Culture Kids

Are bats and snakes really as spooky as they seem? Hop back aboard the magical Culture Train with Kristen, Asher, and Arden as we return to our Spooky Forest Adventure for Halloween!

We start with a peek into Halloween history, tracing it back thousands of years to Samhain, an ancient Celtic harvest festival in Ireland with bonfires, costumes, and masks. Then we head into the moonlit forest, where we meet two of the most famous Halloween creatures of all.

First come the bats! Families will learn that out of more than 1,400 bat species, only three drink blood, and most bats eat insects or fruit and even help pollinate flowers. We discover why bats became a symbol of good fortune in Chinese art and how fruit bats hold a special place in Tongan tradition.

Next, a snake slithers across our path! We explore how snakes have carried very different meanings across cultures, from the cobra goddess Wadjet who protected Egyptian pharaohs to the Greek healer Asclepius, whose snake-wrapped staff is still a symbol of medicine today.

This Halloween episode for kids shows how learning about something unfamiliar can turn fear into curiosity, and how every culture sees the world in its own beautiful way.

Culture Kids is a 3x Webby Award-winning immersive audio adventure for families, exploring world cultures, history, and science together. If you love the show, please leave us a 5-star rating on Apple Podcasts or Spotify so more families can find us.

Support our mission: https://www.culturekidsmedia.com/support/
Website: https://culturekidsproductions.org
Instagram: @culturekidsproductions
YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@culturekidspodcast

Hosts: Kristen, Arden 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

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.

**********

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.

**********

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/.

**********

A Note from Culture Kids:

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

Credits:

Hosted by Kristen and Asher Kim 
Executive Producer: Kristen Kim
Produced By:  Culture Kids Productions, TeachAAPI, Polynesian Voyaging Society, Nikki Kealalio, Mark Ellis 
Guest Host: Mark Ellis
Sound Design:  Kristen Kim
Sound FX & Music: Envato Elements
Audio Engineering:  Robin Lai
Academic Consultant: Elisha Li
GFX: Tessa Gin, TeachAAPI, Kristen Kim
Nonprofit Consultant:  Jesseca Ryan, Emil Kang
Youth 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:

Links:

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

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.

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

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.

Sukju Namul (Korean Seasoned Mung Bean Sprouts)

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

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:

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.org
Wildlife Alliance site: sandiegozoowildlifealliance.org
Instagram: @sandiegozoo
Facebook: facebook.com/SanDiegoZoo
TikTok: @sandiegozoo
X: @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.