How Can You Tell if It's Going to Rain?" To learn more or to be on the show, visit earsnacks.org

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 andrewandpolly.com to find out more or reach out to us directly -- we'd love to connect with you IRL! To offer us any feedback on this episode or if your kid wants to be on the show, visit earsnacks.org - thanks for listening!

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 Remix) by Alphabet Rockers Nothing Wrong With The Black Crayon by DJ Willy Wow! |  We All Live by Melanie DeMore Mtoto Mzuri by Jabali Afrika (feat. Ahadi) Beautiful Brown Babies by Kymberly Stewart Learn more about each of these 24 Black family music artists across the country and on social media via #allonetribe #1tribecollective. Support the project by buying the album and sharing the music! Special thanks to Aaron Nigel Smith and Family Music Forward for facilitating this mixtape. 100% of ad revenue from this episode will go to supporting 1 Tribe Collective. Thanks to Shopify for supporting Ear Snacks. Go to Shopify.com/earsnacks for a FREE fourteen-day trial and get full access to Shopify's entire suite of features.

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 and get your FREE business banking account

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 mention that Gutenberg's printing press was the first development in moveable type in 1400. The episode you just heard is a revision as of 5/11/2022. We want to thank listener, typographer and mom Steph Rue for alerting us to the many many years of developments in typography in Asia that predate the printing press. Our previous release reinforced a western perspective, which is incorrect and as part of our ongoing work to dismantle racism we have decided to release a new version and our hope is to share that with you as transparently as possible. Thank you to Steph for noticing this, bringing it to us, educating us and allowing us a chance to do this work. Parts of this episode were recorded live at the Strathmore Performing Arts Center in North Bethesda, MD. For more information, check out: Ana Gomez-Bernaus's lettering art, The Pen Addict and Strathmore Performing Arts Center. Thanks to Shopify for supporting Ear Snacks. Go to Shopify.com/earsnacks for a FREE fourteen-day trial and get full access to Shopify's entire suite of features.

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 and Sunday 4/23 & 4/24, introducing some of your favorite authors, some friends and even some legends - and sharing wiggles and giggles and tunes, too. And Sunday before we head there we'll be singing from 10:30-11:30 at CAMP, a new family experience space in the Century City Mall. Can't wait to see some of you there! To be on the show or to find out more, visit earsnacks.org. Thanks to NOVO for supporting Ear Snacks. Go to Novo.co/EARSNACKS and get your FREE business banking account

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 Company's smoke dried peppers, sauces and spice blends at sparking-river.com Our neighbor Miriam takes us to visit the Peace Garden, an urban garden space at Peace4Kids in South Central Los Angeles for youth in the foster care system. Zaid started the garden, Alex tends it, and a blue-bellied lizard named Tom visits it. Miriam, Alex, and Zaid talk about the garden, their work with youth in foster care through the non-profit Peace4Kids, what nature means to them, and what seeds - and ideas - need to grow. You can learn more and support their work at peace4kids.org and see Miriam's artwork at miriamcortez.com. Many thanks to Fred Gray, Miriam Cortez, Alex Zalder, Zaid Gayle, and our friends Amelia, Bennett, Charlie, Sam and Kalinga for talking to us about growing all kinds of things.  To be on the show or to find out more, visit earsnacks.org. Thanks to Shopify for supporting Ear Snacks. Go to Shopify.com/earsnacks for a FREE fourteen-day trial and get full access to Shopify's entire suite of features.

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's Name” by us and the hilarious and gregarious Mike Phirman (performing a rare live show in Colorado this weekend!) You can find more tomfoolery and improv storytelling opportunities at Story Pirates April Fools Camp!  To learn more or to be on the show, visit earsnacks.org – and thanks for listening!

