(NOTE: This post has been updated to clarify which two sections of the podcast are best for kids. Just listen to sections one, “Rippin' the Rainbow a New One,” and section three, “Why Isn't the Sky Blue?”.)
Welcome to Ping and Echo, a daily newsletter that links to one amazing podcast episode that is guaranteed to be a great listen for kids and their families. Each newsletter includes links to articles, videos and activities related to the podcast so you can turn every episode into an adventure.
Today’s podcast episode is from Radiolab. The episode is one of the most popular in Radiolab’s history so the adults out there may have heard it before. Over the course of three chapters the Radiolab team explores the science, history and anatomy behind colors. Talking about something you see through the radio isn’t always easy to do, but the podcast does a wonderful job of using sound effects, stories and even a full choir to help you hear the colors. And they answer the age old question, “why is the sky blue?” (or is it?).
This is a long episode that is broken into three 22 minutes stories. The first story and the last story are the best ones, and you can break them up and listen to them individually on the Radiolab website. Avoid the second story (see below).
Podcast: Radiolab
Episode: Colors
URL: https://www.wnycstudios.org/podcasts/radiolab/episodes/211119-colors
Length: 22 minutes per section
🧐 You Should Know
I’ll always give you a heads up if there is anything in the podcast that might surprise or worry kids. The second section in this podcast talks about the killing fields in Cambodia and other things that may be unsettling for kids. Skip that section entirely and just listen to part one and part three which stand alone just fine. In the first section the hosts do mention Newton putting a knife in his eye as part of science experiment. (Ouch.)
💡 Try This
After you listen to the episode you can get colorful yourself with the links and activities below:
Write a song about colors or rainbows (here is some inspiration from They Might Be Giants)
How a Rainbow is Made - Video and activities for various ages from Mystery Science
How To Make A Rainbow With A Prism, a CD, and more - Little Bins, Little Hands
Make a rainbow in a glass - super easy and fun way to play with colors and light
🔎 Explore More
Read up on the science behind colors and color blindness from this episode with these links:
What It's Like to Be Color Blind - Connecticut Children’s Museum
Colorblind World - Demonstration of extreme color blindness
Josef Albers The Secrets of Color - Atlantic
👋 That’s the end of week one of Ping and Echo and we loved brining you these stories and activities. If you tried any of the activities, remember to send us pictures (email address below). And if you are enjoying the newsletter, please take a minute to share it with others. See you next week.
The name Ping and Echo comes from sonar technology which relies on sending out “pings” and receiving back “echos” to discover the world around you. You can send us pictures of the art and activities created by your kids. Email them to pingandecho@gmail.com and we’ll post all your echos on our Instagram and Twitter pages.
Thanks for lending us your ears and your inbox.
Josh, Toby, and Ruby