Before Us Kids!
From the creators of the Before Us podcast comes an exciting new adventure: Before Us Kids! This brand-new, fun, and engaging podcast is co-hosted by kids, for kids, and takes young listeners on a journey through deep time to discover the lives of the people who came before us. Each episode brings the past to life with fascinating stories, interesting facts, and lively--sometimes chaotic--conversations that spark curiosity and imagination. Whether it's exploring ancient civilizations, uncovering everyday life in the distant past, or diving into the big questions about human evolution, Before Us Kids! makes our past come alive in a way that's entertaining and easy to understand. Before Us Kids! is perfect for curious minds of all ages.
Episodes
In this episode, Colton and Dr. Erich continue to explore the legacy of Homo erectus, this time focusing on their teeny-tiny descendants in island Southeast Asia. It’s a wild evolutionary example showing what can happen to big things when they get trapped in small places.
If you enjoyed the episode, don’t forget to rate and review the show. Want to be part of a future episode or send us a question to read on air? Send us...
In this episode, Jokubas, Colton, and Dr. Erich explore a very cool Paleoanthropological mystery. Who were the Denisovans and what did they look like?
If you enjoyed the episode, don’t forget to rate and review the show. Want to be part of a future episode or send us a question to read on air? Send us an email at hello@worldsbeforedesign.com
This week's episode features additional music by:
Gobi Desert by Sergei Chetvertny...
Lace up your dancing shoes because this week Jacob and Dr. Erich are stepping back more than three million years to explore one of the first full-time bipedal walkers in our family tree, Australopithecus afarensis. It’s going to be a super fun episode that is sure to get your toes tapping!
Don't forget to rate and review the show and if you want to participate in a future episode, email us at hello@worldsbeforedesign.com or re...
In this episode, Colton and Dr. Erich kick off our multi-episode exploration of human evolution starting with some of the earliest possible members of the human lineage, Sahelanthropus tchadensis and Ardipithecus ramidus. Get ready because we'll be talking about 'foot hands'!?!
Don't forget to rate and review the show and if you want to participate in a future episode, email us at hello@worldsbeforedesign.com or reach us by SMS by c...
Get ready for the thrilling conclusion to our epic adventure across the Ice Age. Will Dr. Erich make it back to the lab? Will his snack still be there? Stay tuned to find out!
Don't forget to rate and review the show so if you want to participate in a future episode, email us at hello@worldsbeforedesign.com or reach us by SMS by clicking the following link:
In this episode, Colton and Dr. Erich discuss the development of pointy things and how it impacted early humans. Spears get sharper, technology get smarter, and bows and arrows send sticks flying faster and farther than ever before. Turns out, pointy ideas can really go places.
Don't forget to rate and review the show so if you want to participate in a future episode, email us at hello@worldsbeforedesign.com or reach us by SMS by cl...
Prepare yourself for the next super-fun episode of our Ice Age insanity. In Episodes 7, 8, and 9 we explore where people lived during the Ice Age, how they moved around landscapes and kept tabs on time, and also if they had any hobbies!
Don't forget to rate and review the show so if you want to participate in a future episode, email us at hello@worldsbeforedesign.com or reach us by SMS by clicking the following link:
Get ready as we continue our Pleistocene pandemonium in Episodes 4, 5, and 6, learning how to make fire, stone tools, and clothing in our special series about surviving the Ice Age.
Don't forget to rate and review the show so if you want to participate in a future episode, email us at hello@worldsbeforedesign.com or reach us by SMS by clicking the following link:
We heard what everyone was saying about how fun and awesome our Ice Age series was and so we have decided to publish it in it's entirety over the next four weeks starting today with Episodes 1, 2, and 3!
Don't forget to rate and review the show so if you want to participate in a future episode, email us at hello@worldsbeforedesign.com or reach us by SMS by clicking the following link:
Sharpen your combs and ready the soapstone! In this episode, Colton, Paul, and Dr. Erich explore the surprisingly refined world of Viking hygiene plus the fascinating origins of the days of the week.
WE'D LOVE TO HEAR FROM YOU! If you have a question or comment, or even want to participate on a future episode, email us at hello@worldsbeforedesign.com or reach us by SMS:
It’s our final episode of 2025! Colton and Dr. Erich dive into the historical Welsh and Scottish roots of the legendary magician Merlin long before he became the all-powerful wizard known in movies and stories today. Plus, we also look at some archaeological discoveries about witches and vampires.
In this extra special bonus episode, Colton and Dr. Erich let loose and spin the legendary tale of Stone Age Santa...When, what to their wondering eyes should appear, but a miniature sleigh—and eight enormous, hairy mastodons!?!
Buckle up, folks, this is one super silly story, though Dr. Erich will still do his best to sneak in a little learning along the way.
Now Fluffy! Now Tusk Nugget! Now Chonkus and Stunk!<...
In this episode, we rummage through King Tutankhamun’s underwear drawer and tackle the eternal question: did he pack enough undies for the afterlife?
Special thanks to Islam Shaheen, one of the amazing conservators of the King Tutankhamun collection at the Grand Egyptian Museum in Cairo, as well as Nagmeldeen Hamza.
In this episode, 8-year old Emelina asks if men were more important than women in the past, leading to an absolutely awesome discussion about how our own ideas, our own biases, and even the words that we use influence our understanding about the past. It's a discussion that touches on sexism and stereotypes and why empowering more women in science is essential for understanding a fuller, more accurate human story.
This week, we’re sharing Volume 2 of our super-awesome stories featured in our super-awesome episodes. Just like last time, we’ve included more interesting facts about the real-life scientific discoveries that inspired them. Stay tuned because brand-new episodes return next week!
By popular demand, here is volume 1 showcasing only the super-awesome stories featured in our super-awesome episodes. Plus, we also provide interesting facts about the real-life scientific discoveries that inspired the stories.
Join Dr. Erich, Colton, and Diana as they explore Gravettian hunter-gatherers who lived in the Czech Republic 30,000 years ago, plus learn how archaeologists uncover the invisible parts of the archaeological record—such as traces of bags, nets, and other perishable items that have long since decayed.
Who doesn't love a good ball game? Not the ancient Mayans, that's for sure! In this episode, Tyson, Colton, and Dr. Erich head 2,000 years into the past to explore the ancient Mayan ballgame called Pitz where players used their forearms, legs, and hips to hit a gigantic, solid rubber ball around a stone court. Seriously! These hips don't lie. Plus, we recount the amazing origin story of the K'iche' Maya, called Popul Vuh, and the b...
Why does Earth experience ice ages? In this episode, Mikey, Colton, and Dr. Erich explore what causes seasons, how the changes in seasons are related to the way earth is hurtling through space around the sun, and how all of this influences paleoclimates, like the shifts between glacial and interglacial periods, and even human evolution. Phew!
Get ready for another amazing adventure as Xander, Colton, and Dr. Erich explore the lives of ancient Roman gladiators.
Want to learn more? Check out the Before Us Kids Patreon (https://www.patreon.com/c/BeforeUsKids) where we have bonus episodes that discuss the science behind the stories and other exclusive content such as the 10-part series A Totally Ridiculous, Mostly Serious, Always Awesome Guide to Surviving the Ice Age (but a...
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