Episodes

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 vegeta...

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 ...

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 i...

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. Al...

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 w...

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. Alon...

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 w...

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:...

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 aroun...

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 d...

Beep Beep! It's Garbage Truck Day!

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 ...

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 t...

In this immersive Culture Kids adventure, Kristen and Asher hop aboard the Culture Train and travel to the lush island of Kauai in Hawaii to visit Aunty Christy at the Kauai Animal Education Farm. Along the way, families learn where Kauai is located, why it is known as the “Garden Isle,” and how its rainforests, rivers, waterfalls, and dramatic coastline were shaped over millions of years. Once at the farm, listeners are welcomed into a peaceful, storybook-like setting where rescued animals roam...

All aboard the Culture Train. This week, Kristen and Asher travel to sunny South Africa to meet some very special coastal residents, African penguins. On this adventure, Culture Kids learn that not all penguins live in icy places. African penguins live along warm, sandy beaches and rocky coastlines in southern Africa. We visit SANCCOB, the Southern African Foundation for the Conservation of Coastal Birds, where we meet Lisa Faith, an education supervisor and real life penguin protector. SANCCOB...

Today, the Culture Train rolls back in time to explore the incredible story of Dalmatians, the spotted dogs you might recognize right away but whose history might surprise you. With Mom, Asher, and special guest Arden, we travel to England in the late 1700s, where Dalmatians worked as carriage dogs, running alongside horses on busy cobblestone streets. We then journey forward to an early 1800s firehouse, where these hardworking dogs became trusted companions to firefighters and the horses that ...

This episode is lovingly dedicated to our forever family dog, Sammy. The pawprints you left on our hearts will stay with us always. As a beautiful white Jindo, brave, loyal, and full of curious energy , you always found your way back home to us. We love you Sammy. Today, the Culture Train travels to Jindo Island in South Korea, the enchanting home of Korea’s national treasure, the extraordinary Jindo dog. With Mom and Asher leading the way, we explore a peaceful island filled with pine trees, ...

Get ready for giggles as Culture Kids from around the world share their silliest, funniest, laugh-out-loud jokes. From animal jokes to classic kid humor, this segment is all about having fun, using your imagination, and laughing together. Thank you to every Culture Kid who sent in a joke. We loved reading them, we loved sharing them, and most of all, we love YOU. Your jokes make our Culture Train even more joyful. As we look ahead to a brand new year, we want to pause for a moment and say than...

Camel Riding Through the Sahara Desert of Morocco!

All aboard, Culture Kids families! In this adventure, Mom and Asher hop back onto the Culture Train Time Machine for an unforgettable visit to ancient Rome, where they reunite with Ms. Zoe, producer of the Getty Museum podcast If Objects Could Talk. Together, they tiptoe into a glowing triclinium, the Roman dining room, to watch a real dinner party happening over two thousand years ago. VISIT THE GETTY VILLA MUSEUM The Getty Villa Museum in Los Angeles is dedicated to the arts and cultures of a...

Grab your imaginary passports because today, we’re fluttering into a magical world filled with glowing flowers, shimmering wings, and butterflies from all around the globe! This special adventure was inspired by Eleanor, age 5! Thank you for suggesting this beautiful episode! 🌼 What Kids Will Experience In this immersive audio journey, children and families explore an enchanted meadow where flowers shift colors, mango trees suddenly appear, and butterflies share their hidden secrets. Through s...

Bundle up, Culture Kids! Today, we travel to the sparkling heart of winter magic at Rockefeller Center in New York City. Together, we explore the world-famous Rockefeller Christmas Tree, sip hot chocolate, glide past the ice-skating rink, and discover the golden story of Prometheus, the statue who brings light and hope to millions. This audio-immersive episode is filled with twinkling lights, heartwarming stories from history, and the incredible tradition that began with one small tree during th...

Pack your imaginary bags, Culture Kids! In this episode, Kristen, Asher, and our special guest Ms. Zoe, producer of Getty's podcast If Objects Could Talk, take you on a magical adventure to the Getty Villa Museum in Los Angeles. Together, we stroll through sunlit gardens and explore an ancient Roman-style villa. Then, with a whirl of our time machine, we journey back two thousand years to a grand dining room to see how Romans prepared for a spectacular dinner party. Kids will discover how ancien...

All aboard, Culture Kids! In this week’s magical adventure, Mom and Asher hop on the Culture Train and travel to Beijing, China, a city filled with history, color, and stories that stretch back thousands of years. Together with special guest Ms. Dan Song, author of the My City Adventures series, they step through the mighty red gates of the Forbidden City, where emperors once ruled and legends were born. You’ll hear the echoes of ancient footsteps, learn what the color red means in Chinese cul...