History for Kids / History's Not Boring: The Kids History Podcast

What was the first drone?

Have you ever wondered where those cool flying robots came from? Join Mira and Finn as they uncover the wild and wacky history of drones! You won't believe it, but the very first drone was built over a hundred years ago during World War One. It was made of papier-mâché, weighed as much as a full-grown grizzly bear, and almost always crashed! Discover how the military used pilotless planes for target practice in World War Two, and learn the totally amazing secret about a famous Hollywood movie star who was discovered working in a drone factory! We'll trace the journey from massive, 27-foot-long spy planes to the tiny, super-fast quadcopters you can easily fly in your backyard using just a smartphone. Plus, find out all the incredible things drones can do today! From inspecting dark, spider-web-filled bridges to flying piping hot pizzas right to your front door! We'll even explore how thousands of glowing drones fly perfectly together to create 500-foot-tall dragons in the night sky! Grab your virtual reality goggles and get ready for a high-flying history adventure that will blow you away!

Who was Roald Dahl?

Did you know that the man who invented Willy Wonka, the BFG, and Matilda wasn't just a writer sitting at a desk? He was actually a real-life secret spy and a daring fighter pilot! Join Mira and Finn on an unbelievable adventure to discover the incredible true story of Roald Dahl! Long before he sold 300 million books around the world, young Roald went to a strict English boarding school where he was given a top-secret mission: testing brand-new, unreleased chocolate bars for the Cadbury company! (Can you guess which famous book that inspired?) But that’s just the beginning! You will hear the heart-pounding true story of how he survived a fiery plane crash in the middle of the scorching African desert during World War Two, and how he later worked as a towering six-foot-six secret agent. Plus, we'll dive into his super cozy writing hut, his obsession with yellow pencils, and the silly made-up language he invented called Gobblefunk. Get ready for a scrumdiddlyumptious episode packed with history, action, and imagination!

How was Mount Rushmore carved?

Imagine dangling 500 feet in the air from a tiny cable... right in front of a giant stone nose! Welcome to the massive story of Mount Rushmore! In this episode, Mira and Finn travel back to 1927 to find out how four American presidents—George Washington, Thomas Jefferson, Theodore Roosevelt, and Abraham Lincoln—were carved into a mountain in South Dakota. Did you know 90% of the monument was carved using actual dynamite? Boom! Learn how 400 workers blasted away 450,000 tons of rock and dangled from dizzying cliffs to smooth out faces the size of six-story buildings. Amazingly, not a single person died during the 14 years it took to build! We'll also uncover the fascinating secrets behind the monument, from a hidden room meant to hold America's most important documents, to why the mountain is deeply sacred to the Lakota Sioux people, who call it the Six Grandfathers. Grab your hard hat and get ready for an explosive adventure through history!

What is the Mariana Trench?

Have you ever wondered how deep the ocean really goes? In 1960, two explorers named Jacques Piccard and Don Walsh decided to find out! They squeezed into a tiny, freezing cold steel ball attached to a giant underwater blimp called the Trieste. Together, they sank nearly 7 miles down to the deepest, darkest place on Earth: the Mariana Trench! It took almost five hours to slowly descend through pitch-black water. The crushing weight of the ocean was so heavy that a window suddenly cracked with a terrifying BANG! But they didn't give up! When they finally touched the ocean floor, they found something completely shocking: actual living sea creatures swimming where scientists thought absolutely nothing could survive! Their incredible discovery proved the deep ocean was full of amazing mysteries and completely stopped dangerous plans to dump toxic waste down there! Believe it or not, no human returned to this extreme depth for another 52 years! Join Mira and Finn as they eat chocolate bars and sink to the very bottom of the sea!

How did baseball begin?

Batter up! Have you ever wondered how baseball began? Long before superstars played in giant stadiums, people played wild stick-and-ball games where you could actually throw the ball at runners to get them out! Ouch! Join Mira and Finn as they step up to the plate to uncover the incredible history of America's national pastime. You'll travel back to 1845 when a bank clerk named Alexander Cartwright finally wrote down the official rules and created the famous baseball diamond. Discover the amazing story of the Cincinnati Red Stockings, the very first professional team that went completely undefeated (and wore bright red socks to show off!). Then, dive into the wild chaos of the first-ever World Series in 1903, where thousands of rowdy fans literally stood on the playing field during the game! From early folk games to inspiring legends like Babe Ruth, Hank Aaron, and the heroic Jackie Robinson, find out how a simple children's game grew into a massive sport watched by 70 million fans every single year. Play ball!