Have you ever imagined what it must be like to be President of the United States? You’d have to govern an entire country! Just think, you would sign laws that affect over 300 million people. You would be in charge of one of the strongest militaries in the world. You would give speeches to millions of people!

Now, imagine if you had to do all of that from a wheelchair. Franklin Delano Roosevelt, the thirty-second President of the United States, had to use a wheelchair because his legs were paralyzed. This meant that he couldn’t walk or even stand. How did that happen, you may be asking? And how did he still become president regardless of his challenges despite that? Let’s rewind and find out!

Roosevelt grew up on a large farm in New York State. Since he lived in the country, Roosevelt was taught at home by tutors when he was young. Because of this, he didn’t have a lot of friends his age, and he was very shy. 

But Roosevelt was close with his family. He also had a distant older cousin named Teddy who he really admired. Teddy was outgoing and popular. When Roosevelt started high school, Teddy announced that he wanted to become a politician. A politician is someone who gets elected to a government position. 

That sounded pretty cool to Roosevelt. He decided he wanted to be a politician just like his cousin. What he didn’t realize is that to be a politician, he’d have to talk to large crowds of people. He’d have to get those crowds to like and trust him. That meant A LOTa lot of socializing.

There was one big problem: Roosevelt was not particularly social. He had a hard time making friends. He preferred to spend his time reading books and studying. He studied so hard, in fact, that he got accepted into Harvard just as his cousin Teddy had done. Harvard was a top college and a good choice for people who wanted to study law. 

While Roosevelt was in his first year at Harvard, his cousin Teddy became the most important politician in the country: he was elected President of the United States. If you want to learn more about Teddy Roosevelt be sure to look up our episode about him. Roosevelt was proud of his cousin, no doubt. But how could he compete with him? Roosevelt decided to work even harder. He was determined to keep up with his superstar older cousin and forge his own path to the presidency. 

As president, Teddy made hundreds of decisions every day! People counted on him to keep the country safe. To be elected, he’d had to convince millions of people that he was the best person for the job. But Teddy had always been popular.

Being popular was not something Roosevelt had ever been very good at. 

He was not athletic. He always cared more about grades than being cool. How could he get his classmates at Harvard to like him? He hatched a plan. He started to join clubs and meet people. He even became the editor of the Harvard Crimson newspaper!

As editor of this newspaper, Roosevelt reported on events that happened not just on campus but around the world. He began to learn more about politics and the government. He started to realize which politicians he agreed with and which ones he didn’t. His cousin Teddy was a Republican, but Roosevelt decided he would prefer to be a Democrat.  

Roosevelt married a woman named Eleanor and graduated with a law degree. He was ready to give politics a try. So, when he was twenty-eight, he ran in an election to be a state senator for New York and won. As a senator, Roosevelt helped create and vote on laws for his state. Being a state senator was a good first step. But Roosevelt still had more work to do. 

After only one two-year term as a state senator, Roosevelt received a life-changing call! It was the new President of the United States, Woodrow Wilson. Wilson asked Roosevelt to move to Washington D.C. to help run the United States Navy. This was huge! Roosevelt was excited to take this job. 

His dream of being president suddenly seemed within reach. Roosevelt’s career was moving in the right direction. He was getting experience in politics and learning about different parts of government. He was meeting important politicians. He was even gaining popularity among Americans. His dream of being president was within reach. 

Then, in 1921, Roosevelt went to New York for a family vacation. One day, he was relaxing on a boat, when without warning, he fell into the ice-cold water. His legs felt numb. Soon after that, he felt lots of pain in his back and his legs. He started to lose control of his body. He couldn’t even move his face. For a short period of time, he was almost entirely paralyzed and unable to move any parts of his body.

The doctors told Roosevelt that he had a disease called polio. This disease affected his spinal cord, which is what allowed his arms, legs, and all the other parts of his body to move. It was unusual for an adult to get polio. Since there was no cure for it, Roosevelt thought that he would never be able to move again.

How was Roosevelt ever going to control a country or command a military if he couldn’t move? He couldn’t stand. He couldn’t walk. He couldn’t even wave or smile at people. It seemed like his political career was over.

However, Roosevelt did not want this disease to decide when he should retire. He wanted to stay in politics. He was determined wanted to become president. Roosevelt decided that he would fight to recover to reach his goal. Nobody knew how long it would take or if it was even possible! And he’d be away from politics for a long time. Would anybody remember him after he was away for so long?

He needed people to remember his name. He had an idea. His wife, Eleanor, was well-liked and very intelligent. Maybe his wife could help remind people of his accomplishments in political circles. Plus, he could write letters to important politicians all over the country. He would make sure he wasn’t forgotten.

It took Roosevelt years to recover. He had to work hard to regain the use of his body parts. Roosevelt had to learn how to move again by swimming. Since he weighed less in the pool, it was easier for him to try lifting his arms and legs again. At first, he needed a lot of help, but he did get stronger. He had braces fit for his legs that allowed him to stand up.

By 1928, Roosevelt had made a lot of progress. He had built back a lot of his muscles, but he was still paralyzed in his legs. He realized he would never be able to walk again. Could he be the powerful, admirable figure that past presidents like his cousin were known for if he was stuck in a wheelchair?

Roosevelt did what he’d always done: use his intelligence and determination to make progress his hard work. In 1928, seven years after he first got sick, Roosevelt made his political comeback as Governor of New York. 

This same job title had belonged to his older cousin Teddy almost 30 years earlier. Roosevelt’s path to the presidency was back on track. 

Just like Teddy, Roosevelt was well-liked by the people of New York. He ran for re-election in 1930, and he won again. He liked being governor, but still, he wanted a promotion. He wanted to be president.

In 1932, Roosevelt ran for president of the United States. He won the election by beating Herbert Hoover. He became the thirty-second President of the United States, joining the long line of famous, powerful presidents, including his older cousin Teddy.  

Roosevelt didn’t let a wheelchair stop him. He did all of the things that presidents are supposed to do. He showed his country and the world that he was a strong and capable leader. When he gave speeches, Roosevelt used leg braces, a cane, and usually the arm of a family member to walk to the podium. Instead of using the bulky, ugly wheelchairs of the time, Roosevelt built his own sleek wheelchair using a dining chair with bicycle wheels attached to it. He could even climb stairs using just the strength of his arms like a gymnast!

Roosevelt showed the country that a disability did not mean he couldn’t be just as powerful and admirable as any other president. In fact, he served nearly four terms, making him the longest-serving president in history! 

Fortunately, a few years later, a scientist named Jonas Salk discovered a cure for polio. His vaccine made it so no one had to go through what President Roosevelt did. 

Roosevelt’s path to the presidency was not an easy one. But he never gave up on his dream or his desire to match Teddy’s success. Sometimes, being the younger cousin isn’t such a bad thing, after all. 

https://www.whitehouse.gov/about-the-white-house/presidents/theodore-roosevelt/

https://www.whitehouse.gov/about-the-white-house/presidents/franklin-d-roosevelt/

https://www.fdrlibrary.org/fdr-biography

https://millercenter.org/president/fdroosevelt/life-before-the-presidency

https://www.cdc.gov/polio/what-is-polio/index.htm

https://www.britannica.com/biography/Roosevelt-D-Roosevelt/Paralysis-to-presidency

https://www.ducksters.com/history/us_government/senate.php

https://www.twinkl.co.uk/teaching-wiki/roles-and-responsibilities-of-the-president

https://millercenter.org/president/fdroosevelt/life-before-the-presidency

https://kids.kiddle.co/Politics

https://www.fdrlibrary.org/polio

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Imagine you are lost far away from home.  What would you do?  Would you ask a nice person for help?  Make a call on your cell phone.  Use a GPS device to plot a route home.  What if you had no voice, cell phone, or maps because you’re a dog?  To return home, you would need to travel almost 3,000 miles across the United States – across rivers, deserts, and mountains – on your four paws.  Well, I know of one dog who did just that and his name was Bobbie.

