The Children's Hour

What is a State Governor's job, and how do her decisions impact kids? The Children's Hour kids crew members Lila and Sienna Allen sat down with New Mexico Governor Michelle Lujan Grisham to find out what her plan is to improve the lives of children across our state. Learn what's going to happen with state assessment tests, and what her plans are for addressing climate change.

What is Clean Energy? Kids from the Global Warming Express tell us why clean energy is so important. Plus, we meet some of the kids who are behind the movement to ban single use plastics in Albuquerque.

The Children's Hour broadcast live from the Tony Hillerman Branch Library in Albuquerque. Daughter Anne Hillerman explained why we named a library after author Tony Hillerman. We had live original music from Sage Harrington kids in the Bosque Song School. Librarian Laura Metzler read us Tony Hillerman's "Buster Mesquite's Cowboy Band" and we learned about the Albuquerque Rose Garden, home to more than 1000 roses.

How does a state's Legislature work? New Mexico State Representative Elizabeth Thomson, and the Wild Friends of New Mexico help us understand the process of making an idea into a law using the legislative process. Kids in Wild Friends have teamed up with Rep. Thomson this year to try to protect New Mexico pollinators. Learn how kids can be a part of their effort and how to participate in the State of New Mexico Legislative Session.

We play some of what we think are the best kids songs from 2018, and we play all the Grammy nominees for 2018's Best Children's Release, plus more of our favorites that came out this year. Find out what happens when a dog or cat ends up in "the pound". Bernalillo County Animal Welfare brought in a furry adoptable kitten named Mittens and told the tale of her journey, and where she goes from here.

This week on The Children's Hour we have sing-a-long holiday music with Andy Mason from Santa Fe, New Mexico in a with The Children's Hour kids crew and Katie Stone. Andy will play his tune that won the "Best Children's Song" at the New Mexico Music Awards. Also, hear the world debut of Milla Marmaras' song "Christmas Means Giving." The Kids Crew picked holiday music that's sure to warm your heart on a cold morning.

This week on The Children's Hour we learn about how some Albuquerque 4th and 5th graders are riding bikes to learn literacy and cultural education through a special after school program called Story Riders. We also got an update from Our Children's Trust about the children who are suing the Federal Government for not doing enough to curb climate change, and violating the civil rights of children across our nation.

This week on The Children's Hour we learn what a treasurer does. Bernalillo County Treasurer Nancy Bearce explains her work. It's more than just collecting property taxes. Find out how a government treasurer's work impacts every person in the district, including kids. Also John Lanza, author of The Art of Allowance, explains how kids can be treasurers for themselves, and how parents can help. Find out how much kids should be saving, spending and sharing and how simple tools like clear glass jars can help kids develop money smart management to last a lifetime.

This week on The Children's Hour, 'tis the season for the flu and colds, but some of the sicknesses that kids get can be prevented with vaccinations. Dr. William Dehority from UNM Pediatrics Division of Infectious Diseases educates us all about vaccinations. Why do we use vaccines, and what diseases do they prevent? How do they work? Are vaccinations safe and effective? Dr. Dehority explains the myths and rumors about vaccination.

Healthy food choices can seem to be hard to make, but nutritionist Patricia Keane from UNM's Prevention Research Center has info on how to find the right balance for kids. With nearly 2 in 5 New Mexican children who don't know where they'll get their next meal, you can be part of the solution to childhood hunger nationwide.

This week on The Children's Hour, traditional Southwest Hispanic folk music includes many beloved children’s songs. An expert in New Mexico folklore and music, Dr. Enrique LaMadrid shares songs and their stories of a traditional New Mexican childhood. Sing along with us!

This week on The Children’s Hour, we learn how elections work with Bernalillo County Clerk Linda Stover who explains the whole process. Also, what happens when three field reporters head into the Rio Grande Community Farm corn maze? They get lost!

Don't get creeped out, but this week on The Children's Hour it's all about spiders! New Mexico is home to hundreds of species of spiders. Dr. Sandra Brantley and Dr. Rachel Alfarro from UNM’s Museum of Southwestern Biology's Arthropod Division helps us understand, and maybe even learn to love, the arthropods among us. Find out which are venomous and how we can live together harmoniously.

What does it mean to be an explorer? Jen Chavez Miller is an 8th grade teacher who just returned from exploring Arctic Svalbard. The Arctic is experiencing unprecedented melting due to climate change. Find out how curiosity and exploration are essential tools for all kids to have a full understanding of the world.

Take a trip to Chaco Canyon with The Children's Hour with our special guests, Hilary Grabowska, Park Ranger (Interpretation) at Chaco, Wendy Bustard, Chaco Curator, Brenna Lissoway, Chaco Archivist, and 6 year old Rowan Lissoway who recently earned his Junior Ranger badge at Chaco.

It’s officially summer break on The Children’s Hour, so to have a great party, we have a live mini concert with the kids in Sonyk Vortex. Plus, we talk with 4th graders who are in the Wild Friends Program about pollinators in Albuquerque.

This time on The Children's Hour, we're celebrating the end of school with some live music. Seth Hoffman plays us his Ode To Teachers. Hear award winning teenage classical bass player, Toby Vigneau play for us, and delight in a tango performed live by virtuoso violinist Dr. Cármelo delosSantos.

New Mexico is a hotspot for anthropology. We interviewed David Bustos from White Sands National Monument about some ancient footprints he discovered, and the story they tell about giant sloths.

