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

Have you ever wondered how massive metal machines weighing as much as five elephants first rolled onto the battlefield? Get ready to explore the wild and rumbling history of tanks! Rewind over 500 years to find out how the famous artist Leonardo da Vinci designed the very first tank—shaped like a giant wooden turtle! Then, travel to the muddy trenches of World War One, where the British built top-secret armored vehicles to cross No Man's Land. Discover why they tried to trick enemy spies by calling these mighty weapons "water tanks," a clever code name that stuck forever! You'll meet "Little Willie," the slow but mighty first prototype, and learn what it was like for brave soldiers crammed inside these booming, super-hot metal boxes during battle. Plus, find out the hilarious and totally true reason why every modern British tank comes with a built-in electric tea maker! Join Mira and Finn as they uncover the clanking, crushing, and fascinating history of the world's most famous armored vehicles!

Welcome to the sun-drenched island of Jamaica! Did you know this Caribbean paradise is home to the fastest human in history, Usain Bolt, who ran at nearly 28 miles per hour? But speed isn't the only incredible thing about Jamaica’s past! Travel back in time with Mira and Finn to discover the story of the Taino people, who called their lush home "Xaymaca"—the land of wood and water. Find out how they invented the hammock and the barbecue! Then, venture high up into the towering 7,400-foot peaks of the Blue Mountains to meet the Maroons. You'll learn how their brilliant military leader, Queen Nanny, used genius jungle camouflage to outsmart the British army and win freedom for her people! Discover how the Maroons invented world-famous Jamaican Jerk cooking by hiding their fires underground. Finally, celebrate Jamaica’s independence and explore how this small island became a massive cultural powerhouse, giving the world reggae music and the only national flag without a single drop of red, white, or blue! Get ready for an epic island adventure!

Have you ever wondered what it takes to map an ocean that covers almost one-third of the entire planet? Hop aboard the Endeavour with Mira and Finn as they explore the incredible true story of Captain James Cook! Born in a tiny mud-walled cottage, James taught himself to read the stars and became one of history's greatest navigators. You won't believe how this poor farm boy from England ended up exploring the vast Pacific Ocean!

Discover how Cook and his crew of 94 men squeezed onto a tiny, flat-bottomed coal ship to sail to places like New Zealand, Hawaii, and the coast of Australia. Hear the heart-pounding tale of the dark night their ship smashed right into the Great Barrier Reef—and how they used a disgusting trick involving sheep poop to plug the hole and save their lives! Plus, learn the secret to how 7,000 pounds of pickled cabbage stopped a terrifying sailor's disease called scurvy, and meet Tupaia, the genius Polynesian navigator who could sail thousands of miles without a single map. It's an ocean-sized adventure you absolutely don't want to miss!

Did you know there was once a giant European country that just... disappeared? It didn’t sink into the ocean or float into space—it actually broke apart like a giant puzzle! Join Mira and Finn as they uncover the amazing, beautiful, and sometimes tricky story of Yugoslavia! For over seventy years, Yugoslavia was a massive country made of six different republics where people of many languages and religions lived side by side. You'll hear all about the epic 1984 Winter Olympics featuring a cute skiing wolf mascot, the hilariously terrible Yugo car, and dark underground caves filled with what people thought were real baby dragons! But what happens when the pieces of a puzzle stop fitting together? We’ll learn about the difficult times when the country split apart in the 1990s, and the incredibly inspiring true story of scuba divers and brave neighbors teaming up to rebuild a destroyed 400-year-old stone bridge! Grab your passport and get ready for a history adventure full of cascading waterfalls, freezing rivers, and the amazing power of peace!

Imagine digging in a dusty dirt field, just looking for water, and suddenly... your shovel hits a life-size clay face! Travel back over two thousand years to ancient China to meet a boy named Ying Zheng, who became a king at just thirteen years old! Against all odds, he conquered seven warring kingdoms to become Qin Shi Huang, the very first Emperor of China! He was a massive builder—connecting the incredible first Great Wall, building thousands of miles of roads, and inventing standard money so everyone could trade easily. But there was one thing the powerful Emperor was absolutely terrified of: dying. Desperate to live forever, he drank "magic" potions that actually contained toxic liquid mercury! To protect himself in the afterlife, he ordered an unbelievable secret project: a massive underground army of over 8,000 unique, life-size clay soldiers, horses, and chariots! Join Mira and Finn as they uncover the amazing true story of the Terracotta Army, the mind-blowing mystery of the emperor’s unopened tomb (with its rumored rivers of liquid metal!), and the famous accidental discovery by farmers in 1974!