Bobbie was a Scottish Collie born in 1921 in Silverton, Oregon.  He was adopted by Frank and Elizabeth Brazier and their two daughters, Leona and Nova.  Bobbie loved his family and spent hours chasing after the girls on the lawn.  Leona and Nova would squeal in delight as Bobbie raced around them, herding them in circles like any good Collie or Shephard dog.  Bobbie was very smart and knew how to find his way across town and back home after family outings.  And his favorite pastime was riding in their Ford Model T car!  The car was small and cramped, but he didn’t mind.  He loved climbing over their laps and sticking his head out the side of the car.  There were no windows – just a folding top and a front windshield – so a wonderful breeze would blow in their faces as they rode around town.  The girls would laugh and put their arms out of the car, pretending they were birds flying in the breeze.  Bobbie would pant and wag his tail furiously, jutting his nose into the air to capture all the glorious scents: newly-mown grass, blooming flowers, and cooking food.

One day in August 1923, the family packed a big suitcase and loaded it onto the back of the car.  Bobbie knew something big was happening. He raced to the car, jumped on top of the suitcase, and waited expectantly.  If they were going someplace fun, he was going, too!  Soon the family was loaded into the car and headed East on a road trip!  They were traveling to Wolcott, Indiana, to visit family.  It was a long trip taking them almost a week through Idaho, Wyoming, Nebraska, Iowa, and Illinois – a trip of over 2,500 miles. They chugged up mountain passes, across golden plains, and through dusty valleys.  They marveled at amazing sunsets, green pastures, and grazing animals.  At lunchtime, they stopped in a small park or quaint town.  And across the miles, Bobbie soaked it all in.  He smelled the land, water, and air.  His tongue captured unique sensations, too – bits of pollen and dirt and particles blowing on the breeze.  Every place had its own unique smell and taste.

Every night the family parked at a service station, letting Bobbie run around, explore, and eat.  Then he was put back in the car for the night while they walked to a nearby hotel.  If the hotel allowed animals, Bobbie stayed with his family, sleeping happily at the bottom of their beds.  

Day after day this continued until they finally reached their destination, Wolcott, Indiana, about a week later.  It was here that everything went terribly wrong.  They stopped for a short break and Bobbie jumped out of the car.  Just then a pack of dogs spotted Bobbie and charged at him.  They didn’t like this new dog in their territory – and a big Collie at that.  The dogs rushed at Bobbie, barking and snarling, their teeth snapping viciously.  Bobbie dashed away as fast as he could, dodging people and cars trying to find a safe place to hide from the angry pack.  As a Collie, he was fast and quick on his feet.  He could dodge and twist and turn on a dime.  Soon, he found a hiding spot and rushed inside.  He could hear the pack of dogs in the distance barking and panting but they soon disappeared, unable to find Bobbie. 

The night was falling and Bobbie was getting hungry.  He didn’t know where he was or how far he had run.  He was all turned around – this wasn’t his neighborhood and nothing smelled the same.  He walked around for hours trying to pick up the scent of his family in this foreign place.

Meanwhile, Frank, Elizabeth, Leona, and Nova spent hours searching for Bobbie, too, frantically calling him over and over, walking the streets, and asking if anyone had seen a stray collie.  Unfortunately, they had miles yet to travel before reaching their relative’s house and they couldn’t stand by their car all night hoping Bobbie would return.  They got into their car and drove away in tears.  

The days passed.  The family continued their search and placed posters around Wolcott but Bobbie was nowhere to be found.  The family knew they must start the long drive home to Oregon.  The girls had to return to school and Frank to work.  They packed the car and said goodbye to their relatives, the girls crying as the car headed out of town.  They didn’t talk much during the long trip home.  There was no joy left in this once-happy vacation.  In their hearts, they feared they would never see Bobbie again.  Once home, the sight of Bobbie’s abandoned toys and favorite bed brought them to tears again.

Meanwhile, Bobbie was on a mission to find his family.  Before heading out, he would run North and South before deciding on a direction to travel.  He then walked and trotted for miles, searching for a familiar scent that reminded him of scents from the trip – maybe a certain park, steam, or town.  Hours turned into days that turned into weeks.  Day after day, and night after night, Bobbie walked through heat and rain and wind.  He crossed roads and fields and bridges.  He waded across cold mountain streams and rustling wheat fields.  At night he huddled under trees or bushes.  He was losing strength and knew he needed to find humans to get food.  He wandered into towns, whimpering at people passing by.  During this time, he met wonderful people who fed him and cared for him.  They bandaged his swollen paws, brushed his coat, and picked brambles out of his ears.  Bobbie enjoyed their love and attention but he knew he couldn’t stay long – he needed to keep searching for his real family.  Eventually, he always left these nice people and headed on the road again.

His journey west brought him to each gas station his family had visited during their eastbound trip.  He remembered the smells and sights.  His heart would race and he would run around excitedly searching for his family.  He never found them but he knew he was on the right path.  

By this time, Bobbie had traveled across the plains of the American Midwest and was nearing the Rocky Mountains. Winter was descending and the days were shorter and colder. The wind whipped and howled as he climbed higher into the mountains.  Snow started to fall and covered everything in sight.  Bobbie’s thick fur helped protect him from the wind but he was losing weight and his paws were becoming sore and frostbitten, his toenails worn down to the nub by months of scrabbling across rocks and debris.  He had to be careful, too, because he could sense other animals – bears and wolves and mountain lions.  He found their droppings and heard them howling at night.  But on he traveled, mile after lonely mile.

Finally, in February 1924, thin, exhausted, and dirty, Bobbie reached Silverton, Oregon, and HOME!  He had traveled for six months over 2,500 miles, covering approximately 14 miles a day!  Frank, Elizabeth, Leona, and Nova were overjoyed, hugging and kissing Bobbie over and over.  They fed him mounds of food and soaked him in warm baths, then covered him in warm blankets.  Bobbie’s heart almost burst out of his chest in happiness!  He had found his forever family and he was HOME!  He slathered them with wet kisses, jumped on their laps, and raced around in happy circles. This was the best feeling in the world!  Bobbie knew it then:  there’s no place like home and he had found his!

News quickly spread about Bobbie’s amazing return and letters poured in addressed to “Bobbie the Wonder Dog.”  Newspapers, books, and magazines recounted his incredible journey.  People who had helped Bobbie along the way wrote to the family and soon they were able to piece together the timeline of Bobbie’s historic journey.  He became famous overnight, starring in the silent film “The Call of the West!” He received jeweled collars and keys to various cities.  He was even the inspiration for the movie, “Lassie Returns.”  

Bobbie was an incredibly loyal, smart, and courageous dog who accomplished an amazing feat.  Many wondered:  how did this dog find his way home?  Scientists believe that dogs, like other migratory creatures including birds, whales, bison, turtles, and insects, can detect magnetic fields and have an internal navigation system.  One study conducted in the Czech Republic tested this theory with 27 dogs from 10 different breeds.  They attached GPS trackers and cameras on the dogs, then had the owners walk them for many miles before releasing them to race after prey.  Most of the dogs returned to their owners using scent, but one-third actually ran a “compass run” on a north-south axis for about 65 feet before heading back to their owners.  Scientists believe the dogs were “orienting themselves” to a magnetic field, which then informed them which way to go.  The dogs who did this “compass run” returned to their owners much faster than the dogs who returned using scent alone.    

During World War I, dog breeds such as Collies, Retrievers, Sheep Dogs, and Airedale Terriers were used to carry messages between battle stations on the Western Front in Europe.  Their intelligence, bravery, and navigational skills while carrying important messages helped save many lives.

And all dogs have an incredible sense of smell.  They have anywhere from 220 million to 2 billion receptor cells in their nose versus the measly 12-40 million found in human noses.  These scent receptors help them find prey, their neighborhoods, homes, and even their special humans.  

We would love to hear from you and learn about the special dog in your life.  What breed do you own and what are their special qualities?  

The post Bobbie the Wonder Dog appeared first on Bedtime History: Podcast and Videos For Kids.

Imagine you’re in a painting studio. You take a deep breath and smell the sweet smell of the oil paints and the crisp air within the painting studio. You look around and see many paintings on the walls, each one telling a different story.

But your attention quickly turns back to the canvas in front of you, which seems to be calling out for your attention. You dip your paintbrush into a palette of different colors and then put it on the canvas. You feel happy and excited when you see the brush moving so easily on the canvas. You create a beautiful picture of a world you want to see, and it makes you feel calm and happy.

You continue to work, feeling the warmth of the paint beneath your brush, and the gentle strokes of color as you add dimension and texture to your creation. As you paint, you feel a sense of peace and contentment that comes from being fully immersed in the creative process.

