STARLITE PUPPETS was honored to be featured on Synergy Connection Radio podcast in May, sharing the ways puppetry brings magic to the young at heart. Here is a link to the podcast. Check it out!
What a joy it was to collaborate with David Sewell McCann this season! Watch storyteller David and myself perform a Sparkle Stories season favorite here! Click on recording here: The Candleberry Elf
The Mouse Who Wanted Her Tail Back
Adaptation by Connie Manson
Winter is the perfect time for baking. It’s fun to share this little puppet tale when baking at home or on a classroom baking day
Once upon a winter’s day, there was a little cat and there was a little mouse. They began to play together, and then mousie nibbled on cat’s tail! “Ouch,“ said cat. And so, the cat took the mouse’s tail!
“Give me my tail back!”, said the mouse.
“I will give you your tail back if you will give me a bucket of milk.”
First she lept and then she ran, ‘til she came to the cow and thus began, “Good day, cow!”
“Good day, mouse.”
“Would you please give me a bucket of milk?”
“I will give you a bucket of milk, if you will give me a bale of hay.”
First she lept and then she ran, ‘til she came to the farmer and thus began, “Good day, farmer!”
“Good day, mouse.”
“Would you please give me a bale of hay?”
“I will give you a bale of hay if you will give me a loaf of bread.”
First she lept, and then she ran, ‘til she came to the baker and thus began, “Good day, baker!”
“Good day, mouse.”
“Would you please give me a loaf of bread?”
“I will give you a loaf of bread, if you will give me a sack of flour.”
First she lept and then she ran, ‘til she came to the miller and thus began, “Good day, miller!”
“Good day, mouse.”
“Will you please give me a sack of flour?”
“I will give you a sack of flour if you promise never to nibble on my grain again.”
“I promise,” said the mouse.
And so the miller gave the mouse a sack of flour. The mouse gave the sack of flour to the baker. And so the baker gave the mouse a loaf of bread. The mouse gave the loaf of bread to the farmer. And so the farmer gave the mouse a bale of hay. The mouse gave the bale of hay to the cow. And so the cow gave the mouse a bucket of milk. The mouse gave the bucket of milk to the cat and then and there, the cat gave the mouse her tail back, and shared her bucket of milk with little mousie.
Easy Mousie Finger Puppet
White or brown felt
White or brown thick yarn 2 1/2” long
White or brown embroidery floss
Small velcro dots in white or tan
Small black seed beads or black embroidery floss
Small black pom pom (optional)
1. Cut out the pattern and fold in half lengthwise. Pin to hold.
2. Sew a stitch or wrap a french knot for each eye with black embroidery floss.
3. Sew the felt from the x near the back of the mouse to the point of the mouse shape--at the nose--with matching floss, using an overcast or a blanket stitch.
4. Cut 2 ears from pattern. Fold each one in 1/2. Attach the ears on either side on the head of the mouse as indicated by the ‘x’.
5. Attach a tiny velcro dot at the spot indicated by the x above, attach the other side of the dot on the wool yarn tail. Tie a knot at the end of the tail.
Adaptation by Connie Manson
Winter is the perfect time for baking. It’s fun to share this little puppet tale when baking at home or on a classroom baking day
Once upon a winter’s day, there was a little cat and there was a little mouse. They began to play together, and then mousie nibbled on cat’s tail! “Ouch,“ said cat. And so, the cat took the mouse’s tail!
“Give me my tail back!”, said the mouse.
“I will give you your tail back if you will give me a bucket of milk.”
First she lept and then she ran, ‘til she came to the cow and thus began, “Good day, cow!”
“Good day, mouse.”
“Would you please give me a bucket of milk?”
“I will give you a bucket of milk, if you will give me a bale of hay.”
First she lept and then she ran, ‘til she came to the farmer and thus began, “Good day, farmer!”
“Good day, mouse.”
“Would you please give me a bale of hay?”
“I will give you a bale of hay if you will give me a loaf of bread.”
