WeWow on the Weekend (6/8/25)

Summary

Detailed Summary of "WeWow on the Weekend" Episode (6/8/25)

Podcast: Wow in the World
Hosts: Dennis and Reggie
Release Date: June 8, 2025
Description: WeWow on the Weekend is a spin-off from the popular children's science podcast Wow in the World. Hosted by Dennis and Reggie, this episode blends humor, engaging discussions, and educational insights aimed at both kids and their grown-up listeners.

---

1. Introduction to WeWow on the Weekend ([03:08] - [05:34])

Dennis kicks off the episode with a cheerful welcome, introducing Reggie as his co-host. They humorously describe their recording setup, referring to it as their "double clubhouse" located in the basement. The segment is filled with playful banter and sets a lighthearted tone for the show.

Notable Quote:

Dennis ([03:12]): "Now what do you think, Reggie? Should we give our devoted listeners the tour?"

2. Studio Tour ([05:35] - [08:47])

The duo takes listeners on a whimsical tour of their improvised studio. They showcase various quirky sections, including:

• Living Room/Podcast Studio: Decorated with old quilts and boxes of "old junk."
• Hidden Kitchen: Located beneath the couch cushions, humorously described as a "half a tit chat bar."
• Arcade Corner: Features games like "Scrabble Ship" and "Dance Pants Evolution," the latter causing their makeshift fort to collapse comically.

Notable Quote:

Dennis ([07:00]): "Oh, Reggie, the fort is too small. You can't dance your pants off in here."

---

3. Reading Reviewsies ([05:35] - [08:47])

Dennis and Reggie engage with their audience by reading humorous and fictional listener reviews, referred to as "reviewsies." This segment adds an interactive and entertaining layer to the show.

Highlighted Reviews:

• Username: g h c d f c b i2h Dr

  • Message: Repeats "meow" multiple times.
  • Reggie ([07:00]): "Oh, maybe a cat walked over the keyboard or did speech to text maybe."

• Username: Onion Brad

  • Message: An invitation to join the "International Snooping Society" signed by "Susan S. President."
  • Dennis ([07:40]): "We snoops often have to go incognito."

• Username: timesquare56

  • Message: Suggests Reggie would look good in a top hat.
  • Result: Reggie dons a top hat and is humorously renamed "Sir Reginald Fancy Feathers."

Notable Quote:

Dennis ([08:47]): "We snoops often have to go incognito."

---

4. Inside Tinkercast Studios ([08:47] - [11:10])

In this cross-promotional segment, Dennis and Reggie introduce an episode of Wow in the World titled "Wait, Wait, are those marshmallows? Why kids are better at waiting than adults?" This sets the stage for the episode's main discussion on patience and attention spans.

Notable Quote:

Reggie ([10:02]): "Why are kids better at waiting than adults?"

---

5. The Marshmallow Experiment Segment ([11:10] - [28:08])

This is the heart of the episode, where Dennis and Reggie delve into the famous marshmallow experiment to explore changes in children's patience over generations.

a. Dentist Sketch Introduction ([11:10] - [19:02])

• Characters: Mindy Thomas (from the main Wow in the World podcast) and Mr. Fingerling (a comedic dentist character).
• Plot: Mindy arrives with "marshmallow mouth," a humorous condition where her teeth are made of marshmallows due to excessive consumption.

Notable Quote:

Mindy Thomas ([13:12]): "It's this tank I wear on my back, and it comes preloaded with patience."

b. Conducting the Experiment ([19:02] - [28:08])

• Setup: Dennis offers Mindy a choice between eating one marshmallow immediately or waiting ten minutes to receive two.
• Outcome: Mindy succumbs after 30 seconds, illustrating a lack of patience.

Educational Insights:

• Original Experiment: Reggie explains the 1960 study by Walter Mischel and Ebison at Stanford University, which found that only about 33% of children could wait the full ten minutes for the second marshmallow.

• Modern Comparisons: Reggie cites recent findings indicating that children today can wait longer than their predecessors:

  • 1960s: Average wait time as per original study.
  • 1980s: Children could wait an additional minute.
  • 2000s: Children improved by two more minutes.

Factors Influencing Increased Patience:

1. Early Education: More children attend preschool, fostering self-control and delayed gratification.
2. Interactive Screen Time: Strategic games and apps may enhance children's understanding of reward systems.

Notable Quotes:

Reggie ([25:20]): "It was first conducted in the year 1960 by Stanford University scientists Walter Mischel and Ebison."

