Wild Interest

Okay Wildlings, we'll level with you. We tried. We really tried to petition for the extension of summer vacation. 
We gathered our most compelling evidence: the Feeding Ben Stuff crew got together to plumb the depths of the finest pool games in the land, Evan perfected his gnarliest kickflip at Woodward Skate Camp, and, to the delight of teachers everywhere, we had a tête-à-tête to determine the very best and brightest books in the summer reading catalog! 
Alas, we are but a simple kids podcast. Perhaps the real victory was the fun with friends and family that we had along the way? 
One thing's for sure: we've made this Endless Summer Episode for all of you, Wildlings, to commemorate and celebrate the frolicking freedom of the season!
Not to mention some hilarious jokes and one doozy of a riddle. So grab a snack, tell a friend, stay curious and, as always: keep it WILD!!!
Parents: visit our website to help your kids contribute jokes or favorite sounds, or to send us a message.
Timestamps for this episode are available below.

00:00 - Episode 23 Intro
01:20 - Pool Games
09:16 - Riddle Clue
09:38 - Summer Reading
18:02 - Skate Camp
20:00 - Joke Time
20:42 - Call for Submissions
21:09 - Cryptid Corner: Blobs!
25:39 - Riddle Answer
26:01 - Preview of Episode 24
26:12 - Credits + Call for Reviews + Word of Mouth
26:43 - Bloopers

Cryptid Corner includes audio from the single "The Blob", written by Burt Bacharach and Mack David, performed by The Five Blobs, and released by Columbia Records in 1958.
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What do you know, Wildlings? It’s the 22nd episode of Wild Interest! Join us on our quest as we interview quantum physicist Dr. Shohini Ghose about the history of her quark-y field and her own personal journey of discovery along the path! Then, ready your blindfolds and prep your palettes – it’s time for another installment of Feeding Ben Stuff, featuring Louise! Plus, Nichole shares a special report about the 2026 World Cup and all the enchanting soccer cheers from around the globe. Finally, we pay tribute to the late, great Dr. Jeff Meldrum, renowned anthropologist, professor, and lifelong Bigfoot researcher by returning to the very first Cryptid Corner EVER! 
And, we’ve got a super special new segment called “We Made It All Up!”, an improvised storytelling collaboration between three different schools from across the US! Starting the story off are 6th graders from Rocky Heights Middle School in Highlands Ranch, Colorado. They passed their part of the story to 8th graders at Rocky Heights, who then sent all their recordings to the 5th graders at St. Veronica Catholic School in Cincinnati, Ohio! Finally, our Penpal by Podcast collaborators, the 5th grade class at Crow Agency Elementary in Crow Agency, Montana, brought the whole made-up journey to an end! 
Not to mention some hilarious jokes and one doozy of a riddle. So grab a snack, tell a friend, stay curious and, as always: keep it WILD!!!
Parents: visit our website to help your kids contribute jokes or favorite sounds, or to send us a message.
Timestamps for this episode are available below.

00:00 - Episode 22 Intro
01:27 - Dr. Shohini Ghose
11:19 - Riddle Clue
11:34 - World Cup Fever!
16:49 - Favorite Sound
18:06 - Call for Submissions!
18:34 - Feeding Ben Stuff: Louise's Turn
28:18 - Joke Time
29:10 - We Made It All Up!
32:56 - Grandparent Stories: Nichole's Grandma
44:05 - Cryptid Corner: Bigfoot with Dr. Jeff Meldrum
53:12 - Riddle Answer
53:30 - Preview of Episode 23
53:42 - Credits + Call for Reviews + Word of Mouth!
54:13 - Bloopers
For more quality content from students at Rocky Heights Middle School and St. Veronica Catholic School, check out 2025 NPR Student Podcast Middle School Honorable Mentions “A Late Start Would Be Smart”, “Are You Smarter Than AI?”, “Mystery Unknown!”, and “The Flaws of School – Should Schools be Improved to Fit Students’ Needs?”
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Welcome to summer, Wildlings! Hit the waves with Nichole as she guides you through the ups and downs of her rafting adventure on the Colorado River in Cataract Canyon! Get nostalgic for the past school year as we listen back to the best moments created by our Penpal by Podcast student podcast groups all the way from Crow Agency, MT, to Brooklyn, New York! Evan elucidates the lore behind La Lechuza in Cryptid Corner - it's a real hoot! Haadiyah from South Africa interviews her grandma, Hunter from California reflects on his favorite sound, and back home on the range (in the studio), there's a funny little Animal Call to be identified!
Not to mention some hilarious jokes and one doozy of a riddle. So grab a snack, tell a friend, stay curious and, as always: keep it WILD!!!
Parents: visit our website to help your kids contribute jokes or favorite sounds, or to send us a message.
Timestamps for this episode are available below.

00:00 - Episode 21 Intro
01:20 - Cataract Canyon
09:26 - Animal Call
10:39 - Joke Time!
11:29 - Penpal by Podcast
20:04 - Riddle Clue
20:26 - Animal Call Reprise
21:23 - Cryptid Corner: La Lechuza
24:34 - Favorite Sound
25:17 - Call for Submissions!
25:44 - Animal Call Reveal
28:00 - Grandparent Stories: Haadiyah's Grandma
33:15 - Riddle Answer
33:56 - Preview of Episode 22
34:25 - Credits + Call for Reviews + Word of Mouth!
34:56 - Bloopers

Archival audio in Animal Call:
Rice, Jeff. Audio file copyright 2010, the Western Soundscape Archive at the University of Utah J. Willard Marriott Library, http://westernsoundscape.org & Public Domain recordings from the National Park Service.
Musical segments performed by Daca (Henry Payne Reeves) include "I'm Ridin' Old Paint" and "Old Chisholm Trail", from the American Folklife Center of the Library of Congress.

