Sparkle Stories Blog
A home for Sparkle audio stories, crafts, recipes, and kind words!
Original Stories from Our Partner, Restorative Storytelling
Have you ever wanted to tell your own original stories to your children? Listen in on these six stories written and recorded by students from the Restorative Storytelling program.
Storybox Playlist: Love Is in the Air!
These audio stories for little ears show the many ways love can be experienced.
Busy Hands, Calm Minds
Working with your hands can bring joy, a sense of calm, and a feeling of well-being.
Tips for a Year of Rest
This desire for rhythms of work and rest inspired the creation of Martin and Sylvia: Day of Rest. Through these stories, we have the gift of observing Martin and Sylvia’s family as they work through the process of setting apart one day each week to rest as a family.
Sparkle Kitchen: Lavender and Sweet Orange Sleepy Spray
For anyone even remotely aware of herbal remedies, using lavender as a sleep aid is a no-brainer, but the addition of sweet orange oil makes this blend particularly lovely for children. Here's how to make it so your little one can catch more zzzzzzs.
Family Activity: Projects for Winter Break
These six winter crafts and activities will keep little hands and minds busy while they are out of school.
Sparkle Tip: Travel Playlist
Make car rides more fun for your kids this winter in four easy steps.
Storybox: Best Playlist for Embracing the New Year
Our New Year seven-story collection supports positive thinking, using your imagination, and seeing the year ahead as an adventure.
Sparkle Craft: DIY Wooden Buildings
Perhaps you’d like to build a town, like Martin and Sylvia in "Our Own Town." Why not start with some handmade wooden buildings?
9 Last-Minute Gifts You Can Make at Home
If you're in need of a last-minute gift, these nine homemade presents are fun to make and guaranteed to bring a smile to anyone who receives them.
Storybox Playlist: Inspire Creativity
It’s time to create! Let these five stories help get your kids psyched about organizing, exploring, and finding activities that spark their imaginations.
Celebrate Jólabókaflóðið with Modern Mrs. Darcy — plus Martin & Sylvia!
When Martin & Sylvia learn about an Icelandic Christmas tradition that involves books and chocolate, their creativity kicks in. We’ve teamed up with a special guest to bring you more about Jólabókaflóðið and how you may incorporate it into your own holiday festivities.
Celebrating Winter Solstice
Winter solstice is a pretty big deal at Sparkle Stories and we want to share a few of our favorite ways to celebrate it.
Unhook Your Holidays
What can you do to make the holidays feel special for others AND guilt-free for you?
Nature School Project: Mushroom Spore Printing
Enjoy this easy tutorial for a fun mushroom art project! Mushroom spore printing is often done to differentiate between similar-looking species, but can be a very fun and simple nature study to do.
Sparkle Craft: Snowman Mug Buddies
Is there snow where you are? Whether or not you are surrounded by wintry white, these mug buddies are a festive way to celebrate the winter season.
Create Your Very Own Scrap Basket Softies
With a few fabric scraps and a little time at the sewing machine, you can make a whole stuffed menagerie!
Sparkle Kitchen: Blueberry Buccellati
Buccellati are a traditional Christmas cookie from Sicily. A made-from-scratch cousin of Fig Newtons, these cookies are filled with a paste of figs, nuts, and spices, then cut into interesting shapes to expose their jewel-like filling.
Sparkle Craft: Milk and Oatmeal Soap
As far back as Cleopatra in Egypt, people have enjoyed the skin soothing properties of milk. In the recipes below — a milk bath powder and a milk soap — milk is combined with oatmeal for an extra punch of moisturizing goodness.
Sparkle Crafts: Festive Holiday Crafts Round Up
One of my favorite parts of the winter holiday season is making decorations.
