WEBVTT 00:00:01.358 --> 00:00:06.282 Coming up on The Children's Hour, it's the fourth and final episode of Communication Nation, 00:00:06.322 --> 00:00:12.207 our series exploring how we communicate through media, languages, and community building. 00:00:12.207 --> 00:00:17.532 Today we're focusing on playing games to help us practice working together for a common goal. 00:00:17.672 --> 00:00:22.356 Our guest is Doug Montoya, and he's going to be leading the kids' crew through an improvisation 00:00:22.356 --> 00:00:27.520 workshop to make our team stronger. We're also going to explore how games have been used for 00:00:27.520 --> 00:00:32.870 thousands of years here in the Americas to bring communities together. This series comes 00:00:32.870 --> 00:00:38.690 with learning guides and activities to learn even more. Together We Can, coming up on The 00:00:38.690 --> 00:00:43.290 Children's Hour. The Children's Hour is produced by The Children's Hour Incorporated. We're 00:00:43.290 --> 00:00:48.730 a New Mexico based non-profit organization working with children to make the best in high quality 00:00:48.730 --> 00:00:54.710 kids public radio. You can learn a lot more about us at childrenshour.org. It's time for 00:00:54.710 --> 00:01:09.937 The Children's Hour. Kids public radio. How do you fix a broken pizza? I don't know? How? 00:01:09.937 --> 00:01:23.186 With tomato paste! It's time for The Children's Hour! Kids Public Radio! 00:01:41.384 --> 00:01:55.684 Sol e vento novo dia Este calor aquece minha alma Compartilhar amigos e segredos Amar 00:01:55.745 --> 00:02:11.794 e abraçar sem medo Viver o tempo bem feliz aqui e sempre Num sentimento infinito I'm 00:02:11.794 --> 00:02:22.714 happy and I'm back, smile and smile, and I'm back again. The whole world the whole world 00:02:22.714 --> 00:02:29.814 is fighting, what's difference between Life is my hands, it's in my hands, it's my my soul, 00:02:29.814 --> 00:02:31.214 it's like... 00:02:35.970 --> 00:02:41.812 Dinati, Kashmir, Mamasti, Tai Chi Must be fighting like Husky Titans. They still don't know where 00:02:41.812 --> 00:02:45.994 they're going or where they're flowing Rivers like Ganges, they all demanding, we all know 00:02:45.994 --> 00:02:50.726 it. Where we come from like addresses Mothers' wombs in hospital beds and God's blessing Lo 00:02:50.726 --> 00:02:56.979 siento que nuestra vida siempre cambia La muerte y todas las razas diferentes son Solamente 00:02:56.979 --> 00:03:06.806 gente es evidente Que yo entiendo y tú me entiendes A luz do sol invento um novo dia This warmth 00:03:06.806 --> 00:03:23.056 that warms my soul Sharing friends and secrets Loving and hugging without fear To a happy 00:03:23.056 --> 00:03:43.869 time here and always with an infinite oh. We keep on worrying about the next hour. That we 00:03:43.869 --> 00:03:48.025 never give a chance To the beauty that surrounds us The sounds are a blessing that we should 00:03:48.025 --> 00:03:53.478 let us drown us But we keep on worrying and we keep on frowning I'm gonna change it together today 00:03:53.478 --> 00:03:58.718 together we pray together whether shine or rain from Angola to Spain Portugal Israel Himalayas 00:03:58.718 --> 00:04:03.158 let the light shine bright because together we stay together today I ain't got no time 00:04:03.158 --> 00:04:14.198 to waste eh eh I'm here with my family eh eh I to friends anymore we're all together now we'll keep music 00:04:14.198 --> 00:04:25.325 we'll the Moksha and we'll that Descrescou oh a luz do sol e inventou um novo dia 00:04:28.590 --> 00:04:30.007 Yes, we are, 00:04:33.614 --> 00:04:35.218 secret 00:04:42.606 --> 00:04:51.726 I ain't got no time to waste I'm here with my family I don't about bond anymore We'll together 00:04:51.726 --> 00:05:01.726 forever Music will I'll the of I'll love forever I'll with 00:05:17.166 --> 00:05:19.986 ah See me out of. 00:05:42.478 --> 00:05:57.042 That's Nimo right here on The Children's Hour. I'm Katie Stone and I'm here at the Outpost 00:05:57.042 --> 00:06:05.144 Performance Space with a whole lot of great kids and on Zoom. Hello everyone. Hi. And 00:06:05.144 --> 00:06:12.092 who's with us today? Hello, it's Amadeus. Hi, it's Illuminata. Hi, it's Caibiya. Hi, it's 00:06:12.092 --> 00:06:18.797 Nina. Hi, it's Amaya. Hi, it's Lucasti. Hi, it's Thaniel. Well, thank you all so much for being 00:06:18.797 --> 00:06:25.052 here out there in listener land and here in the Outpost and on Zoom. Today, we are in 00:06:25.072 --> 00:06:32.848 episode four of our four-part series, Communication Nation. It's a series that explores various 00:06:32.848 --> 00:06:40.279 forms of communication through media, languages, and community building. Today's episode is 00:06:40.279 --> 00:06:46.763 going to focus on team building. If you think about it, the goal of communication is always 00:06:46.763 --> 00:06:54.149 to build community around us. We are much stronger as we communicate and work together. 