Archival audio in Cryptid Corner:
Snippets from "El Pajaro Gigante de Robe" by Los Campeones de Raul Ruiz, published by Freddie Records, & "El Tecolotito" as performed by Ricardo Archuleta, from the American Folklife Center of the Library of Congress.

Archival audio in Grandparent Stories:
Snippets of “Mannenberg” by Abdullah Ibrahim, 1974.

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Hey Wildlings, lace up your cleats and let's hit the pitch, it's time for Episode 20 of Wild Interest, "Red Cards & Redheads"!
Ever wonder who came up with red cards in soccer? Or why some people are redheads even though their parents aren't? Well, it's a red letter day, because we've rolled out the red carpet for our new friends, brother and sister duo Miles & Nico! They tell us all about their love for "The Beautiful Game", their favorite players EVER, and the roots of the yellow and red card penalty system in soccer. Then, they discuss their own roots as redheads and how and why the trait for red hair gets passed down through generations!
We also join Wild Interest collaborator Trey Lander at Fantasy Lane Studios in Atlanta, GA, to hear all about how he's turned his love for music into a career full of inspiration! And, stay tuned for some exclusive behind-the-scenes footage of us cutting tracks in the booth!
Plus, we've journeyed to the highlands of Scotland to follow one of the biggest fish tales of all time - the Loch Ness Monster! And, for Grandparent Stories, we hear from Philip in Maryland as he interviews his grandma!
Not to mention some hilarious jokes, a mind-bending riddle, and a fantastic favorite sound. So grab a snack, tell a friend, stay curious and, as always, keep it WILD!!!
Parents: visit our website to help your kids contribute jokes or favorite sounds, or to send us a message.
Timestamps for this episode are available below.

00:00 - Episode 20 Intro
01:43 - Redcards with Miles & Nico
11:24 - Riddle Clue
11:40 - In the Studio with Trey Lander
23:38 - Favorite Sound
24:50 - Cryptid Corner: The Loch Ness Monster
31:00 - Joke Time!
31:45 - Call for Submissions
32:10 - Redheads with Miles & Nico
35:39 - Grandparent Stories: Philip's Grandma
38:13 - Riddle Answer
38:36 - Preview of Episode 21
38:47 - Credits + Call for Reviews + Word of Mouth!
39:19 - Bloopers!

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Ah, February! Already one month into the New Year, and we've got so much to share with you! Professional spoken word artist Jim Weiss stops by the studio to spin some yarns and talk shop with Evan. Mr. Weiss has narrated countless stories from Tall Tales to Greek Mythology, and U.S. History to Classic Fables. You've probably heard his version of The Tortoise and the Hare - it's pretty epic!!! Plus, get ready for the most dramatic reading of a cereal box...maybe ever? Speaking of drama: steel your nerves and brace your tastebuds - it's another edition of Feeding Ben Stuff! This time, it's Nichole's turn. Tune in to find out what never-before-heard-of-flavor-combination they invent this time! Then, get ready for a real cool treat!!! Introducing: SNOW ICE CREAM! That's right, we go to our test kitchen (and our backyard) to bring you a wonderful wintertime recipe that's sure to be a new favorite! We have a Grandparent story from Blake in Cary, Illinois and his Grandma, who grew up on a farm in Kansas! And, get ready for one of the original supernatural mysteries as Cryptid Corner explores the treacherous Bermuda Triangle! Plus, we share a few tricks for remembering how many days are in each month. You know, because February! Not to mention hilarious jokes, a mind-bending riddle, and a fantastic favorite sound. So grab a snack, tell a friend, stay curious and, as always, keep it WILD!!!
Parents: visit our website to help your kids contribute jokes or favorite sounds, or to send us a message.
Timestamps for this episode are available below.

00:00 - Episode 19 Intro
01:35 - Jim Weiss Spins His Yarns
11:58 - Animal Call!
12:22 - How Many Days in a Month?
15:02 - Riddle Clue
15:29 - Favorite Sound
16:21 - Call for Submissions!
16:48 - Feeding Ben Stuff Part III: Nichole's Turn
29:08 - Animal Call Reprise
29:57 - Grandparent Stories: Blake's Grandma
33:47 - Animal Call Reprise Part II
34:28 - Joke Time!
35:25 - Snow Ice Cream!
40:34 - Animal Call REVEAL
41:11 - Cryptid Corner: The Bermuda Triangle
46:10 - Riddle Answer
46:36 - Preview of Episode 20
46:49 - Credits + Calls for Reviews + Word of Mouth!
47:22 - Bloopers!
***
To hear more of Jim Weiss's storytelling, head to:
jimweiss.com & welltrainedmind.com
Animal Call samples clips from the Cornell Lab of Ornithology | Macaulay Library, by Allen, Gunn, Johnson, Maia, and Patterson; and "Intergalactic" by The Beastie Boys, © Capitol Records and Beastie Boys, 1999.
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