How do we define and express empathy? And how might we help the children (and adults) in our lives learn to practice it for themselves? In this podcast series, we'll be diving into all the different spokes on the wheel of empathy and what it looks like in action. Kicking off the series, Boston Children's Museum's Vice President of Programs and Exhibits Melissa Higgins sits down with Dr. Milena Batanova and Kiran Bhai from Making Caring Common, a national initiative based at the Harvard Graduate School of Education that's dedicated to promoting empathy and caring in schools, families, and communities. Together, we dive into what empathy really means for children—from the earliest signs in babies and toddlers to the powerful ways it shapes relationships, kindness, and even social justice. Discover science-backed strategies for nurturing compassion at home and in classrooms, hear real-world stories of empathy in action, and learn how families and educators can help children build the skills needed to care for others.

In this next episode of the Big & Little Podcast's Creativity Series, two music professionals dive into the transformative power of jazz music and its impact on children and communities. Vaughan Bradley-Willemann, lifelong Violinist and Boston Children's Museum's Senior Director of Arts and Social Impact, sits down with composer, professor, author, and conductor of the Jazz Urbane Collective, Dr. Bill Banfield, to uncover the magic that happens when young minds engage with the art of improvisation and musical expression. Discover how jazz music sparks children's imagination, the story and vision behind the Jazz Urbane Collective, tips for parents and caregivers on cultivating a love of music and the arts in their families, and more.

Bernie Zubrowski has dedicated his career to science education, both in and outside of the classroom. He has contributed to science curricula at the Education Development Center and designed numerous children's science books, exhibits, traveling exhibits during his time at Boston's Children's Museum, including Bubbles and Raceways. Beyond science education, Bernie has spent the last 25 years designing and exhibiting kinetic sculptures, continuing to inspire creativity and scientific exploration. In this next Creativity Series episode, Museum President and CEO Carole Charnow interviews Bernie about developing hands-on exhibits, kinetic sculptures, and art and science curriculum for children. Learn more about Bernie's work on his website: Bernie Zubrowski, his art website: Synchronizing Art and Science Projects, list of book publications, or on his YouTube.