You continue to work, feeling the warmth of the paint beneath your brush and you see how the colors mix together, creating something new and unique. You love how it feels to make something special with your hands.

When you’re done painting, you step back and admire your work. You feel so proud of what you made and can’t wait to share it with others. You know that it will make people happy and inspire them to look at the world in a different way.

This is what it’s like to be like Bob Ross, a painter who made people happy by showing them how to paint and see the world in a new way.

Bob Ross was born on October 29, 1942, in Daytona Beach, Florida. He grew up in a town called Orlando, where he spent a lot of time exploring the beautiful landscapes around him.

His dad was a carpenter named Jack, and his mom, Ollie, was a waitress. As a child, Bob loved to take care of injured animals which sometimes made his parents unhappy because they never knew what kind of animal they would find in the house! They might see a hurt alligator in their bathtub or an armadillo running around Bob’s room. 

Later, Bob didn’t finish high school. Instead, he left after 9th grade to work as a carpenter with his dad. One day, Bob had a terrible accident that injured his left index finger. He lost the tip of it! Even though he was hurt, Bob didn’t let that stop him. It was an injury he later hid from TV viewers most of the time with his paint palette.

When Bob turned 18, he joined the Air Force which he soon didn’t enjoy. He said that he had to be “mean” sometimes, and that made him unhappy. When he was in the Air Force, he was known for being tough on his fellow airmen, and they even gave him the nickname “Bust ’em up Bobby.”

Although he had a tough exterior, Bob Ross also had a softer side. He discovered his love for painting while attending an art class in Alaska during his time in the Air Force. Many of his painting instructors at the time were more interested in abstract art, but Bob was fascinated by nature and the beauty of the world around him. He found that painting allowed him to capture that beauty and share it with others.

After attending many art classes that focused on abstract painting, Ross found his passion for painting returned through a television show he found called The “Magic of Oil Painting”. The show was hosted by artist Bill Alexander Bill introduced Ross to an old painting technique known as “alla prima” which means “first attempt” in Italian. Ross was fascinated by “alla prima” because it allowed Alexander to finish a painting in just 30 minutes. Alla prima is also known as “wet-on-wet” painting, which means that wet layers of paint are added to paper to create an image. Bob loved this new technique and decided to master it himself.

Bob Ross started earning money by painting Alaskan mountainsides on the inside of gold pans, after observing Alexander’s Wet on Wet technique. He soon became well-known among the local Alaskan people for his artistic abilities and often taught children and the elderly how to paint, too. Eventually, Ross began making more money from selling paintings and offering art lessons than from his day job in the military. After serving in the Air Force for twenty years, Ross left the military and said that he would never yell or raise his voice again, he was known from then on to have a very soft and calming presence. 

In the 1980s after leaving the Air Force, Ross had a burning desire to truly master the art of wet-on-wet painting. He found his favorite artist Bill Alexander in Florida. There, Alexander was a part-time art teacher and happily shared all his knowledge with Ross.

Next, Bob Ross got a job as a traveling tutor for the Alexander Magic Art Supplies Company. He had a soothing, gentle voice, and an encouraging teaching style, and said things like “happy accidents” instead of the word “mistakes” to make people feel happier and more positive about painting and being ok with messing up. 

Have you ever made a mistake? Well, in painting it is very easy to make mistakes and Bob was excellent at helping people understand that even when we make mistakes we can turn those mistakes into something good! This idea that he used in his painting lessons caught the attention of a woman named Annette Kowalski. Annette was fascinated by Ross and thought they might find a way to sell the experience of painting with him. She saw potential in Ross’s teaching style and decided to work with him to build a successful business.

After a meeting with Annette Kowalski and her husband, Ross became convinced that he should leave the Alexander Magic Art Supplies Company and start his own teaching business. Kowalski was so confident in their potential for success that she spent all of her life savings on the business. Ross and his wife spent most of their money too! Unfortunately, their high hopes were met with a harsh reality: the business lost $20,000 in its first year open.

Low on money, Bob Ross decided to take a bold step and change his look. Gone were the days of the strict military haircut, and in its place emerged a new and unexpected style: the classic afro that would come to define him. Ross said that he decided to perm his hair and make it curly because then he could save money and he wouldn’t need to pay for haircuts every week. Little did he know that this bold decision to perm his hair would change his appearance forever. Ross’s afro was so different than what his hair used to look like that many of his friends only recognized him by his missing finger that he lost while working as a teenager. 

It is not totally clear how  Bob became a famous painter on TV. There are two stories about how he was able to get onto the PBS channel. One story says that Bob and his former teacher Bill Alexander filmed a commercial for his art classes, which happened to impress someone important. Another version suggests that his partner, Kowalski, took a video of one of Bob Ross’ 30-minute lessons and sent it to the TV station. It is possible that both stories are true. Either way, it is obvious that Bob Ross was so good that he couldn’t be ignored. Before long he was a famous TV star in a new show called “The Joy of Painting”!

While filming “The Joy of Painting,” Bob made it feel like he was talking to his audience one-on-one. Almost like a personal teaching lesson. 

Bob Ross put a lot of thought into every detail of his show. He took great care in selecting his clothes, wearing timeless jeans and casual shirts that wouldn’t look old in the future. He also sanded down his painting palette lightly to keep it from reflecting the studio lights, a trick he figured out over time by switching to a clear painting palette for the first few episodes. 

Bob never received payment for his appearances on the show, nor did he sell any of the paintings he created on air. The show served as a platform to promote his teaching business which grew to include Bob Ross paint brushes, paint, and other supplies, soon making him a millionaire!

Even though being on TV made Bob Ross very successful he remained humble and generous with his artwork. He gave away most of the paintings he created on the show, as well as thousands of others he made throughout his life. Some were donated to charitable causes to be auctioned off, while others were gifted to friends and acquaintances.

Bob Ross taught us that mistakes are not failures, they are just happy accidents. When you make a mistake, don’t give up. Instead, use your creativity and turn it into something beautiful. Just like Bob Ross, you can use your talents to make the world a brighter and more joyful place

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Love is one of the greatest emotions known to mankind. It propels people to accomplish great feats, fight valiant battles, or overcome insurmountable obstacles.  Love inspires people to write songs, present gifts, and erect monuments. And throughout the centuries, amazing architecture has been built in the name of love.  Some are world-famous, while others are known to a few.  These lovely structures might look like fairy tale castles, glorious mosques, coral caves, or even spectacular spaceships!  So, let’s take a look at some of these wonders of architecture built in the name of love.

First – and undoubtedly the most famous – is the Taj Mahal in Uttar Pradesh, India.  Many centuries ago, in the 1600s, there lived a mighty emperor named Shah Jahan.  He had a lovely wife, the Empress Consort Mumtaz Mahal, who he loved with all his heart. In 1631, at age 38, Mumtaz became pregnant with the Shah’s 14^th child.  The months passed and she joked with the Shah about the baby-to-be.  Would it be a rambunctious prince or a feisty princess?  They laughed over names and imagined their newest child joining 13 royal siblings.  The happy day arrived and the baby was born – a beautiful little princess.  But all was not well.  Mumtaz’s health quickly declined. Doctors tried everything to help the ailing Empress but were unable to save her.  She passed away the same day.  

The Shah was inconsolable.  He loved his wife beyond measure.  He didn’t know how he could go on; he didn’t want to lose her or the memory of their beautiful life together.  Out of his grief, an idea blossomed.  He would erect an awe-inspiring mausoleum and mosque to honor his young wife.  He hired architects, contractors, and over 20,000 workers.  Over the next 22 years, the amazing marble structure called the Taj Mahal or “Crown of the Palace” slowly rose from the dusty plain, reaching a height of 241 feet.  When finished, it was the most glorious building most had ever seen – an immense, white marble structure with a glistening, onion-shaped dome surrounded by four smaller domes and four tall minarets – or pillars.  These minarets were constructed in such a way that if there was an earthquake, they would fall away from the building.  Massive arches were adorned with marble calligraphy.  Inside, the walls and ceilings were decorated with colorful paintings of leaves and flowers, surrounded by semi-precious jewels and passages from the Qur’an.  Outside, glorious gardens and trees were planted.  Fountains and a reflecting pool were installed to create a place of beauty and serenity.  

After his death, the Shah and Empress Mumtaz were laid to rest in this amazing structure, which has been called “one of the universally admired masterpieces of the world.” More than 6 million people visit the Taj Mahal every year and in 2007 it was declared one of the New 7 Wonders of the World. 

