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How does the immune system work? What happens inside your body when you encounter germs? In this episode of What’s Happening Inside Me?, we’re explaining the immune system for kids and discovering how the body protects itself from bacteria, viruses, fungi, and other things that can make us sick. Sloane and Ransom learn that the immune system isn’t just one organ—it’s a whole-body defense system made up of cells, tissues, organs, and protective barriers.We start with the body's first lines of defense, including skin, mucus, tears, saliva, and stomach acid, and learn how these everyday parts of our bodies help keep germs out. Then we meet white blood cells (leukocytes) and discover that there are billions of immune cells working throughout the body. We even learn about the aptly named natural killer cells and what happens when they find one of our own cells that has become infected or abnormal. Finally, we explore some of the body's important immune system organs and tissues, including the bone marrow, lymph nodes, spleen, and thymus. This episode is a kid-friendly introduction to how the immune system works, perfect for curious kids learning about the human body, germs, sickness, biology, and health. And this is just Part 1! Next time, we're diving deeper into the different types of immune cells and white blood cells and what each one does.Listen with your kids and discover what’s happening inside YOU! 💡 Enjoying What’s Happening Inside Me? If you loved this episode, please share it with a friend or leave us a review—it helps more curious kids and families discover the show! 🌟 👉 Visit us at WHIMpodcast.com to: Send in your own question for a future episodeGrab the most recent partner pages for freeStay up to date on new releasesThanks for listening, learning, and exploring what’s happening inside YOU! 🩺✨

Have you ever wondered how your brain knows when you touch something cold? Or how your heart keeps beating while you're asleep? In this episode, Sloane and Ransom finally get answers to some questions they've been asking for months! Together, we explore the amazing nervous system—the body's communication and control center. Kids will learn how the brain, spinal cord, and nerves work together to send messages throughout the body, why some nerve cells can be longer than Ransom is tall, and the difference between things your body does on purpose and things it does automatically. Along the way, we'll discover: 🧠 How your body "talks" to itself ⚡ Why nerve messages travel so incredibly fast 🏃‍♂️ The difference between somatic and autonomic actions 🔥 How your body reacts when you touch something hot 😴 Why your heart keeps beating while you sleep Plus, Sloane and Ransom put their nervous systems to work with plenty of laughs, questions, and surprising facts along the way! Visit our website for the free worksheet and coloring page that go along with this episode. 💡 Enjoying What’s Happening Inside Me? If you loved this episode, please share it with a friend or leave us a review—it helps more curious kids and families discover the show! 🌟 👉 Visit us at WHIMpodcast.com to: Send in your own question for a future episodeGrab the most recent partner pages for freeStay up to date on new releasesThanks for listening, learning, and exploring what’s happening inside YOU! 🩺✨

In this fun Questions from Listeners episode, we explore the amazing science behind your voice! Have you ever wondered: 🎤 How do we talk? 🎶 What makes humming sound different from singing? 😮 And what exactly ARE vocal cords anyway? Join Audra — former teacher, emergency room PA, and mom of four curious kids — as she answers a some great questions that Theo from Maryland asks.  She breaks down how air from our lungs, vibrating vocal cords, and sound waves all work together to create the sounds we make every day. Kids will learn: 🫁 How breathing helps us make sound 🎵 Why vocal cords vibrate 😄 What changes when we hum 🔊 How sound travels through the air This episode is packed with fun science, silly voice experiments to try at home, and lots of fun learning. 🎧 Listen now on any podcast app!  💡 Have a question you want answered on the show? Submit it anytime at WHIMpodcast.com — your question might be featured in a future episode! #WHIMpodcast #whatshappeninginsideme #QuestionsFromListeners #kidseducation #educationalpodcast #kidslearn #funforkids #sciencelesson #curiouskids #familyeducation #podcastforkids #kidpodcast #kidslovelearning #kidhost #kidsaskwhy #learnsomethingnew #STEMkids 💡 Enjoying What’s Happening Inside Me? If you loved this episode, please share it with a friend or leave us a review—it helps more curious kids and families discover the show! 🌟 👉 Visit us at WHIMpodcast.com to: Send in your own question for a future episodeGrab the most recent partner pages for freeStay up to date on new releasesThanks for listening, learning, and exploring what’s happening inside YOU! 🩺✨

