Free Homeschool Printables (and audio stories to go along!)
Our listeners and subscribers love Sparkle Stories for so many reasons! From support with bedtime and routines to a screen-free alternative to entertainment, we are constantly hearing how characters like Martin & Sylvia and the friendly Junkyard animals become a part of little ones lives. But did you know that our audio stories also make a great companion for homeschool support? Not only that, but we’ve got some wonderfully helpful resources right on the Sparkle Blog to make it even easier to incorporate story time into learning. We’ve gathered some of our favorites below.
For Studying Science through Nature
Research has shown that learning outside can increase attention, is more engaging, and is naturally hands-on and multisensory. Incorporating nature and the outdoors into kids’ learning also seems to positively impact learning retention, the brain’s ability to recall information, and overall long-term knowledge retention. This audio story, and the printable that goes along with it, are a perfect way to incorporate nature into your learning-at-home.
The Story
“Spring Seeing” from Maring & Sylvia: Saturdays!
In this story from the Martin & Sylvia Collection, brother and sister take themselves on a Spring Seeing walk where they hunt for signs of spring. As they wander through the forest, they talk about fairy life. Sylvia wonders if maybe this time she can see a fairy with her own eyes.
The Project Printable
You can take your own Spring Seeing walk, and use this page to make notes on what you find! You may even like to print multiple pages to create a Spring Nature journal that your little learners can use to document their discoveries.
For Studying Language and Creativity
Storytime can be fun and comforting for little ones. But even more important, storytelling is extremely beneficial to learning and development. This makes it the perfect tool to incorporate in your learning-at-home rhythms for teaching language. Not only does crafting language encourage creativity and inspire imaginative play, it is also an important contributor to healthy growth. Storytelling supports our little ones’ brain development.
The Story
“When Pigs Fly” from Martin & Sylvia: Saturdays!
In this story, Sylvia is upset when Martin's friend Julian starts to tell an "Explorer Pig" story about Sylvia's favorite new piglet, Explorer Pig. She insists to Mrs. Brown that only she can tell those stories. Mrs. Brown, who writes poetry, lets her in on a secret: stories sometimes enjoy hearing how other people might tell them. This is difficult at first for Sylvia to accept, but soon she realizes what fun it can be to share a story.
The Project Printable
Here is a project that embraces the freedom of storytelling. Use these cards to inspire a story that little students can tell together (or with the help of a parent).
Copy this page as often as you need to make your own pictures, and then cut them all out and lay them on a table. One person starts the story inspired by one card, and then passes the story to the next person, who chooses another card. Keep the story moving until you are finished!
For Studying Social Studies
The Story
In the Martin & Sylvia: Saturdays! story “Around the World,” the children get to do a special project about different countries around the world. Martin wants Mexico but is discouraged when his sister chooses it before him. He quickly chooses a country he has never heard of — but is so glad that he did. They learn about the flag, the map, and the food of their country of choice.
The Project Printable
Little ones can choose a country to discover, and use the pages of this printable to share what they learn.
For Fostering Well-being
Although this may not be a part of traditional school curriculum, some of the most important skills a child can learn center around social and emotional control and recognition. (Many adults can use a refresher on these topics, too.) It takes time and effort to understand one's own feelings, to perceive how those feelings affect those around us, to recognize feelings that others are experiencing, and to learn to react appropriately to them. It takes attention, real-life examples, and practice regrouping after making mistakes. This story and project printable are a great option to include for learning at home!
The Story
As Libby’s mom packs to leave, Dish helps Libby sort through all of the emotions she’s feeling: sad to say goodbye to her mom, and a bit worried — but also excited — about her grandmother’s visit. When her beloved aunt arrives, Libby can see she’s not the only one feeling big things! She starts to dream of a “Feel Guide” to help everyone navigate so much sensation.
The Project Printable
In the, Libby & Dish: The Feel Guide, Libby & her grandmother come up with the idea to study emotions in a unique way by observing and then recording what they see and feel in themselves and other people. Do you want to create a Feel Guide that your littles ones can learn from too? If you want a simple format to get you started, we have a printable for you! You can get your conversation started with these little faces, and explore drawing your own.
For Cultivating Curiosity and Discovery
Kids are explorers and young naturalists by nature. You can follow their lead and use this tendency to help support their learning and development. This project is inspired by two of our most beloved characters, Martin and Sylvia!
The Story
Martin and Sylvia love to explore their backyard. They are expert explorers and are always ready for an adventure. Young listeners can learn more about this sibling pair and their love for exploring in the story “Really Explorers” from the At Home with Martin & Sylvia Collection. In the story, Daddy wakes brother and sister early one morning to hike Mount Mooseberry. He and Momma give them the added challenge of leading the way up the trail to discover magical secrets the mountain may be saving for them.
The Printable Project
Brother and sister’s excitement for exploring helped us create this fun DIY tutorial for your own explorer bags. These bags are quick to put together and you might just have most of the items hanging around your house already.
You can download the free printable tutorial guide with tips and suggestions here.
For some more great ideas and a little help getting started, check out these helpful tips from Lisabeth, Sparkle Stories founder and Head-of-all-Things.
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With over 1400+ original stories to choose from, our audio library provides a powerful parenting resource. Each story is carefully crafted to support children’s growing minds. Our stories are developmentally appropriate, help families to reduce screen time, and offer a great support when it comes to creating daily routines and rhythms to help children thrive.
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"I just wanted to send a quick note letting you know how much our family has cherished Sparkle Stories over the last two years. We stumbled upon it when looking for short stories for a road trip and each of the stories completely captivated my then four-year-old son who turned six last week. At first, Sparkle Stories were just a fun way to pass the time when my son needed a little calm during a busy day. But during the pandemic when school shut down and I suddenly found myself homeschooling a preschooler and an infant, your stories truly saved our family. I developed a curriculum around the Martin and Sylvia stories and used the nature school series as a guide for our "summer camp" at home."
~ Ali Stern, Cleveland Ohio