Reggie ([26:31]): "Kids these days were, on average, able to put off eating the marshmallow for two minutes longer than those kids in 1960 and one minute longer than the kids in 1980."

Reggie ([27:36]): "The researchers also think that these interactions are actually helping kids understand reward systems better."

---

6. Humorous Interactions and Ongoing Skits ([28:08] - [29:30])

The episode continues with lighthearted interactions between the hosts and the dentist character, Mr. Fingerling, maintaining a playful atmosphere while reinforcing the episode's educational themes.

Notable Quote:

Dennis ([29:30]): "Wow, that was so cool. I like the part with the experiment and the marshmallows and the banana joke and the marshmallows and the way they kept talking about marshmallows. I want marshmallows, Reggie."

---

7. Conclusion and Credits ([29:30] - [32:35])

Dennis and Reggie wrap up the episode by summarizing key points, encouraging listener interaction through reviews, and providing information on how to access their content ad-free via Wondery. The credits acknowledge the creative team behind the show, maintaining the playful tone until the very end.

Notable Quote:

Reggie ([31:02]): "Thanks for joining us for this edition of WeWow on the Weekend."

---

Key Takeaways

1. Improved Patience in Modern Children: Studies suggest that children today have better self-control and longer attention spans compared to those from previous decades. This is attributed to early educational programs and the influence of interactive technology.

2. Educational Entertainment: WeWow on the Weekend effectively blends humor with educational content, making complex psychological concepts accessible and engaging for a younger audience and their parents.

3. Engagement and Interactivity: The podcast encourages listener participation through humorous "reviewsies," fostering a sense of community and involvement.

4. Cross-Promotion and Networking: By highlighting other podcasts like Once Upon a Beat, the show leverages its platform to promote related content, enhancing its reach and offering diverse content to its audience.

Notable Quotes for Reference

• Reggie on Modern Patience Improvements:

  "Kids these days were, on average, able to put off eating the marshmallow for two minutes longer than those kids in 1960 and one minute longer than the kids in 1980." ([26:31])

• Dennis on Listener Interaction:

  "I like the part with the experiment and the marshmallows and the banana joke and the marshmallows and the way they kept talking about marshmallows. I want marshmallows, Reggie." ([29:30])

• Reggie on Educational Insights:

  "The researchers also think that these interactions are actually helping kids understand reward systems better." ([27:36])

---

Conclusion

This episode of WeWow on the Weekend masterfully combines humor, storytelling, and educational content to discuss significant psychological research in an entertaining format. Through engaging skits, interactive segments, and insightful discussions, hosts Dennis and Reggie provide valuable information on how modern practices have enhanced children's patience and attention spans. The show's creative approach ensures that both kids and their grown-ups leave with a better understanding of important concepts, all while having fun.

Transcript

[Mindy Thomas]

Hey, grown ups. Happy Dino Day. It's me, Mindy. And before we start the show, did you know that scientists actually don't know what color dinosaurs were? Yeah, scientists make educated guesses based on fossilized feathers or skin impressions. But no one is 100% certain what colors dinosaurs actually were when they roamed the Earth 66 million years ago. So when we made our own wow in the World Dinosaur Toys, Guy Raz and I added a little pop of color to make those dinos really roar. Yep, that's why the wow in the World jumbo T. Rex dinosaur is neon blue and purple. And the baby brontosaurus in our baby dino bucket is bright orange and pink. To discover even more wows about dinosaurs for the dino fans in your world, grown ups visit Amazon.com wonderykids to shop all of our colorful dinosaur toys. And more coming soon. Plus, don't forget to pre order our newest book, Dinosaurs Are Wow. A roaring thunder of prehistoric wonder coming to a bookshelf near you this October. Pre order today. Wherever you get your books, just search Dinosaurs Are Wow. At your favorite retailer. That's it. And now let's get back to the show.

