Andrew & Polly are award-winning music makers and the hosts of Ear Snacks, a radical podcast for kids and families. In this episode, Andrew, Polly, David, and Rebecca talk about music and ways to introduce or boost music appreciation in your home. They use the Junkyard Tales story “The Band” as a model of how music can create community and be a mechanism for social inclusion. About SparkleCast: SparkleCast explores the use of story in parenting and education. One week we share a free story for you to enjoy, and the next week we discuss the story with an expert and thought leader – with the aim of using the story (and all stories) as a parenting and educational tool. For more stories and tutorials, visit the Sparkle website: www.sparklestories.com Questions? Ideas? Requests? Email us! info@sparklestories.com Enjoy!

In today's story: It's a warm afternoon at the Junkyard. The Warden's car windows are down, and the sound of the radio is carried through the spring air. Ben can't help but be inspired -- could the Junkyard friends make their own music? They all agree to meet at the mounds of Mice Central at sundown, and bring their own unique instrument for a little Junkyard Jam! *This story is the subject of our conversation with Andrew & Polly, award-winning music-makers and hosts of the Ear Snacks podcast. The story gives guidance on inspiring a love of music in our children.* About SparkleCast: SparkleCast explores the use of story in parenting and education. One week we share a free story for you to enjoy, and the next week we discuss the story with an expert and thought leader – with the aim of using the story (and all stories) as a parenting and educational tool. For more stories and tutorials, visit the Sparkle website: www.sparklestories.com Questions? Ideas? Requests? Email us! info@sparklestories.com Enjoy!

In today's story: *This bonus story is in honor of today's historic election. We wanted to give parents and classrooms a basis to talk about the election, leadership, and what it means to be a citizen. As we post this story, the US is electing its next president.* Once there was a land that was ruled by a Council of Fools. And in this land, to be a Fool was a position of honor and respect – that is, until the Fools began to forget how to juggle, dance, sing and perform magic. Luckily, a new Fool from a distant province arrives to transform the dry and serious members of the council back into being true Fools – rather than simply being foolish.

In today's story: “The Fischer from the Top Branch” is a story about an election. A water hole in the Serengeti plains needs a leader who will represent all creatures who need water. So - a ‘Prefect’ is elected every wet season to monitor the water and make sure everyone is served. But choosing the ‘Prefect’ is often contentious. This year the choice is between a Fischer’s Lovebird and a Leopard - and the election is emotional, ridden with conflict and indeed, personal. In the end the Lovebird is elected - but she immediately sees the need for healing - the need for the creatures to unite again. Luckily, she flies to the top branch of a nearby acacia tree and is able to see the land and all its creatures together. And that image helps her know what to do. About SparkleCast: SparkleCast explores the use of story in parenting and education. One week we share a free story for you to enjoy, and the next week we discuss the story with an expert and thought leader – with the aim of using the story (and all stories) as a parenting and educational tool. For more stories and tutorials, visit the Sparkle website: www.sparklestories.com Questions? Ideas? Requests? Email us! info@sparklestories.com Enjoy!

Susan Weber, an early childhood expert and educator, is Director of Sophia's Hearth Family Center in Keene, New Hampshire. In this episode of SparkleCast, Susan, David, and Rebecca talk about how to develop the festival life of your household or classroom by incorporating rhythm and attention to the natural world. They discuss how the story “A Little Bit of Light” not only demonstrates the “lantern walk” festival that is popular during the autumn season, but how the parents in the story make room for the child to discover the truth of the festival all on her own. About SparkleCast: SparkleCast explores the use of story in parenting and education. One week we share a free story for you to enjoy, and the next week we discuss the story with an expert and thought leader – with the aim of using the story (and all stories) as a parenting and educational tool. For more stories and tutorials, visit the Sparkle website: www.sparklestories.com Questions? Ideas? Requests? Email us! info@sparklestories.com Enjoy!

