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:

• Why San Diego Zoo Wildlife Alliance is a nonprofit conservation organization, not just a zoo, and how their work has helped reintroduce more than 44 endangered species back into the wild
• The incredible true story of Tatqiq, a polar bear rescued as an orphaned cub in Alaska, who now helps scientists understand how polar bears hear, move, and survive a warming Arctic
• How Karen the orangutan became the first great ape in history to undergo open heart surgery, and how she's thriving today with her orangutan and siamang family
• The journey of giant pandas from Endangered to Vulnerable, and just how much bamboo it takes to keep Yun Chuan and Xin Bao happy (hint: it's a lot~!)

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

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.

How to Be a Good Neighbor on Buses, Trains & Airplanes | Public Transportation Etiquette for Kids!

Have you ever wondered how to act on a bus, train, or airplane? In this episode, Kristen and Asher hop aboard real city transit and a jet plane with special guest Ms. Kelly, an etiquette coach and early childhood educator, to learn the art of being a thoughtful, respectful traveler in shared spaces.

Together, they explore what etiquette really means, why it looks different around the world, and why the heart of it is always the same: see the people around you and make the shared space better because you were in it.

In this episode, kids will learn:

• Why we let passengers off before getting on a bus or train
• What the "invisible bubble" rule is and why it matters on airplanes
• How the greeting culture in Nigeria teaches us something beautiful about respect
• Why offering your seat to an elder is a universal act of kindness
• Simple ways every child can be a good neighbor wherever they travel

ABOUT OUR GUEST Ms. Kelly (Kelechi Anselem-Okorie) is an etiquette coach and early childhood educator based in California, originally from Nigeria. She helps children build confidence, make friends, and show up their best everywhere they go through the power of manners, kindness, and cultural awareness.

📖 Order Ms. Kelly's book Food, Friends and Finesse (Mirrors and Manners Series):

• Amazon

Follow Ms. Kelly:

• Instagram: @mirrorsandmanners
• Website: http://mirrorsandmanners.com

ABOUT CULTURE KIDS Culture Kids is an award-winning, screen-free audio adventure podcast for children ages 4-8, hosted by mom and son duo Kristen and Asher. With 177+ episodes, three Webby Awards, and partnerships with 90+ cultural organizations including the San Diego Zoo, the Getty Museum, and the New York Hall of Science, Culture Kids brings the world to your child's ears, one adventure at a time.

📱 Instagram: @culturekidsproductions

🎙 Listen on Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/culture-kids/id1492741709

🎙 Listen on Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/culturekids

SUPPORT CULTURE KIDS

Culture Kids is a nonprofit production. Every episode is made possible by listeners like you. If this show has brought joy, curiosity, or a little more connection to your family, please consider supporting us.

💛 Donate here: http://culturekidsmedia.com/support

Your contribution helps us keep creating free, screen-free adventures for children everywhere.

CREDITS

Hosted by: Kristen Kim and Asher Kim

Guest: Ms. Kelly (Kelechi Anselem-Okorie)

Written and Produced by Kristen Kim

Sound Design and Post Production: Culture Kids Productions/Envato Elements

Hop aboard the magical Culture Train for a brand new adventure, then switch tracks and climb into a real-life 18-wheeler as we hit the highway with our new friend, Mr. Avie 🚚

In this episode, Culture Kids travel across the United States to discover the important role truck drivers play in keeping communities connected. From delivering food and supplies to traveling long distances across the country, we learn how these everyday heroes help make sure families everywhere have what they need.

Along the way, we explore:

What it’s like to drive a semi-truck (and why it has 18 wheels!)

How truck drivers plan long journeys and stay safe on the road

Why truck drivers are essential to communities across the world

Why there are so many Sikh drivers in America

How music—like Punjabi music—helps people stay connected to their culture

What Sikhism is, and how it shapes Mr. Avie’s life and work

How people from many different backgrounds and traditions help keep our world moving

This episode is a beautiful reminder that behind the things we use every day, there are real people, with stories, cultures, and journeys of their own.

The Sikh Coalition is the nation's largest Sikh civil rights organization. For 25 years, they have worked to help Sikhs who face discrimination or mistreatment. You can learn more about them at www.sikhcoalition.org, and see some of the work they've done specifically for Sikh and Punjabi truckers at thesikh.co/truckers.

