Ear Snacks Podcast for Kids

The Steps to Making Great Art with John Baldessari

Andrew & Polly and their friends think about STEPS - the kinds you take with your feet, like when you go on a walk with mom, or when you have an idea for a sandwich, paper airplane - or amazing art project. We interview an alien, our friends, and art legend John Baldessari who died in January, 2020 at the age of 88.Many thanks to Malcolm, Jonas, Milena, Sady, Ella, and to Patrick Pardo for 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.

A Visit to the Dentist

It's important to keep your teeth healthy! Andrew & Polly learn what to expect when visiting the dentist and get some official teeth info from one of the friendliest pediatric dentists around, Dr. Jessie Schwarz. Plus, a song about a Saw & Zipper (who both have teeth).

Bubbles! (It’s ephemeral, kid.)

Pop! Welcome to a very floaty episode of Ear Snacks in which Andrew & Polly (literally) get into bubbles. Come ponder the nature of glistening spheres, learn the science of surface tension and explore the wonders of Bubble Planet at Kidspace Children’s Museum, and wax poetic about the joy of sharing bubbles with our effortlessly effervescent pal, Mista Cookie Jar -- who helps us make a brand 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/earsnacksThanks 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!

Is it going to rain?

Forget weather apps -- by looking and listening outside, how can you tell if it's going to rain? Perfect for staring out of car windows or finding a cozy space to draw, Andrew & Polly ask their friends from New Zealand to Arkansas all about the weather where they live.We learn about how the water cycle works by imagining ourselves as rain drops with Carie Fallwell from the Glazer Children's 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

What should we pack? (Camping with kids + helping refugee families with Miry’s List)

Kevin & Louise Giraffe attempt to pack for a camping trip while Andrew & Polly ask kids what they know about tents. Miry's List founder Miry Whitehill helps kids and families imagine what makes a home feel safe and cozy and helps us think about ways we can welcome refugee families resettling in our neighborhoods.We're figuring out what to pack for our July mini-tour in Colorado! Visit 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!

Celebrating Juneteenth!

In this episode of Ear Snacks we celebrate Juneteenth by sharing songs from "All One Tribe," a compilation celebrating the rich culture and diversity that Black voices bring to family music.All One Tribe / Juneteenth Mixtape
For All by The Wise Channel
Family Reunion by Fyütch (feat. Divinity Roxx)
I Believe by Shine & the Moonbeams
Clap Your Hands by The Magic Jones
Shine (Melanin 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.

Here’s one thing you’ll need for summer travel!

What is a hat!?!? Andrew & Polly are determined to find out.Thanks for listening! Ear Snacks is centered around children’s voices & ideas. To support the work we’re doing or to be on the show, visit earsnacks.org or become a supporter on Patreon.Need more snacks? Connect with us on Instagram, Facebook, Twitter or TikTok!Thanks to NOVO for supporting Ear Snacks. Go to Novo.co/EARSNACKS and get your FREE business banking account

Time Travel Experiments with Letter Writing!

H-E-L-L-O! What's a letter? How old is the invention of type? How does a ballpoint pen work? Andrew & Polly investigate. Ana Gomez-Bernaus explains the art of typography and designing your own letters, and The Pen Addict's Brad Dowdy muses on drawing miniature cities and writing letters to baseball players to get their autographs.We first published this episode in 2017 with an incorrect 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.

Back on Stage this Weekend - Gotta Get Ready!

We are so excited to be back on stage this weekend at the LA Times Festival of Books *and* the grand opening of CAMP West LA! But first we have to get ready. What do *you* do to get ready before you leave home? Hint hint - this episode, full of fun-facts all about teeth, will give you a clue!Join us this weekend in LA! We'll be emceeing the kids stage at the LATimes Festival of Books on Saturday 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

Seeds & Ideas: How do they grow?

What does a seed need to grow? A kid? An idea? Andrew & Polly ask many different people about growing many different things.How does bird poop bring the world together? With peppers, of course! Uncle Fred tells us about germination, the first World's Hottest Pepper (Bhut Jolokia), and... BIRD POOP. If you aren't a dragon and like spicy stuff, you can check out the Sparkling River Pepper Company's smoke dried peppers, sauces and spice blends at sparking-river.comOur 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.