The Lil' Leaders Podcast: Conversations with Kids

Welcome to today's episode! Today on the Lil' Leaders Podcast, meet Harriet! She's a young girl with a huge heart, on a mission to make sure everyone feels included and loved. Through her charity work, Harriet proves that even small acts of kindness can create a ripple effect of positivity and make the world a better place. Be inspired by her understanding of how important it is to life others up....

Welcome to today's episode! I'm excited to introduce our guest, Jen Orr, the creator of Eyewords Learning. Jen developed a unique way to help kids learn to read by using the science of how our brains work best. Her program, Eyewords, combines seeing, hearing, and touching all at once to make learning easier. It connects the sounds, letters, and meanings of words in a way that helps kids remember t...

    Lifting Each Other Up : With Smile s And Teamwork What does it take to be a true leader in the face of challenges? Meet Sahasra, today's Lil' Leader! This incredible 7th grader has a heart full of empathy, always finding ways to help those in need. Even when faced with unexpected situations and comments, Sahasra stays optimistic and encourages her classmates to work together for the greater go...

A Traveling Teacher: Helping Kids Learn Everywhere Meet Peter Panopolous, this week's Big Leader feature! After 12 years of classroom teaching, Peter pursued his next dream—teaching online to support kids who needed alternative learning options. In this episode, we explore his strategies and compassionate approach as he created ATravelingTeacher.com. His platform helps students, whether they're il...

Show Notes   Big Heart, Brave Choices: Being a Friend and a Leader Meet Veera, our first Lil' Leader of the season! She's an elementary school student who loves helping others, even during her lessons. Supporting her peers and family is incredibly important to her! Her episode, 'Big Heart, Brave Choices: Being a Friend and a Leader,' is also her first time on a podcast. Congratulations Veera! Enjo...

In this week's REPOST episode, Baxter and Ethan stopped by to share a special family story. Currently in Austrailia, these young brothers share their story about the difficult times their family experienced during the pandemic and the project they created together to get them through with joy. Their story is one filled with family, love, determination, persistence, bravery and empathy. Enjoy liste...

We are revisiting with the amazing Jill Cofsky, a voice actor and primary grade reading intervention specialist. Discover the fascinating world of voice acting and how Jill's voice, paired with engaging sound effects, brings stories to life, taking listeners on a magical literary adventure. Listen in as she shares her journey and the meaningful experiences she hopes to create for young readers. En...

Episode 12 Repost: Welcome to this week's repost of an unforgettable literary journey with Paige and Laly, the dynamic duo behind @paigesandlalypops! With summer break underway, these girls know all the best books for kids aged 5 and up! Get ready to laugh, learn, and leap into the pages of amazing tales as Paige and Laly bring their infectious energy and passion for reading straight to your ears....

A special thank you to everyone who made Season 1 a success and so much fun! To celebrate Season 1, we're hosting a special podcast scavenger hunt. Here's the scoop: we've hidden 10 questions across our episodes. In the podcast directory, guest names are shared in the description, so you know which episodes to listen to. Using the Google Form in the Instagram Bio, kids can listen closely to each e...

Life often seems like it's painted in black and white, but if we look closer, it's truly filled with vibrant colors—colors that come from our unique perceptions. Today, we're thrilled to introduce Celia Botto, the debut author of When Ayden Paints The Sky . Inspired by her young niece Ayden, Celia has woven a beautiful story where the canvas of the sky mirrors our emotions and the way we see the w...

In this week's REPOST episode, Abby shares her experiences of modeling good behavior when a substitute teacher is in class for the day. Why? So her peers can make good choices and experience a good situation. This time of year the season is changing, kids see the end in sight, and they are easily distracted. Abby's has a strong moral compass filled with positivity, compassion, sensitivity, and emp...

We're super excited to introduce you to someone really special in today's big leader feature.  Say hello to Dr. Barbara Vokatis, who's not only an amazing literacy professor but also a dog-loving therapist! She and her furry friend Carmel love visiting schools to lend a paw in helping kids with their feelings, friendships, and learning. They're on a mission to spread the word about how wonderful d...

Today we are thrilled to bring you another big leader feature. Meet Danny Gibbins, an incredibly talented teacher and puppeteer, renowned for her professional workshops that entertain and educate kids and teachers through her business, @dramazing_kids. Danny joins us to share how blending education and entertainment using puppets opens the doors for children to understand they can solve their prob...