On this show, we had a live concert in studio with Recycleman, Kevin Kinane who recruits every person in the room to be part of the band. Then a local Girl Scout Troop will tell us why and how kindness rocks.

New Mexico isn't just home to spectacular natural wonders, it's also home to many supernatural wonders. This week we'll be joined by kids from Jimmy Carter Middle School's Junior National Honors Society for a lesson about the strange phenomenon around our state, from UFOs to the Chupacabra, find out where ghosts live in Albuquerque, and hear the tale of La Llorona.

This episode of The Children's Hour Radio Show featured young winners from last year's Vocal Artistry Art Song Competition performing live in our studio. Plus, are you ready in case of an emergency? We talked with Albuquerque Fire Department's Lt. Ruiz about emergency preparedness.

This week on The Children's Hour, we learn about a unique class at La Mesa Elementary which is the only Navajo dual language elementary program in Albuquerque Public Schools. Then, we went down the hall to hear Mrs. Charles' fifth grade Spanish - English bilingual class on why studying science is essential in this warming world.

What does it mean to be media literate? How can you tell when you are being advertised to as you watch television or movies? This show was originally broadcast in 2002 with the late, legendary Bob McCannon, who was an expert in educating kids about being media savvy.

We hear a lot about privacy in the news, but what is it? Do kids have the right to their privacy? How can kids preserve their privacy online, and what difference does it make anyway? The ACLU New Mexico explains privacy on this episode of The Children’s Hour. Understand privacy in the digital era, especially as it affects children. Plus, learn about one of the founders of the ACLU, Helen Keller.

On this edition of The Children’s Hour, we learned about endangered animals with our friends from Jimmy Carter Middle School in Albuquerque.

Fall is in the air and so are the birds. Find out which species migrate and which make New Mexico their home year round with our friends from Audubon New Mexico . Summer Tanager

This week we had a live performance from the band Rippy and the Sillyettes from Gallup, New Mexico. The girls in the band performed their original music, including a song about the late Ashlynne Mike.

July 2016 marked the 16th month in a row of record setting high temperatures across the planet, including in New Mexico. National Weather Service meteorologist Kerry Jones joined the Kids Crew and Katie on The Children’s Hour to talk about the weather.

The Children's Hour crew welcomed into the studios our furry friends and their human companions from Assistance Dogs of the West. From picking up pencils to making way in a crowd for their charge, we learned all about the important jobs helper dogs do, how they learn these things, and how kids can be a part of it.

The Children's Hour Kids Crew explored the "Every Kid Outdoors" initiative, where every 4th grader in America can get a free family pass to all national parks, wilderness areas, wildlife refuges, and historical sites.

The Children's Hour welcomed Donovan Smith, a 13 year old making a difference in the lives of homeless people. Having learned first hand the challenge of living a life without a home, Donovan chooses to give back to those in the community who are the most vulnerable and in need.

This week on The Children’s Hour we learned about the mysteries of Sandia Cave from the rangers who work to preserve and protect it. The cave has been a shelter for animals and humans, for more than 10,000 years. Today kids can crawl all the way to the back of the cave, to get a feeling for life as a cave dweller.

The Children's Hour welcomed musician and educator, Curious Chris who took us through the various symbols representing New Mexico. From the Zia to the Coelophysis, turquoise to yucca flowers the Land of Enchantment's state symbols showcase our unique culture, landscape and history. The Kids Crew explored these official markers through music and stories.

The Children's Hour Kids Crew are joined by kids who are actively trying to save the planet as part of Our Children's Trust. Aji Piper joined us from Seattle to talk about the lawsuit that he and 19 other kids are involved with to hold governments accountable for pollution. The kids are winning their cases, and that's good news for us all.

The Kids Crew welcomed singer and songwriter, Andy Mason from Portales, New Mexico with a live, in studio concert. Plus we found out when to expect the end of the world, and we celebrated the KUNM Kids Birthday Club members. As always, we also had a family events calendar, great music, and so much more. This show broadcast live from the KUNM studios on May 21, 2016.

The Children's Hour hosted kids from Jimmy Carter Middle School who told us how cultures around the world welcome spring. From exploding snowmen, drowning dolls, rolling down a hill with cheese, and flinging colored powder at friends, people worldwide have unique ways of saying goodbye to winter.

Albuquerque's Valle Vista Elementary School 4th Graders from Mrs. Dawson's class joined The Children's Hour Kids Crew in the studio to talk about how bird watching at the Valle del Oro was a life changing experience. Not only did these kids learn about our feathered friends in the Bosque, but the program enabled them to be citizen scientists.

We sent kids with a microphone into Santa Fe's multiverse art installation, Meow Wolf.

The Children's Hour welcomed a few of the kids from the Rock & Rhythm Youth Orchestra to our studio. Plus, we had a live performance from Neil and Abby. The Rock and Rhythm Orchestra 2016, photo Rob Janov

On January 2, 2016 poet and author Hakim Bellamy joined us into the studio to read his new children's book, Samuel's Story. What do you want to be when you grow up? Samuel wrestles with that question as he considers his options.

New Mexico has brilliant scientists of all ages residing across our state. We'll talk with a group of students who want to be able to compete in our state's Science Olympiad.

What does a sitting US Senator actually do? Direct from Washington DC, Senator Martin Heinrich will field questions from our intrepid crew.