Next, is the “Swallow’s Nest” or “The Castle of Love” in Crimea, Ukraine.  To get an idea of what it looks like, imagine taking the Disneyland Castle in California and plopping it on the edge of a tall, rocky cliff with one corner dangling 100 feet above the Black Sea!  Originally built in 1895 out of wood, it was called “The Castle of Love,” but no one knew who the castle was built to honor. The second owner was the doctor to the Russian czar and he gifted the castle to his wife.  In 1911, the castle was bought by a German baron, torn down, and rebuilt in white marble. Like any amazing castle, it sports turrets, towers, and fluttering flags.  It is surrounded by a white marble terrace with dizzying ocean views.  Due to its beauty and unique location, it has been featured in several Russian movies.  However, an earthquake struck in 1927 and cracked the massive cliff, breaking off a huge chunk.  But the castle survived intact, with only a few items tumbling into the sea.  Fears for the safety of the castle and its occupants caused it to close for the next 40 years.  But repairs were started in 1968 and the castle is now an Italian restaurant hosting romantic, ocean-front dining.  If you are afraid of heights, you might not want to dine at this clifftop castle!

And Europe is not the only continent with castles.  In Homestead, Florida, USA, there is a truly unique castle – not one of marble or limestone – but coral!  It is called the “Coral Castle” but looks more like an Aztec temple.  

The story starts in 1913 when there lived a 26-year-old man named Edward Leedskalnin in Riga, Latvia.  He fell madly in love with a 16-year-old girl named Agnes Scuffs and asked her to marry him.  She said yes and all seemed to go perfectly – until the big day.  On the day of their wedding, Agnes refused to marry Edward.  Edward was crushed.  His broken heart would not allow him to stay in Latvia, so he took off for distant shores, spending years traveling through Canada, Texas, and California before arriving in Florida in 1918.  He bought some land and started building stone sculptures to keep himself busy. But thoughts of Agnes crowded his mind.  He couldn’t forget her and the love they might have shared. In 1936 he bought 100 acres of land and spent the next four years building a small square castle out of massive blocks of carved coral, plus fountains, furniture, and sculptures. It is believed that Edward moved and carved over 1,100 tons of coral by himself using basic tools, levers, and pulleys.  Since he stood only 5 feet tall and weighed barely 100 pounds, this was quite an impressive feat – and one fueled by unrequited love. Agnes probably never learned of Edward’s adventures or the coral masterpiece he built in her honor.  But British rock singer Billy Idol heard and was so impressed that he wrote the song “Sweet Sixteen” about Edward, Agnes, and The Coral Castle.

The next castle is also in the United States, in Phoenix, Arizona, and it is called the “Mystery Castle.”  But this isn’t a fancy castle like the ones you find in Europe, with turrets, spires, moats, and drawbridges.  This is a cement castle, built square, short, and sturdy to withstand the desert heat.  

And how did this castle blossom out of the Arizona desert?  Well, the story starts in Seattle, Washington, in the 1930’s where a man named Boyce Luther Gully lived with his wife and their young daughter Mary Lou. Boyce adored his daughter and loved reading fanciful fairytales to her, stories brimming with castles, princesses, and dragons. But when Mary Lou was 5, Boyce contracted tuberculosis, a deadly and contagious disease.  He knew he needed to leave so he wouldn’t pass this disease on to his wife and child.  He left without telling them where he was going, perhaps so they wouldn’t follow him and risk catching the disease themselves.  

Boyce moved to Arizona and for the next decade built an 18-room castle by himself in honor of Mary Lou, complete with secret compartments filled with gold nuggets, jewelry, and coins – treasures worthy of a princess.  He also installed a trap door with a note stating it must not be opened until 1948.  By 1945, the disease was catching up with Boyce and he lay dying.  He wrote a letter to his daughter telling her he had built a castle for her.  Mary Lou and her mother raced to Arizona.  It is unknown if they made it to Boyce in time, but they were stunned by the castle he had built for Mary Lou.  They followed his wishes and did not open the trap door until 1948.  When it was opened, they found a treasure trove of sentimental items, including a picture of Boyce, a Valentine’s Day card Mary Lou gave him years earlier, $1,000 in cash, and a handwritten note.  Mary Lou and her mother lived in the castle Boyce built for the rest of their lives.  This castle still stands today and is now open to the public. 

And last on our list of amazing structures built in the name of love is the UFO House in Puerto Rico. But unlike the immense Taj Mahal or the clifftop castle, this is a science fiction house built in the shape of a UFO – or flying saucer!  

About 40 years ago, there was a young, creative man named Roberto Sanchez Ramirez.  He was madly in love with his teenage girlfriend and told her he would build her a house – one truly unique and innovative.  One that looked like a UFO!  His girlfriend did not believe him and eventually broke off the relationship.  Roberto was crushed.  He knew he had the skills and vision to create his masterpiece.  So, he went on to higher education and, to earn a living, became an industrial arts teacher.  Eventually, he purchased a piece of land in Puerto Rico and, upon retirement 40 years later, started building his long-awaited UFO masterpiece.  He built the flying saucer house with reflective panels, flashing lights, and a sound system featuring music from the movie, “Close Encounters of the Third Kind.”  He added colorful, abstract paintings of planets and floating furniture with mood lighting.  He hung trash cans from the wall and tables from the ceiling to give a feeling of items floating in space.   And when his former girlfriend saw his incredible creation atop a stunning hilltop, she tried to reconnect with Roberto.  But Roberto had matured and moved on with another lady who supported his creative visions and inspired endeavors.  If you’re ever in Puerto Rico, look to the hills for the UFO that love built!

We’d love to hear your thoughts!

The post History of the Taj Mahal, the Swallow’s Nest, and Architecture in the “Name of Love” appeared first on Bedtime History: Podcast and Videos For Kids.

Imagine yourself soaring through the air, the wind rushing past as you perform incredible tricks on your skateboard. You’re surrounded by cheering fans, who are in awe of your skills. 

As you glide down the half-pipe, the feeling of freedom and excitement is overwhelming. You can see the crowd cheering you on, and you know you’re living your dream. The adrenaline is pumping through your veins as you perform a series of flips and spins, each one more impressive than the last.

You can feel the energy and passion in your heart as you land your final trick, a 900-degree spin, and the crowd erupts in applause. 

As you step off the skateboard, you’re filled with a sense of accomplishment, knowing that you’ve put on a great show and made people happy. You take a bow, and the crowd continues to cheer. It’s an amazing feeling, one that will stay with you forever. This seems like just an amazing dream, but it’s just a typical day for famous skateboarder Tony Hawk. 

Tony Hawk is a professional skateboarder who was born on May 12, 1968, in Carlsbad, California. He has an older brother Steve, and two older sisters, Lenore and Pat. His parents are Nancy and Frank Hawk. His father was a professional surfer, which might have been an inspiration for Tony to start skateboarding. 

Tony Hawk grew up in San Diego and San Clemente, California. These areas are known for their great weather, beautiful beaches, and strong surf culture. It’s a place that has played a big role in shaping Tony’s love for action sports. He’s said he feels grateful for the opportunity to grow up in such a great environment that allowed him to pursue his passion for skateboarding. In San Diego, he spent most of his childhood riding on his skateboard. He was always interested in skateboarding and would spend hours each day practicing and perfecting his skills.

Tony started skating when he was 9 years old and the first time he rode his brand new skateboard, he ran into a fence because he didn’t know how to turn it! Next time you try something new and mess up, remember that it’s ok and normal to not be very good at first. You have to try again and again and not give up! That’s what Tony Hawk did and by the time he was 11, he was competing against other skateboarders. He was very good at competing and people loved to watch him do cool tricks. 

Tony began competing professionally at the age of 14 and since then he has become one of the most influential and respected skateboarders in the world. He is known for his unique style, incredible skills, and for being the first person to land a 900-degree spin in competition. A 900-degree spin is when a skateboarder spins around in the air two and a half times while on their board. It’s a very difficult trick and Tony was the first person to ever land it. This amazing feat caught the attention of people all over the world and made him a household name. 

Tony’s unique style and incredible skills set him apart from other Skateboarders. He would often try new and daring tricks, which would make him stand out from the rest. He was also known for his smooth and stylish riding, which made him a fan favorite.