00:06:54.149 --> 00:07:00.113 And there are simple ways we can build trust in our communities and strengthen them by 00:07:00.113 --> 00:07:07.538 playing games. There are so many games I'm sure we all love, from team sports to 00:07:07.640 --> 00:07:15.232 board games to video games. On today's show, we're going to talk about games that require 00:07:15.232 --> 00:07:22.624 cooperation among us. That is what helps us build community and friendships. For more 00:07:22.624 --> 00:07:29.936 information on this and the entire series called Communication Nation, visit ChildrensHour.org. 00:07:29.936 --> 00:07:36.748 And there, you're going to find not only all the parts of this series, but lots of curriculum 00:07:37.068 --> 00:07:43.005 and activities so that these shows can be used in the classroom or just to further learning 00:07:43.005 --> 00:07:51.906 wherever you are. This is Communication Nation, Episode Four, Together We Can. This is Wookiefoot 00:07:51.906 --> 00:07:53.858 right here on The Children's Hour. 00:08:20.686 --> 00:08:28.256 Just because we think of treasure not in terms of gold and silver doesn't mean that we don't 00:08:28.256 --> 00:08:37.368 have our wealth. Some say we have lost it but no in a world gone mad, insanity's no real 00:08:37.368 --> 00:08:44.328 sign of health. So drop your bags and drop your fears, lift your voice and voice your 00:08:44.328 --> 00:08:50.342 cheers, hoist your mug and give some hugs, shout your mantra, sing your prayers. Look around, 00:08:50.342 --> 00:08:54.474 we're all right here. It just proves 00:09:59.786 --> 00:10:14.962 We better be together man, but together we gonna be oh tough. 00:10:24.878 --> 00:10:25.234 It's 00:10:28.654 --> 00:10:36.338 inside your safety net. Fill your well and light your flame but go on seeking service. 00:10:36.338 --> 00:10:45.230 Life without a cause is life without effect. and drop your fears. Lift your voice and voice 00:10:45.230 --> 00:10:50.903 your cheers. Hoist your mug and give some hugs. Shout your mantra, sing your prayers. Look 00:10:50.903 --> 00:10:56.616 around, we're all right here. It just proves we're not. 00:11:13.454 --> 00:11:14.866 Together we can have it all. 00:11:42.424 --> 00:11:50.917 This is Communication Nation, Episode Four, Together We Can. Part one, the art of improv. 00:11:50.917 --> 00:11:57.550 When people communicate, there's a natural back and forth. You say something, then I say 00:11:57.550 --> 00:12:04.103 something, and together we make a conversation. But what if that process was a game? That's 00:12:04.103 --> 00:12:11.506 how we met Doug Montoya. He's a comedian, actor, educator, and the co-founder of The Box ABQ, 00:12:11.506 --> 00:12:20.559 a theater in Albuquerque, New Mexico. His specialty is a form of comedy called improv, or improvisation. 00:12:20.799 --> 00:12:26.872 It's a really fun art form that basically you're just creating a scene, spur of the moment, based 00:12:26.872 --> 00:12:33.174 on different suggestions that might happen. There are two types of improv. One of them 00:12:33.174 --> 00:12:37.278 is short form improv. That's where you play little short games. They'll get what we call 00:12:37.278 --> 00:12:42.900 the prompt or an ask, and then they'll just do a quick little set. And then there's also 00:12:42.900 --> 00:12:49.194 long form improv. That'll take just a suggestion at the beginning, and then they'll build the 00:12:49.194 --> 00:12:56.358 entire show based on that suggestion. People take improv classes for all kinds of reasons. 00:12:56.638 --> 00:13:04.092 To have fun, to meet friends, to exercise their minds, and even for their careers. Thinking 00:13:04.092 --> 00:13:10.366 on your feet is an important skill in communication. It was time for us to put our thinking caps 00:13:10.366 --> 00:13:17.487 on. So, we decided to warm up with a little bit of word association. So if we thought of the 00:13:17.487 --> 00:13:23.539 phrase Mickey Mouse... You might say... Disney. So if we were to go further, so she said Disney. 00:13:23.539 --> 00:13:29.402 And what does that make you think of? Big Shark? Inside Out? Colors! Then I might just immediately 00:13:29.402 --> 00:13:36.134 say red. So we went from Mickey Mouse and it got all the way back to red. But all of those 00:13:36.134 --> 00:13:42.471 words had some sort of relationship to each other. What we're doing is we're practicing 00:13:42.631 --> 00:13:49.216 the rules of improv. There are four really important rules. The number one rule 00:13:49.216 --> 00:13:57.802 of improv is called "yes and." That is the cliché improv rule. Basically what that means is that when 00:13:57.802 --> 00:14:02.485 we're doing improv, we're all going to agree and we're not going to be negative. So we're 00:14:02.485 --> 00:14:08.370 always going to say yes to whatever's going on in that scene. If we were in a scene, I 00:14:08.370 --> 00:14:13.590 would say, "Hey, would you look at those big, beautiful balloons in the sky?" We wouldn't 00:14:13.590 --> 00:14:20.663 want to have somebody say "Well, those aren't balloons. Those are UFOs!" Or... "I can't see balloons." 00:14:20.663 --> 00:14:26.426 You want to agree to what's going on there. Doug taught us another rule. Always be an expert 00:14:26.426 --> 00:14:31.618 at what you're talking about, even though you're just pretending. You're not going to be like, 00:14:31.618 --> 00:14:35.900 well, I don't know how to fly a rocket ship because I've never flown a rocket ship. If 00:14:35.900 --> 00:14:43.104 they say, "Oh, I want to see a scene with astronauts in it." Well, I'm going to be a rocket scientist 00:14:43.104 --> 00:14:48.116 at that point, right? I'm going to flip switches. I'm going to turn dials. I'm going to say, 00:14:48.116 --> 00:14:53.269 turn on the flux capacitor because that's in every spaceship, right? And one of those things 00:14:53.269 --> 00:14:59.182 is like being an expert and we're all just enjoying ourselves. The audience becomes like 00:14:59.182 --> 00:15:04.305 an extension of you when you're doing improvisation. They're not rocket scientists either, but they 00:15:04.305 --> 00:15:14.046 sure are having fun. watching you pretend to be a rocket scientist. It was time to play 00:15:14.046 --> 00:15:21.511 our first improv game together. Listeners, you can play along with us. Our first game 00:15:21.511 --> 00:15:28.314 is called Ad Executive. In real life, Ad Executives help make advertisements for products 00:15:28.434 --> 00:15:39.010 on TV, radio, and the internet. Are you ready? Let's play Ad Executive. Your job is going 00:15:39.010 --> 00:15:46.199 to be very enthusiastic about a product, and you are going to agree with each other. You 00:15:46.199 --> 00:15:53.879 guys are going to support everybody's idea. First, the crew designed their product. Let's 00:15:53.879 --> 00:16:02.241 create an oven that could cook things really fast. And then you might say, yes, and... 00:16:02.241 --> 00:16:09.823 It comes in many different colors. Yes, and... there's seven parts of it. And it prevents 00:16:09.823 --> 00:16:16.305 cheesecake cracks. Those cheesecake cracks are very important to keep preventable as 00:16:16.305 --> 00:16:21.131 much as you can. You know how hard it is to cook. But with this oven, it'll be easier than 00:16:21.172 --> 00:16:27.407 ever before because it can not just cook things, but it can also like, like you 00:16:27.407 --> 00:16:31.981 can throw things into it and it'll just like make it. If you hit a button. If 00:16:31.981 --> 00:16:39.527 you hit pancakes, it'll just make it. Yes. And it's very easy for dogs to use. Okay. 00:16:39.587 --> 00:16:46.353 So guys, I want you to create an ad campaign for this product. The crew named the gadget, 00:16:46.353 --> 00:16:54.079 the Switzer Doodle. Switzer Doodle, it's so fast, it'll cook your food in a blast. Switzer 00:16:54.079 --> 00:17:00.554 Doodle, you're so fast, you'll cook the food in a blast. And it comes in multiple colors. 00:17:00.554 --> 00:17:08.030 And only has seven parts. We also designed a high-tech cell phone and a cafe for dogs. 00:17:08.030 --> 00:17:20.307 Doggie Doodle serves your poodle. Wee-wee. Very good. I love it. Doug had one more 00:17:20.307 --> 00:17:26.184 idea up his sleeve and the results were kind of surprising. That's in our next segment 00:17:26.184 --> 00:17:27.627 of Communication Nation. 00:17:37.560 --> 00:17:48.176 Play with me, run with me, have a little fun with me. Get the hoes and make mud with me, 00:17:48.176 --> 00:18:02.662 show me the scabs on both your knees Tickle me, play with me Dance with me, sing with 00:18:02.662 --> 00:18:12.890 me Have a little fun with me. Stare at each other till we start laughing. Splash me in 00:18:12.890 --> 00:18:22.110 the deep blue sea. Pick some plums off the old palm tree. Come dance with me, sing with me. 00:18:22.110 --> 00:18:31.026 We've got a hard day. What do you wanna do, baby? 00:18:34.382 --> 00:18:46.722 Just you and me. There's no one else I would rather be here with. Having fun, making faces, 00:18:46.982 --> 00:18:48.882 saying I love you. 00:19:18.926 --> 00:19:27.826 This day I fade and watch stars with me, they camp out in the backyard with me. Wake up from 00:19:27.826 --> 00:19:37.146 pancakes and blueberries, you have a cold, go out, have a tea. Brand new day, still early, 00:19:37.846 --> 00:19:50.168 so play with me, run with me, play with me, run with me, play with me. Run with me, have 00:19:50.168 --> 00:19:52.914 a little fun with me. 00:20:00.280 --> 00:20:04.764 That's Glen Phillips right here on The Children's Hour with Have A Little Fun With Me and I hope 00:20:04.764 --> 00:20:11.219 you're having fun. I'm Katie Stone and we're in Communication Nation Episode 4, Together 00:20:11.219 --> 00:20:17.665 We Can. You're listening to The Children's Hour, Kids Public Radio. We'll be right back. 00:20:17.665 --> 00:20:24.471 The Children's Hour is produced by The Children's Hour, Inc. You can learn more about us and 00:20:24.471 --> 00:20:31.256 support our work at ChildrensHour.org. New Mexico Department of Cultural Affairs supports 00:20:31.256 --> 00:20:35.960 The Children's Hour. Museum Hill in Santa Fe, New Mexico is where arts, culture and nature 00:20:35.960 --> 00:20:39.122 converge. Plan your visit at museumhill.net. 00:20:45.870 --> 00:20:50.524 The Children's Hour shorts have dropped. We made short segments from our shows for educators 00:20:50.524 --> 00:20:54.708 to make the most out of our learning guides and activities. Season 1 of The Children's 00:20:54.708 --> 00:21:02.200 Hour shorts is at childrenshour.org. Look for the shorts! Welcome back to The Children's 00:21:02.200 --> 00:21:11.570 Hour. This is Tito Puente. 00:21:16.974 --> 00:21:25.305 to see a sunny sky. But I woke up on Saturday morning and dragged a comb across my back. 00:21:25.305 --> 00:21:33.717 And when I looked up at the ceiling, I saw my life go by in every crack. So I walked down 00:21:33.717 --> 00:21:34.518 the stairs in. 00:21:41.038 --> 00:21:48.402 And I had never heard these things before It's an amazing world where 00:21:52.874 --> 00:21:56.247 It's an amazing world we're living. 00:22:09.778 --> 00:22:18.478 Listen to all the music in my seat I never saw the sidewalks glistening. Like there were 00:22:18.478 --> 00:22:19.720 diamonds under. 00:22:30.414 --> 00:22:38.082 And pretty soon I started singing too It's an amazing world we're living 00:22:42.355 --> 00:22:43.442 and amazing. 00:24:38.680 --> 00:24:40.107 Saturday morning 00:25:28.238 --> 00:25:28.722 Why? 00:25:36.366 --> 00:25:39.442 You next to me and you will yourself. 