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 project. With so much in the news about war and migration, this episode and amazing book can be a resource for families and educators who are taking a proactive approach to supporting children's understanding of complicated events as well as a lifelong process of cultivation of empathy. Plus, easy activities that we can do to support children who have had to leave their homes. Find Our World is a Family wherever you get your books. Find free resources and activities at miryslist.org/learn – and thank you. (Also, here's a WBUR interview about how Miry's List is preparing to welcome families from Ukraine ) Thanks to NOVO for supporting Ear Snacks. Go to Novo.co/EARSNACKS and get your FREE business banking account

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” (instead of sleepover) Trippy Dreams How different families say goodnight Thanks to Shopify for supporting Ear Snacks. Go to Shopify.com/earsnacks for a FREE fourteen-day trial and get full access to Shopify's entire suite of features. What's your kiddo's favorite episode of Ear Snacks? For a chance to be featured on the show, let us know at earsnacks.org! Interview: Your Favorite Ear Snacks Moment! Please record kids' answers via voice memo, give them time to answer, skip/expand on these questions as needed, and don't forget -- have fun! E-mail recordings to earsnacks@andrewandpolly.com Say: Hi, Andrew & Polly and Ear Snacks Listeners! Who are you? (What's your first name? How old are you? Where do you live? For this one, it's especially helpful if they answer in full sentences - "My name is ______ or I am _______.") When and where do you listen to Ear Snacks? Who do you listen with? What's your favorite episode of Ear Snacks? What's your favorite thing that has happened on Ear Snacks? Why do you like to listen to that part so much? Have you ever been inspired to explore something, make something or have a family joke or something you say to each other because of something on Ear Snacks? What is it? Anything else you want to share with Andrew & Polly? What do you call kids who listen to Ear Snacks? (Ear Snackers? Ear Snacks friends? Ear Snacks people?) Tell us to play your favorite part in your own words, or say one of these: - Cue the tape! - Will you play it now? - Let's listen to it! I love this part! - Let's just play it already! - Remember that time on Ear Snacks when... Say: Bye, Andrew & Polly! E-mail your voice memo to earsnacks@andrewandpolly.com

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 jails in this episode (or our house)? Check out and donate to the non-profit The Sentencing Project. Black Americans are incarcerated in state prisons across the country at nearly five times the rate of whites, and Latinx people are 1.3 times as likely to be incarcerated than non-Latinx whites. We highly discourage play that involves police, jails, and prisons and encourage age-appropriate discourse with young children around those topics instead. If you are parent or educator who is worried about bad guy and superhero play, check out this episode for parents: "Pretend gun Play and Actual Bad Guys with Jane Lindholm." For anyone who wants to go even deeper, check out this documentation of "bad guy" play published in Early Childhood Research and Practice. So - what's your kiddo's favorite episode of Ear Snacks? We'd love them to introduce it - Here are the details of how to participate: Interview: Your Favorite Ear Snacks Moment! Please record kids' answers via voice memo, give them time to answer, skip/expand on these questions as needed, and don't forget -- have fun! E-mail recordings to earsnacks@andrewandpolly.com Say: Hi, Andrew & Polly and Ear Snacks Listeners! Who are you? (What's your first name? How old are you? Where do you live? For this one, it's especially helpful if they answer in full sentences - "My name is ______ or I am _______.") When and where do you listen to Ear Snacks? Who do you listen with? What's your favorite episode of Ear Snacks? What's your favorite thing that has happened on Ear Snacks? Why do you like to listen to that part so much? Have you ever been inspired to explore something, make something or have a family joke or something you say to each other because of something on Ear Snacks? What is it? Anything else you want to share with Andrew & Polly? What do you call kids who listen to Ear Snacks? (Ear Snackers? Ear Snacks friends? Ear Snacks people?) Tell us to play your favorite part in your own words, or say one of these: - Cue the tape! - Will you play it now? - Let's listen to it! I love this part! - Let's just play it already! - Remember that time on Ear Snacks when... Say: Bye, Andrew & Polly! E-mail your voice memo to earsnacks@andrewandpolly.com