[Guy Raz]

Hey grown ups. Ever feel like everyone's glued to their own screen? Want to actually feel good about your family's screen time? Next Playground flips the script with games that get the whole family moving, laughing and playing together. It's a motion powered game system. No controllers or wearables, just your body and a little wiggle. Explore wild adventures with how to Train youn Dragon, Dance with Barbie, Pop bubbles in Gabby's Dollhouse, or kick with Kung Fu Panda. It's 100% fun, 0% ads or in app nonsense. Safe silly screen time that you'll actually feel good about. Ready to play? Visit nexplayground.com that's n e xplayground.com to bring the fun home. Today's episode is presented by Samsung. Hey grown ups. Looking for a kid friendly smartwatch that's parent approved. Samsung Galaxy Watch for Kids lets you manage their contacts and see their locations. And lets them call, call text and play games like the two what's in a wow. Daily Game show app? Get Galaxy Watch 7 on T mobile now. Kid ready with a new paired line. Visit t mobile.com to order yours today. Trusted contact applies to compatible apps. It does not restrict communication through third party or other communication apps. Emergency services and contacts remain accessible. Location sharing is dependent on network connectivity and device being recently active.

[Dennis]

We wow on the weekend. We wow on the weekend we wow on the Weekend. Cause this is what we do on the weekend. Talking, laughing. Me and Reggie singing, laughing. And then we. Oh, wait, no, I said laughing twice. Whatever. Wee wow on the weekend. Yeah, we wow on the weekend. Laugh, clap. We wow on the weekend. Cause this is what we do on the weekend. Hello and welcome to We Wow on the Weekend. I'm your host, Dennis, and that's Reggie, my co host. Now, I know you can't see it, but today we're recording from our brand new cozy Wozy blanket forge style studio. I know, it's like we have a clubhouse, right? The basement here is also like a clubhouse. But now it's like we have a clubhouse inside our clubhouse. Double clubhouse. So what do you think, Reggie? Should we give our devoted listeners the tour? Great. Let's go. As you can see, we draped some old quilts over the back of the couch and secured them with tape and. And boxes full of old junk. Now over here is the main area, slash living room, slash podcast studio. And over here by the couch cushions is the kitchen. Hungry? Look in the pantry. You just lift up one of the couch cushions and underneath is half a tit chat bar. Mm, mm, mm, mm. Okay, let's keep going. And then in this corner is the arcade. We got a game. Dude. And Scrabble Ship and Dance Pants Evolution. Reggie, wait. I don't think we can actually play Dance Pants Evolution in here. It's just for the. Look, Reggie, stop. The fort is too small. You can't dance your pants off in here. You're gonna make the whole thing. Reggie, the fort, it collapsed. Well, turn off Dance Pants Evolution and get us out of here. See if we can get out over there. No, Reggie.

[Mindy Thomas]

Ow.

[Dennis]

That's my foot. I'm free. Sweet, sweet air. Thank you, Reggie. Okay, let's move on to reading reviewsies. Ahem, ahem, ahem. I'm reading reviewsies for me and for you, Z. We've got us some doozies, so let's read reviews. Z's. This is the part where we print out the comments people write us on Apple podcasts or Spotify or whatever, and they give us stars. And I read them aloud. This first reviewsy is from username g h c d f c b i2h Dr. The title says baby, baby, and the message says meow, meow, meow, meow, meow, meow, meow. Um, did a cat write this? No. Yeah, it just says meow over and over. Oh, maybe a cat walked over the keyboard or did speech to text maybe or something. I'm telling You Reggie cats are broken. Next Reviewsy. This reviewsy is from username Onion Brad. The subject says wee wow on the weekend and the message says Dear Mr. Dennis. O hoo. Mr. Dennis. I love it. Dear Mr. Dennis, we are inviting you to join the ISS, the International Snooping Society. Signed Susan S. President. The president wants me to join the International Snooping Society. I've been waiting for this reviewzi my entire life. This is so exciting. I'm gonna meet snoops from all over the world in a secret society. This is every dream I've ever had coming true in this moment. What do you mean it's not real? Of course it's real. It says right here it's from the president of snooping. Well, Onion Brath is probably just the code name. We snoops often have to go incognito. Oh, what do you know? Dear President Susan S. AKA Onion Breath. I accept your offer of membership. Please send my initiation kit and invitation to whatever cool parties you guys throw at your earliest convenience. Sincerely, Mr. Dennis. Next reviews. This last reviewsy is from username timesquare56. The subject says. Hello, Mr. Dennis III. I know everyone's so fancy today. The message says. I love this show so much and I think Reggie would look really good in a top hat. Love you guys. Party emoji. Party emoji. Reggie, you would look really good in a top hat. Well, hold on, let me go check if we have one in the costume box. Let's see. Firefighter hat. No. Pirate hat. No. Baseball cap. Hard hat. Train conductor hat. Witch hat. Ship captain hat.

[Guy Raz]

Propeller hat.

