What's the best treat of all-time?

From the food science of sugar rushes to the bellies of hungry musicians, Andrew & Polly ask their friends what makes a good treat. Sensory scientist Dr. Sara Yang explains how people evolved to think about food, why we like what we like, and how we make our decisions. Then Koo Koo's Brian and Neil expound on the virtues of sheet cake, old-fashioned donuts and ice cold lemonade.

Thanks to our friends Elias, Bodin, Madelyn and Monk for sharing what they know about treats! To learn more or to be on the show, visit earsnacks.org - and thanks for listening!

What do la clave, the difference between public and private, and two giraffes have in common?

In this sneaky episode of Ear Snacks, Andrew & Polly learn about the rhythms of Cuban music with Martina Castro (producer of The Vivo Songbook), and then explore the ideas behind artist Paul Ramirez Jonas' project Key to the City (involving 24,000 keys!) Oh - and Kevin & Louise try to crack Andrew & Polly's gate code to leave them some peppermint.

To learn more about Ear Snacks or to be on the show, visit earsnacks.org - thanks for listening!

Meep meep! What's a cartoon?

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

Calling all voices! High or low, fast or slow, pool party-ing or quiet afternoon book nook-ing, we have the songs for you!

Every so often, we like to step back and shine the spotlight on the amazing creators we know making incredible art for families. Here are the handful of lovely tunes we could squeeze into a podcast episode, but please find out Midsummer Mixtape on Spotify for more upbeat & chilled out summer music recommendations:

Fam Bam Boogie by Mista Cookie Jar feat. Father Goose, Divinity Roxx, Pierce Freelon, Lucy Kalantari, Aaron Nigel Smith, Snooknuk, Jabali Afrika, and 1 Tribe Collective

Harmony by Fyütch and Aura V feat. Divinity Roxx

I Run with My Heart (Fatuma’s Song) by Flor Bromley feat. Jabali Afrika

Tiny (Chiquito) by Teacher Peter

Families Belong by Noodle Loaf (Dan Saks)

Why Do People Go? by Mega Ran feat. Kimya Dawson

What My Body Needs by Sara Rogers

Fly, Shine, Soar by 123 Andrés feat. Little Miss Ann

Please support these generous, talented musicians by following them and sharing what you love!

To lear more or to be on the show, visit earsnacks.org - thanks for listening!

Is your family feeling as mid-summer-y as ours? On this 'Bubbles!' episode of Ear Snacks, e've got some amazing crafting & imagination activities for lazy days and long rides alike!

First, Claudia Zanes shares her love of (and the science behind) soap-making. Gather some materials to try the basics at home, and learn more about her handmade soaps and incredible family folk music!

Then we invent some imagination games with Mags DeRoma and Christine Peck (who cannot see your thoughts inside your head), authors of Too Many Bubbles: A Story About Mindfulness. 

To learn more about Ear snacks or to be on the show, visit earsnacks.org -- and thanks for listening!

Ding dong! Andrew & Polly wax poetic about bells and blindness with Country of the Blind author Andrew Leland and visit an enormous percussion warehouse with LAPR’s Abby Savell.

Happy Disability Pride Month! Andrew & Polly are proud members of RAMPD, Recording Artists and Music Professionals with Disabilities. July is a great month to open conversations with people of all ages about different types of minds and bodies and think about how we build our world.

Thanks to our friends Fortney, Kora, Nora, Hazel, Berlin, and Max (and their parents!) for sharing what they know about bells. To find out more or to be on the show, visit earsnacks.org – and thanks for listening!

Many happy returns! How should we celebrate Ear Snacks’ 10th birthday? Should we make an Ear Snacks: Songs from the Podcast Vol. 2?!? Today we’re sharing some of the original songs we’ve written for these episodes since Ear Snacks: Songs from the Podcast Vol. 1 came out in 2016, and we thought it’s kind of a magical time capsule of these episodes inspired by the ideas of children. From the absurd to the heartfelt and back again, we hope these songs take your minds and memories on a joyous journey throughout your summer!

To see us live at Wolftrap Children’s Theatre-in-the-Woods on July 11th or future Andrew & Polly shows, visit andrewandpolly.com

We’re making new episodes and writing new songs all summer and into the fall! To learn more or to be on the show for Season 5, visit earsnacks.org – and thanks for listening!

Happy Birthday, Ear Snacks! 

10 years ago this July, we started this bonkers idea. Our music had started reaching kids all over the world , but with our growing family, we didn't get to sing with them very often...but what if we could make a show *with* them? This is that show.

So today on Ear Snacks, we want to share our very first episode "Fruit!"  - it's still one of the grapes ! Whether you've been listening from the beginning or are hearing this for the very first time, we hope you find it delicious.

Whale hello there! What's your favorite quarium?

Andrew & Polly are getting ready for a big July -- the 10th year of Ear Snacks! Wolftrap on July 11th! -- but we can't leave June without celebrating Aquarium Appreciation Month! Nate from The Show About Science talks about Luna the Otter at the Shed Aquarium in Chicago, Rebecca Johnson from the California Academy of Science talks about nudibranch camouflage (crypsis!) and evolution, and our friend Jenn talks about her love of seahorses!

(We also share the aquatic anthem we wrote with Mista Cookie Jar, AQUARIUM!)

Want to find out more or Be On The Show?

Today on Ear Snacks we're celebrating Juneteenth (Freedom Day! Jubilee Day! Emancipation Day!) with songs from the GRAMMY-nominated family music album "All One Tribe" - we hope your family will find, support, and share their work!

On this episode you'll hear:

Have a beautiful day!

XO,

Andrew & Polly