First she lept, and then she ran, ‘til she came to the baker and thus began, “Good day, baker!”
“Good day, mouse.”
“Would you please give me a loaf of bread?”
“I will give you a loaf of bread, if you will give me a sack of flour.”
First she lept and then she ran, ‘til she came to the miller and thus began, “Good day, miller!”
“Good day, mouse.”
“Will you please give me a sack of flour?”
“I will give you a sack of flour if you promise never to nibble on my grain again.”
“I promise,” said the mouse.
And so the miller gave the mouse a sack of flour. The mouse gave the sack of flour to the baker. And so the baker gave the mouse a loaf of bread. The mouse gave the loaf of bread to the farmer. And so the farmer gave the mouse a bale of hay. The mouse gave the bale of hay to the cow. And so the cow gave the mouse a bucket of milk. The mouse gave the bucket of milk to the cat and then and there, the cat gave the mouse her tail back, and shared her bucket of milk with little mousie.
White or brown felt
White or brown thick yarn 2 1/2” long
White or brown embroidery floss
Small velcro dots in white or tan
Small black seed beads or black embroidery floss
Small black pom pom (optional)
1. Cut out the pattern and fold in half lengthwise. Pin to hold.
2. Sew a stitch or wrap a french knot for each eye with black embroidery floss.
3. Sew the felt from the x near the back of the mouse to the point of the mouse shape--at the nose--with matching floss, using an overcast or a blanket stitch.
4. Cut 2 ears from pattern. Fold each one in 1/2. Attach the ears on either side on the head of the mouse as indicated by the ‘x’.
5. Attach a tiny velcro dot at the spot indicated by the x above, attach the other side of the dot on the wool yarn tail. Tie a knot at the end of the tail.
Little Mousie's Seed
Happy Autumn, everyone! Enjoy a story I wrote "Little Mousie's Seed." Though the story spans all seasons, it begins and rests in Autumn. You'll find it in my resource for parents and teachers called "A Journey Through Spring" available here: https://
Once upon a time Little Mousie was in the fields, searching for seeds. He found some! He gathered them up into his cheeks to bring home to his house under the roots of a tree. But he picked up a seed that was left in the field and diggity, diggity, he dug a little hole and dropped the seed inside. Then shuttity, shut! He covered up the seed with a soft blanket of soil. Then off to his house he scurried to settle in for the winter and a nice long nap.
The seed also napped a long, long time. One spring morning it woke up. It yawned and stretched, and . . . CRACK! It’s hard brown jacket split in two.
“Oh!”, said the little seed, “that feels so much better!”
The seed pressed a soft root into the moist earth below, and pushed a tender shoot up, up through the dark, warm earth. It kept on pressing up, up, until, all of a sudden its head reached the top of the earth. It peeked out from the soil and saw Father Sun smiling down brightly. The little seedling opened its leaves wide to the warm sunshine. The seedling sipped the sparkling dew the water fairies brought. Its stem grew stronger and taller, and its leaves grew larger.
Every morning Father Sun sent his bright sunbeams down to play upon the earth. Some would dance on the soft green leaves of the little plant. “Good morning, sunbeams!” the little plant would say. And every evening after Father Sun had traveled across the sky, as He ducked down behind the trees, the little plant would call, “Good night, Father Sun!”
One morning, a sunbeam danced down from Father Sun, and tickled the little plant‘s head. The plant was so happy! All of a sudden, the green cap that covered its little head opened wide, and out popped its face ringed with golden sunbeam petals! The flower would watch for Father Sun to rise in the morning, and follow Father Sun as he traveled across the big sky during the day.
It wasn’t long before the flower heard a gentle humming sound as soft little bee bodies touched its brown face gently. “Zoom . . . zoom . . . hmmm . . . hmmm . . . thank you for your nectar sweet, and your soft golden dust to tickle our feet,” sang the bees. Where ever the golden bees touched the flower’s face a seed began to grow. The seeds grew larger, and the flower was so happy.