[Dennis]

Cowboy hat. Aha. Here you go, Reggie. One fancy top hat. Put it on. Ooh. We should call you Sir Reginald Fancy Feathers. Yeah, Sir Reginald fancy feathers. And Mr. Dennis III @ your service. Thanks for all your reviewsies, listeners. Keep em coming. If you leave a comment on Apple Podcasts or Spotify, I just might read it on WEE Wow on the week. Five stars or more, please. Okay, let's move on to a little segment I like to call Inside Tinkercast Studios. Ahem. Inside Tinkercast Studios. This is the part where we revisit an episode of one of my favorite Tinkercast shows. And today we're listening to wow in the World, Season 2, Episode 40 called Wait, Wait, are those marshmallows? Why kids are better at waiting than adults? Good question, Reggie. Why are kids better at waiting than adults? I know. I want to know right now. Put the podcast on, Reggie. Put it on. Put it on. Put it on. Yay.

[Mindy Thomas]

Wee wow will be right back, grown ups. This message is for you. Hey, grown ups, it's Mindy and Guy Raz from WOW in the world. And guess what?

[Reggie]

What's the good news, Mindy?

[Mindy Thomas]

Once Upon a Beat is back with brand new episodes.

[Reggie]

Oh, I love that podcast.

[Mindy Thomas]

We here at Tinkercast have partnered with our friends at Wondery to bring your family new episodes of Once Upon a Beat.

[Reggie]

Once Upon a Beat remixes fairy tales and fables as old as time, giving them a fresh spin with some rhythm and rhyme.

[Mindy Thomas]

This podcast is hosted by the amazing DJ Fuchs and features original hip hop songs from Grammy award winning artists Secret Agent 23's Gidoo.

[Reggie]

Once Upon a Beat is where hip hop and fairytales meet and you can listen to new episodes right now.

[Mindy Thomas]

Follow Once Upon a Beat on the Wondery app or wherever you get your podcasts. You can listen to Once Upon a Beat early and ad free right now by joining Wondery in the Wondery app in Apple podcasts. That's it. Now back to the show.

[Dennis]

Well, in the world.

[Mindy Thomas]

Knock knock.

[Mr. Fingerling]

Welcome to wow. Dental, where we put the ow in wow.

[Mindy Thomas]

Okay, you were supposed to say, who's there? But anywho, I'm here to see the dentist.

[Mr. Fingerling]

Do you have an appointment? Yeah, no, I'm sorry. In that case, the dentist won't be able to see you today. All patients must call first to make an appointment.

[Mindy Thomas]

Yeah, well, I tried to call and make an appointment, but the hold time was like a million hours, so I gave up.

[Mr. Fingerling]

I'll see what I can do. And what brings you in today?

[Mindy Thomas]

Oh, my teeth are marshmallows.

[Mr. Fingerling]

I'm sorry.

[Mindy Thomas]

See, the last time I was here, Dr. Russo warned me that if I kept eating so many marshmallows that eventually I would turn into one. And it happened. Basically, all of my teeth are now mini marshmallows. See? Ugh.

[Dennis]

Well, it's.

[Mr. Fingerling]

It does appear that you have several small marshmallows stuck to your back molars.

[Mindy Thomas]

Yep, I call it marshmallow mouth.

[Mr. Fingerling]

Well, why don't you take a seat, fill out these forms and bring them back up to the desk when you're done. I'll see if Dr. Russo can fit you in this morning.

[Mindy Thomas]

Ah, yeah, about that. There are like 90 billion forms here, and I just don't really like filling them out. And my patients tank is running on empty.

[Reggie]

Empty?

[Mr. Fingerling]

I'm sorry, your patience tank?

[Mindy Thomas]

Yeah, I ordered it from Wamazon, but it took like two days to get here, which would have been fine had I had any patience to begin With.

[Mr. Fingerling]

And what exactly is a patience tank?

[Mindy Thomas]

Oh, right, yeah. Let me just turn around and I'll show you. Huh? Yeah. What do you think?

[Mr. Fingerling]

Oh, be careful. There's a plant higher. Ah, the.

[Mindy Thomas]

It's this tank I wear on my back, and it comes preloaded with patience. But judging by how low it is at this time of the morning, I think I probably should have ordered a bigger tank. Right.

[Mr. Fingerling]

Patience. Please take a seat and fill out the forms. Thank you.

[Mindy Thomas]

Bye. Bye. Okay, got my forms and walking through the waiting room. Hello, everyone. Good morning. Marshmallow mouth coming through. Excuse me. Oh, hi. Excuse me. Good morning. Oh, hi. Excuse me. Is this seat taken?