What’s inside the human heart? In this kid-friendly episode of What’s Happening Inside Me?, we explore the anatomy of the heart in a fun and easy-to-understand way! Building on what we learned about the heart’s double pump and two blood flow tracks, this episode breaks down the structure of the heart, including the four chambers, four valves, and major blood vessels. Kids will learn how blood moves through the heart, why valves are important, and how the heart works with the lungs and body to keep us alive and energized. Perfect for elementary-aged kids, parents, teachers, and homeschool families, this episode makes complex human body science and cardiovascular anatomy simple, engaging, and memorable. What Kids Will Learn: The 4 chambers of the heart: left atrium, right atrium, left ventricle, right ventricleThe difference between atria (collection chambers) and ventricles (pumping chambers)The 4 heart valves and how they keep blood flowing in one direction: mitral valve, tricuspid valve, aortic valve, pulmonary valveThe major blood vessels of the heart: aorta, vena cava, pulmonary arteries, pulmonary veinsA step-by-step explanation of blood flow through the heartHow the circulatory system, respiratory system, and cells work togetherHands-On Learning Activity: Go to whimpodcast.com to download or print a heart diagram and have your child trace the path of blood through the heart while listening. This reinforces understanding of cardiovascular anatomy and blood circulation. Why This Episode Matters: Understanding how the heart works helps kids build a strong foundation in biology, human anatomy, and health education. This episode connects multiple systems of the body, showing how everything works together like a team. Perfect For: Kids ages 4–12Parents teaching health and science at homeElementary teachers and school nursesHomeschool science curriculumAnyone looking for a kid-friendly explanation of the heart and circulatory systemWhat’s Next? You’re officially becoming a heart expert! Stay tuned for our next episode where we explore a brand new topic—and don’t forget to send us your ideas! Keywords: heart anatomy for kids, how the heart works, chambers of the heart, heart valves explained, blood flow through the heart, circulatory system for kids, human body podcast for kids, elementary science podcast, homeschool anatomy, cardiovascular system basics  💡 Enjoying What’s Happening Inside Me? If you loved this episode, please share it with a friend or leave us a review—it helps more curious kids and families discover the show! 🌟 👉 Visit us at WHIMpodcast.com to: Send in your own question for a future episodeGrab the most recent partner pages for freeStay up to date on new releasesThanks for listening, learning, and exploring what’s happening inside YOU! 🩺✨

❤️ After last episode, did you start to wonder WHY the heart has two tracks for pumping blood? 🫀 In this episode of What’s Happening Inside Me?, Audra is joined by her kids, Sloane and Ransom as they dive deeper into the amazing double-pump heart. Building on last week’s episode, they explore why the heart pumps blood in two separate loops—one delivering oxygen to the whole body, and the other refilling blood with oxygen in the lungs. Using fun metaphors and kid-friendly explanations, they connect the heart to other systems in the body, including: Cells and mitochondria, the body’s energy factoriesBlood vessels, highways that carry oxygen and glucoseThe lungs, where blood picks up oxygen and drops off carbon dioxideThe digestive system, which provides glucose to make energyThis episode is perfect for curious kids who love learning how everything in the body works together as a team. 🫀 In This Episode, Kids Will Learn: How the heart’s double pump worksWhy blood travels on two separate tracksHow oxygen and glucose get to the cells to make energyHow the body gets rid of carbon dioxide wasteHow multiple systems in the body work together🎧 Helpful to Know Builds on ideas from previous episodes on the heart (Ep 25), cells (Ep18), blood (Ep 9 and 10), respiratory system (Ep 4)  and digestive system (Ep 5 and 7)Listening to the last episode (Episode 25) will help make this one extra clear👨‍👩‍👧‍👦 Perfect For: Kids ages 4–12Families and curious learnersClassrooms and school nurses looking for fun science lessonsNext time, we’ll slice open the heart and explore what’s inside—including atria, ventricles, and valves! 🫀 Stay tuned and keep wondering what’s happening inside you! 💡 Enjoying What’s Happening Inside Me? If you loved this episode, please share it with a friend or leave us a review—it helps more curious kids and families discover the show! 🌟 👉 Visit us at WHIMpodcast.com to: Send in your own question for a future episodeGrab the most recent partner pages for freeStay up to date on new releasesThanks for listening, learning, and exploring what’s happening inside YOU! 🩺✨

