This episode comes with a free Learning Guide.

Click here for a preview & to download

Manatees are large, gentle mammals that live in warm water. On this episode of The Children’s Hour, the Kids Crew travels to Florida to learn how these slow-moving plant eaters survive in rivers, coastal waters, and springs. Manatees can grow more than ten feet long and weigh over a thousand pounds, yet they spend much of their time quietly grazing on seagrass.

Andrea Herman from the Clearwater Marine Aquarium joins us to answer the Kids Crew’s questions. We learn why manatees are related to elephants, how mothers care for their calves, and why they gather in warm water during winter.

The Crew also explores the dangers manatees face, including boat strikes, red tide, cold stress, and the loss of seagrass habitat.

We even hear underwater recordings of a mother and baby manatee communicating.

This episode of The Children’s Hour was written and produced by Katie Stone, with production help from Christina Stella, Sarah Gabrielli, McKenzie Graunke, and Thaniel Lentz. Our learning guides are written by Amber Shiel.

The Children’s Hour is distributed by Native Voice One, the Native American Radio Network.

© 2022 – 2026 The Children’s Hour Inc. 

Please note: not all songs we play can be found in Spotify.