[Thomas Fingerling]

Nope.

[Dennis]

Thanks.

[Mindy Thomas]

So what are you in for?

[Thomas Fingerling]

None of business.

[Reggie]

Oh, hi. I'm here to pick up my friend.

[Mr. Fingerling]

Could you describe your friend for me?

[Reggie]

Yeah, medium height, easily excited. She loves tacos. Oh, and she claims to be allergic to. Waiting room.

[Mr. Fingerling]

Right over there. The one making paper airplanes out of her medical forms.

[Mindy Thomas]

Duck and cover, everyone. Crop dust are coming through.

[Reggie]

Hey, Mindy, here to pick you up. You ready to go?

[Mindy Thomas]

Hey, Guy. Raz. Sorry, I am not even close to being ready to be picked up. I thought I'd be done by now, but first I have to fill out all these forms, and then I have to wait for the dentist to even come see me.

[Reggie]

Wait, does he look familiar to you?

[Mindy Thomas]

Does he sound familiar to you.

[Reggie]

Mindy? I think that's. I think that's Thomas Fingerling from the Knuckle Hut.

[Mindy Thomas]

Oh, yeah, from that one time we took a tour of that giant hand to learn what causes knuckles to pop. Mr. Fingerling. Mr. Fingerling. Mr.— Fingerling.

[Thomas Fingerling]

Speak up. By golly, I can't hear what you're saying, mister.

[Mindy Thomas]

Yep, that's him all right.

[Reggie]

Hey, Mr. Fingerling. Remember us?

[Thomas Fingerling]

No.

[Dennis]

Hi.

[Reggie]

What a funny coincidence meeting you here.

[Mindy Thomas]

Yeah, the last time we saw you, you were showing off your signature Papa Nut Chuck moves at the Knuckle Hut. How have you been?

[Thomas Fingerling]

Oh, well, you know.

[Mindy Thomas]

Wow.

[Dennis]

That's. That's Bonkerballs.

[Thomas Fingerling]

Yeah. Thank you. It's a whole new routine. I've been told that I need to turn it into a computer virus which will infect the teeny boppers and then they'll come to the Knuckle Hut.

[Reggie]

Uh, I'm sorry, did you just say.

[Mindy Thomas]

I think what you mean to say is that you're trying to turn your knuckle cracking performance into a viral Internet sensation that spreads among teens and gets them off their phones and into the Knuckle Hut.

[Thomas Fingerling]

What, is there an echo in here? Oh. Oh, maybe there is an echo in here. That's strange Guy.

[Mindy Thomas]

Raz, let me see your phone. Oh, but I just. Okay, Mr. Fingerling, now do that weird knuckle thing again so I can record it and upload it to Facebace, MeTV and Instaspam.

[Thomas Fingerling]

Ooh, I love Spam. Spammin eggs, Spammin taters, Hawaiian pizza, Spam meatballs. Okay, here we go.

[Mr. Fingerling]

Excuse me, miss, how are those forms coming along?

[Mindy Thomas]

Fantastic. Oh, yeah, this is gonna get the teenagers to the Knucklehop for sure. Now just hang on for one second, Mr. Fingerling, while I tag you.

[Thomas Fingerling]

Tag? Will you never tag me. I'm as quick as a cricket.

[Mindy Thomas]

What?

[Thomas Fingerling]

You know, I invented the game of tag back in 1952.

[Reggie]

You invented tag?

[Thomas Fingerling]

You calling me a liar? Young lad, of course I invented it. I originally called it touch and Go, and then some young nincompoop came by and abbreviated it tag. Pssh, Bunch of nonsense.

[Mindy Thomas]

What? Oh, no, not that kind of tag. I'm going to tag you in this video that I just took so that everyone on Facebase and METV can see that it's you. And before you know it, you'll be a viral knuckle cracking sensitive.

[Thomas Fingerling]

Why, that sounds as easy as falling off a log. Which I suppose can be a little difficult these days on account of logs being so scarce and all.

[Reggie]

Mindy, are you sure they haven't called your name yet? We've been here for a while now.

[Mindy Thomas]

And I can feel the mini marshmallows hardening on my teeth with every passing minute.

[Reggie]

Wait, you're here because you have marshmallows stuck to the.

[Thomas Fingerling]

Just be patient, young lady. My God. Gosh, kids with their four GS and their microwave ovens. Gotta have everything right here, right now, lickety split.

