The Children's Hour Folgen

Have you ever seen a story carved into a rock? This week on The Children’s Hour, we explore the meaning and magic of petroglyphs - images etched into stone by ancient hands. Find a learning guide, activities, and the full episode page at https://childrenshour.org/petroglyphs Our Kids Crew visited Mesa Prieta Petroglyph Project, home to more than 60,000 documented carvings, and talked with archaeologist Jerod Roberts, educator Sandy Romero, and volunteer Judy Chaddick. Then we met up with Ranger David Ottaviano from Petroglyph National Monument to learn how these fragile images are preserved. We also heard from Todd Scissons, Tribal Historic Preservation Officer from Acoma Pueblo, about what petroglyphs still mean to Pueblo people today. Come discover how these images are more than just pictures—they’re powerful messages from the past still speaking to us now. On our journey, we learned how petroglyphs are made by pecking away the dark surface of lava rocks, revealing lighter stone beneath. The images might show animals, spirals, symbols of the sun and moon, or even spiritual journeys. Some carvings line up with the sun during equinoxes or solstices, helping people keep time and honor sacred traditions. We explored why it’s important not to touch petroglyphs, and how even small acts—like going off-trail—can damage them. Experts told us that protecting these sites helps us care for living cultures, because many Pueblo people still live in the same lands as their ancestors who carved these messages long ago. Tribal historian Todd Scissons from Acoma Pueblo explained that petroglyphs are like storybooks carved into stone. They record important experiences and prayers, and connect people to their ancestors. He shared how the spiral symbol shows a journey—a path walked by his people through time. And we learned how different tribes see similar meanings in these images, because many Pueblos share the same roots and stories. This episode reminds us that our landscape holds wisdom, memory, and spirit. You can find photos, a Learning Guide, and activities for this episode at https://childrenshour.org/petroglyphs This episode was written and produced by Katie Stone, with production help from Gus Tafoya, Sarah Gabrielli and Thaniel Lentz. The Children's Hour is produced by The Children’s Hour Inc., a nonprofit based in Albuquerque, New Mexico, and distributed by Native Voice One, the Native American Radio Network. Find more at ChildrensHour.org. © 2025 The Children's Hour Inc, All Rights Reserved.

This time on The Children’s Hour, we're celebrating Father's Day with a musical special all about dads and father figures. Through songs, poetry, and rhythm, we hear how fathers love, teach, and support their kids in many different ways. Find the episode page at https://childrenshour.org/for-dad Our guest is the legendary John Legend. He joins us to talk about being a parent and how that inspired his Grammy-nominated children's album, My Favorite Dream. We hear songs from the album, including L-O-V-E, which features his wife and kids singing along. John Legend tells us about his musical childhood, how he stays connected with his children while working, and why creating music for kids has been a dream come true. This special episode is filled with joyful, heartwarming music that honors dads everywhere. This episode was written and produced by Katie Stone, with production help from Sarah Gabrielli and Daniel Lentz. Engineering by Eli Henley, and post-production by Augustin Tafoya. The Children's Hour is produced by The Children’s Hour Inc., a nonprofit based in Albuquerque, New Mexico, and distributed by Native Voice One, the Native American Radio Network. Find more at ChildrensHour.org. © 2025 The Children's Hour Inc. All Rights Reserved.

This time on The Children’s Hour we learn how everyone can contribute to active scientific research by participating in Community Science with groups like BEMP: the Bosque Ecosystem Monitoring Program. Find the learning guide and full episode page at https://childrenshour.org/community-science The Bosque Ecosystem Monitoring Program or BEMP, studies the riparian forest along the Rio Grande in New Mexico as it travels from Colorado’s Rocky Mountains, down to the Gulf of Mexico in El Paso, Texas. Students in BEMP work with the program as part of their school science curriculum, taking multiple field trips to the bosque to collect data, from counting insects, to measuring leaf litter. When the kids collect their data, they are participating in community science. In order for scientists to understand as much as possible about our climate, soil health, endangered species, weather, and so much more, they need to get as much information as possible. Members of every community are needed to collect certain kinds of data from wherever they may live. BEMP helps teachers make that effort part of a day at school. More than 10,000 New Mexican students have worked directly with BEMP. You can learn a lot more about Community Science in our Learn-Along Guide that’s posted above. Press the button and your download will start. This guide meets and cites US National Education Standards, and will expand on what we explored today on the show. This episode was written and produced by Katie Stone, our Executive Producer and our Senior Producer, Christina Stella, with production support from Sarah Gabrielli and Thaniel Lentz, our Intern. Our Learning Guides are written by Amber Shiel. Chad Scheer engineers for us at Outpost Performance Space, in Albuquerque New Mexico. Many thanks to Zoe Wadkins-Daniels for providing so many additional resources for us to share with our listeners. The Children's Hour radio show is distributed by Native Voice One: The Native American Radio Network. ©2025 The Children's Hour Inc. All Rights Reserved.