The Download, Episode One, is all about Creativity and Tech. Pema learns how games are developed, with experts Eric Barone (ConcernedApe/ Stardew Valley), Katie Salen Tekinbaş (University of California Irving) and Holly Gramazio (The Husbands). Jake (Yoto Daily) explores whether AI can really be creative. Then wind down with Pema and our serialised fiction story, The Teatimers. The Download is written and hosted by Pema Monaghan and Jake Harris. The Download is produced by Yoto, with sound design by Jack Beattie and original music by Tom McCarthy. Yasmeen Khan assisted with story editing this episode. Let's turn the page!

Show notes:

Hey! It's Pema here. I spoke to some incredibly interesting people to make this episode of The Download. I would love you to look out for their work, so I’ve made that very nice and easy by including some lovely biographies below! Show notes also included games mentioned in the episode, and resources for learning to create games alongside your kids. 

https://www.katiesalen.me/about

Katie Salen Tekinbaş is a Professor of Informatics at the University of California Irvine! Informatics is the study of computational systems. She is also the co-founder of Connected Camps, ‘where kids build, code, play, and learn’ in safe digital environments.

Holly Gramazio is a writer, curator and game designer. She makes all sorts of imaginative and special games, including two mentioned in The Download, Where’s Madeleine and How to be a Blackbird. More of her excellent games can be found here. Holly is also the author of a brilliant and funny novel (for adults!) called The Husbands. It’s a comedy about a woman whose attic starts creating an infinite supply of husbands. So, adults, if you’d like to read Holly’s book, you can buy it here.

Eric Barone, also known as ConcernedApe, is an icon of indie game development, and creator of Stardew Valley, a country-life RPG, and my personal favourite game ever. Eric continuously updates Stardew Valley, most recently in 2024, eight years after its initial release. He’s also working on a new game, the Haunted Chocolatier… spooky and sweet.

Games mentioned:

Stardew Valley, Dungeons and Dragons, Minecraft, Monopoly, Chess, Where’s Madeleine, How to be a Blackbird, Fortnite.

Game creation platforms mentioned:

Downpour

Scratch

Super Mario Maker 2 (for Switch)

Thanks so much to our guests for their time and insight!

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

The Download, Episode Two, is all about Repair and Maintenance. Pema visits an exhibition all about socks (Socks: The Art of Care and Repair, by artist Celia Pym, the Surrey Square Primary School community, and NOW Gallery) and learns about repairing toys, with experts Team Repair and Charlotte the Doll Surgeon at the Leith Toy Hospital in Edinburgh. Jake (Yoto Daily) explores how we can mend and look after our selves. Then wind down with Pema and our serialised fiction story, The Teatimers.

The Download is written and hosted by Pema Monaghan and Jake Harris, the multi-award nominated team behind Yoto Daily. The Download is produced by Yoto, with sound design by Jack Beattie and original music by Tom McCarthy. Let's turn the page!

For ages 9-13.

The Download is a show for kids who always want to know more! More facts, more perspectives, and more stories. 

Hosted by Pema and Jake, the multi-award nominated team behind Yoto Daily, and structured like an audio magazine, each themed episode of The Download shares stories and perspectives from experts and thinkers on topics big and small, and ends with an instalment of our serialised fictional narrative - the Teatimers.

 Listen to Season 1 for the download on ‘Creativity and Tech’, ‘Repair and Maintenance’, and ‘Habitats’.

Expect Season 2 in 2026!

A Yoto Original podcast perfect for big thinkers and kids who love asking 'why?'. Produced by Yoto.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

The Download, Episode Three, is all about Habitats! Pema becomes an early riser for a day to meet the volunteer bird-ringers of Walthamstow Wetlands (London Wildlife Trust) and learns about migration, the ringing process, and the importance of urban green spaces for wildlife and people alike. Jake (Yoto Daily) explores the the environments we spend the most time in - our homes! Then wind down with Pema and our serialised fiction story, The Teatimers.

The Download is written and hosted by Pema Monaghan and Jake Harris, the multi-award nominated team behind Yoto Daily. The Download is produced by Yoto, with sound design by Jack Beattie and original music by Tom McCarthy. Let's turn the page!

For ages 9-13.

The Download is a show for kids who always want to know more! More facts, more perspectives, and more stories. 

Hosted by Pema and Jake, the multi-award nominated team behind Yoto Daily, and structured like an audio magazine, each themed episode of The Download shares stories and perspectives from experts and thinkers on topics big and small, and ends with an instalment of our serialised fictional narrative - the Teatimers.

 Listen to Season 1 for the download on ‘Creativity and Tech’, ‘Repair and Maintenance’, and ‘Habitats’.

Expect Season 2 in 2026!

A Yoto Original podcast perfect for big thinkers and kids who love asking 'why?'. Produced by Yoto.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

A Yoto Original podcast perfect for big thinkers and kids who love asking 'why?'.