[Reggie]

Well, actually, Mr. Fingerling.

[Thomas Fingerling]

Oh, where did you come from, young lady?

[Reggie]

Huh? I've been here the whole time.

[Thomas Fingerling]

Hmm, I don't know about that.

[Reggie]

Well, anyway, I was just reading a recent study from the American Psychological association that shows kids these days are actually better at waiting than kids who are 30 or even 40, 50 years ago.

[Dennis]

Hmm?

[Thomas Fingerling]

Oh, sorry, what were you saying? I was watching this Internet video of a sneezing panda bear.

[Mindy Thomas]

Oh, click on that one. The one that says Keyboard Cat.

[Thomas Fingerling]

This one's gonna be good.

[Mindy Thomas]

Sorry, Guy. Raz, you were just saying something about how researchers recently discovered that kids these days have better attention spans than they did, like, 30 or 50 years ago.

[Reggie]

Oh, you were listening.

[Mindy Thomas]

Of course I was listening. So how did they find Out.

[Reggie]

Well, this might surprise you, Mindy, but they made the discovery with a little help from marshmallows.

[Thomas Fingerling]

Back in my day, we called them fluffy sugar cane bums.

[Mindy Thomas]

Uh, hold the phone, Guy Raz. What exactly do marshmallows have to do with kids and their attention spans?

[Reggie]

Well, Mindy, I could show you.

[Dennis]

Or.

[Reggie]

Or I could.

[Mindy Thomas]

Feed me.

[Reggie]

What? No, no. Well, yes, but. But for science.

[Mindy Thomas]

Oh, well, in that case, I guess if it's for science, then maybe I could stand to eat a few marshmallows. I don't know.

[Reggie]

Anything for science.

[Mindy Thomas]

Yes, anything for science. Hey, Fingerling.

[Dennis]

What?

[Mindy Thomas]

You want to bust out of here and go eat some marshmallow? I mean, perform some stringent and very serious scientific experiments with us?

[Thomas Fingerling]

You two go ahead. I gotta go show the dentist this tusk I got growing up through my gums. Look, guh.

[Reggie]

But Mindy, shouldn't we wait until you're called in to see the dentist?

[Mindy Thomas]

Guy Raz, we could come back next week and I'd still be waiting. Come on, let's get to the lab so we can eat some marshmallows. For science.

[Reggie]

But.

[Mindy Thomas]

Come on. See you on the flip side, Mr. Fingerling.

[Thomas Fingerling]

What the devil is a flip side?

[Mindy Thomas]

Feels good to be back at the laboratory of bad ideas. So, you ready to roast some marshmallows or what?

[Reggie]

Mindy, we're not gonna roast marshmallows. We're performing a psychological assessment as to the effects of delayed gratification.

[Mindy Thomas]

Right, of course, but that psychological assessment in the effects of delayed gratification still involves e. Marshmallows, right?

[Reggie]

Uh, yes.

[Mindy Thomas]

Now where are those fluffy little sugar bombs anyway?

[Reggie]

Not so fast, Mindy. First we have to suit up. You know, science experiments must be taken very seriously.

[Mindy Thomas]

Oh, about that suiting up business. Um, I accidentally melted our old suits three weeks ago when I was experimenting with how fast I would have to ride your bike before flames burst out of the tires.

[Reggie]

You what?

[Mindy Thomas]

But good news for you, I got us a pair of backup suits on sale. In fact, I think I've got them in my adventure tool bag here. Oh, here they are.

[Reggie]

Mindy, these are banana suits.

[Mindy Thomas]

They were on sale.

[Reggie]

Okay, well, help me climb into this thing, okay?

[Mindy Thomas]

Just step in one foot at a time and just kind of squeeze yourself in. Come on. You got it, you got it. And zip. Ah, sorry, there were a bunch of one star reviews complaining about the pinchy zippers. Forgot to mention that.

[Reggie]

Well, put yours on so we can finally get to this experiment. Okay?

[Mindy Thomas]

Okay, okay. Hey, Guy Raz, how does A banana? Answer the phone.

[Reggie]

I don't know.

[Mindy Thomas]

Yellow.

[Reggie]

Why do I feel like I've heard that before?

[Mindy Thomas]

Okay, all suited up, got my graham crackers, my chocolate, and ready to get down to some scientific business.