He even started making cool videos of himself skating that his fans loved to watch and also helped others learn to skate and do the same tricks he did! Do you ever make videos? If there’s something you like to do or talk about, you can find others who have made videos and learned to do what they do. Or with the help of your parents, you can make your own video to share.

Tony’s parents were very supportive of his passion for skateboarding and would often take him to competitions and events. They helped him to pursue his dreams and encouraged him to work hard and never give up. They even helped him make a league for kids to compete in. 

Eventually Tony became a sponsored skateboarder. This means that he was paid to wear certain clothing and use certain equipment. This made people want to buy the products he used! I imagine it would be pretty cool to get free stuff and be paid to do what you love! 

Growing up, Tony’s education wasn’t traditional, as he didn’t go to college. Instead, he focused on skateboarding and pursued it as his main job. He started attending competitions while still in high school and during his teenage years he stopped going to school to focus on his skateboarding career.

In the early 1990’s he decided to make his own Skateboard company called Birdhouse. He also started another company called Blitz that helped other Skateboarders get the gear they needed. These companies were so successful, Tony decided to start even more product lines! In 1998, Tony and his family made a clothing line just for kids who love Skateboarding, called Hawk Clothing. That same year, Tony even made a deal with a special computer game company to make a game all about Skateboarding. It was called Tony Hawk’s Pro Skater and it was so much fun! The game became one of the most popular games ever and it made over a billion dollars.

Tony also made a company called Tony Hawk, Inc. to keep track of all of his ambitious Skateboarding projects. Tony Hawk was not only an amazing skateboarder but also talented at making skating very popular!  many people over the years discovered and started skating all because of Tony Hawk. 

In 1999, Tony Hawk decided to jump between two seven-story buildings in downtown Los Angeles for a TV show! It was called the “Gap Jump” and it was a huge challenge even for Tony, who was one of the best skateboarders in the world.

Tony had to practice for many hours to make sure he could land the jump safely.  He even had to make sure his skateboard was able to jump that far, and that he would be able to land on the other side without getting hurt. It was a very dangerous trick, but Tony was determined to make it happen.

Finally, the day of the jump arrived. The TV station set up cameras to film it, and many people were watching from the streets below. Tony put on his helmet and started to ride towards the ramp. He built up a lot of speed and then launched himself into the air, soaring over the gap between the two buildings, and then landed safely on the other side. The crowd burst into cheers along with people all over the world watching.

It was an incredible feat, and it set Tony’s place in skateboarding history. The Gap Jump was one of the most amazing moments in Tony’s career.

Tony Hawk also helped make skateboarding an Olympic sport! This way, people all over the world could watch Skateboarding and be inspired by it.

Tony knew it would be a big challenge, but he was determined to make it happen. He talked to important people and even went to a big meeting in a country called  Switzerland. There, he met with the International Olympic Committee (IOC) and explained why skateboarding should be in the Olympics.

Tony told them that Skateboarding is not just a hobby, but a sport that requires skill, dedication, and hard work. He showed them videos of amazing skateboarders doing incredible tricks. He even brought his own skateboard to show off some moves. The Olympic members were impressed, and it helped them start to understand how special Skateboarding is.

Tony’s hard work paid off, and thanks to him skateboarding is now an Olympic sport! Now anyone can watch Skateboarders from over the world competing and showing off their skills! Tony hopes this will inspire many kids around the world to try it and maybe even become Olympians themselves.

Tony Hawk did some incredible things with his skateboard and his life story shows us that if we focus on our own talents, we can do amazing things too! So, always believe in yourself, even when you are a beginner like Tony was,, because you never know what you can do until you try!

The post Tony Hawk Story for Kids appeared first on Bedtime History: Podcast and Videos For Kids.

When I say “Super Hero,” who or what comes to mind?  Do you think of Superman, Iron Man, or Wonder Woman?  Maybe you think of the Black Panther, Captain America, or Thor.  Well, I know some real-life heroes and they aren’t humans – they’re animals!  Animals with four paws and wagging tails who love to pull sleds.  They’re Siberian Huskies – the great sled dogs of Alaska and other snowy countries.  They are very brave and powerful.  They can survive in freezing temperatures and blowing blizzards.  They can run for hours pulling heavy sleds and battle fierce animals like grizzly bears and wolves.  They are very smart, strong, and loyal.  

And an amazing pack of Huskies saved a town in Alaska many years ago!

The year was 1925 and it was January in Nome, Alaska.  People huddled inside their homes as the wind howled outside and Alaska froze.  Families gathered around stoves and fireplaces to keep warm.  They wrapped themselves in furs and watched as their cold breath swirled in the polar night air. Little did they know that a disease named Diphtheria was silently spreading across Alaska.

But one person did know and his name was Dr. Curtis Welch, the local doctor in Nome.  He had treated a few children for colds, which later turned out to be Diphtheria, a dangerous and contagious disease.  This was the worst time for a Diphtheria outbreak.  Alaska was isolated and frozen.  The shipping ports had closed two months prior, in November, and wouldn’t open until the following July.  Plus, the doctor’s supply of antitoxin, or medicine, to treat Diphtheria had expired.  What could he do?  

He immediately contacted the mayor of Nome and started a quarantine in hopes of stopping the spread of the disease.  But with everyone huddled together inside, the disease started to spread.  The doctor sent urgent telegrams to Public Health in Washington, D.C., pleading for an emergency delivery of medicine.  In these small Alaskan towns, the people had never been exposed to many diseases, including Diphtheria, so they had no natural immunity, or protection, against it.  Everyone in the town could be lost.

An emergency meeting was held.  A plan was discussed to deliver the medicine by plane.  However, the conditions were too brutal for most planes to fly without freezing and the few planes that could make the flight had been dismantled, or taken apart, for the winter.  They then thought about trains.  It was a good plan, but with one hitch: the train could only go so far before the tracks were covered, frozen, and unusable.  They then considered a dogsled team.  It would be a round trip of over 600 miles and take 30 days in weather of -50 F or -46 C.  Winds in Alaska were whipping at 25 mph and snowbanks were 10 ft or 3 m tall.  The problem with this plan was that the medicine would only last for 6 days in this brutal weather.

So, the doctor and his team decided on a combined approach – train and multiple dog sled teams.  By this time, 300,000 units of medicine had been found at a hospital in Anchorage, Alaska.  The medicine was packed in quilts, wrapped in padding, and stuffed into a metal cannister weighting 20 pounds. The cannister was then put on a train for a short trip before being transferred to dog sled teams for the main trek, which started on January 27, 1925, at 9:00 p.m.  The Great Race of Mercy was on!

The first dog sled driver, or musher, was “Wild Bill” Shannon, with his lead dog Blackie, and a team of 10 Huskies.  The dogs yipped, barked, and jumped in excitement as they were hitched into their harnesses.  They could sense the urgency in the air and were anxious to get started.  The night was fiercely cold but their thick coats helped keep them warm.  “Wild Bill” snapped the reins, yelled “mush” to the dogs, and they were off!  The team raced over snowy trails and frozen rivers.  On and on they raced through the frigid night, their breath appearing like steam from a racing locomotive.  They arrived at the next stop at 3:00 the next morning, exhausted.  “Wild Bill” was suffering from hypothermia (extreme cold) and his face was black from frostbite.  The medicine was then placed by the fire to warm while “Wild Bill” and the dogs rested for four hours.  They awoke and started the next leg of the trip, leaving 3 exhausted dogs behind.

“Wild Bill,” Blackie, and the team arrived in Minto at 11:00 a.m. the following morning and passed the medicine off to the next team led by musher Edgar Kalland.  The team raced off through the forest in frigid temperatures, causing Edgar’s hands to freeze to the wooden handlebars of the sled.  At a rest stop, a man had to pour boiling water on Edgar’s hands to release them from the sled.  

And while this lifesaving race was underway, more cases of Diphtheria were spreading across Nome.  More dog sled teams were added to the race to save precious hours.  The medicine was passed from team to team as the heroic Huskies raced for hours across the frozen landscape.  The weather was so extreme that several dogs on one team passed away from frostbite and their musher took over their spots, pulling the sled alongside the dogs.

Soon an artic storm was brewing. Gale force winds, dangerous white out conditions, and wind chill temperatures reaching -70 F, -57 C battered the dogs and mushers.  But the brave Huskies of the Great Race of Mercy would not stop.  For hours they barreled through unrelenting snow drifts and unforgiving terrain, their strong paws beating the snow in a race against time and Mother Nature.  It was now January 30^th.  There were 27 cases of Diphtheria in Nome and rising.  All the medicine was gone.  Time was running out.