00:25:43.660 --> 00:25:53.437 This is Communication Nation Episode 4, Together We Can. Part 2, Staying Connected. When we 00:25:53.437 --> 00:26:00.021 communicate, conversations often have unspoken rules. We don't interrupt each other, or 00:26:00.021 --> 00:26:06.726 we make sure to listen to what the other person is saying. In improvisation, there are often 00:26:06.746 --> 00:26:13.794 firm rules. Doug taught us to always respond beginning with the words "yes and" to your 00:26:13.794 --> 00:26:22.379 partner in order to keep the game going. There are no wrong answers. If I was to say candy, 00:26:22.379 --> 00:26:29.073 tell me all the types of candies that you know. All of them? Just go and then I'll stop you. Sweethearts, 00:26:29.073 --> 00:26:36.508 lollipops, Tootsie Rolls, Skittles, candy corn, Snickers. What types of cereal? Breakfast cereal. 00:26:36.508 --> 00:26:45.111 Fruity Pebbles, Cheerios, Cocoa Puffs. Awesome. Okay. So, vegetables. cucumbers, lettuce, okra. 00:26:45.111 --> 00:26:54.744 You got it. Spaghetti-O's, tomatoes. Spaghetti-O's my favorite vegetable. Never wrong. How come when we play 00:26:54.744 --> 00:27:00.506 games like this, it's really fun and silly. And I also feel like I get kind of a sense 00:27:00.506 --> 00:27:06.897 of knowing everybody better. Am I getting to know everybody here better? I think so. Cause 00:27:06.897 --> 00:27:11.635 I think it opens a doorway into their psyche and what they think about and what they love 00:27:11.635 --> 00:27:17.638 and what's on their mind, right? Right! Like, Lucasti's first cereal that you thought of 00:27:17.738 --> 00:27:24.290 was Fruity Pebbles, and that got me thinking, I love Fruity Pebbles I wonder if I went to 00:27:24.290 --> 00:27:30.733 Lucasti's house I could find Fruity Pebbles. And then Nina, you think of Spaghetti-O's as 00:27:30.733 --> 00:27:37.262 a vegetable, it is really like, I-I think that's pretty cool. I love Spaghetti-O's right. I 00:27:37.262 --> 00:27:42.366 haven't had SpaghettiOs in six years. But it's something in your brain that said, you know, 00:27:42.366 --> 00:27:46.830 that's a food. What would you say to the people who maybe want to start and try improv but 00:27:46.830 --> 00:27:52.264 are afraid of freezing up and not being funny if they're doing it in a comedy setting? Usually 00:27:52.264 --> 00:27:57.178 if you're stuck, it's because you're starting to think about things. You're starting to like 00:27:57.178 --> 00:28:02.263 allow things to kind of rattle around in your brain. And when that starts to happen, then 00:28:02.263 --> 00:28:08.700 you start trying to come up with like the right answer or the perfect solution kind of thing. 00:28:08.700 --> 00:28:16.826 And once you start thinking, then the right solution never comes. But the art of improv 00:28:16.826 --> 00:28:23.572 is to just not think. To just react honestly, and that's always going to be the best way 00:28:23.572 --> 00:28:29.447 to respond is just reacting honestly. Like here we are doing this and because of the rules, 00:28:29.447 --> 00:28:35.211 yes and, and go ahead and be the expert, even though you may not know, I think we could get 00:28:35.211 --> 00:28:40.722 better and better. It's pretty fun. What do you guys think of doing it? Yeah. I think it 00:28:40.722 --> 00:28:45.756 is a very good way to help warm our minds up and engage with each other. Going back, one 00:28:45.756 --> 00:28:49.919 of the last things that I'd like to emphasize as far as that very first rule of improv being 00:28:49.919 --> 00:28:58.216 positive, saying yes and, it's very liberating to be positive. Sometimes whenever you watch 00:28:58.316 --> 00:29:03.620 some really bad improv, that's when things start getting a little negative or there seems 00:29:03.620 --> 00:29:08.433 to be people disagreeing or they start to have like little arguments. And that improv, 00:29:08.433 --> 00:29:13.806 you can only really just take a little bit of it. But when you practice at being positive, 00:29:13.927 --> 00:29:21.526 you recognize how that moves everything forward. Your career right now is mostly just being 00:29:21.526 --> 00:29:27.284 a son, a daughter, a child, right? And your parents might come in and be like, hey, I need 00:29:27.284 --> 00:29:36.231 you to do your chores. And then you say, I don't want to do that, right? It slows the whole 00:29:36.231 --> 00:29:43.398 scene down. But if you're positive and you say yes and, things start moving along a lot 00:29:43.438 --> 00:29:47.742 quicker. You can get back to that video game or get back to that phone call with your friend, 00:29:47.742 --> 00:29:53.106 those type of things. So I think really the application of saying yes and and agreeing 00:29:53.106 --> 00:29:59.052 to what's happening around you can be pretty liberating and can be a pretty positive thing. 00:29:59.052 --> 00:30:06.867 That's Doug Montoya from The Box ABQ Theater in Albuquerque, New Mexico, teaching us about 00:30:06.867 --> 00:30:13.911 how improv can help us be better friends and community members. We don't always have to 00:30:13.911 --> 00:30:21.426 say "yes and" to an offer or a statement in every conversation, but sometimes being willing 00:30:21.426 --> 00:30:27.770 to listen to others and meet them where they are is so important to staying connected. 