But one day the seeds became so heavy that the flower bowed its head down towards the earth. The seeds tumbled out and landed softly on the ground. Father Sun sent his pink and purple rays and wrapped them ‘round the flower then said softly, “Pleasant dreams golden sunflower, mine!” Brother Wind whispered a soft lullaby as night tip toed to the earth.
The next morning Little Mousie scurried into the fields to look for seeds. He found some! He tucked all of the seeds into his cheeks to carry them to his house for the winter. But he took one seed in his teeth and diggity, diggity, he dug a little hole and dropped the seed inside. Then shuttity, shut! He covered it up and left it there. Then off to his house he scurried to settle in for the winter and a nice long nap!
The seed also napped a long, long time. One spring morning it woke up. It yawned and stretched, and . . . CRACK! It’s hard brown jacket split in two.
“Oh!”, said the little seed, “that feels so much better!”
The seed pressed a soft root into the moist earth below, and pushed a tender shoot up, up through the dark, warm earth. It kept on pressing up, up, until, all of a sudden its head reached the top of the earth. It peeked out from the soil and saw Father Sun smiling down brightly. The little seedling opened its leaves wide to the warm sunshine. The seedling sipped the sparkling dew the water fairies brought. Its stem grew stronger and taller, and its leaves grew larger.
Every morning Father Sun sent his bright sunbeams down to play upon the earth. Some would dance on the soft green leaves of the little plant. “Good morning, sunbeams!” the little plant would say. And every evening after Father Sun had traveled across the sky, as He ducked down behind the trees, the little plant would call, “Good night, Father Sun!”
One morning, a sunbeam danced down from Father Sun, and tickled the little plant‘s head. The plant was so happy! All of a sudden, the green cap that covered its little head opened wide, and out popped its face ringed with golden sunbeam petals! The flower would watch for Father Sun to rise in the morning, and follow Father Sun as he traveled across the big sky during the day.
It wasn’t long before the flower heard a gentle humming sound as soft little bee bodies touched its brown face gently. “Zoom . . . zoom . . . hmmm . . . hmmm . . . thank you for your nectar sweet, and your soft golden dust to tickle our feet,” sang the bees. Where ever the golden bees touched the flower’s face a seed began to grow. The seeds grew larger, and the flower was so happy.
But one day the seeds became so heavy that the flower bowed its head down towards the earth. The seeds tumbled out and landed softly on the ground. Father Sun sent his pink and purple rays and wrapped them ‘round the flower then said softly, “Pleasant dreams golden sunflower, mine!” Brother Wind whispered a soft lullaby as night tip toed to the earth.
The next morning Little Mousie scurried into the fields to look for seeds. He found some! He tucked all of the seeds into his cheeks to carry them to his house for the winter. But he took one seed in his teeth and diggity, diggity, he dug a little hole and dropped the seed inside. Then shuttity, shut! He covered it up and left it there. Then off to his house he scurried to settle in for the winter and a nice long nap!
Once Upon a Story . . .
Storytelling is such a magical activity for children. It's an opportunity to create a space for meaningful connection. Storytelling asks of the teller the qualities of sharing, focus, warmth, and presence. No wonder this activity is so nourishing for children, and for us all! For the youngest the capacity to follow a story and visualizing the images is still in development, so a visual support can be very helpful in order to ground the experience for them. All it takes is just a simple finger puppet to captivate the imagination of a small child during a song or story.
I pulled this little goat out of a pocket in my story apron while sharing a short story poem about the animals and flowers waking up in the morning.
Storytelling is the natural foundation of literacy--it is the origin of every book we read. And what a precious gift to offer, the gift of presence as you share a story learned by heart, a moment from your childhood, or a simple tale created on the spot. The trickiest part of storytelling comes at the outset, when learning how to allow the story to 'tell itself'. I remember feeling so self-conscious as I fumbled through telling a spontaneous story to a group of little ones in my home nursery. But the little ones just waited patiently and didn't mind the stumbles at all! Each time I told a story it became a little easier.
