Afleveringen
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India's SPADEX (Space Docking Experiment) mission, led by ISRO, aims to demonstrate autonomous docking between two spacecraft. It is sort of like a hug in an orbit in space. This skill is critical for future lunar bases, satellite servicing, and space stations. Think of it like high-tech Lego in space—snapping parts together perfectly! A big step for India's space adventures, given India's ambitions for deep-space exploration.
Other interesting things
1. We write a weekly newsletter on current events and news stories that help kids and families appreciate the world around us. It is called 'Lighter Side' and is free. Check it out here.
2. If you are aged between 8-14 and would like to speak on this podcast channel, please drop us a note via email at [email protected].
3. Our children's magazine 'Bag of tales - 2024' can be purchased here. It costs INR 399/-.Order it here.
4. To support us and keep the production of this podcast ad-free, you can buy us a cup of coffee here
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Captain Underpants is a super popular book series that has sold more than 80 million copies all around the world. Kids love its funny jokes and surprising story twists. The author, Dav Pilkey, wasn’t always great at reading or sitting still—he had something called dyslexia (a reading disorder) and ADHD (which makes it hard to focus). But as a kid, he used his time while he was sent out of class to draw funny pictures and tell stories to his friends. Instead of letting challenges stop him, he turned them into something awesome!
Young guests: Agastya (12 yrs), Darsh (10 yrs), Dhruv Agarwal (11 yrs), Dhruv Gandhi (11 yrs), Dhyan (11 yrs), Nayra (10 yrs), Satwik (12 yrs)
Explore More
1. Our children's magazine 'Lighter Side: Bag of tales - 2024' costs INR 399/-.Order it here.
2. If you are aged between 8-14 and would like to speak on this podcast channel, please drop me a note via email at [email protected].
3. I write a weekly newsletter on current events to help kids and families make sense of the world with greater ease. It is called 'Lighter Side' and is free. Check it out here.
4. Support our show by buying us a cup of coffee
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Zijn er afleveringen die ontbreken?
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Project Tiger was launched in the 1970s in India. There was much fanfare, wildlife reserves were created and tiger protection became important to the Indian government. While Project Tiger stopped the killing of tigers, these big cats did not grow in numbers that much. But that trend changed in 2010. For the first time, between 2010 and 2022, tiger numbers nearly doubled, from ~1700 to over 3600. This has happened despite a rise in India's human population and a decline in forest area. How did India achieve this? What lessons can other countries learn from India's practices?
Co-hosts: Devansh (10 yr old), Eesha (14 yr old)
Check these out as well
1. Story of Saroj Raj Choudhury and how he raised Khairi, alongside pictures of the family
2. Podcast series on India's wildlife stories
3. I write a weekly newsletter on current events and stories like the tiger resurgence in India. I'd like to help kids and families to appreciate the world around us. It is called 'Lighter Side' and is free. Check it out here.
4. If you are aged between 8-14 and would like to speak on this podcast channel, please drop me a note via email at [email protected].
5. Our children's magazine 'Bag of tales - 2024' can be purchased here. It costs INR 399/-.Order it here.
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What does it take to write well? Is it about acquiring better language skills or is there a secret recipe for developing intriguing plots, or does it come from consistent writing practice? Sonia Mehta, a children's author with more than 170 published titles to her credit, shares stories from her writing journey.
She has authored both fiction and non-fiction books for children as young as five, and for young adults as well.
More about our guest in this episode
1. Sonia Mehta on Instagram
2. About Sonia Mehta - on Penguin Random House's website
3. Sonia Mehta on Facebook
4. Sonia's published books on Amazon
We publish a weekly newsletter for children about news stories from around the world. You can check it out here.
To support us and keep the production of this podcast ad-free, you can buy us a cup of coffee here
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There are startups that solve problems for people - like the ones that help people rent a pet for their Instagram photos. And then, there are startups that solvereal problems - like bringing light into people's homes. Soma Bags is doing just that. This episode carries the story of how its founder Innocent James got the spark of an idea from one of his professors in university. He had seen him sew a small solar panel onto the pocket of his jacket and this had help him keep his smartphone charged through the day.
