The Children's Hour Folgen

Our minds help us understand, learn, and express ourselves. But not everyone thinks the same way! In this episode of The Children's Hour, we explore different kinds of minds, including neurodivergent thinkers, emotional intelligence, and artificial intelligence. Find the full episode page at https://childrenshour.org/many-kinds-of-minds Carl is a kid just like any other—except his brain works a little differently. He’s the main character in Carl the Collector, a PBS Kids show that features an autistic child at its center. Carl is great at remembering facts about his collections and birthdays, but sometimes he struggles to understand emotions and social situations. The show’s creator and Executive Producer, Zachariah O’Hora and director Lisa Whittick, join us to share why it’s important for kids to see neurodivergent characters in media. They explain how they worked closely with autistic writers and artists to make Carl and his friend Lotta, another autistic character, feel authentic. Lotta experiences autism differently than Carl—she wears headphones to block loud noises and sometimes sees colors in music, a condition called synesthesia. By showing different autistic experiences, Carl the Collector helps all kids better understand and appreciate neurodiversity. Emotions can be hard to manage, but music can help! Former Wiggles star Sam Moran joins us to talk about his album All the Feels, which helps kids understand their emotions through song. After the COVID-19 pandemic, many children struggled with anxiety and big feelings. Sam, who has experienced depression himself, wanted to create songs that could help kids name their emotions and feel less alone. His album includes songs about joy, sadness, nervousness, and more. He reminds us that emotional intelligence—the ability to understand and manage emotions—is like a muscle that gets stronger with practice. AI, or artificial intelligence, is everywhere—when we use Alexa, get YouTube recommendations, or even check our spelling in a document. But how does it really work, and what does it mean for our future? Dr. Martin Spinelli joins us to explain AI and how it’s already affecting our daily lives. He shares his work in training AI to be kinder and more empathetic, and we discuss the challenges of AI-generated content, misinformation, and ethics. Should AI be used in schools? What happens when AI gets things wrong? We explore the big questions about this powerful technology. There are many different kinds of minds, and each one sees the world in its own way. Some people are great at recognizing patterns, while others excel at reading emotions or coming up with creative ideas. By learning about neurodiversity, emotional intelligence, and artificial intelligence, we gain a deeper understanding of how people think and process information. This episode encourages kids to embrace differences, ask questions, and appreciate the many ways minds work. No matter how our brains function, we all have something unique to offer the world. The Children's Hour is produced by The Children's Hour Inc., a New Mexico-based nonprofit. This episode was written and produced by Katie Stone, with production help from Christina Stella, Sarah Gabrielli, Jacqui Fulton and our intern Thaniel. Our theme music was composed by C.K. Barlow. The Children's Hour is distributed by Native Voice One, the Native American Radio Network. © 2025 The Children's Hour Inc, All Rights Reserved.

How do you express yourself? Creativity takes many forms, from drawing and painting to acting, composing music, and even writing stories. On this episode of The Children's Hour, we explore the many ways people create their own path through the arts. Find the full episode page at https://childrenshour.org/create-your-own-way We meet Albuquerque-based street artist Maywin Padilla, who transforms public sidewalks into vibrant works of chalk art. She shares her journey as an artist, the joys of working with temporary media, and how she found her creative passion. We’re also joined by some of the most imaginative minds in entertainment, including the legendary William Shatner, who speaks about his creative process as an actor, musician, and storyteller. Hear a track from his children’s release, Where Will The Animal Sleep. Dan Gutman, bestselling author of the My Weird School series, tells us how he turned a childhood love of stories into a career writing books that make kids laugh. Plus, we chat with Celestina Harris, an 11-year-old actress and voice talent known for her work on The Backyardigans and Young Jedi Adventures. Music plays a huge role in creativity, and in this episode, we showcase the world premiere of A Balloon’s Breath, a symphony for strings composed by 12-year-old Evan Daitz. Inspired by the sound of hot air balloons during Albuquerque’s International Balloon Fiesta, this piece highlights the boundless possibilities of young composers. Performed at Chatter, a monthly series at the Santa Fe Contemporary Art Center. Directed by David Feilberg. This episode was recorded at Tiguex Park in Albuquerque, New Mexico, the Santa Fe Contemporary Art Center in Santa Fe, New Mexico, with additional studio recordings in Albuquerque and Rio Rancho New Mexico. The Children’s Hour is produced by Katie Stone with production help this week from Sarah Gabrielli, Anne Lopez, Thaniel Lentz, Claire Reynolds, and Benjamin Green. Our audio engineer is Chad Sheer, with additional engineering by Grant Taylor, Katie Stone and Thaniel Lentz. Special thanks to David Feilberg and the musicians at Chatter for their performance of A Balloon’s Breath. The Children’s Hour is distributed by Native Voice One: The Native American Radio Network. © 2025 The Children’s Hour Inc. All Rights Reserved.

What is justice, and why is it important? In this episode of The Children’s Hour, the Kids Crew explores what justice means and how the courts help make sure laws are fair for everyone. Find the full episode page at https://childrenshour.org/justice Our first guest, Maria Martinez-Sanchez, is a lawyer from ACLU New Mexico. She teaches us about the three branches of government and how they work together to make and enforce laws. We learn that there are different kinds of courts, from small local courts to the biggest court in the country, the U.S. Supreme Court. Maria explains how courts handle both criminal cases (when someone is accused of breaking the law) and civil cases (when people have a disagreement that needs to be solved). Maria also helps us understand how a trial works. She talks about how juries decide cases, how judges make sure everything is fair, and how people can appeal if they think a court made a mistake. We hear about important court cases in history, like Brown v. Board of Education, which made it illegal to separate students in schools based on their skin color. The Kids Crew asks Maria lots of questions about laws, fairness, and how courts protect our rights. But did you know that the United States actually has two different kinds of justice systems? Native American tribes have their own tribal courts, which work separately from state and federal courts. Our second guest, Chief Justice Rosanna Toya, helps us understand how tribal courts work. She explains that every tribe has its own way of handling justice—some use a system similar to the U.S. government, while others follow traditional laws passed down for generations. Chief Justice Toya tells us how tribal courts handle problems in their communities, like arguments between neighbors or bigger cases that affect the whole tribe. She explains why it’s important for Native American nations to have their own laws and judges, so they can protect their traditions while keeping people safe and treated fairly. This episode of The Children's Hour takes listeners on a journey to understand what justice is, how courts work, and why different justice systems exist in the U.S. This episode was produced by Katie Stone with production help from Sarah Gabrielli and Thaniel Lentz. Many thanks to the ACLU-NM Legal Director Maria Martinez Sanchez, and to Chief Justice Roshanna Toya for being with us on the show. The Children's Hour is a production of The Children's Hour Inc., a New Mexico-based nonprofit. Our show is distributed by Native Voice One: The Native American Radio Network. © 2025 The Children's Hour Inc., All Rights Reserved.