• Instagram: @sikhcoalition
• Twitter: @sikh_coalition

Roadies

Avie Nagra, a military veteran and experienced trucker, founded Roadies Inc in 2014 and has grown it from one truck to a fleet of over 100 trucks and 150 trailers, building a team committed to excellence in logistics.

https://roadiesinc.com/

Credits:

Executive Producer: Kristen Kim

Producer: Nimarta Narang

Hosts: Kristen & Asher Kim

Guest Host: Avie Nagra

Audio Engineer: Robin Lai

Academic Consultant: Elisha Li

Nonprofit Consultant: Emil Kang

Sound FX Elements: Envato Elements

All aboard the Culture Train!!!!🚂✨

In this fun and educational episode for kids, we explore the amazing world of bees, pollination, and beehives with our special guest Windy Weatherfoot, a nature adventurer who teaches kids about animals, ecosystems, and the tiny helpers that keep our planet growing.

Perfect for curious kids ages 4–8, families, and classrooms, this episode blends storytelling with real science to help children understand why bees are important and how they help grow the food we eat.

🌼 What Kids Will Learn in This Episode

• What bees are and why they are important
• How pollination works (explained simply for kids)
• How bees help grow fruits, vegetables, and flowers
• What a beehive looks like and how bees live together
• The role of the queen bee and worker bees
• How to safely observe bees and nature

🌱 Explore More with Windy Weatherfoot

Keep the adventure going with Windy Weatherfoot!

🎥 YouTube: Windy Weatherfoot
📸 Instagram: @windyweatherfoot

Windy creates fun, educational content for kids about nature, animals, bees, flowers, and ecosystems, perfect for families who love outdoor learning and exploration.

💛 Support Culture Kids (Nonprofit Podcast)

Culture Kids is a nonprofit, mom-and-son–created podcast helping children explore the world through culture, nature, and storytelling.

If you enjoyed this episode, you can support us by:

⭐ Leaving a 5-star review
📣 Sharing with a friend, family, or teacher
💛 Supporting our mission to keep episodes free for all families

🌐 Visit: www.culturekidsproductions.org

What if you could step inside your brain and see how it works?

In this special Culture Kids adventure, we travel to an imaginative world called Brain Stations, where each stop helps us understand how our brains notice sounds, feel emotions, and connect with others.

Joined by speech-language pathologist and autism advocate Ms. Andi, we explore how different brains experience the world in different ways and why that matters for friendship, understanding, and everyday life.

Along the way, we’ll:

• Visit Sound Station and discover how people hear and process sounds differently
• Learn what it feels like when the brain becomes overwhelmed
• Explore ways to feel calm and safe again
• Travel to Connection Station to understand feelings and how we express them
• Learn how to be a thoughtful and supportive friend to someone whose brain works differently

This episode helps children build awareness, empathy, and real-life tools for connecting with others, while reminding them that every brain has its own strengths.

 About Our Guest: Andi Putt

Andi Putt is a speech-language pathologist and autistic educator who helps families better understand communication, regulation, and connection in a strengths-based, supportive way.

 Website: www.mrsspeechiep.com
 Instagram & Facebook: @mrsspeechiep

 Special Announcement:
In this episode, we explored the “downstairs brain,” which can take over when kids feel dysregulated. Andi has a new resource called The Regulation Routine, designed to help children become and stay regulated, available starting April 20th on her website:  ⁠www.mrsspeechiep.com

Credits:

Host & Producer: Kristen Kim

Co Host: Asher Kim

Co Producer: Andi Putt

Sound Design & Edit: Kristen Kim

Sound Design Elements: Envato Elements

Academic Consultant: Elisha Li

Audio Engineer: Robin Lai

Nonprofit Consultant: Jesseca Ryan, Emil Kang

This episode was made possible by the Arthur M Blank Family Foundation.

We’re so grateful for their support in helping us create meaningful, story driven experiences for families everywhere. Partnerships like this make it possible for us to keep these adventures accessible to all.

Support Culture Kids:

We’re honored to share that Culture Kids has been nominated for not just one, but TWO Webby Awards.

If you’ve enjoyed listening and would like to support what we’re building, we would be so grateful for your vote. It takes just a moment and makes a meaningful difference in helping more families discover Culture Kids, thank you so much!

Best Kids & Family
https://lnkd.in/gsNQSycY

Best Kids & Family – Individual Episode
https://lnkd.in/ghmshkci

As a nonprofit, Culture Kids is supported by listeners like you. If you’d like to help us continue creating these stories and keep them accessible for families everywhere, you can also support us through a donation on our website.