This episode narrates the story of how James used this idea to bring electricity into the homes of Africans in an affordable manner. This is no charitable venture - it makes profits for his company as villagers are willing to pay for a dependable solution priced at $4-$8 a month.
While rejoicing at these solutions, one should also wonder, if we are exchanging one problem for another?
To BUY our children's magazine 'Lighter side - bag of tales from 2024' (cost INR 399/-) for delivery in India,please click here
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Story narrators are the voices that brings stories and characters to life on stage. Both children and adults often stay mesmerised and get a very different perspective to both the plot and the characters, compared to what they get when they read the story. Story narrations help readers think of different plot twists, story endings and even appreciate characters with grey tones. In this episode, Antara Goswami, a story narrator shares how she goes about putting together her narrations, what props she uses and how she scripts these performances.
Also, in this episode, five young guests (aged 8-13) share their questions on story narration with Antara.
1. More onAntara Goswami on Instagram
2. We write a weekly newsletter on current events. It is meant for kids and families to read and appreciate the world around us. It is called 'Lighter Side' and is free.Check it out here.
3. If you are aged between 8-14 and would like to speak on this podcast channel, please drop me a note via email at [email protected].
4. Our children's magazine 'Bag of tales - 2024' can be purchased here. It costs INR 399/-.Order it here.
(00:00) Introduction
(01:47) What is story narration
(09:17) Mono-acting
(11:35) Where she narrates
(12:30) Shadow Theatre
(14:55) Writing stories
(16:48) Confidence on stage
(19:21) Favourite story amongst children
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Ten young readers from India (aged 8-15) recommend one book from amongst all the books they read in 2024. If you thought all recommendations would hover around the fantasy and adventure genre, be prepared to be surprised.
I have listed below the books they recommended. If you want to hear the whys and the whats of the book, give the episode a listen.
Books recommended
1. Atomic habits by James Clear
2. The Midnight Gang by David Walliams
3. The Immortals of Meluha by Amish Tripathi
4. Sherlock Holmes - A Study in Scarlet by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle
5. One More Step : My Journey with the world’s largest contingent of school students to Everest Base Camp by Chandrashekar D P with K V Subramanyam.
6. The Harry Potter series by J K Rowling
7. The Island of Dragons (from Geronimo Stilton's Kingdom of Fantasy series)
8. Stellarlune (part of the Keeper of the Lost Cities) by Shannon Messenger
9. Vedas and Upanishads (for children) by Roopa Pai
10. Diary of a wimpy kid series by Jeff Kinney
To BUY our children's magazine 'Lighter side - bag of tales from 2024' (cost INR 399/-) for delivery in India, please click here
(00:00) Introduction
(07:44) Aadya's reco
(08:40) Abdul's reco
(09:47) Agastya's reco
(12:00) Darsh's reco
(15:08) Devansh's reco
(17:17) Kiaansh's reco
(18:27) Maanya's reco
(19:40) Prakriti's reco
(20:45) Shambhavi's reco
(22:28) Zuhair's reco
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2024 was a year that marked some interesting achievements in the field of space. Missions to moon have been relaunched by NASA, the International Space Station's ending days have been charted and India's defense systems just tested new missiles. To speak about the space stories that inspired them the most, four primary schoolers joined us to share their views.
1. Order your copy of our book for kids 'Bag of stories from 2024' by clicking here. Each copy costs INR 399/- (we are able to fulfil all orders placed inside India only at the moment)
2. Read our newsletter for kids ‘Lighter Side’ about space stories and current events
3. To join Sangeetha and speak on this podcast (kids aged 7-15), register here
4. Follow What’s new today on Instagram
5. If you have any thoughts or comments, email us at [email protected]. We pledge to give your ideas the deep, meaningful consideration that we normally reserve for selecting a dessert.
6. Support us by buying us a cup of coffee
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Paleontologists uncovered that the T-Rex was quite likely way bigger than they had originally thought it was. Based on recent fossil finds and some intelligent computer simulation, it turns out that if we remade Jurassic Park today, we would have had to create a much larger version of the T-Rex. Apart from this scientific discovery, there were lots of other interesting news stories in science and wildlife this year. To speak about these, four primary schoolers shared their picks of the best stories from the year.