Meanwhile, a musher named Leonhard Seppala, his lead dog, Togo, and his team raced out from Nome into the storm to meet the incoming dog sled team.  They raced for 91 miles in a gale-force blizzard with wind chills reaching -85F, -65C.  Blinding snow pelted the dogs’ coats and slashed their eyes. They met the incoming team, transferred the medicine, then Seppala, Togo, and the team raced off into the night, only stopping to rest for a few hours, before starting again. Togo, Seppala, and the dogs then made the treacherous trip up and over Little McKinley Mountain, a total of 8 miles and 5,000 feet in elevation, in the raging storm.  On the other side, exhausted and freezing, they transferred the medicine to the next team.  It was now February 1^st.  

The next team took off into the storm and were blown off course, causing the musher to suffer severe frostbite while putting blankets on his dogs.  The team arrived at the next transfer point at 7:00 p.m. that night.  A new team of musher Gunnar Kaasen and his lead dogs, Balto and Fox, waited to see if the storm would stop.  When it worsened, they decided to start the trek before the trail became lost completely.  They raced into the storm at 10:00 p.m.  They were battered by gales and blinding snow as they crossed Topkok Mountain.  Gunnar couldn’t see the reins in front of him or the dogs through the swirling snow.  At one point the sled overturned, burying the lifesaving medicine and canister.  Gunnar dug furiously in the snow, panting with anxiety, his hands stiff with frostbite.  But luck was with him – he found the canister, righted the sled, fastened the canister to the sled, and shouted to Balto, Fox, and his dogs to run.

On they raced, now ahead of schedule and nearing the end, arriving in Nome on February 2^nd at 5:30 a.m. with the lifesaving antitoxin.  The medicine had survived the trip and was thawed and ready for patients by noon the same day!  The town was saved!  

These strong, brave sled dogs raced over 600 miles on a lifesaving mission in subzero conditions and hurricane-force winds for a total of 127.5 hours, setting a world record.  The dogs, along with their Alaskan and Norwegian mushers, were honored with gold medals, wreathes, and accolades. 

A statute of Balto, the lead dog who crossed the finished line in Nome, was erected in New York’s Central Park in 1925.  An inscription reads, “Dedicated to the indomitable spirit of the sled dogs that relayed antitoxin 600 miles over rough ice, across treacherous waters, through arctic blizzards, from Nenana to the relief of stricken Nome.”  Three additional words were added at the bottom of the inscription: “Endurance · Fidelity · Intelligence.”  

This race, while historic, also stirred some controversy.  Most of the credit and fame from this race was bestowed upon lead dog Balto.  However, many believe that lead dog Togo completed the longest, hardest part of the trek.  He raced for 261 miles compared to Balto’s 55 miles.  Some believe that Fox was the true lead dog on Gunnar’s team, not Balto.  Also, the Alaskan mushers were not recognized as fully as the Norwegian mushers, even though they completed most of the race.

But I think all of us would agree that this was a historic and amazing mission of mercy that saved many lives.  And you may wonder what happened to the dogs.  Well, a few passed away from this demanding trek, but most survived.  Balto lived until he was 14 and his body is now on display at the Cleveland Museum of Natural History.  Togo lived to the age of 16 and is now on display at the Iditarod Museum in Wasilla, Alaska. 

What do you think of this amazing race?  Have you ever seen actual sled dog teams or watched the Iditarod races?  Do you have a Siberian Husky as a pet?  I think this is an amazing story of how man and animals can work together to accomplish great things.  Siberian Huskies are an important – and lifesaving – part of life in various parts of the world.

The post Togo, Balto, and the Lifesaving Sled Dog Race appeared first on Bedtime History: Podcast and Videos For Kids.

Imagine a world where interesting creatures that have powers roam free, each with their own unique abilities and personalities that you can catch and keep in a little red and white ball. These creatures are called Pokemon and you keep them in a poke ball. As a young trainer, you set out on an adventure to explore this world and catch as many of these creatures as you can, traveling through different regions, each with its own unique environment and different types of Pokemon.

You’ll journey through lush forests, treacherous mountains, and even mysterious underwater kingdoms, encountering new and exciting Pokemon along the way. With your trusty poke ball, you’ll be able to capture these creatures and add them to your team, training them to be stronger and braver so that they can fight for you.

As you travel, you’ll meet other trainers and their Pokemon, and you’ll have the chance to challenge them to battles. These battles are a test of your skills as a trainer and a showcase of the strength and abilities of your Pokemon. You’ll have to strategize and work with your Pokemon, using their different moves and powers to defeat your opponents.

Along the way, you’ll also have the opportunity to collect valuable items and earn rewards, such as gym badges and special items that will make your journey easier. You’ll meet friendly and helpful characters who will give you tips and advice on how to become a better trainer.

But your ultimate goal is to become the greatest Pokémon trainer of all time. To achieve this, you’ll need to journey to the Pokemon League, where the strongest trainers from each region come together to compete in the ultimate test of their skills. You’ll have to defeat each gym leader, earning their badges along the way, and then face off against the Elite Four and the Pokemon Champion. Only then will you be able to call yourself the greatest Pokémon trainer of all time!

So pack your bags, grab your poke ball, and embark on an adventure through the history of Pokemon with us today!

—————————————

Let’s travel back in time to the early 1980s,  in a place called Setagaya, Tokyo, where there was a boy named Satoshi Tajirwhen. Satoshi loved catching bugs and collecting them as a hobby when he was young. His friends even called him “Dr. Bug”!  As Satoshi grew up in the bustling city of Tokyo, he noticed that the spaces where he used to hunt for bugs were disappearing as more and more land was being covered by streets and buildings. But Satoshi didn’t want to lose the feeling of catching and collecting creatures, and he dreamed of a way to bring that same joy to other kids.

As he got older, Satoshi became fascinated with arcade games and spent many hours playing them. His love for games like Space Invaders and Dig Dug inspired him to create his own video games. Satoshi took apart his video game system to understand how it worked, and even won a video game idea contest when he was 16 years old! 

Satoshi’s love for video games never went away even though his parents thought he was a troublemaker for spending so much time playing them. He even cut classes to play games. Ove time he made up for it by attending make-up classes and eventually earning his high school diploma. 

Instead of going to college, Satoshi attended a two-year technical degree program at the Tokyo National College of Technology, where he studied electronics and computer science. 

When Satoshi became a little older he made a special magazine that he would write by hand and staple together called “Game Freak”. Game Freak was a magazine that had tips and tricks on how to beat games and find hidden secrets in them. A hidden secret in a game is called an “Easter Egg”. The magazine became so popular that one magazine sold over 10,000 copies! Satoshi’s friend Ken Sugimori was the person who drew the pictures in the magazine, this is called an illustrator. As the two of them wrote this magazine they realized that most video games weren’t very good. So, they decided to make their own games instead! Tajiri learned how to make games by studying and practicing a lot. Finally, in 1989, Tajiri and his friend Sugimori started their own video game company called Game Freak. Their very first game, Quinty, was a big hit and they never looked back!

After several years of developing games for different consoles,  Satoshi Tajirwhen and his friend Ken Sugimori,  decided to talk about  their idea to Nintendo for a game about collecting monsters. The idea was a hit, but it wasn’t easy to convince Nintendo to take a chance on something so unique. Thanks to their previous successes, Game Freak was given the “OK” to develop the game under the help and mentorship of Shigeru Miyamoto. Shigeru Miyamoto was the creator of Super Mario, a video game about an Italian plumber who crawls through green pipes and collects gold coins while trying to save the princess Daisy from the evil Bowser!

Satoshi worked long hard hours on his video games and in an interview once he was asked why he looked so tired and he responded by saying, “I sleep 12 hours and then work 24 hours. I’ve worked those strange hours for the past three years. It’s better to stay up day and night to come up with ideas. I usually get inspiration for game designing by working this schedule.”

After 6 years of long hours and a lot of hard work the world was introduced to Pocket Monsters: Red and Green, the very first Pokémon video games. These games allowed players to catch, collect, and trade over 150 different Pokémon characters. It was an instant hit in Japan, and soon the game was spreading to other parts of the world.