[Reggie]

Give me those graham crackers and chocolate. This is a serious experiment. And, Mindy, weren't you just at the dentist with a bad case of mini marshmallow teeth?

[Mindy Thomas]

Guy Raz, how exactly are these marshmallows going to show us how kids today are more patient and have longer attention spans than grownups did when they were kids?

[Reggie]

Well, to find out, I. I think we better start the experiment.

[Mindy Thomas]

Okay, let's get this party started.

[Reggie]

For step one, I am going to place one marshmallow in front of you, and you can have it now.

[Mindy Thomas]

Don't mind if I do.

[Reggie]

Wait, wait, you didn't let me finish.

[Mindy Thomas]

Go on.

[Reggie]

Okay, you could eat it now, or if you wait 10 minutes, you can have two marshmallows. Two marshmallows, that's right. Okay, are you ready, Guy Raz?

[Mindy Thomas]

I was born ready for this.

[Reggie]

Okay. Three, two, one, Go.

[Mindy Thomas]

Oh, man, that marshmallow sure is looking good.

[Reggie]

Remember, though, Mindy, if you wait a whole 10 minutes, you could have two of those marshmallows.

[Mindy Thomas]

I know, but it just looks so delicious. I can't take it anymore. It's just so good. Mmm. Mmm, Mm, Mm. How'd that do, Guy Raz?

[Reggie]

Well done, Mindy. You lasted a whole 30 seconds.

[Mindy Thomas]

Hmm. That was better than I expected. So what does this all mean, anyway?

[Reggie]

Well, Mindy, this is the exact same experiment that scientists have used for decades to judge children and their attention span, or the length of time they were able to spend focusing on just one thing. The longer that the child was able to avoid the marshmallow and delay his or her gratification.

[Mindy Thomas]

And gratification is just a fancy pants word for a rewarding feeling.

[Reggie]

Exactly like the rewarding feeling you get from eating a marshmallow. And the longer they were able to delay gratification, the more patient the kid. Exactly.

[Mindy Thomas]

Huh. So, turns out I'm not all that patient after all, am I?

[Reggie]

Well, Are you surprised?

[Mindy Thomas]

Hmm.

[Dennis]

What?

[Mindy Thomas]

It says here on the package that if I want to cook these spaghetti noodles, I have to wait for the water to boil. Ain't nobody got time for that, Frumpy.

[Reggie]

Anyway, this experiment is actually really old, and it's one of the most famous experiments in psychological history.

[Mindy Thomas]

Really?

[Reggie]

Yeah. It was first conducted in the year 1960 by 2 Stanford University scientists whose names were WALTER Mischel and E.B. ebison.

[Mindy Thomas]

And what exactly did they find?

[Reggie]

Well, they found that some of the kids ate the marshmallow almost immediately, like me. And that only one third, or 33% of participants were able to wait the whole 10 minutes in order to get their second marshmallow.

[Mindy Thomas]

Huh.

[Reggie]

Not only that, but they also found that those kids who were able to delay gratification were more likely to later in life, perform better at school and deal better with stress and even lead a healthier lifestyle.

[Mindy Thomas]

Okay, but you said that this experiment also proved that kids today are more patient than they were back when, say, Thomas Fingerling was a kid.

[Reggie]

Well, that's true, Mindy, and that's because they redid this experiment in the 1980s and then again in the mid 2000s.

[Mindy Thomas]

Huh. And then I guess they compared the results from those two experiments with the original study that was done back in 1960.

[Reggie]

Exactly.

[Mindy Thomas]

And they found that kids in the most recent study were able to resist the temptation of the marshmallow longer than the kids back in 1980 and 1960.

[Reggie]

That's right. These scientists found out that kids these days were, on average, able to put off eating the marshmallow for two minutes longer than those kids in 1960 and one minute longer than the kids in 1980.

[Mindy Thomas]

Hmm. So what does this even mean? Kids just don't like marshmallows anymore? Because if they're not gonna eat them, I know someone who would gladly take on that task. I'm pointing to myself.

[Reggie]

No, I don't think it's that, Mindy. I think kids are just as into marshmallows today as they were 50 years ago.

[Mindy Thomas]

Well, then what could it be? I mean, why are kids today better at waiting than their parents or grandparents were when they were kids?

[Reggie]

Well, some of the researchers believe that it might have to do with more kids being in preschool.

[Mindy Thomas]

Huh. So in general, more kids are learning things earlier in life now.

[Reggie]

Correctamundo. And by learning things earlier in life, these kids are able to understand that it's better to wait because they'll get more marshmallows in the end.