❤️ What’s Happening Inside My Heart? Valentine’s Day is coming up, and that means hearts are everywhere! 💕 But… have you ever wondered what a real heart actually looks like—and what it really does? In this episode of What’s Happening Inside Me?, Audra is joined by Sloane and new co-host Ransom to talk all about the human heart. Together, they discover that real hearts don’t look like Valentine’s candy hearts at all—and that the heart is actually a pretty amazing double-pump machine! Using fun comparisons like stomp rockets and Hot Wheels tracks, kids learn how the heart pumps blood all around the body and why it has a right side and a left side that don’t mix. This episode focuses on big ideas made simple—perfect for curious kids and the grown-ups learning alongside them. 🫀 In This Episode, Kids Will Learn: What the heart really looks like (spoiler: it’s not Valentine-shaped!)What the heart’s main job isHow the heart pumps blood all over the bodyWhy the heart is like two pumps stuck togetherWhat “right heart” and “left heart” actually meanHow blood travels in two separate tracks through the body🎧 Helpful to Know This episode builds on ideas from Episodes 9 and 10 about blood vesselsListening to those episodes first can make this one even easier to understand (and you’ll get to hear the catchy vascular system song again!)🖼️ Bonus Resource Want to see what a real human heart looks like? Ask a grown-up to visit WHIMpodcast.com to download: A kid-friendly coloring picture of the human heartAn extra learning pages to help visualize the heart’s parts and pathways👨‍👩‍👧‍👦 Perfect For: Kids ages 4–12Curious familiesClassrooms and school nursesValentine’s Day learning with a science twistJoin us next time as we dive deeper into the heart and explore the two tracks the blood travels on. Until then—keep wondering what’s happening inside you! 💛 💡 Enjoying What’s Happening Inside Me? If you loved this episode, please share it with a friend or leave us a review—it helps more curious kids and families discover the show! 🌟 👉 Visit us at WHIMpodcast.com to: Send in your own question for a future episodeGrab the most recent partner pages for freeStay up to date on new releasesThanks for listening, learning, and exploring what’s happening inside YOU! 🩺✨

In this follow-up episode on the integumentary system, we explore the amazing ways our skin keeps us safe, healthy, and balanced every single day. Last week, we learned what the skin is made of — this week, we focus on what it does for us and why we truly couldn’t live without it. Sloane continues doubting if skin is really that important… and ends up discovering it’s one of the most essential systems in the entire body! In this episode, kids learn how the skin: Acts like a protective wall, keeping germs outHelps prevent dehydration by keeping our body’s water insideUses sweat to cool us down when we’re hotWorks with hair and the hypodermis to keep us warmUses blood vessels to control body temperature through vasodilation and vasoconstrictionSends messages to the brain through nerves to help keep us safeWe talk about how all these parts — skin, hair, glands, fat, and nerves — work together to protect us and regulate our temperature, making the integumentary system absolutely essential for life. 💡 Enjoying What’s Happening Inside Me? If you loved this episode, please share it with a friend or leave us a review—it helps more curious kids and families discover the show! 🌟 👉 Visit us at WHIMpodcast.com to: Send in your own question for a future episodeGrab the most recent partner pages for freeStay up to date on new releasesThanks for listening, learning, and exploring what’s happening inside YOU! 🩺✨

Sloane thinks skin is no big deal — until she finds out it’s actually an entire body system! In this episode, Audra and Sloane explore the integumentary system — the body’s amazing outer layer of protection. Together, they discover that skin isn’t just skin — it’s the largest organ in our body and part of a team that includes hair, nails, and glands. From sweat to earwax to milk (wait… what?!), this episode uncovers the gross, cool, and important jobs your skin does every day.  What Kids Will Learn The integumentary system is made up of the skin, hair, nails, and glands.The skin is the body’s largest organ, made of three layers — the epidermis, dermis, and hypodermis.Hair follicles are like tiny flowerpots where hair grows.Glands in the skin make and release important stuff — like oil, sweat, earwax, and even milk in mammals!The word “secrete” means to make and release something.A dermatologist is a doctor who takes care of your skin. 💡 Enjoying What’s Happening Inside Me? If you loved this episode, please share it with a friend or leave us a review—it helps more curious kids and families discover the show! 🌟 👉 Visit us at WHIMpodcast.com to: Send in your own question for a future episodeGrab the most recent partner pages for freeStay up to date on new releasesThanks for listening, learning, and exploring what’s happening inside YOU! 🩺✨