Wondering how to feel more confident in your ability to share a story in the moment or one by heart?
Below is an audio link to story telling tips, recorded for an online homeschooling group that I hope you find helpful. I'd love to hear your experiences with storytelling!
The Art of Storytelling for Children audio link
I pulled this little goat out of a pocket in my story apron while sharing a short story poem about the animals and flowers waking up in the morning.
Storytelling is the natural foundation of literacy--it is the origin of every book we read. And what a precious gift to offer, the gift of presence as you share a story learned by heart, a moment from your childhood, or a simple tale created on the spot. The trickiest part of storytelling comes at the outset, when learning how to allow the story to 'tell itself'. I remember feeling so self-conscious as I fumbled through telling a spontaneous story to a group of little ones in my home nursery. But the little ones just waited patiently and didn't mind the stumbles at all! Each time I told a story it became a little easier.Wondering how to feel more confident in your ability to share a story in the moment or one by heart?
Below is an audio link to story telling tips, recorded for an online homeschooling group that I hope you find helpful. I'd love to hear your experiences with storytelling!
The Art of Storytelling for Children audio link
Squirrel Nutkin Autumn Fun
Quite the loveliest in woodland town.
Two bright eyes look 'round to see,
Where the sweetest nuts might be!"
Create an acorn bean bag! Here's how . . .
For one or several children:
Tuck away indoors or outdoors so that only a small piece is showing and have a hunt for it!
For a circle of children:
As a group, sit the class in a circle, with hands outstretched behind their backs. One child will be the "squirrel", and drop the acorn into the waiting hands of one of the children. The child who gets the acorn will run to catch the "squirrel" as the "squirrel" runs back to their place in the circle.
Use the template above to create an acorn bean bag!
Materials:
brown felt for acorn body
gray felt for acorn cap
brown and gray embroidery floss
dried lentils for stuffing
BODY
Cut two of the acorn body--cut the tops of the acorn pattern a 1/2" higher than template.
Sew pieces together with a blanket stitch, leaving the top open.
Stuff acorn body with lentils, then sew the top closed.
CAP
Sew the top of the cap together with a blanket stitch next place over the top of the sewn acorn body and sew to the body one side at a time.
Winter Solstice Story by Connie Manson
Here is a story from my book "A Journey Through Winter" that can be told this season. Wonderful in the classroom or at home. Included below is a little dove finger puppet pattern. Blessings on your holiday season!
Once there was a little boy who lived with his Mother in a cozy cottage near a gurgling stream. It was summer time and many flowers were blooming near the stream‘s edge. There, the little boy would lie on his belly in the grass and watch the bees and the butterflies dance among the flowers, and the spiders swing on threads as they spun and wove their shining webs.
There was an old tree which lay fallen in the woods that he loved to climb on and pretend he was a sailor sailing out to sea! One morning, lying in the moss by the old tree he found a large piece of bark. It was just the right size for a boat of his own! He found a branch that was straight and true, to use for a mast. There were a number of stones that lay by the brook, and he picked up a pointed, thin one, which he used to dig a hole in the bark. He fit the mast snugly into the hole. Now, for a sail! There was a leaf growing by the stream that was just large enough. Using tiny bits of twig, he attached the leaf to the mast. He spent many happy summer days watching his little boat bob up and down merrily in the water.
It wasn’t long before the crickets began to sing of Prince Autumn’s arrival! The apples grew red and ripe, and fell to the ground. Prince Autumn came through the wood and painted the leaves golden, red and brown. The leaves waved in the breeze and began to dance to the ground, and some fell into the little stream. The boy helped his mother rake leaves into tall piles and then they would jump into the piles with a happy shout! Sometimes Squirrel Nutkin would come near and leap nimbly from branch to branch, chattering as he went, searching for nuts to store in his sturdy home which was tucked in a tree branch near its trunk.