00:30:32.142 --> 00:30:39.389 Speaking of staying connected, we're going to learn about some ancient, indigenous games 00:30:39.389 --> 00:30:47.296 that did exactly what we've been doing with Doug Montoya. They built trust, community, 00:30:47.296 --> 00:30:55.464 and conversation and an atmosphere of positivity. Stick with us. This is The Children's Hour. 00:31:09.752 --> 00:31:18.306 Build and some not in the ground. Some cook meals and some deliver, some fix the heat so 00:31:18.306 --> 00:31:24.012 we don't shiver. Some look for answers so they'll know, and others take you where you want to 00:31:24.012 --> 00:31:32.771 go. Some sell food to fill your fridge, some take money to cross the bridge. Everyone is 00:31:32.771 --> 00:31:41.586 important, you know what can make it happen We're part of a great big team 00:31:45.752 --> 00:31:52.024 Some people write and others sell Some you go to to make you well Some volunteer and 00:31:52.024 --> 00:31:58.406 coach the team And others keep your school so clean Some drive the bus and others teach 00:31:58.406 --> 00:32:05.948 Some paint houses and others preach Some protect both you and me Some stay home to raise a family 00:32:05.948 --> 00:32:16.512 Everyone is important If you know what I mean We can make it happen We're part of a great 00:32:16.512 --> 00:32:18.642 big team 00:32:23.032 --> 00:32:30.088 who entertain. Some make up computer games. Some fix roads and fix your cars. Some pump 00:32:30.088 --> 00:32:36.654 the gas so you'll go far. Some bring you letters every day. Some clean the pool so you can't 00:32:36.654 --> 00:32:45.372 play. Some make things like bikes and toys. Some make clothes for girls and boys. Everyone 00:32:45.372 --> 00:32:54.066 is important if you know what I mean. We can it happen we're part of a great big team 00:32:58.454 --> 00:33:05.078 Some catch dogs and bugs and mice Some keep lawns and gardens nice Some run country, some 00:33:05.078 --> 00:33:11.311 run towns And some a juggler, some are clowns First base, second base, third base too The 00:33:11.311 --> 00:33:18.225 one on the bench that it might be It's just the same, it takes a whole team to win the 00:33:18.225 --> 00:33:29.258 game. is important, if you know what I mean. We can make it happen, for part of a great 00:33:29.258 --> 00:33:38.961 big team. Everyone is important, if you know what I mean. We can make it happen, for part 00:33:38.961 --> 00:33:46.322 of a great big team. Part of a great big team. uh big team. 00:33:57.720 --> 00:34:10.246 We all think we're special And I hate to have to say There's a bunch of us on every corner 00:34:10.246 --> 00:34:25.751 Up in the town USA We all got our problems We all pay our dues So we'd be thinking no 00:34:25.751 --> 00:34:36.081 one understands And we're all in this together 00:34:51.287 --> 00:34:54.732 Too short to fuss and fight 00:35:33.710 --> 00:35:34.546 Somebody 00:37:16.482 --> 00:37:20.264 What's the matter with the team? The team's all right. What's the matter with the team? 00:37:20.324 --> 00:37:26.968 The team's all right. Well, who said so? Everybody. Well, who said so? Everybody. Well, who is 00:37:26.968 --> 00:37:33.062 everybody? Rocky High. Well, who's everybody? Rocky High. Rock, rock, rock, rock, Rocky 00:37:33.062 --> 00:37:36.114 High. Yay, team. 00:37:40.366 --> 00:37:44.186 What's the matter with the team? The team's all right. What's the matter with the team? 00:37:44.326 --> 00:37:51.226 The team's all right. Well, who said so? Everybody. Well, who said so? Everybody. Well, who's everybody? 00:37:51.706 --> 00:38:02.526 Rocky High. Well, who's everybody? Rocky High. Rock, rock, rock, rock, High. Yay, team! That's 00:38:02.526 --> 00:38:10.701 the one and only Ella Jenkins from Song Rhythms and Chants for the Dance. Jack Ingram before 00:38:10.701 --> 00:38:17.916 that from Live at Billy Bob's in Texas. And Danny Quinn brought us Team Work. That's from 00:38:17.996 --> 00:38:23.880 a collection called Someone Else's Shoes, The Best Foot Forward children's music series. 00:38:23.880 --> 00:38:29.083 You're listening to The Children's Hour. I'm Katie Stone. Today is the fourth and final 00:38:29.083 --> 00:38:37.113 episode of our four part radio series, Communication Nation. This series is exploring various forms 00:38:37.113 --> 00:38:43.735 of communication through languages, verbal abilities, media, and community building. 00:38:43.735 --> 00:38:49.377 And that's where we're at today, where we're thinking about teamwork and how we pull ourselves 00:38:49.377 --> 00:38:55.520 together to work together to make something bigger than what we could do if we were just 00:38:55.520 --> 00:39:02.732 by ourselves. This entire project comes with curriculum so that it can be used in the classroom. 00:39:02.732 --> 00:39:10.389 And this time, we've made short little podcasts of each one of our interview segments so that 00:39:10.429 --> 00:39:17.495 teachers have more time to use the whole series. You can find it all at childrenshour.org. 00:39:17.495 --> 00:39:25.331 Look for Communication Nation. One of the reasons we made this series for you is because we've 00:39:25.331 --> 00:39:32.482 been noticing around us that people are really at odds with one another and we're having a 00:39:32.482 --> 00:39:39.227 hard time listening to one another and finding our common ground. But if you look around 00:39:39.227 --> 00:39:46.832 you, that common ground is everywhere. All of us really want the same things. We want 00:39:46.832 --> 00:39:54.938 to feel happy. We want to feel accepted and loved. In our communities today, we can do 00:39:54.958 --> 00:40:03.569 a huge service to the people around us just by being kind. Being kind means that we try 00:40:03.569 --> 00:40:12.519 hard to listen to one another to find that