Today we are thrilled to bring you another big leader feature. Meet Shanda McCloskey, an incredibly talented author/illustrator, renowned for her captivating children's books such as Doll-E 1.0 , Nubby , and Little Red and the Big Bad Editor . Shanda joins us to share how embracing mistakes can pave the way for unexpected growth and creativity.     Picture Book Recommendations:   a. The Girl Who N...

Today we are thrilled to bring you another big leader feature. Meet Emily Cherkin, also known as the ScreenTime Consultant and author of the acclaimed book, ScreenTime Solution: A Judgment-Free Guide to Becoming a tech-Intentional Family. Emily is on a mission to help families find balance in their digital lives by promoting a mindful approach to technology use. Drawing from her expertise and prac...

Repost: In this week's episode, Kaya and Vivi share their experiences of modeling good behavior and decision-making when they are around their peers in and out of school. How? By showing them through actions and not telling them to be different. These sweet girls are funny, authentic, truthful, and hold strong values in compassion, empathy and friendship. Enjoy Kaya and Vivi in this week's intervi...

Beyond the Canvas: Inspiring Creativity with Sean E. Avery Today, we're thrilled to introduce our first big feature leader! Welcome to author, illustrator, and art teacher, Sean E. Avery! If you've ever needed tips and tools to boost your creativity, explore unique ways of making things, manage multiple passions well, or ignite a love for art in children, then you're in the right place. Join us as...

Show Notes   Exploring Pages With Sister Bookstagrammers Welcome to this week's unforgettable literary journey with Paige and Laly, the dynamic duo behind @paigesandlalypops! Get ready to laugh, learn, and leap into the pages of amazing tales as Paige and Laly bring their infectious energy and passion for reading straight to your ears. From early readers to tweens, no book is off-limits for these...

  Creating Characters: The Art of Voicing Children's Book Stories Welcome to this week's episode! We sat down with the amazing Jill Cofsky, a voice actor and primary grade reading intervention specialist. Discover the fascinating world of voice acting and how Jill's voice, paired with engaging sound effects, brings stories to life, taking listeners on a magical literary adventure. Listen in as she...

In this week's episode, Essie shares her experiences of helping kids during recess who feel lonely and/or look sad.  How? By listening to them and at the same time trying to figure out the best way to help. Inspired by the wonderful picture book, The Rabbit Listened , Essie shows compassion, advocacy, empathy, patience, connection, and true friendship through her actions. Enjoy her in this week's...

Today is a repost of our very first episode. In the spirit of giving this holiday season, listening to Bodie Centore share his experiences fundraising for St. Baldrick's over the last ten years is heartwarming , and may also help us think about an organization near and dear to our hearts we would like to help. Additionally, anytime a child is ill, it is very tough for parents. We have a book speci...

In this week's episode, Kaya and Vivi share their experiences of modeling good behavior and decision-making when they are around their peers in and out of school. How? By showing them through actions and not telling them to be different. These sweet girls are funny, authentic, truthful, and hold strong values in compassion, empathy and friendship. Enjoy Kaya and Vivi in this week's interview.   Pi...

In this week's episode,Abby shares her experiences of modeling good behavior when a substitute teachers for the day. Why? So her peers can make good choices and experience a good situation. Abby's has a strong moral compass filled with positivity, compassion, sensitivity, and empathy. Enjoy Abby in this week's interview.   Picture Book Recommendations:   a. Dear Substitute Author: Liz Garton Scanl...

In this week's episode, Baxter and Ethan stopped by for a visit. Currently in Austrailia, these young brothers share their story about the difficult times their family experienced during the pandemic and the project they created together to get them through with joy. Their story is one filled with family, love, determination, persistence, bravery and empathy. Enjoy listening to Baxter and Ethan in...

In this week's episode, Kennedy stopped by for a visit. Currently in 6th grade, Kennedy shares her story about how she enjoys helping someone feel comfortable in new situations or sad ones. She is the person to help you find your way and she is happy to help. Her examples demonstrate a great deal of empathy, patience, loyalty, and generosity. Enjoy listening to Kennedy's generous nature in this we...