Celebrate Bat Appreciation Day With These Great Podcast Episodes from Kids Listen Shows
These spectacular animals don’t deserve their spooky bad rep!
Written by Jodi Murphy of Dorktales Storytime Podcast and edited by Phoebe Owens from The Adventures of Power Dog in Dogland for Kids Listen
April 17 is Bat Appreciation Day!
It’s time to bust the scary myths and shine a light on how essential bats are for our ecosystems. They’re some of nature’s most important pollinators and eco-friendly pest controllers. For example, did you know that bats help keep deadly disease-carrying mosquito populations lower?
Celebrate Bat Appreciation Day by listening to these podcast episodes about these misunderstood creatures and learn about a man who is showing the world how spectacular they really are:
But Why: A Podcast for Curious Kids
“Bats and Beavers” episode recorded live at the Vermont Bat Center. Learn about bats and beavers! First up, all about bats with Barry Genzlinger of Vermont Bat Center. Then, we learn about the industrious beaver with wildlife biologist Kim Royar of the Vermont Department for Fish & Wildlife.
Cool Facts About Animals
“Vampire Bats” — Because the mom on this show does not much like vampire bats, the kids on this show try to convince her that vampire bats are more cool than creepy. Do they succeed? Listen to find out!
Curious Kid Podcast
We learn why bats are the Halloween animal. Are bats really that scary? What do bats eat? Do any animals eat bats? What is guano? You may be surprised by some of the answers.
Dorktales Storytime Podcast
Merlin Tuttle has spent his career studying bats and proving why they are an incredibly vital part of the ecosystem. As promised, you can meet the hero who showed the world that some of the smallest creatures are making the biggest contributions — the real “batman” and champion protector of nature’s delightful, dark-winged, do-gooders.
Little News Ears
Check out 3 episodes from Little News Ears with awesome bat news:
Kids’ Poetry Club
Queenie, Chicken and Hedgehog are settling down by the wildflower garden with homemade lemonade and fresh strawberries all ready to watch the evening’s flying show from their local bats. While they wait, they chat to their new friend, Little Carrot Donuts, and learn all about the wonder of bats. They also listen to Little Dazzy Donuts reading poems about a wildflower garden, watching bats, and what happens when the sun goes down. Catch the bonus poetry video below, too!
Smash Boom Best
“Bats vs. Owls” episode — Wings out, eyes wide — we’re swooping in on a battle between a perfect pair of creatures of the night. Which is cooler: Bats? Or owls? We’re going to hear lots of facts and feelings from our debaters: Brandi Brown and Katie McVay. Who will be chosen the Smash Boom Best? Listen to hear what our judge decides and then head over to smashboom.org to share your opinion with us!
Tumble Science Podcast for Kids
Tumble has two bat-tastic episodes for your listening pleasure.
First, join Tumble on a field trip to the biggest bat colony in the world! Bracken Cave is home to 15 million Mexican free-tailed bats. It’s the largest concentration of mammals on the planet, and it’s made up of only mothers and their babies. On our visit, we’ll meet a real-life Batwoman. Jessica Dreyer is a bat biologist who is studying how bats learn to be bats. Now… TO THE BAT CAVE!
Next, check out “The Cave of the Upside Down Bat with Micaela Jemison.” And find out the answer to the question, “Why do bats hang upside down?” That’s what fifth graders living in the Bat Capital of the World — Austin, Texas — want to know. They visit Micaela Jemison at the world headquarters of Bat Conservation International to figure out why bats have such weird sleep habits. Plus, why would bats walk on treadmills? They’re mysterious creatures.
Wow in the World
“Ah, BATS!” episode on the who, what, when, where, why, how and wow in the world of Vampire Bats. What in the world does Guy Raz’s new micro house have in common with a tree hollow for vampire bats? And how in the world can humans learn about sharing from these blood slurping, flying mammals? And why in the world are they barfing into each other’s mouths?! Join Mindy, Guy Raz, and the rest of their “colony” as they uncover these answers and more!
Do you and your kid people have some favorite bat facts? Share in the comments!