common ground. It's there. Can you find it? I think 00:40:12.519 --> 00:40:20.126 you can. You're listening to The Children's Hour. Kids public radio. We'll be right back. 00:40:21.346 --> 00:40:26.819 Many thanks to the Outpost Performance Space for hosting The Children's Hour. Support for 00:40:26.819 --> 00:40:31.341 The Children's Hour provided by New Mexico Arts, a division of the New Mexico Department of 00:40:31.341 --> 00:40:36.973 Cultural Affairs, and by the National Endowment for the Arts. Support for The Children's Hour 00:40:36.973 --> 00:40:43.206 provided by the City of Albuquerque Cultural Services Department and the Urban Enhancement 00:40:43.206 --> 00:40:49.702 Trust Fund. The Children's Hour shorts have dropped. We made short segments from our shows 00:40:49.702 --> 00:40:54.718 for educators to make the most out of our learning guides and activities. Season 1 of The Children's 00:40:54.718 --> 00:40:58.482 Hour Shorts is at ChildrensHour.org. Look for the shorts! 00:41:04.078 --> 00:41:09.798 That's for recess time, you're under the playground standing line. Always the same kids choose 00:41:09.798 --> 00:41:14.578 the teams, it's always the end of the same it seems. They choose their buddies, they choose 00:41:14.578 --> 00:41:21.370 their friends, they get down to the very end. Always someone gets left out I had enough, 00:41:21.630 --> 00:41:28.428 I'm gonna shout I wanna play, I wanna play Don't say no, cause I won't go away I won't 00:41:28.428 --> 00:41:37.970 stop till you hear what I say God let me in cause I wanna play Just cause you're bigger 00:41:37.970 --> 00:41:42.950 and stronger than me doesn't mean you get to say how things will be. Just cause I'm not 00:41:42.950 --> 00:41:48.690 as good as you doesn't mean you get to tell me what to do. You ought to stand here in my 00:41:48.690 --> 00:41:53.830 shoes, see how it feels when it happens to you. It could happen to you, you never can tell. 00:41:54.090 --> 00:42:00.930 I had enough, I'm gonna yell. I wanna play, I wanna play. Don't say no cause I won't go 00:42:00.930 --> 00:42:07.346 away. I wanna Gotta let me in, cause I wanna play, hey! 00:42:19.938 --> 00:42:24.881 Daddy says life's just not fair You're to meet people that just don't share When you meet 00:42:24.881 --> 00:42:30.254 someone, tries to push you around When you know what's right, stand your ground We're only 00:42:30.254 --> 00:42:35.356 talking about playing a game Leaving someone out is such a dirty shame We're only talking 00:42:35.356 --> 00:42:43.398 about having fun There ought to be room for everyone I wanna play, I wanna play won't 00:42:43.398 --> 00:42:50.238 go away, I won't stop till you hear what I say. God let me in cause I wanna play. I wanna play, 00:42:50.418 --> 00:42:56.698 I wanna play. Don't say no cause I won't go away. I won't stop till hear what I say. God 00:42:56.698 --> 00:42:58.918 let me in cause I wanna play. 00:43:04.462 --> 00:43:09.466 That's Bill Harley right here on The Children's Hour and you're listening to Communication 00:43:09.466 --> 00:43:16.653 Nation, Episode Four, Together We Can, part three, Building Community Through Traditional 00:43:16.653 --> 00:43:23.118 Games. Did you know there are games that have been played by people of all ages for thousands 00:43:23.118 --> 00:43:29.263 of years? As humans, we invent games all the time based on our beliefs and relationships 00:43:29.624 --> 00:43:35.976 or what's lying around in the backyard. We're practicing teamwork every time we play a game 00:43:35.976 --> 00:43:40.829 with others. And when I played with my friends growing up, I think I was learning how to 00:43:40.829 --> 00:43:46.724 cooperate with other people. Some of humanity's earliest games were played with our hands. 00:43:46.724 --> 00:43:52.489 Hand games require you to work with a partner to keep the rhythm and the movements in sync. 00:43:52.489 --> 00:43:59.384 We build coordination, listening skills, and get good practice at reading nonverbal communications 00:43:59.384 --> 00:44:04.425 too. Hand clapping games can be traced back to Africa, and they've been a big part of 00:44:04.425 --> 00:44:11.357 black culture in the Americas for generations, since 1619, when enslaved Africans were first 00:44:11.357 --> 00:44:17.799 brought to this continent. They show that people can seek joy and demonstrate creativity and 00:44:17.799 --> 00:44:24.711 resilience, even under oppression. Hand games continue to evolve and change throughout each 00:44:24.711 --> 00:44:30.705 generation, location, and with the influence of digital communications. Among women and 00:44:30.705 --> 00:44:36.811 young girls, they hold a special place when, historically, sports were reserved only for 00:44:36.811 --> 00:44:49.777 boys. 00:44:49.777 --> 00:44:57.722 00:44:57.722 --> 00:45:04.208 00:45:04.208 --> 00:45:10.311 00:45:10.311 --> 00:45:16.914 00:45:16.914 --> 00:45:25.467 Let's travel to Central America, where for over 3,000 years, 00:45:25.467 --> 00:45:32.038 descendants of the Olmec, including the Maya, Nahuatl-speaking peoples, and others, played 00:45:32.038 --> 00:45:38.940 a game with a rubber ball. There are many different names and variations to this game. Picture 00:45:38.940 --> 00:45:46.102 a large stone surface where two teams are racing to pass a rubber ball through a hoop made of 00:45:46.102 --> 00:45:53.314 thick stone. The hoop is high on a wall and the players use only their hips, elbows, and 00:45:53.314 --> 00:45:58.866 knees to move the ball around. The wall is painted