After school activities can wait

Sparkle stories and playing  This is a sponsored post

When Max and Ruby arrive home after school they are tired.

They need time to decompress after their lovely full days at our wonderful Waldorf school.

And at their ages (4 and 7), I have found they do better without organised activities after school.

And I remind myself, we have many years ahead in which they can explore the many and varied activities available for children. 

Sparkle stories and puppet show

And so for now, we come home.

We rest. We rejuvenate. And they play.

And while they play, they listen to Sparkle Stories {see the smart phone in the photo? It is playing the audio stories, but is locked from any other use}

Max listening to sparkle stories

Sparkle Stories are lovely Waldorf inspired stories ~ filled with wonder, whimsy and adventure {which is just right for their ages}.

Max loves listening to Martin & Sylvia, as well as the Willowbee Tree.

We have heard tales of Martin & Sylvia visiting Grandma’s House {which was a great one for a car trip!} and anticipated Christmas with them *grin*

Max building

My children identify with the three children from the Willowbee Tree *smile*

Max smiles as he hears about Piper (the eldest Willowbee) being bold and adventurous.

He laughs to hear about Little Ty, who like Teddy, seems able to find anything that has been lost {really it is a rather remarkable similarity!}

Ruby with playsilks Sparkle stories

While Ruby adores the stories about the magical fairies, wood elves and fire sprites in ‘So Many Fairies‘.

We listen to Sparkle Stories to match the seasons

So last week we enjoyed listening to ‘The Tree that Surprised the Wind’, which is perfect as we watch the leaves change colour and start to fall.

I love that we can choose stories to help build toward seasonal festivals, or stories that help us work through challenging behaviour *grin*

And so, while the children play, they listen.

And in their minds they go on great and small adventures.

At the moment you can meet Martin & Sylvia and all the other Sparkle Stories’ characters with a Free 10-Day Trial!

Blessings, Kelly

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20 Comments

  • Reply Amber L Greene April 19, 2016 at 10:07 pm

    Oh we are the same. Partly it’s for my sanity. I don’t think I’d cope with anymore driving around, or having to be at a certain place at a certain time on a certain day. We are lucky that there are 20 kids in the street and all Ned and Jack want to do after school is play with them anyhow. Makes life easy and laidback for everyone!

    • Reply Kelly April 19, 2016 at 10:35 pm

      That is so wonderful you have a street like that where the kids can all play! Over the last couple of months we have been encouraging the kids in our street to get out and play together. They spend a lot of time riding their bikes and playing on the swing at the end of the street. Makes me think of my childhood xx

  • Reply Kate Russell April 19, 2016 at 10:09 pm

    These look great, Kelly. I just signed up for the free trial 🙂 I was wondering though, can you only purchase the stories for challenging behaviours as a one off purchase? ie. it’s not included in the monthly subscription cost? I think my children would really enjoy listening to these.

    • Reply Kelly April 19, 2016 at 10:34 pm

      Lovely! I think your family will really enjoy these stories. So you can purchase story collections like ‘Stories for Overwhelm’ and ‘Stories for the Sensitive Child’ (and others) through the store. Or through the free trial you should be able to access all 900 plus Sparkle Stories. Since you have signed up for the trial – try this link https://sparklestories.com/collections/stories-for-the-sensitive-chid and from there you can also see other ‘collections’. Let me know how you go

  • Reply Kate April 19, 2016 at 10:37 pm

    Sounds like a lovely way to spend an afternoon. I think I’ll take up the trial too, my kids love to listen to stories.

    • Reply Kelly April 19, 2016 at 10:38 pm

      I hope they enjoy them 🙂 they are such fun and lovely stories!

  • Reply Kate L April 19, 2016 at 10:52 pm

    How lovely. I think we can get so caught up in keeping kinds busy, busy, busy and at such an early age. I adore this idea so much and would enjoy it myself!

    • Reply Kelly April 19, 2016 at 11:00 pm

      That’s how I feel <3 so nice to slow down and just let them play. And these stories are lovely. Some days I sit nearby knitting and listening, watching them absorbed in their play and the stories

  • Reply kate @ livinglovinglaughing April 19, 2016 at 11:03 pm

    Oh, what a gorgeous post! Firstly, because I have also always been committed to no after school/extra curriculars… its so nice to have breathing room and time for free play after school! though just this term my 7yr old started a (very relaxed) art class one afternoon a week and she is loving it 🙂 Anyway, my kids are OBSESSED with audio books, they listen to them at night time in bed but I am struggling to find stories that are gentle and kind and not too ….. you know?! Anyway these sound simply delightful so I am signing up for the trial right this minute! The kids have been clamouring for new stories so they will be thrilled at bed time tomorrow, lol!! xx

    • Reply Kelly April 19, 2016 at 11:07 pm

      I think they will love them! And there are lots of stories to choose from too. They are gentle kind stories that have really lovely messages. I think your kids will find them really encouraging. And I love that you can search through the stories in so many ways, by age, theme, season 🙂 Let me know how they like them 🙂

  • Reply Jodie April 20, 2016 at 8:09 am

    What a lovely journey you shared Kelly – we try to do much the same after school here at the moment and I’m so glad I have the opportunity to share this time with them as they as so tired and often overwhelmed having just started school this year. They love audio stories, we listen every night to relaxation stories as they go to bed – I have often meant to try Sparkle stories though so shall be signing up to the trial to check it out – thank you.
    I cannot believe how much older your guys are looking in these photos – where is time marching so quickly? Absolutely adore Ruby’s little outfit!

    • Reply Kelly April 20, 2016 at 11:07 am

      I know! They just keep growing Jode! And see I can’t believe your girls are in school now!! I bet they will really enjoy these stories and there is a great variety to them too.

  • Reply Danya April 20, 2016 at 9:07 am

    My kids use audiobooks to unwind too. They become much more engrossed in a simple activity (like colouring in, or playing with playdough) when they have an audiobook to listen to. I’m always on the look out for appropriate audio stories, and these sound wonderful. I’m signing up for the trial today!

    • Reply Kelly April 20, 2016 at 11:06 am

      Hope you love them Danya. And I find thing in terms of how engrossed they become in their activity as they listen.

  • Reply katepickle April 20, 2016 at 10:06 am

    Is this by the same people as the Sparkle Stories podcast?
    We’ve been listening to that podcast for a long time and it’s just lovely.

    • Reply Kelly April 20, 2016 at 11:05 am

      Yes! It is them – they are great stories aren’t they 🙂

  • Reply Jenni April 20, 2016 at 1:10 pm

    Thank you for sharing your story and getting me on to Sparkle Stories! What a great app! Thank you 🙂

    • Reply Kelly April 20, 2016 at 1:13 pm

      It is a great app! Hope you love their stories like we do 🙂

  • Reply Chelsea April 20, 2016 at 8:20 pm

    We have been HUGE fans of Sparkle Stories for YEARS, love them so so much!

  • Reply Bek @ just for daisy April 21, 2016 at 10:36 pm

    Thanks for sharing. I remember these being mentioned a while back but right now I think these would be handy for our family! 🙂

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