Co-hosts: Anina, Chandrika, Smyan and Venkatesh
1.Read the story of why some people think ghosts are real
2. Read the story of how C.V.Raman discovered why the sea was blue
3. Listen to the podcast on how our brains behave when we type vs write
4. Listen to the story of Roger the search and rescue dog from Taiwan
Order your copy of our book for kids 'Bag of stories from 2024' by clicking here. Each copy costs INR 399/- (we are able to fulfil all orders placed inside India only at the moment)
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Children come up with ideas and stories like magicians pulling rabbits out of hats—nobody knows how, but it’s endlessly entertaining. It’s a mix of imagination (and maybe a little too much candy). But how can they turn their ideas into a well-written story? Menaka Raman, an award-winning children’s author, joins us in this episode. She chats with five young, budding authors about the tricks in her bag for writing great stories.
1. More about Menaka Raman on her website
2. Follow Menaka on Instagram
3. Follow Menaka on X (formerly known as Twitter)
4. More about the book ‘Bird by Bird’ by Anne Lamott
5. Read our newsletter for kids ‘Lighter Side’ about current events
6. To join Sangeetha and speak on this podcast (kids aged 7-15), register here
7. Follow What’s new today on Instagram
8. If you have any thoughts or comments, email us at [email protected]. We pledge to give your ideas the deep, meaningful consideration that we normally reserve for selecting a dessert.
9. Support us by buying us a cup of coffee
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Neeraj Chopra's gold medal was India's first ever gold medal won by an athlete in Olympics. There was much adulation and rejoicing in the country. Sumit Antil also won a gold for India at the Tokyo Paralympics and successfully defended his title at the Paris Paralympics. For all his deeds, he went unnoticed relatively. This episode captures the story of his journey and challenges. Most importantly, the story captures the essence of what an 8-year old perceives as important / interesting in Sumit Antil's story.
Co-host: Ahaan Krishnam (8-yr old, Bengaluru)
1. More on volcanoes in Iceland
2. Support our show by buying us a cup of coffee
3. Feature in our podcasts (for kids aged 7-15), register here
4. Read our newsletters 'Lighter Side' for kids and families here
If you have any comments or questions, please email me at [email protected]
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One of the earliest children's book series that took young readers into magical lands was the 'Chronicles of Narnia' by C.S.Lewis. In this podcast episode, two young readers (10-yr olds Darsh and Prakriti) share what they think of this book's plot, the writing style and how they would change the book (if they had authored it).
1. More on books that we recommend for young readers
2. Support our show by buying us a cup of coffee
3. Feature in our podcasts (for kids aged 7-15), register here
4. Read our newsletters 'Lighter Side' for kids and families here
If you have any comments or questions, please email me at [email protected]
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More people in S.Korea bought strollers for dogs than they did for children (i.e. human babies). The S.Korean government has been alarmed by this trend. While people who have been observing changes in S.Korea over the past twenty years are not really surprised, they still are worried. Why are people not happy with dogs getting more strollers than human babies? What next? Listen to the full episode to find out why.
Co-host: Smyan Shetty (10-yrs old)
1. Where idlis came from
2. Support our show by buying us a cup of coffee
3. Feature in our podcasts (for kids aged 7-15), register here
4. Read our newsletters 'Lighter Side' for kids and families here
If you have any comments or questions, please email me at [email protected]
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One street that is often used by cyclists and pedestrians in Prague has been renamed as Nicholas Winton street. He was no Olympic athlete but had accomplished something else of Olympian proportions. During 1939, he had helped hundreds of Jewish children flee from Nazi persecution and gain safe entrance into Britain. For over 50 years, his actions went unremarked until a British TV show brought them into common memory. As we see ever more wars and conflicts, and refugees fleeing these zones, this story is a warm reminder of the wonders that can be done if we had compassion and courage.
1. Watch the video of Nicholas Winton in the TV show That's Life!
2. Support our show by buying us a cup of coffee
3. Feature in our podcasts (for kids aged 7-15), register here
4. Read our newsletters for kids and families here
If you have any comments or questions, please email me at [email protected]
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Earth is wonderful, but one day we might need more space to live, especially as our world changes. If we could travel to Mars and build homes there, that would solve a lot of our problems right? SpaceX just launched a giant rocket that has taken one step closer to getting to Mars. Before you get excited about booking your next summer vacation in Mars, hold onto that thought for a few years more.