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) TUNAFISH SANDWICH PIECE (1964, spring) So - what's your kiddo's favorite episode of Ear Snacks? We'd love them to introduce it - Here are the details of how to participate: Interview: Your Favorite Ear Snacks Moment! Please record kids' answers via voice memo, give them time to answer, skip/expand on these questions as needed, and don't forget -- have fun! E-mail recordings to earsnacks@andrewandpolly.com Say: Hi, Andrew & Polly and Ear Snacks Listeners! Who are you? (What's your first name? How old are you? Where do you live? For this one, it's especially helpful if they answer in full sentences - "My name is ______ or I am _______.") When and where do you listen to Ear Snacks? Who do you listen with? What's your favorite episode of Ear Snacks? What's your favorite thing that has happened on Ear Snacks? Why do you like to listen to that part so much? Have you ever been inspired to explore something, make something or have a family joke or something you say to each other because of something on Ear Snacks? What is it? Anything else you want to share with Andrew & Polly? What do you call kids who listen to Ear Snacks? (Ear Snackers? Ear Snacks friends? Ear Snacks people?) Tell us to play your favorite part in your own words, or say one of these: - Cue the tape! - Will you play it now? - Let's listen to it! I love this part! - Let's just play it already! - Remember that time on Ear Snacks when... Say: Bye, Andrew & Polly! E-mail your voice memo to earsnacks@andrewandpolly.com

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 experiments of physicists like Marty asking the same questions we ask on Ear Snacks – What's that made of? How can we learn more about it? And what's next? Giga thanks to Marty for walking us through the fundamental nature of matter and SLAC NAtional Accelerator Laboratory's Manuel Gnida for arranging the interview. To support the work that we do and get bonus content and personalized birthday messages, visit patreon.com/earsnacks -- thanks for listening!

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 One Tribe by Fyütch feat. Divinity Roxx Attitude of Gratitude from Black to the Future by Pierce Freelon feat. Kelly Kale Immense gratitude for the music these talented Grammy-nominated artists made and shared with us today: We hope you'll look these artists up – and share their work so other friends can discover some new music for their new year. We are looking for some NEW ideas for Ear Snacks + NEW friends who want to be on the show – to be on the show, have your grownup tell us what you're super into by visiting earnsacks.org Thanks so much to Shopify for making this episode of Ear Snacks possible. Go to Shopify.com/earsnacks for a FREE fourteen-day trial and get full access to Shopify's entire suite of features.

Looking for some learning this winter break? 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 listeners for your beautiful inner lights and for using them to help others see something new. Please consider supporting our work this holiday season at patreon.com/earsnacks (and receive a cameo-style personalized video!) To learn more or to be on the show, visit earsnacks.org – thanks for listening!

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 All I Want for Christmas is Used by Formidable Vegetable Coniferous Trees by Molly Ledford & Billy Kelly Zat You Santa Claus by Jazzy Ash Kwanzaa Slide by Culture Queen & Fyütch Bright Winter Day by Little Miss Ann Esta Lucesita by Elizabeth Mitchell & Suni Paz So Freaking Ready for a New Year by those jokers Andrew & Polly

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, culture & love). We encourage families to do the work of learning about Kwanzaa and talking about its origins.    Thanks again to our friends Arlo, Molly, Poppy, Opal, Sam, and Thiri (and their parents) for sharing what they know about lights and how their families use lights to celebrate. Coming up next in the Ear Snacks Celebration of Lights - bioluminescence and more original holiday tunes for the whole family. Stay cozy out there! Please consider supporting our work this holiday season at patreon.com/earsnacks (and receive a cameo-style personalized video for your kiddo's birthday!) To learn more or to be on the show, visit earsnacks.org – thanks for listening! And connect with us on Instagram, Facebook, Twitter or TikTok! Thanks to this episode's sponsors: Thanks, Candlewick Press! Get the Ada and the Galaxies, We Are One: How the World Adds Up,  Interrupting Chicken: Cookies for Breakfast and Ear Worm wherever books are sold. Thanks iD Tech Pro. To save up to $200 across all iD Tech programs, including summer tech camps, online private tutoring and small-group classes and certifications, go to idtech.com/EARSNACKS.

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 lights to celebrate. As the nights get longer, we'll dive deeper into how lights work, bioluminescence, and how our inner light can shine to help others see something new. To be on the show or to find out more, visit earsnacks.org