The Past and The Curious: A History Podcast for Kids and Families

The Amber Room was a feat of artistic ability (and a lot of money) but after WWII it has disappeared entirely. Have you seen it?

After that we learn about secret codes, the Enigma Machine, Alan Turing, Navajo Code Talkers and more!

The first release teasing Mick's upcoming book! This episode features three animals of note: Clara the Rhino, Mozart's Starling, and a whale named Mocha Dick.

Let's ride through the tales of animals of history!

Carolin Hampton needed to pioneer rubber gloves int he operating room after Joseph Lister's big ideas.

Richard Etheridge was the first Black keeper at an official Life Saving Station and his team's rescue of a shipwrecked family was dramatic and historic.

You might be surprised to learn the history of the iconic sandwich and all of the ingredients that go into the recipe. First published in 1901, the availability of peanut butter, jelly and sliced bread has changed a lot over the years. And that's great, so let's eat (or just listen).

Special thanks to Lindsay and Marshall from Tumble Podcast for their inspiration on the subject, and help with this episode!

Two misers for the price of one!

Charles Dickens created the world-famous character Ebenezer Scrooge in the 1840s, but he may have been inspired by a real-life miser named John Elwes.

Another famous miser is buried in a Jewish cemetery in Krakow, Poland. However, it turns out that Yossele the Holy Miser wasn't as miserly as everyone believed him to be during his life.

Two fascinating stories from World War II. One is about Rose Valland, a French woman who worked as a spy in Nazi-occupied Paris. Her bravery saved thousands of works of art, many of which were returned to the families who originally owned them. 

Secondly, the story of German U-boat U-1206 is a doozy. The new toilet onboard was confounding, and it got the the better of the boat's commander. The result was a big blunder by the German Army. 

The Erie Canal and The Chicago River were two of the most impressive engineering feats in history.

For the 200th Anniversary of the opening of the Erie Canal we look at the opening celebration, along with a fun musical diversion or two.

And how can you talk about moving water without talking about the efforts to change sanitation in Chicago? This included reversing the flow of the river that runs through the city!

We're a part of Big Emotions this week! We’re feeling all squishy this week, as we dive into two of the strongest emotions of all. Love is powerful, joyful, and comforting - and when it changes or we feel its absence, sadness often follows. Sadness can feel heavy, but it helps us slow down, notice what matters, and deepen our connections. In this episode, we explore the softer, quieter corners of the heart where love and sadness meet. You’ll hear stories of friendship, loss and connection, showing how these big emotions help us grow and understand ourselves in new ways.

Contributing podcasts in this episode: But Why: A Podcast for Curious Kids• The Past and The Curious • Newsy Pooloozy

Hosted by: Jerry Kolber of Who Smarted?

PDF Activity Sheet for SEL 

Check out the music in each episode 

About this series: Big Emotions: Kids Listen Mashups is a 7-part audio adventure where creators from the Kids Listen community come together to explore feelings in all their shapes and sizes. Each episode pairs two related emotions, sharing original clips and reflections to help kids (and grownups!) understand, name, and navigate their feelings.

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Did a no-longer-living Mark Twain send a novel from the great beyond with a Ouija Board? Find out about the real story with help from our pal Nate DuFort of the podcast, Unspookable.

Episode 110! Peter the Great, The Hairy Eagle and more!

Did I decide on an episode about Peter the Great just so I could say 6-7 a few times to be cringe and make kids laugh? Yes, yes I did. But it's a really fun story about when the Tsar of All Russia travelled "incognito" through Europe. 

And as a bonus, we're talking hair sales, hair wreaths, and even the not-so-famous "Hairy Eagle!"