As the nights grew longer and the days shorter, the winds blew in puffs of cold air. The little boy would put on his warm clothes and sit quietly on the fallen old log to watch the deer as they nibbled on soft twigs and buds nearby.
One evening as he was walking in the woods he found a little opening behind some bushes. He thought he saw the fluffy tail of a fox, and crawled through the opening to see. But as he was searching for the fox, the sun slipped quickly down behind the trees the woods grew very dark. The little boy looked around and didn’t know how to find his way back home again. A frosty gust of wind blew and the boy shivered with cold.
Then, in the dim light, the little boy saw something gleaming on the ground. It was a small sparkling stone.
“Oh, little stone, dear little stone, will you help me find my way back home?” The little stone twinkled, and suddenly the boy didn’t feel quite so cold anymore. He picked up the stone, and he was just reaching to put it in his pocket when it seemed to leap right out of his hand! It rolled a ways, then stopped by the roots of a little fir tree whose branches were gently dancing in the frosty breeze.
“Oh dear little fir tree, can you hear me? Will you help me find my way home speedily?”, asked the boy.
One of the slender branches of the fir tree stirred, and it seemed to be pointing towards a clearing in the woods! The little boy walked until he reached the place where only a few trees were standing beneath the twinkling starlight.
He heard a sound high up in a tree, in one of its branches. “Tsu-croo, tsu-croo.” What was that? A small dove poked out its head and flew down to a lower branch, closer to the boy.
“Oh little dove, dear little dove, Can you guide me homeward with your song of love?” The dove sang softly, “Tsu-croo, tsu-croo, that I will do. First look up at the star that shines for you!”
The boy looked up, and there he saw a star that seemed to sparkle a bit more than the others. The little boy smiled. In a twinkle, the dove flew down into the clearing and rested by something growing near the ground, then flew upward into the tree once more. He wondered what the dove had landed beside, and ran over to see. There softly glowing like a star in the grass, sat a beautiful white flower. The boy knelt down and gently picked the flower, and held it in his hand.
Then the dove called once again, “Tsu-croo, tsu-croo.” It kept on calling until the boy walked towards it, then flew away into the woods. The little boy quickly followed. It wasn’t long before he found himself crawling back through the opening into the bushes, near the gurgling stream behind his cottage.
The boy ran inside to show his treasure to his mother, saying, “Mother, I am so sorry. I was lost in the woods. I asked a stone to help me, and it rolled to a fir tree, and I asked the fir tree to help me, and it pointed to a clearing in the woods. There I found a dove, and when I asked the dove to help me, it called to me to look up and there I saw a bright shining star. Then the dove showed me where this flower was growing, and I picked it. Next the dove flew into the woods and led me to our brook, and . . . well . . . here I am!”
“My dear child, I am so happy to see you!” said the Mother. “When you didn’t answer me when I called, I asked a shining star to watch over you and guide you safely home again.” Then she smiled and gave the little boy a big hug. Together they found a small glass dish, filled it with water and laid the flower inside.
“What a lovely Winter Star,“ said his Mother. And together they sat by the brightly burning fire and sipped some delicious warm soup for supper.
Here is a story from my book "A Journey Through Winter" that can be told this season. Wonderful in the classroom or at home. Included below is a little dove finger puppet pattern. Blessings on your holiday season!
Once there was a little boy who lived with his Mother in a cozy cottage near a gurgling stream. It was summer time and many flowers were blooming near the stream‘s edge. There, the little boy would lie on his belly in the grass and watch the bees and the butterflies dance among the flowers, and the spiders swing on threads as they spun and wove their shining webs.There was an old tree which lay fallen in the woods that he loved to climb on and pretend he was a sailor sailing out to sea! One morning, lying in the moss by the old tree he found a large piece of bark. It was just the right size for a boat of his own! He found a branch that was straight and true, to use for a mast. There were a number of stones that lay by the brook, and he picked up a pointed, thin one, which he used to dig a hole in the bark. He fit the mast snugly into the hole. Now, for a sail! There was a leaf growing by the stream that was just large enough. Using tiny bits of twig, he attached the leaf to the mast. He spent many happy summer days watching his little boat bob up and down merrily in the water.