In today's story: Every year when the trees have all lost their leaves and the ground starts to frost in the morning, brother and sister start to make their lanterns for their annual lantern festival. This year they can't go their normal route and need to choose another place to walk. When Martin suggests going next door to visit the doctor's house, Sylvia worries that it will be too dark. But the magic of the evening shows her just how much can be seen with the light of a single lantern. *This story is the subject of our conversation with Susan Weber, Director of Sophia’s Hearth Family Center. The story gives guidance on how to model a festival life for our children.* About SparkleCast: SparkleCast explores the use of story in parenting and education. One week we share a free story for you to enjoy, and the next week we discuss the story with an expert and thought leader – with the aim of using the story (and all stories) as a parenting and educational tool. For more stories and tutorials, visit the Sparkle website: www.sparklestories.com Questions? Ideas? Requests? Email us! info@sparklestories.com Enjoy!

Meredith Markow is a teacher, Enneagram and Living Inquiries certified practitioner, and the Sparkle Schoolhouse “Head of School”! In this episode of SparkleCast, Meredith, David, and Rebecca talk about Sparkle Schoolhouse and how the Dry Gables story series can be used to better understand your child: their fears, their desires, their relationships, and how they prefer to be motivated.   About SparkleCast: SparkleCast explores the use of story in parenting and education. One week we share a free story for you to enjoy, and the next week we discuss the story with an expert and thought leader – with the aim of using the story (and all stories) as a parenting and educational tool. For more stories and tutorials, visit the Sparkle website: www.sparklestories.com Questions? Ideas? Requests? Email us! info@sparklestories.com Enjoy!

In today’s story: When conflict comes to Dry Gables — when there are arguments, disagreements or blocks in the road to peace — the people of Dry Gables go to one place: Marta Bauer's bakery. Somehow she always knows what to make, what to say and how to listen — and conflicts simply... dissolve. This is truly tested one day when a family of Chinese immigrants arrives in Dry Gables and the town is divided about next steps. Some want to honor the restrictive law of the land and others wish to welcome them with open arms. What to do? Get the baker.   *This story is the subject of our conversation with Meredith Markow, teacher and therapist – and “Head of School” for Sparkle Stories. The story demonstrates how to listen, how to empathize, and how to resolve conflict in a gentle way.*   About SparkleCast: SparkleCast explores the use of story in parenting and education. One week we share a free story for you to enjoy, and the next week we discuss the story with an expert and thought leader – with the aim of using the story (and all stories) as a parenting and educational tool. For more stories and tutorials, visit the Sparkle website: www.sparklestories.com Questions? Ideas? Requests? Email us! info@sparklestories.com Enjoy!

Renee Jain is one of the nation’s most respected childhood happiness and resilience experts. Renee is the founder and Chief Storyteller at GoZen! She uses her many talents, specialized education, and business acumen in pursuit of her life’s mission: To provide whole-brain education to children three years of age and older, regardless of where they live or of their family’s socioeconomic background. In this conversation, Renee, David, and Rebecca discuss what it is like to be fearful and anxious and how to use stories to change perspectives and bring peace and confidence to anxious children.     About SparkleCast: SparkleCast explores the use of story in parenting and education. One week we share a free story for you to enjoy, and the next week we discuss the story with an expert and thought leader – with the aim of using the story (and all stories) as a parenting and educational tool. For more stories and tutorials, visit the Sparkle website: www.sparklestories.com Questions? Ideas? Requests? Email us! info@sparklestories.com Enjoy!

In today's story: The people of Solvei’s village mark the end of the growing season and the beginning of the dark time with a yearly festival. In this joyful celebration, the villagers dress as dragons that represent the things they fear. Solvei is too young to attend, but is so excited that she sneaks a peek on the night of the festival — and comes home with many different fears from the “dragons” that she saw there. Her mother explains that she has taken on “someone else’s dragon” and then helps her daughter give the fears back so she can fall peacefully asleep. *This story is the subject of our conversation with Renee Jain, founder and chief storyteller for GoZen.com, an online anxiety relief resource for children around the world. The story gives a picture of how scary images or sounds can make children fearful and anxious – and models how to release those images as well the anxiety and fear.*