So what is Pokemon? In the world of Pokemon, people known as Pokemon trainers catch and train creatures called Pokemon. Pokemon are fictional animals with unique abilities and characteristics. The trainers then battle their Pokemon against other trainers to determine who is the strongest.

The games and cartoon series follow a young trainer named Ash Ketchum and his journey to become a Pokemon Master. In Japan instead of Ash the main character’s name is Satoshi. If you remember, Satoshi is the creator of Pokemon, so Ash was supposed to be Satoshi when he was a little kid. He travels through different regions, catching and training new Pokemon, making friends and rivals along the way, and participating in many competitions and battles.

When the first Pokemon video games were released in Japan they were an instant success. In the games, players take on the role of a Pokemon trainer, starting with one Pokemon and traveling around the game world to catch and train more. There are now over 800 different species of Pokemon, each with their own unique abilities, strengths, and weaknesses, that’s a lot of Pokemon to catch!

The thought of catching and training creatures was completely new, and the game offered a sense of adventure and discovery that was unlike anything players had experienced before. The games quickly gained popularity and as Pokemon grew in popularity, it expanded into TV shows, movies, and card games. Kids everywhere were obsessed with the world of Pokémon, and it wasn’t just a game anymore – it became extremely popular and well-known to the point where almost everyone knows about it and it ended up having a big impact on things like movies, TV shows, toys, and games. 

The TV show followed the adventures of Ash Ketchum, a young trainer from Pallet Town, and his trusty Pikachu as they journeyed through different regions, encountering new Pokemon and battling against other trainers.

The success of the TV show led to a boom in the sale of Pokemon merchandise, such as toys, trading cards, and other products. 

One of the main reasons that Pokemon became successful was because the games were designed to be played with friends, and the trading and battling parts of the games encouraged players to connect and compete with one another. 

Over the years, the Pokemon franchise has continued to evolve and expand and Satoshi and Ken’s vision for Pokémon has inspiring a generation of young people to explore the world around them, make new friends, and be creative. Today, Pokemon continues to evolve and grow, offering new adventures and exciting experiences for fans of all ages. And so, the story of Pokémon continues, with new games, new creatures, and new experiences waiting just around the corner.

Just like in a Pokemon battle, we all have strengths and weaknesses. It’s important to remember that everyone is different, and that’s what makes us special. Just because someone is strong in one area doesn’t mean they’re better than someone else. We should respect and appreciate each other’s differences, and work together to achieve our goals. 

More recently, in 2016, the game Pokemon Go was released. It introduced many new gamers to an augmented reality version of Pokemon in which you can walk around the real world and see and catch Pokemon through your handheld device. Pokemon Go became very popular as well and is still played by many gamers today.

Pokemon Poem by Chat GPT: 

In a world of monsters big and small,

There’s a little creature loved by all.

It’s called a Pokemon, have you heard?

It’s captured hearts all around the world.

There’s Pikachu, with cheeks so bright,

And Charmander, all red and white.

Squirtle, Bulbasaur, and so many more,

Each one unique, you can’t ignore.

With special powers and moves to make,

Pokemon battles are never fake.

You’ve got to train and work real hard,

To become the best, to go far.

But even if you don’t compete,

You can collect and make them neat.

Trading cards and figures too,

Pokemon fun is endless, it’s true.

So join the craze, and catch ’em all,

You’ll have a blast, you’ll have a ball.

Adventure awaits, in the great outside.

With Pokemon there, right by your side,

The post History of Pokemon appeared first on Bedtime History: Podcast and Videos For Kids.

Big Ben, the tower, is one of the most iconic – or recognizable – landmarks in the world, just like the Eiffel Tower in Paris, the Great Sphynx of Giza in Egypt, or the Statue of Liberty in New York.  It was completed in 1859 and stands 316 feet – or 96 meters – tall.  It has four sides measuring 40 feet each, and to get to the top of the tower you need to go inside and climb 393 steps.  

At the top of the tower are four clock faces measuring 22.5 feet in diameter.  How tall or wide is that?  Well, take four or five of your friends and have them stand on each other’s shoulders!  That’s a tall stack – and a tall clock!  The clocks are lit by electric lightbulbs but in the 1800’s they were lit by gas lamps.  It is said that Queen Victoria used to look out of Buckingham Palace at night and see the clocks lit up, meaning that her ministers were still working late into the night.  There was no sneaking out early when Queen Victoria was watching those clocks!  

So, we now know that the tower and the four clocks are big – and so are the clock hands!  The hour hands are almost 9 feet (or 2.7 meters) long and the minute hands are 14 feet (or 4.3 meters) long!  Can you imagine if you had to set those clocks by leaning out of a window 300 feet in the air?  Luckily, the clocks are run by mechanisms, like pendulums, wheels, gears, and rods.  They even use pennies as weights!  The clocks are wound inside the tower by hand every three days, taking 1.5 hours each time, kind of like winding large metal hamster wheels.

Inside the tower, there are four bells that chime every 15 minutes.  The fifth and largest bell, called Big Ben, weighs over 13 tons and bongs every hour.  When it was installed in the 1800’s, it took a cart and 16 horses to bring it to the site.  Then a team of workmen spent 18 hours pulling on ropes to raise the humongous bell 300 feet in the air and place it inside the tower.  The first bell made for the tower cracked before it was even installed, so a new one had to be made.  After that bell was installed, it cracked, too!  The engineers weren’t about to remove a 13-ton bell and lower it 300 feet to the ground for repairs, so they did something else.  They turned the cracked bell slightly to one side so the hammer would strike in a different place on the bell – and, thus, it was never repaired.  Big Ben continues to ring to this day, although with a slightly different sound since cracking.  Big Ben was the largest bell in England for over 20 years until “Great Paul,” an even more ginormous bell, was put into Saint Paul’s Cathedral in 1881.

And while the bell was never repaired after its big crack, the four clocks have been repaired, including at least 6 paint jobs over the last 160 years.  Originally, the clocks and their hands used to be blue, but they were painted black at one point to cover damage from air pollution.  Many years ago, London used to burn a lot of coal to heat houses and factories, and the smoke turned all the buildings black with soot.  In 2017, the clock faces and hands were cleaned and repainted.  They are now back to their original blue and look amazing.

All of these bell and clock facts then got me thinking:  Have they ever stopped?  And the answer is yes.  Both the clocks and the bell have stopped on occasion throughout the centuries.  Several times the clock hands have stopped due to the weight of so much snow sitting on them, stopping their movement.  Sometimes all the snow would cause the hands to hit each other and grind to a stop. During both World Wars, the clock lights were turned off so enemy planes could not bomb the tower or use its lights to find their way across London.  And the bell was silenced on January 30, 1965, during the funeral of former British Prime Minister Winston Churchill, who led England to victory during WWII.  There have also been repairs here and there through the years, causing them to be stopped for short periods of time.  

Also, in 2012, Big Ben’s regular chimes were reprogrammed to ring 30 times on the morning of July 17 to welcome the 30^th Olympic Games to London.   

By now you may be wondering how Big Ben actually got its name – both the tower and the bell.  Nobody knows for sure about the bell.  It might have been named after the man who supervised its installation, Sir Benjamin Hall, or after a British heavyweight boxer at that time named Benjamin Caunt, who was also nicknamed “Big Ben.”   But somewhere along the line, someone gave the bell the nickname “Big Ben” and it stuck.  It’s similar to when you get a nickname as a baby and it stays with you as you grow up.  As for the tower, it was originally called “The Clock Tower.” Then it was called “St. Stephen’s Tower” because the government used to meet in St. Stephen’s Hall below it.  Then people started calling the tower “Big Ben” like the bell inside it.  Finally, in 2012, the tower’s name was changed to “Elizabeth Tower” in honor of Queen Elizabeth II and her Diamond Jubilee.  

But there’s even more interesting history on the outside of the tower.  If you look at it from the street, you will see six shields above the clocks with a red cross on them.  This is St. George’s Cross.  During the Middle Ages, there was a crusading warrior who was killed for his Catholic faith and was later named Saint George.  His emblem was a red cross on a white background.  He was so respected and admired for his bravery and faith that his emblem was incorporated into the flag of England and you can still see this red cross on the British flag today. 