It wasn’t long before the crickets began to sing of Prince Autumn’s arrival! The apples grew red and ripe, and fell to the ground. Prince Autumn came through the wood and painted the leaves golden, red and brown. The leaves waved in the breeze and began to dance to the ground, and some fell into the little stream. The boy helped his mother rake leaves into tall piles and then they would jump into the piles with a happy shout! Sometimes Squirrel Nutkin would come near and leap nimbly from branch to branch, chattering as he went, searching for nuts to store in his sturdy home which was tucked in a tree branch near its trunk.
As the nights grew longer and the days shorter, the winds blew in puffs of cold air. The little boy would put on his warm clothes and sit quietly on the fallen old log to watch the deer as they nibbled on soft twigs and buds nearby.
One evening as he was walking in the woods he found a little opening behind some bushes. He thought he saw the fluffy tail of a fox, and crawled through the opening to see. But as he was searching for the fox, the sun slipped quickly down behind the trees the woods grew very dark. The little boy looked around and didn’t know how to find his way back home again. A frosty gust of wind blew and the boy shivered with cold.
Then, in the dim light, the little boy saw something gleaming on the ground. It was a small sparkling stone.
“Oh, little stone, dear little stone, will you help me find my way back home?” The little stone twinkled, and suddenly the boy didn’t feel quite so cold anymore. He picked up the stone, and he was just reaching to put it in his pocket when it seemed to leap right out of his hand! It rolled a ways, then stopped by the roots of a little fir tree whose branches were gently dancing in the frosty breeze.
“Oh dear little fir tree, can you hear me? Will you help me find my way home speedily?”, asked the boy.
One of the slender branches of the fir tree stirred, and it seemed to be pointing towards a clearing in the woods! The little boy walked until he reached the place where only a few trees were standing beneath the twinkling starlight.
He heard a sound high up in a tree, in one of its branches. “Tsu-croo, tsu-croo.” What was that? A small dove poked out its head and flew down to a lower branch, closer to the boy.
“Oh little dove, dear little dove, Can you guide me homeward with your song of love?” The dove sang softly, “Tsu-croo, tsu-croo, that I will do. First look up at the star that shines for you!”
The boy looked up, and there he saw a star that seemed to sparkle a bit more than the others. The little boy smiled. In a twinkle, the dove flew down into the clearing and rested by something growing near the ground, then flew upward into the tree once more. He wondered what the dove had landed beside, and ran over to see. There softly glowing like a star in the grass, sat a beautiful white flower. The boy knelt down and gently picked the flower, and held it in his hand.
Then the dove called once again, “Tsu-croo, tsu-croo.” It kept on calling until the boy walked towards it, then flew away into the woods. The little boy quickly followed. It wasn’t long before he found himself crawling back through the opening into the bushes, near the gurgling stream behind his cottage.
The boy ran inside to show his treasure to his mother, saying, “Mother, I am so sorry. I was lost in the woods. I asked a stone to help me, and it rolled to a fir tree, and I asked the fir tree to help me, and it pointed to a clearing in the woods. There I found a dove, and when I asked the dove to help me, it called to me to look up and there I saw a bright shining star. Then the dove showed me where this flower was growing, and I picked it. Next the dove flew into the woods and led me to our brook, and . . . well . . . here I am!”
“My dear child, I am so happy to see you!” said the Mother. “When you didn’t answer me when I called, I asked a shining star to watch over you and guide you safely home again.” Then she smiled and gave the little boy a big hug. Together they found a small glass dish, filled it with water and laid the flower inside.
“What a lovely Winter Star,“ said his Mother. And together they sat by the brightly burning fire and sipped some delicious warm soup for supper.
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