Little Kids, Big Hearts

Nov 08 2024 44 ep. 25 mins 25
Little Kids, Big Hearts Podcast artwork

Little Kids, Big Hearts helps kids and their grown-ups grow social and emotional skills, a.k.a. Big Hearts, with a little help from the show's host, Todd Loyd, a longtime early childhood educator. It’s a space where kids LEAD the discussion and explore big ideas in SEL — from feelings to friendship to helping others — together. If you like using your imagination, hanging out with puppets, going on mindfulness journeys to magical worlds, and eating gummy bears that grow on trees, then you're in the right place! Recommended for big-hearted kids ages 3-8 (and their grown-ups).

  Kids & Family
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Gratitude PowerUp with Lauren Blumenfeld

Nov 08 2024 25 mins  
Gratitude can be a big, abstract idea for most young children — but it is important! Feeling grateful can help to foster emotional wellbeing and resilience; it can reduce stress and anxiety, improve relationships, and promote a sense of belonging.Welcome to Season 4 of Little Kids, Big Hearts! We are SO excited to spend more time with you exploring important themes related to chi

Bonus: Telling Stories that Matter with Author/Illustrator Todd Parr

Aug 19 2024 37 mins  
In this special bonus episode, host Todd Loyd interviews another Todd — the legendary author/illustrator of more than 50 children's books TODD PARR. Todd Parr is a three-time New York Times bestselling author and illustrator of more than 50 books for children, including The Thankful Book, The Earth Book and The I LOVE YOU Book, as well as The Kindness Book and the recently releas

The Magic of Stories with Nick Blaemire

Aug 09 2024 28 mins  
Stories are magical! They are gateways to new people, places, and ideas ... and they help children to build empathy and understanding — allowing them to see the world from different perspectives. As kids step into the roles of different characters, they gain insights into emotions, relationships, and the diverse experiences that make up our shared world. This helps them grow into

Building Resilience with Marc Grapey

Jul 12 2024 32 mins  
In this episode three children, Donovan, Layla, and Ruby, explore the idea of resilience — being able to move through the hard things we face and bounce back or recover afterward. They share times they have had to practice resilience, and then they help a Link-a-deedle friend, LaLeek, who lives in the Land of Qook-a-lackas, learn about resilience. The guest star in this episode i

Bonus: Exploring "Learning Differences" with Oliver, 12, and Caesar Samayoa from "How to Dance in Ohio"

Jul 05 2024 22 mins  
During the most recent episode of Little Kids, Big Hearts, "Celebrating Learning Differences with Q. Smith," one of our kid guests, Oliver, mentioned how meaningful it was to him to see How to Dance in Ohio on Broadway. How to Dance in Ohio is a new musical based on a true story about Dr. Emilio Amigo helping a group of autistic high school students prepare for a formal end-of-year

Celebrating Learning Differences with Q. Smith

Jun 14 2024 40 mins  
In the United States, about 15% of students receive special education or related services under the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA). Learning differences aren’t all alike, but they can all affect how people process, store, and retrieve information — and they can have an impact on many parts of life, from learning to memory to how people express themselves and

Let's Take Responsibility with Natalie Gold

May 10 2024 31 mins  
Taking responsibility is an important part of social and emotional learning. When children take responsibility for their words and actions, acknowledge their mistakes, and help others in their community, they are building empathy, independence, and other important skills. In this episode, three children (Leo, Edie, and Aiden) talk about responsibility and then help Quazzilyn (a Qoo

Special Reimagined Episode: What Can You Do With Big Feelings?

May 03 2024 24 mins  
What do you do when you're feeling angry or sad, or when you're facing something new and scary? In this special episode — which is reimagined and reworked from a Season 1 episode of Little Kids, Big Hearts — Todd and his puppet friend Rainbow join four kids (Anaya, Eleanor, Raffaele, and Wilder) to explore big feelings, where they come from, and what to do with them. At the end

Grandparent Relationships

Mar 01 2024 38 mins  
Grandparents, or older friends and family members, can play pivotal roles in children's lives, acting as caregivers, mentors, and friends. Whether grandparents live in a child’s neighborhood or far away, the love and emotional support they provide can significantly contribute to the healthy social and emotional growth of their grandchildren.In this episode, Todd interviews his ow

Bonus: Boundaries Interview with Ana Cruz Kayne and Michael Cruz Kayne

Feb 09 2024 12 mins  
Last week, we released an episode about BOUNDARIES — the limits and rules we set for ourselves within relationships. Today, we're excited to release a bonus interview with the guest stars of the episode, Ana Cruz Kayne and Michael Cruz Kayne. Ana and Michael are siblings in real life ... so they know A LOT about the topic of boundaries. Ana is an actress and writer, known for her