This week’s listener question comes from Dom, from Pennsylvania, who asked: “How many times do you have to get hit to have a concussion in football?” That’s a really good question — and one that every kid (and parent!) who plays sports should understand! In this episode, we talk about: ⚡ What a concussion is and why doctors call it a “mild traumatic brain injury.” 🏈 How our brains get hurt — from hits, hard stops, and even whiplash. 💫 What symptoms can happen when the brain gets injured. 🦺 And how to keep your brain safe by wearing helmets, playing smart, and resting when you need to. Because remember — you only get one brain, and it’s in charge of everything! So let’s learn how to take good care of it together. 💡 Enjoying What’s Happening Inside Me? If you loved this episode, please share it with a friend or leave us a review—it helps more curious kids and families discover the show! 🌟 👉 Visit us at WHIMpodcast.com to: Send in your own question for a future episodeGrab the most recent partner pages for freeStay up to date on new releasesThanks for listening, learning, and exploring what’s happening inside YOU! 🩺✨

It’s Halloween week — and Sloane has an idea! 👻 This time, she convinces Mom to share some of her “scary” stories from the ER. Don’t worry — these stories aren’t too scary, but they’re definitely interesting, a little gross, and packed with lessons to keep kids safe. 💀 From fishhooks to helmets to beads (and even blood!), this episode has it all. You’ll hear: 🪝 A fishing trip gone wrong — and what happens when a fishhook ends up in someone’s cheek. 🚴‍♀️ A bike ride that turned into a real-life lesson about helmets. 💎 A bead-in-the-nose story that might sound familiar to some parents... 🩸 And finally, a not-so-spooky vampire-style story about blood transfusions and how donating blood can save lives! This Halloween, we’re mixing a few chills with a whole lot of learning. Perfect for car rides, classrooms, or cozy listening while you carve pumpkins! 🎃 Lesson Takeaways: Always listen to safety rules — they’re there for a reason!Helmets aren’t optional (even for grown-ups!)Keep small things out of noses, ears, and eyes!Donating blood can be life-saving — and your body makes more!👩‍⚕️ Hosted by Audra (a real ER PA!) and her 8-year-old daughter Sloane 🎧 Available wherever you listen to podcasts 💡 Enjoying What’s Happening Inside Me? If you loved this episode, please share it with a friend or leave us a review—it helps more curious kids and families discover the show! 🌟 👉 Visit us at WHIMpodcast.com to: Send in your own question for a future episodeGrab the most recent partner pages for freeStay up to date on new releasesThanks for listening, learning, and exploring what’s happening inside YOU! 🩺✨

My brother told me I had to do an episode on burps and farts… so here it is! Let’s be honest — everyone does it. But have you ever wondered why? In this episode, Sloane and I dive into the science behind burping and tooting. We’ll talk about what’s really going on inside when gas builds up, why it’s totally normal, and how our amazing body systems all work together to make it happen. We’ll learn about: What happens when you swallow air (and where it goes!)The tiny bacteria living inside you that make gasFoods that make us extra gassy (yes, beans made the list)And the fancy doctor words for burps and farts — eructation and flatulence!It’s science. It’s silly. It’s slightly stinky. And your kids are going to LOVE it. Perfect for: Curious kids (ages 4–12), parents, teachers, and anyone who secretly finds burps and farts hilarious — so, basically, everyone. Listen now on What’s Happening Inside Me? — wherever you get your podcasts! 💡 Enjoying What’s Happening Inside Me? If you loved this episode, please share it with a friend or leave us a review—it helps more curious kids and families discover the show! 🌟 👉 Visit us at WHIMpodcast.com to: Send in your own question for a future episodeGrab the most recent partner pages for freeStay up to date on new releasesThanks for listening, learning, and exploring what’s happening inside YOU! 🩺✨

Ever wondered what your belly button actually does? (Spoiler alert: not much!) But don’t worry — that tiny spot on your tummy used to be one of the most important parts of your body when you were a baby growing inside your mom! In this episode, Audra — a former teacher, emergency room PA, and mom of four curious kids — takes listeners back to before they were even born to explain how the umbilical cord and placenta helped them eat, breathe, and grow long before their actual birth day.  Kids will learn: 🩸 How oxygen and nutrients travel from mom to baby 🎈 What the placenta and umbilical cord do 👶 Why the belly button is actually a scar 🤯 How your blood and your mom’s blood never actually mix! This “Questions from Listeners” episode is perfect for curious minds who love learning how their bodies work — even before they were born! 💡 Want to hear your question on the show? Submit it anytime at WHIMpodcast.com — #WHIMpodcast #whatshappeninginsideme #kidslearn #kidseducation #kidslovelearning #educationalpodcast #funforkids #curiouskids #sciencelesson #kidpodcast #familyeducation #podcastforkids #kidhost #kidsaskwhy 💡 Enjoying What’s Happening Inside Me? If you loved this episode, please share it with a friend or leave us a review—it helps more curious kids and families discover the show! 🌟 👉 Visit us at WHIMpodcast.com to: Send in your own question for a future episodeGrab the most recent partner pages for freeStay up to date on new releasesThanks for listening, learning, and exploring what’s happening inside YOU! 🩺✨