[Mindy Thomas]

Anything for marshmallows. Hmm.

[Reggie]

The researchers also think that these same kids interactions with screens.

[Mindy Thomas]

Like when you play with your phone or a tablet.

[Reggie]

Exactly. The researchers think that these interactions are actually helping kids understand reward systems better.

[Dennis]

Ah.

[Mindy Thomas]

So like how in Crazy Monkey Ninja, if I save up all his bananas, I can get a power boost, but to do that, I have to put off getting all those sweet ninja costumes?

[Reggie]

I think.

[Mindy Thomas]

So, basically, when it comes to patience and delayed gratification and waiting and attention spans. It might just mean that practice makes perfect. Huh?

[Reggie]

Yeah, kids these days have already had a ton of practice waiting long before taking the marshmallow experiment, huh?

[Mindy Thomas]

Well, speaking of marshmallows, I should probably get back to the the waiting room of the dentist's office. It's been a few hours, and they're probably getting ready to call my name.

[Reggie]

Well, why don't you just call first and set up a new appointment? Here, you can use my phone.

[Mindy Thomas]

Oh, thanks. Hey, while I got your phone, you want to watch this crazy MeTV video about this orange with human teeth and eyes that says things like whazza?

[Reggie]

No, no, Mindy, focus on one task at a time.

[Mindy Thomas]

Fine. Dialing Dr. Dentist. Dial, dial, dial, dial, dial. We're sorry. All of our associates are busy with other clients. The approximate wait time is 1 million hours. What? 1 million hours.

[Reggie]

Just hang up and I'll drive you.

[Mindy Thomas]

Ugh. Thanks, buddy. Well, in that case, I better go get some marshmallow patience for the road. No. Run, run, run, run. And don't leave without me.

[Dennis]

Wow, that was so cool. I like the part with the experiment and the marshmallows and the banana joke and the marshmallows and the way they kept talking about marshmallows. I want marshmallows, Reggie. Okay, fine. I'll be patient. Okay, let's wrap up the show and then break into Mindy's house and eat all her marshmallows. Yay. Okay, thanks to all you listeners out there for tuning in to Wee Wow on the weekend. If you have a question for me, call and leave me a message at 1-888-7-WOW-WOW. That's 1-888-7-WWOW Wow. I just might answer your question on Wewow on the weekend. Okay, let's go. So, Reggie, are marshmallows called marshmallows because they're squishy like a marshmallow, or because they're made in a marsh? Really? Marshmallow plant? We should plant some and we can be marshmallow farmers. Marshmallow farmers. Marshmallow farmers. Marshmallow farmers.

[Mindy Thomas]

Grown ups. If you like wow in the world, you can listen early and ad free right now on Wondery.

[Reggie]

Join Wondery in the Wondery app or on Wondery Kids plus on Apple Podcasts. Prime members can listen ad free on Amazon Music.

[Mindy Thomas]

And before you tell us about yourself by filling out a short [e-mail] survey.

[Dennis]

Thanks for joining us for this edition of We Wow on the weekend. Our show is written by Ruth Morrison and Jed Anderson. The role of Baby Dennis is played by Jed Anderson. Ah, well then who plays the role of Big Dennis? Never you mind. Tee hee. Original sound design and production is done by Henry Moskal with contributions from Jed Anders and Tyler Thole. Original music for Wee Wow is composed and performed by Tyler Thole. Special thanks to Jessica Bode, Rebecca Caban, Dr. Natasha Crandall, Kenny Curtis, Lizzie Froehlich, Kristin Yang, Meredith Halpin, Ranzer Thuy Mack, Erica Medina, Henry Muskill, Jody Nussbaum, Ali Paksima, Guy Raz, Linda Rothenberg, Steph Sosa, Mindy Thomas, Joanna Webb, Anna Zagorski, and all of the other tinkerers at Tinkercast HQ. Be sure to visit Tinkercast.com where you can become an official member of the World Organization of wowzers. Learn about upcoming events, shop our wow Shop, find our best selling books, and learn about all the other amazing podcasts from Tinkercast. Thanks again for hanging out in the basement this weekend. Be sure to check out episodes of wow. In the World every Monday and remember who Wows. I wow. No, Baby Dennis. We wow.

[Mindy Thomas]

All right.

[Dennis]

We wow.

[Mindy Thomas]

Wow in the World was made by Tinkercast and sent to you by Wondery.