with murals that reflect the history 00:45:58.866 --> 00:46:04.570 and religion of the area, and when people got together to watch the games, they shared stories 00:46:04.570 --> 00:46:10.003 of their ancestors caught up on the latest news and chatted about their lives. People weren't 00:46:10.003 --> 00:46:17.147 just watching a competition. They were practicing being a community. Sometimes different groups 00:46:17.147 --> 00:46:23.451 challenged each other to the game to resolve conflicts. The players had to cooperate, strategize, 00:46:23.451 --> 00:46:30.726 and trust each other to win. Teams had to respect the rules to compete, which helped build connections 00:46:30.726 --> 00:46:37.768 between people who didn't always get along. Today, youth across Central America are bringing 00:46:37.768 --> 00:46:38.830 back the sport. 00:46:41.998 --> 00:46:47.751 Many traditional sports teach us that every single person matters in a community. High 00:46:47.751 --> 00:46:53.284 in the Andes Mountains in South America, in what are now the countries of Peru, Bolivia, 00:46:53.284 --> 00:47:00.168 and others, people of the Quechua language, descendants of the Inca Empire, continue a 00:47:00.168 --> 00:47:05.831 thousands-year-old tradition where athletes can serve an important role in their communities. 00:47:05.831 --> 00:47:13.980 They are runners, called Chasquis, which translates roughly to the one who gives and receives. 00:47:13.980 --> 00:47:21.456 And they deliver messages across communities. Imagine a relay race where each runner passes 00:47:21.456 --> 00:47:28.052 a baton to the next, but instead of a baton, it's a message. And in this way, information 00:47:28.052 --> 00:47:34.858 can get to its destination quickly and accurately. Runners have to overcome elements such as 00:47:34.858 --> 00:47:42.001 high altitude and weather, and some can run for up to 200 miles a day. Chasquis are central 00:47:42.001 --> 00:47:48.204 in connecting communities and people to allow for communication across long distances. We 00:47:48.204 --> 00:47:53.597 see similar traditions in indigenous communities across the Americas. The Children's Hour is 00:47:53.597 --> 00:47:59.190 based in the United States, and that's within North America. Here we play lots of games 00:47:59.190 --> 00:48:03.643 that started in other parts of the world and that were brought here through immigration. 00:48:03.643 --> 00:48:08.996 There's the Italian game of Bocce, where players throw balls toward a smaller target called 00:48:08.996 --> 00:48:15.622 the pallino. Players often work in teams discussing tactics and encouraging each other. Bocce 00:48:15.622 --> 00:48:21.064 teaches us how fun it is to work together and to support each other. There's also cup and 00:48:21.064 --> 00:48:26.327 ball games and some in Latin America call it balero. In Japan, there's a version called 00:48:26.327 --> 00:48:32.579 kendama. Traditionally made of local materials, including wood, the goal is to catch or land 00:48:32.579 --> 00:48:38.672 the ball into a cup. And while it might seem like a solo game, it brings people together 00:48:38.672 --> 00:48:44.864 in play. and it shows us that practicing and improving skills together can create a strong 00:48:44.864 --> 00:48:50.398 sense of community and shared achievement. Maybe you've played the game Capture the Flag. 00:48:50.398 --> 00:48:57.183 It has its roots in several cultures and variations of it have become popular worldwide. Players 00:48:57.183 --> 00:49:02.376 work together to protect their own flag while trying to capture the opponent's flag. Capture 00:49:02.376 --> 00:49:07.540 the Flag shows us the power of teamwork and that success can be exciting and rewarding. 00:49:08.078 --> 00:49:15.741 And even when we lose, failing with grace is important. Humans have been playing games 00:49:15.741 --> 00:49:20.682 with each other for thousands of years. And isn't it amazing how much we can learn from 00:49:20.682 --> 00:49:28.035 a simple game? And we don't just learn lessons. We get to feel a lot of emotions too. The 00:49:28.035 --> 00:49:33.706 excitement of winning one day can be followed by a tough defeat the next. And no matter the 00:49:33.706 --> 00:49:40.169 results, we can choose to be kind to ourselves and to others. I think that's really special. 00:49:40.169 --> 00:49:45.651 So the next time you play a game with your friends, examine the traditions and stories 00:49:45.711 --> 00:49:51.634 behind it. You can embrace the teamwork and joy that come with playing together. And you 00:49:51.634 --> 00:49:56.656 should challenge yourself to create new games and traditions that will be passed down for 00:49:56.656 --> 00:50:08.145 generations yet to come. Keep playing. Keep cooperating. Keep communicating. You heard 00:50:08.145 --> 00:50:14.773 a clip from Gaye Adegbalola hand-driving street rhyme in that piece, and this is Suzanne 00:50:14.773 --> 00:50:25.889 Jamieson. There's a people out there that like to draw lines without realizing how it deepens 00:50:25.889 --> 00:50:35.252 divides. When they don't try to listen, they can't understand. But you knew when you were 00:50:35.252 --> 00:50:40.274 only two that we're all part of the band. 00:51:07.406 --> 00:51:07.794 you 00:51:11.202 --> 00:51:15.058 Because somewhere standing to teach the hearts to 00:51:34.286 --> 00:51:43.758 I'm still finding every song See that each of us contributes to the sound. A star lifts 00:51:43.758 --> 00:51:47.618 and everybody up, standing, knocking each other down. 00:52:38.050 --> 00:52:44.986 We want peace, not war. We're the children of the world. The path of truth, the soul's 00:52:44.986 --> 00:52:55.967 deep call, the love it brings to the heart of all. Arise together in love. Arise together 00:52:55.967 --> 00:53:02.763 in humanity. If you've got a friend that's struggling with trying to find help, be 00:53:02.763 --> 00:53:08.718 there for them. You're not gonna quit on that other guy, you know, because you love them. 00:53:08.718 --> 00:53:14.386 For the world, if everybody could just be kind to each other. 