Please consider making a donation here:

https://www.culturekidsmedia.com/support/

Thank you!

Hellooo Culture Kids! Grab your imaginary passports because today we’re heading into a cozy home to celebrate Nowruz, a springtime New Year that has been celebrated for over 3,000 years.

In this episode, we visit our friends Hannah and her mom, Ms. Sadaf, to experience how their family prepares for this special holiday. Through storytelling, sound, and imagination, we step inside their home, smell delicious foods, see beautiful traditions, and learn what this celebration means to families around the world.

What You’ll Discover

• What Nowruz is and why it marks the first day of spring
• How families celebrate across Iran, Afghanistan, Central Asia, and beyond
• The meaning behind Khaneh-Tekani (spring cleaning)
• The beautiful Haft-Seen table and what each item represents
• How to say “Happy New Year” in Farsi: Sal-e No Mobarak

Nowruz is more than a celebration; it’s a reminder that new beginnings, hope, and connection are shared across cultures in different and beautiful ways.

Through this adventure, children are invited to see the world as a place full of traditions, stories, and families who may do things differently, but share many of the same hopes for joy, renewal, and togetherness.

A heartfelt thank you to Hannah and Ms. Sadaf for welcoming us into their home and sharing their traditions with our Culture Kids families.

To our Culture Kids families celebrating, Sal-e No Mobarak!
We wish you light, peace, and a beautiful new beginning.

PLEASE KEEP OUR CULTURE TRAIN RUNNING!!!

If you loved this episode, please take a moment to leave us a 5-star review on Apple Podcasts or Spotify.
You can also support our work with a donation on our website. Every bit helps us continue creating meaningful stories for children everywhere.

http://culturekidsproductions.org

Follow us on IG: @culturekidsproductions

Leave a comment on Spotify and we will get right back to you!

Hello Culture Kids explorers! Grab your imaginary passports and climb aboard the Culture Train because today we’re heading high into the sky for a magical hot air balloon adventure.

In this episode, Mom, Asher, and Arden learn how hot air balloons work and discover the science that helps them float. Along the way, we travel back in time to France in 1783 when the first hot air balloon flight with people on board took place. Before humans went up, inventors tested their balloon with a sheep, a duck, and a rooster to make sure living creatures could breathe safely in the sky.

Once we understand the science of warm air, buoyancy, and balloon envelopes, our journey begins. With the help of a friendly balloon pilot, we gently lift off and drift above some of the most breathtaking landscapes on Earth.

Our first stop takes us over Cappadocia, Turkey, one of the most famous hot air balloon destinations in the world. From the sky we see ancient volcanic rock formations shaped like towering cones and sandcastles. Long ago, people carved homes, churches, and even entire underground cities into these soft rock hills, creating a remarkable landscape filled with history and imagination.

Next, the wind carries us across the sky to the Loire Valley in France, where we float above a peaceful river, patchwork fields, and hundreds of beautiful châteaux. These grand stone homes were once places where French kings and queens came to relax in the countryside. Today, the Loire Valley is a UNESCO World Heritage Site known for its history, architecture, and stunning scenery.

As we drift gently back toward the ground, we are reminded that seeing the world from a new angle can help us notice beauty, creativity, and wonder in places we may never have imagined.

PLEASE SUPPORT CULTURE KIDS!

Culture Kids is a grassroots nonprofit creating free, accessible cultural and educational audio for children everywhere.
You can support our mission by:
⭐ Leaving a 5-star review on Apple Podcasts or Spotify
📲 Sharing the show with a friend
🌍 Donating through our website

🔗 Website: https://culturekidsproductions.org and click on SUPPORT TAB
📸 Instagram: https://instagram.com/culturekidsproductions

All aboard the Culture Train! In this episode, we head back to New York City on a chilly winter morning to ride along on a real garbage truck and discover what happens to our trash after we throw it away.

With our friend Amelia from the New York Hall of Science, we explore the hidden systems that keep a city running. We learn why sanitation workers start their day before sunrise, how trash is collected from busy sidewalks, and why NYC sanitation workers are known as the “strongest” for lifting heavy bags by hand.

• Why different neighborhoods have different trash pickup schedules • What “coned” trash cans are and how kids can help when bins are full • The difference between household trash and recycling • Why batteries, electronics, and glass should never go in regular trash bags • What a transfer station is and where trash goes next

Then we hop on the Culture Train to visit a recycling sorting center, where we watch conveyor belts, giant machines, and real workers separate paper, cans, glass, and food scraps so they can be turned into something new.