The Download is hosted by Pema and Jake of Yoto Daily, and structured like an audio magazine. Each themed episode of The Download shares stories and perspectives from experts and thinkers on topics big and small, and ends with an instalment of our serialised fictional narrative - the Teatimers. For curious kids with expansive imaginations who know there is always more to learn. 

Listen to Season 1 for the download on ‘Creativity and Tech’, ‘Repair and Maintenance’, and ‘Habitats’.

Expect Season 2 in 2026!

Produced by Yoto.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Thanks for being with us here on season two of The Download! Episode one is all about asking questions.

In 'Tell Me More!' Yasmeen Khan introduces Pema to a brilliant journalist – a kid journalist, what’s more – named Ameya Desai. Ameya is the creator of a beautiful 3-part podcast called Far From Home. Her first two stories for the show both won prizes in NPR’s Student Podcast Challenge. Ameya’s stories are about forced migration, and in this episode of our show Ameya takes producer Yasmeen Khan behind the scenes of how she crafted the story of her neighbour Ms Horikawa, ‘Shikata Ga Nai’.

In 'Yoto Matters', Jake (Yoto Daily) argues that kids ask the most amazing questions! Then wind down with Pema's serialised fiction story,Teatimers.

Thank you to Yasmeen Khan for her work on this episode. Check out this episode from Yasmeen about beavers or this one about boredom.

Yasmeen Khan is a journalist in Brooklyn, New York. She loves learning about the world by interviewing people and asking lots of questions. She also loves to cook and bake, and is  famous -- at least among her husband and two daughters -- for her homemade ice cream cakes.

If you’ve got feedback on this episode or the podcast in general, you can fill out this form!

The Download is written and hosted by Pema Monaghan and Jake Harris, the multi-award nominated team behind Yoto Daily. The Download is produced by Yoto, with sound design by Jack Beattie and original music by Tom McCarthy. Let's turn the page!

For ages 9-13.

The Download is a show for kids who always want to know more! More facts, more perspectives, and more stories. 

Hosted by Pema and Jake, the multi-award nominated team behind Yoto Daily, and structured like an audio magazine, each themed episode of The Download shares stories and perspectives from experts and thinkers on topics big and small, and ends with an instalment of our serialised fictional narrative - the Teatimers.

Listen to Season 1 for the download on ‘Creativity and Tech’, ‘Repair and Maintenance’, and ‘Habitats’.

A Yoto Original podcast perfect for big thinkers and kids who love asking 'why?'.

Produced by Yoto.

Follow us at @yotoplay on Instagram and Facebook!

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Thanks for being with us here on season two of The Download!

In this episode, I was very lucky to speak to biologist Jovana Bila Dubaić about free-living honeybees, bee myths, biodiversity, and how we can support pollinators from home!

If you’ve got feedback on this episode or the podcast in general, you can fill out this form!

The Download is written and hosted by Pema Monaghan and Jake Harris, the multi-award nominated team behind Yoto Daily. The Download is produced by Yoto, with sound design by Jack Beattie and original music by Tom McCarthy. Let's turn the page!

For ages 9-13.

The Download is a show for kids who always want to know more! More facts, more perspectives, and more stories. 

Hosted by Pema and Jake, the multi-award nominated team behind Yoto Daily, and structured like an audio magazine, each themed episode of The Download shares stories and perspectives from experts and thinkers on topics big and small, and ends with an instalment of our serialised fictional narrative - the Teatimers.

Listen to Season 1 for the download on ‘Creativity and Tech’, ‘Repair and Maintenance’, and ‘Habitats’.

A Yoto Original podcast perfect for big thinkers and kids who love asking 'why?'.

Produced by Yoto.

Follow us at @yotoplay on Instagram and Facebook!

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Thanks for being with us here on season two of The Download!

In this episode, I was very lucky to speak to artists Blythe and Arthur about their creative practices, and how they use paper and pen.

If you’ve got feedback on this episode or the podcast in general, you can fill out this form!

The Download is written and hosted by Pema Monaghan and Jake Harris, the multi-award nominated team behind Yoto Daily. The Download is produced by Yoto, with sound design by Jack Beattie and original music by Tom McCarthy. Let's turn the page!

For ages 9-13.

The Download is a show for kids who always want to know more! More facts, more perspectives, and more stories. 

Hosted by Pema and Jake, the multi-award nominated team behind Yoto Daily, and structured like an audio magazine, each themed episode of The Download shares stories and perspectives from experts and thinkers on topics big and small, and ends with an instalment of our serialised fictional narrative - the Teatimers.

Listen to Season 1 for the download on ‘Creativity and Tech’, ‘Repair and Maintenance’, and ‘Habitats’.

A Yoto Original podcast perfect for big thinkers and kids who love asking 'why?'.

Produced by Yoto.

Follow us at @yotoplay on Instagram and Facebook!

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.