Listen to Darsh (10 yr old, Chennai) and Rohan (10 yr old, Chennai) to find out about why the SpaceX Superheavy is a big milestone in space exploration.
1. Listen to the India Space Podcast series here
2. Listen to the episode on Dogs in Italy
3. SpaceX website - read dimensions of the Starship rocket
4. Watch the video of how the two arms caught the rocket
5. Support our show by buying us a cup of coffee
6. Feature in our podcasts (for kids aged 7-15), register here
7. Read our newsletters for kids and families here
If you have any comments or questions, please email me at [email protected]
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Just like the tale of the old man whose three sons used their silver coins differently, this episode explores how two countries used their pots of liquid gold differently. This episode is styled like a 'Discovery Game'.
We drop new information about what happens in each country every few years, as the game goes on. The cohost (Devansh, 5th grader from Kolkata) makes guesses about what happens to each of these countries. Devansh also gets to decide where he would like to live in (and is allowed to shift between the two countries freely) as the game goes on. It's kind of a masterclass in prediction and exploration :)
Additional links and resources
1. Recommended episode on why health drinks can be bad for kids
2. Pre-order your 2024 copy of the Lighter Side magazine for kids and families covering the top news stories of the year
3. To join Sangeetha as a cohost (just like Devansh), register here
4. Buy us a cup of coffee to keep this podcast going
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Stephen Hawking and his daughter Lucy Hawking forayed into writing a science-fiction book series for young kids. This book (George's secret key to the universe) is the first of the series. The plot involves two young children traveling in space involving a mixed bag of adventures. The authors have also incorporated many images from NASA's repository to bring real science into the hands of the young.
In this episode, four primary schoolers joined us to share their opinions of the book as well as creative ideas of how they would explore space if they had a chance.
If you are looking for a new book to pick up for your 7-11 year old, this might be it. Listen to the full episode to find out more.
Co-hosts: Manisha Maheshwari (educator, Mumbai), Devansh (Kolkata), Prakriti (Mumbai), Smyan (California), Nayra (Mumbai)
Additional links / references
1. About Stephen Hawking
2. About Lucy Hawking
Read our newsletter for kids about current affairs
Support our podcast by buying us a cup of coffee
Send us your thoughts and comments via email to [email protected]
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When sixth grader Sophia came home with a sullen face from school, her mother Pilar Schiavo was busy contesting California's State Assembly elections. Sophia was so overwhelmed by the volume of work expected of her that she requested her mum to ban all homework if she got elected.
Pilar did win the election. She also remembered her daughter's trauma. Keeping these in mind, she has formulated a bill for the State to pass - a bill that mandates limiting homework or altogether banning it, in certain cases.
For more details on this homework ban, read our newsletter
Others
To enrol in our writing courses for children aged 7-15, check out the details here
To support this podcast and keep it ad-free, please donate here.
If your child would like to co-host an episode on this podcast channel, please register here.
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Food technologist and communications expert Sarika Singh speaks with Nayra (5th grader) and Shambhavi (10th grader) about foods that help kids gain height, improve their immune system, and whether having junk food is all that bad in childhood.
Resources
1. Book - Eat Right 4 Your type
2. Sarika's website - communications101
3. Listen - why bournvita and complan are unhealthy for kids
4. Indian Academy of Paediatrics - height and weight chart for children
5. National Library of Medicine - nutrition and water requirements for children and adults
Support this show - Donate to keep this podcast free of ads and support the production of this show
Reach out to us with your questions and comments via email at [email protected]
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A food blogger on Instagram raised alarm bells about the so called 'health' claims made by drinks aimed towards the young. Following this, the Food Safety and Standards Authority of India directed these companies to remove these claims from their labels.
Joining us in this episode is Sarika Singh, a communications expert to discuss what's wrong with their health claims.
Child guests: Nayra (5th grader, Mumbai) and Shambhavi (10th Grader, Delhi)
Additional references
1) Read: Article in Economic Times on why Bournvita lost its health status
2) Video: How to read nutrition labels on drinks
3) Writing Course for kids - details (for any queries, drop us a note via email at [email protected])
4) More on Sarika Singh - her website and her podcast - Communicate 101 - speaking writing tips
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