Also on the tower are 52 shields showing other emblems of the United Kingdom: a thistle for Scotland, a leek for Wales, a shamrock for Ireland, and a rose for the Tudor kings of England.  There are pomegranates, a symbol of King Henry VIII’s first wife, Catherine of Aragon; a metal gate symbolizing the Houses of Parliament; and the French fleurs-de-lis.  And why a French emblem on a British building?  Well, at one time the English kings claimed they also ruled France!  Under the clocks is an inscription in Latin that reads, “O Lord, keep safe our Queen Victoria the First.”  Truly amazing!  Everywhere you look in England, you will see hidden – and not-so-hidden – emblems, images, and insignias.  They are like a secret, long-forgotten code revealing bits of history in pictures and words.  You just have to know how to read the code!

Standing outside the Elizabeth Tower, you will see it is attached to a large rectangular building called the House of Parliament.  This is where government officials conduct business every day.  It is a very ornate, gothic building.  And you may wonder why a government building is so fancy.  Well, many centuries ago it used to be a royal palace called the Palace of Westminster!  It was built over a thousand years ago and was one of the first royal palaces in England.  Kings, queens, princes, and princesses lived there for over five hundred years, long before Big Ben and the Clock Tower were built.  Unfortunately, the palace was destroyed twice by fire, most recently in 1834.  When the palace was rebuilt after the second fire, the iconic Clock Tower and bell were added.

So, if this building used to be a royal palace, what else did it have besides towers, bells, and clocks?  Why, a prison, of course!  Yes, it’s true!  There is a prison at the bottom of the Elizabeth Tower! It was last used in 1880 when a government official was locked inside after he refused to swear an oath of allegiance to Queen Victoria!  

And if a tower prison isn’t sketchy enough, you should also know that the tower LEANS!  Yes, it’s leaning to one side!  Maybe not as much as the Leaning Tower of Pisa in Italy, but it leans!  The tower was built on soft clay ground covered by gravel.  Over time, the tower shifted – or started to lean – by about 9 inches. Then, about 20 years ago, London started digging a new underground subway line nearby.  The engineers knew that this drilling might make Big Ben lean even further, so they poured thousands of tons of concrete under the tower to support it.  It now leans about 20 inches at the top but no one seems too worried about it.  They say it should stand for another 4,000 to 10,000 years.  Hmmm, I wonder who will be around at that time to check on it or fix any problems?  Martians maybe?

I think it is a marvel that this tower is still standing, especially after the repeated bombings during the blitz of WWII.  Two of the clocks, the tower roof, and part of the parliament building were damaged during those fiery raids, but the tower stood and Big Ben chimed through it all – and still does to this day, keeping its amazing history alive!  

I don’t know about you, but I find these bits of British history truly fascinating.  England is full of amazing stories, legends, and wonders.  And what about your town or city?  Are there buildings where you live that have hidden history or are decorated with murals, emblems, or inscriptions?  Maybe you can plan an outing with your parents or friends to look at these buildings and discover their stories.  Generations of people before us have left their marks on buildings to memorialize their times and beliefs.  I’d love to hear from you and learn more about the historic buildings in your area.  Click this link to leave your comments and you just might be mentioned in a future episode.

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Jim was born on May 28, 1887, in Prague, Oklahoma. He was born on a Native American reservation of the Sak and Faux Nation and was first given the name Wa-Tho-Huk, which means “Bright Path.” His mother was Native American but his father was Irish, so he was also given an English name Jacobus Franciscus Thorpe. Later he became known as James or Jim.

Jim had a tough childhood. His parents were farmers, so he spent time helping them grow crops to survive, but he also learned to hunt and trap animals for food from an early age. He spent much of his time running across the wilderness of Oklahoma, which gave him strong legs and lungs. This is called endurance and he was able to run many miles without stopping to catch his breath. 

Growing up, Jim’s parents tried to get him to attend school, but he usually ran away from school at the first chance he got to instead spend time outdoors. There was a lot going on in Jim’s life at this time. His brother and mother passed away, and he and his father argued and fought. Eventually, his father sent him to a new school in Kansas.

In 1904, life would change for Jim when he started attending Carlisle Industrial School in Pennsylvania. One day he noticed the track-and-field team practicing the high jump. Still wearing his work clothes, he thought he’d give it a try. Jim ran across the field and leapt over the 5 foot 9 high bar and broke the school’s record! No one could believe what they had just seen! One of the coaches named Pop Warner saw what Jim did and encouraged him to join the track-and-field team. Of course, with his strong body and strong heart and lungs, Jim excelled at track-and-field and many other sports at Carlisle. He went on to football, lacrosse, baseball, and even ballroom dancing! Jim ended up winning a very big competition for ballroom dancing in 1912.

But, Jim became best known for his skills on the football field. Coach Pop Warner wasn’t sure how he’d do, but when he gave Jim the chance, he grabbed the ball and dodged around the defending team faster than anyone he’d ever seen. Jim played running back, defensive back, and punter for Carlisle’s football team and scored big wins against teams such as Harvard and West Point. His team went on to win the college national championships thanks to Jim’s skill, strength, and speed. He scored 25 touchdowns that year and 198 points. 

Jim played many sports but football became his favorite and around this time he also started training for the Olympics in the Sprint of 1912. At the practices, he amazed the other athletes with his abilities at jumps, hurdles, and shot-puts. He prepared to compete in several other Olympic events as well. Also, while many of these athletes had been training for years, Jim started just a few months before the Summer Olympic Games. 

In the Summer of 1912, Jim traveled to Stockholm, Sweden with the other members of the U.S. Olympic Team. Jim competed in many events, but his biggest win was in the decathlon, which includes 10 different events – four runs, three jumps, and three throws. He beat the expected winner and placed in the top 4 in all 10 events earning a score of 8,413, which held the record for 20 years. 

During one of the races, Jim went to put on his shoes but couldn’t find them! He looked all over but finally decided to just use whatever he could – a shoe that was way too small, and another shoe that was too big! He used a sock to make the big shoe fit and rushed out to start the race. For the first three laps of the race, Jim was behind, but giving it his on on the final lap, he burst ahead and ended up winning the race, even with his mismatched and odd-fitting shoes!

People from all over the world watching the games were astounded at Jim’s athletic abilities. He brought great attention to the United States and his Sac and Fox Native American heritage. At the 1912 Summer Olympic Games, Jim won two gold medals and legend has it that when he did King Gustav of Sweden said to him “You, sir, are the greatest athlete in the world.” 

After returning to America, Jim Thorpe became a star. This was his first time being famous, so he was surprised to see his name in so many places and have so many people recognize him.

Next, Jim played professional baseball for the New York Giants and with them became the 1913 National League champions. They then went on to tour around the United States with the Chicago White Sox where Jim was a celebrity and attracted even more spectators to the games. On the tour, Jim met the pope and one of the kings of Egypt. He also went on to play baseball for the Cincinnati Reds and the Boston Braves. 

Jim Thorpe was talented in many sports, so after baseball, he decided to take up football again, his favorite sport, and in 1920 joined the Canton Bulldogs. They won three championships together. Two years later the National Football League (NFL) was formed and Jim got to become their first president while he continued playing for the Bulldogs until 1928. 

It’s not as well known, but Jim also played basketball for two years, traveling with a team. Jim loved a variety of sports and more than anything just wanted to stay active, doing what he enjoyed most. 

After he retired from professional sports, Jim continued working but found that he didn’t enjoy most of the other jobs as much as he loved being active and competing as an athlete. It was also a tough time to find jobs because it was the Great Depression when work was hard to come by. One of the jobs was acting in movies such as Westerns or sports movies. In 1951 a movie was made about him called “Jim Thorpe – All American.” 

In many surveys, Jim Thorpe has been voted the greatest athlete of the 20th Century along with athletes such as Michael Jordan, Muhammed Ali, Babe Ruth, Jesse Owens, and Wayne Gretzky. He was inducted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame in 1963 and in 2018 was printed on the Native American dollar coin.

Take a minute to think about what you might learn from the life of Jim Thorpe. Staying active when he was young helped build his body to be strong and healthy. Jim loved to be out and move around. How might you find more ways to stay active? Jim tried many different sports. There are lots of ways to be active. For you, it may be a sport or something as simple as getting out and riding a bike or playing at a playground. What are your favorite ways to stay active? Think about Jim’s willingness to try lots of different things. The first time we try something new, everyone is a beginner! Don’t be afraid to try new things even if you aren’t good at them at first. This is important as you seek new ways to learn and grow.

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