• Paper can become pizza boxes • Food scraps can become soil • Soda cans can become new cans • Glass can be crushed and reused in new materials

This episode helps kids understand that everything has a system, a place, and a story, and that even small everyday choices, like using the right bin or holding onto trash until you find one, can help the people who keep our communities clean.

About the New York Hall of Science

This episode was created in collaboration with the New York Hall of Science (NYSCI), a hands-on science and technology museum located in Queens, New York, in Flushing Meadows Corona Park.

🌐 Website: https://nysci.org
📍 Location: Flushing Meadows–Corona Park, Queens, New York

Follow NYSCI for hands-on science activities, family programs, and exhibit updates:

📸 Instagram: @nysci
📘 Facebook: New York Hall of Science

In this Culture Kids adventure, we travel to Bird Island, South Africa with our friend Lisa Faith from SANCCOB to meet African penguins in their natural habitat. Surrounded by ocean waves, rocky shores, and thousands of seabirds, we learn what makes this island a safe nesting home for penguins and other coastal birds.

We discover:

• What baby penguins look like before they get their waterproof feathers

• Why penguins huddle together in family groups

• What moulting is and why penguins cannot swim for several weeks

• The challenges African penguins face, including not having enough fish, pollution, oil spills, and habitat loss

• How SANCCOB rescues, rehabilitates, and releases seabirds back into the wild

We also learn ways kids can help, like using less plastic, sharing what they learn, and supporting organizations that protect wildlife.

Thank you to Lisa Faith and the entire SANCCOB team for the incredible work they do to care for African penguins and coastal seabirds.

🎧 Be sure to listen to our previous SANCCOB episode to learn more about penguin rescue and rehabilitation.

PLEASE SUPPORT CULTURE KIDS!

Culture Kids is a grassroots nonprofit creating free, accessible cultural and educational audio for children everywhere.
You can support our mission by:
⭐ Leaving a 5-star review on Apple Podcasts or Spotify
📲 Sharing the show with a friend
🌍 Making a donation through our website

🔗 Website: https://culturekidsproductions.org and click on SUPPORT TAB
📸 Instagram: https://instagram.com/culturekidsproductions

The Southern African Foundation for the Conservation of Coastal Birds (SANCCOB) rescues, rehabilitates, and releases seabirds, including critically endangered African penguins.

🔗 Website: https://sanccob.co.za
📸 Instagram: https://instagram.com/sanccob
📘 Facebook: https://facebook.com/SANCCOB
🐧 Adopt a penguin: https://sanccob.co.za/adopt

In this episode, Culture Kids travels to New York City to explore City Works, a hands-on family exhibit at the New York Hall of Science.

Together with Amelia- the Director of Exhibit Design and Development, Asher and Mom discover the incredible systems and the people behind them that keep cities running every single day. From buses and ferries to water pipes and wastewater treatment, this episode helps kids understand that cities are much more than buildings. They’re living systems powered by teamwork, science, and care.

• How transportation systems like buses, subways, and ferries help people move around a city

• Where clean drinking water comes from and what happens after we flush the toilet

• How sanitation and wastewater systems protect neighborhoods, rivers, and oceans

• Why scientists, engineers, and city workers are so important to everyday life

• How cities around the world may look different—but all work to care for their communities

Kids will love pretending to drive a city bus through Times Square, learning about rainwater and drains, and discovering the famous “4 Ps” of what’s safe to flush: pee, poop, puke, and paper!

About CityWorks

City Works is a large-scale, interactive exhibit designed especially for children and families. Through hands-on play, kids can explore real city systems like transportation, water, sanitation, and energy—and see how these systems are connected and supported by people working behind the scenes.

The exhibit encourages curiosity, problem-solving, and empathy by helping children understand how cities function and how their everyday choices matter.

• Museum: New York Hall of Science

• Location: Queens, New York

• Website: https://nysci.org

• Exhibit Info: https://nysci.org/exhibitions/city-works

The New York Hall of Science is a family-favorite destination with hundreds of interactive exhibits that make science fun, accessible, and engaging for kids of all ages.

🎧 Credits

Host & Producer: Kristen Kim & Asher Kim

Guest & Collaborator: Amelia, Director of Exhibit Design and Development

Sound Design/Music/Edit: Culture Kids Productions

Music: Envato Elements

Audio Engineer: Robin Lai

Academic Consultant: Elisha Li