00:53:28.824 --> 00:53:35.320 Love each other. Let's be kind. Friendship is when someone loves you for who you are 00:53:35.320 --> 00:53:40.924 and values your uniqueness. There is nothing more than love. Love is everything we have, 00:53:40.924 --> 00:53:47.390 and love is the only thing that makes any difference in our world. Each and every one 00:53:47.390 --> 00:53:54.095 of us possesses abilities unique unto ourselves. No one of us has the right to deem our abilities 00:53:54.095 --> 00:54:02.433 superior to another's. Believe. And then maybe you'll see so many amazing things I wish 00:54:02.433 --> 00:54:10.148 to be. Take a walk with me in my world of dreams. I'll show you things you could not 00:54:10.148 --> 00:54:16.591 conceive. My grandfather amazed the world by responding to violence and hatred with love 00:54:16.591 --> 00:54:27.042 and forgiveness. He thought each of us deserved to live the best life we possibly could. We 00:54:27.042 --> 00:54:34.786 all need Babaji's lessons now, more than ever. My grandfather would be sad at the depth of 00:54:34.826 --> 00:54:43.331 anger in the world today, but he would not despair. Every single soul has something beautiful 00:54:43.331 --> 00:54:49.074 to give. And the way they laugh and love, and the luminous lives they live. 00:54:58.990 --> 00:55:05.361 Too often we underestimate the power of a touch, a smile, a kind word, a quick note, or the 00:55:05.361 --> 00:55:10.610 smallest act of caring, which have the potential to turn a life around. 00:55:14.784 --> 00:55:27.218 Love is the answer. Love is what you need. Love opens the door and sets you free. you 00:55:34.904 --> 00:55:45.168 Disability is only what you perceive. Ability is everything of what you believe. Let the 00:55:45.168 --> 00:55:50.704 world see the power of love that lives in you and me to overcome all challenges we face 00:55:50.704 --> 00:55:56.850 and we will make this world a better place. 00:56:00.366 --> 00:56:05.506 That's the One Little Finger Group with lots of great people. You've been listening to The 00:56:05.506 --> 00:56:11.986 Children's Hour Communication Nation Episode Four, Together We Can. This series is available 00:56:11.986 --> 00:56:17.766 in 12 short episodes for teachers to use in the classroom. You can find our activities, 00:56:18.206 --> 00:56:27.426 learning guides, and so much more at childrenshour.org. Look for Communication Nation. We've got time 00:56:27.426 --> 00:56:31.957 for just one more. We're going to go out with Raffi. Thanks for listening. We'll catch you 00:56:31.957 --> 00:56:40.643 next time for another edition of The Children's Hour. Let's play, come on On this jazzy 00:56:40.643 --> 00:56:50.139 Django day Let's play, oh yeah Rain or shine we'll have some fun Let's play, hey hey On 00:56:50.139 --> 00:57:03.381 this razzle dazzle day Let's sing, come on uh Let our voices really ring, let's groove, 00:57:03.381 --> 00:57:13.990 oh yeah With this happy tapping tune, let's sing So sweet like the You've been listening 00:57:13.990 --> 00:57:19.162 to The Children's Hour. This episode is part of a special series, Communication Nation, 00:57:19.162 --> 00:57:26.014 in which we explore various forms of communication. We hope this programming inspires kids, families, 00:57:26.014 --> 00:57:32.755 and educators to think critically, celebrate our differences, and above all, be kind. 00:57:32.755 --> 00:57:38.117 This program is made possible by funding from the National Endowment for the Humanities 00:57:38.117 --> 00:57:43.641 and the United We Stand Connecting Through Culture Initiative and by the New Mexico Humanities 00:57:43.641 --> 00:57:49.295 Council. There's a lot more information about Communication Nation, including our learning 00:57:49.295 --> 00:57:59.462 guides and our podcasts. Learn more at ChildrensHour.org. Look for Communication Nation. The Children's 00:57:59.462 --> 00:58:05.966 Hour is produced by The Children's Hour, Inc., a New Mexico non-profit. You can find photos, 00:58:05.966 --> 00:58:12.298 playlists, learning guides, and activities for every episode at ChildrensHour.org. Today's 00:58:12.298 --> 00:58:18.190 show was written and produced by me, Katie Stone, with Christina Stella. We had production help 00:58:18.190 --> 00:58:24.742 from Eli Henley, McKenzie Graunke, Sarah Gabrielli, and Thaniel Lentz. Chad Scheer recorded us 00:58:24.742 --> 00:58:29.823 at Outpost. Our learning guide was written by Amber Shiel. You can find this one at 00:58:29.823 --> 00:58:36.895 childrenshour.org. Find our podcast wherever you listen to podcasts, or go to our patreon.com 00:58:36.895 --> 00:58:48.599 slash The Children's Hour, or ask your smart speaker to play The Children's Hour Podcast. The Children's Hour is distributed 00:58:48.599 --> 00:58:55.776 by Native Voice One, the Native American radio network. Thanks for listening to The Children's 00:58:55.776 --> 00:58:58.679 Hour, Kids Public Radio. © 2026 The Children’s Hour Inc. All Rights Reserved.