What’s smaller than small and busier than busy? It’s the cell—the tiny building block of every living thing! In this episode, Audra and her 8-year-old cohost Sloane explore what cells are, where we find them, and why they’re so important. Using fun examples (and a few Lego bricks), they zoom in layer by layer—from body systems to organs to tissues—all the way down to the microscopic world inside every cell. Along the way, they meet three superstar organelles: 🧠 Nucleus – the control center that holds DNA, the instructions for building you⚡ Mitochondria – the “powerhouse” that turns food and oxygen into energy (ATP!)🏭 Ribosome – the protein factory that makes all the proteins which help your body grow, heal, and work properlyBy the end, kids will understand how every breath, bite, and heartbeat depends on the work of trillions of cells—all working together like a team of tiny builders inside us. 💡 Enjoying What’s Happening Inside Me? If you loved this episode, please share it with a friend or leave us a review—it helps more curious kids and families discover the show! 🌟 👉 Visit us at WHIMpodcast.com to: Send in your own question for a future episodeGrab the most recent partner pages for freeStay up to date on new releasesThanks for listening, learning, and exploring what’s happening inside YOU! 🩺✨

✨ Questions from Listeners: Why Do I Get Hiccups?  Submit your own question at WHIMpodcast.com/contact-us ✨ Laura sent in a fantastic question for today’s Questions from Listeners episode: 👉 Why do I get hiccups, and what are they? If you’ve ever had hiccups, you know how annoying they can be. But what’s actually going on inside your body when they happen? In this episode, we’ll: ✅ Discuss how your body breathes with the help of your diaphragm and intercostal muscles ✅ Learn why nothing sucks in science (and how air really gets into your lungs) ✅ Discover how a spasm in your diaphragm and closing of your vocal cords creates that “hic!” sound ✅ Talk about some common hiccup triggers (like eating too fast or spicy foods) ✅ Share a wild fun fact about the longest ever case of hiccups Hiccups might be annoying, but they’re also a fascinating window into how your body works! Have a question you’d like me to answer on the podcast? You can send it in anytime through our website—your question might be featured in a future episode! 🎧 Tune in now to explore the science of hiccups 💡 Enjoying What’s Happening Inside Me? If you loved this episode, please share it with a friend or leave us a review—it helps more curious kids and families discover the show! 🌟 👉 Visit us at WHIMpodcast.com to: Send in your own question for a future episodeGrab the most recent partner pages for freeStay up to date on new releasesThanks for listening, learning, and exploring what’s happening inside YOU! 🩺✨

Click HERE to visit our site and get activity pages to support today's learning! Welcome to What’s Happening Inside Me? In this episode, we will go on a journey to discover how our bones heal when they break. Last week, we kicked off the season with a special guest, Lea, one of Sloane’s school friends with a broken arm. Now, we’re diving into one of the body’s coolest secrets: how do bones repair themselves after a fracture? In this episode, you’ll learn: 🦴 The difference between a fracture and a broken bone 🔨 The 4 steps of bone healing 💪 Why rest, casts, and time are so important for strong healing We’ll break it down step by step in a way that’s fun, silly, and easy to understand — but still packed with real science!   This episode is perfect for kids ages 4–12, but parents and teachers will love it too. Whether you’re listening at home, on a drive, or in the classroom, you’ll walk away with a whole new appreciation for your bones. ✨ Don’t forget — each episode comes with free coloring pages and activities to keep the learning going! Grab yours HERE  💡 And if you’re enjoying the show, please leave us a ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ rating and review so more families can discover the fun of learning together! 💡 Enjoying What’s Happening Inside Me? If you loved this episode, please share it with a friend or leave us a review—it helps more curious kids and families discover the show! 🌟 👉 Visit us at WHIMpodcast.com to: Send in your own question for a future episodeGrab the most recent partner pages for freeStay up to date on new releasesThanks for listening, learning, and exploring what’s happening inside YOU! 🩺✨