You're listening to a Mother mea podcast.

You're listening to a Mother mea podcast.

Mamma Mia acknowledges the traditional owners of land and waters that this podcast is recorded on.

Mamma Mia acknowledges the traditional owners of land and waters that this podcast is recorded on.

Hello, this glorious mess family, just dropping into your feed to let you know about a great new podcast for your kids called How to Build a Universe Where Stories Build Worlds.

Hello, this glorious mess family, just dropping into your feed to let you know about a great new podcast for your kids called How to Build a Universe Where Stories Build Worlds.

So this podcast is.

So this podcast is.

For your little one to go on magical adventures that strengthen your connection through the power of play. Kids get to hear rich soundscapes and stories as they explore enchanted forests, underwater kingdoms, and prehistoric lands with hosts Jen Muir and friend of the show Tom Lyon. It's perfect for those trips in the car, or maybe if you're at home and you don't want to plump them on a screen and you can keep them entertained and listen to stories together through the power of play. So enjoy.

For your little one to go on magical adventures that strengthen your connection through the power of play. Kids get to hear rich soundscapes and stories as they explore enchanted forests, underwater kingdoms, and prehistoric lands with hosts Jen Muir and friend of the show Tom Lyon. It's perfect for those trips in the car, or maybe if you're at home and you don't want to plump them on a screen and you can keep them entertained and listen to stories together through the power of play. So enjoy.

Hello to all our little builders and the grown ups. Welcome to How to Build a Universe Where Stories Build Worlds. This is a show you listen to with your little one to connect together through storytelling as we invite you to play along.

Hello to all our little builders and the grown ups. Welcome to How to Build a Universe Where Stories Build Worlds. This is a show you listen to with your little one to connect together through storytelling as we invite you to play along.

I'm Jen Muer.

I'm Jen Muer.

I'm a parent, educator, author and a mum to four and My co host is.

I'm a parent, educator, author and a mum to four and My co host is.

I'm Tom Lyon. Momammy is official chief of Fun. Hello, I'm so sorry. I'm just gonna get these sparkles off them everywhere in my socks. I don't think a tiny unicorn might have nestled in my pocket. Thank you, Kevin out you get Oh golly, look, I'm so excited for today's adventure because I'm taking you into an enchanted forest and there's a funny little possum called Nibbles waiting there to meet.

I'm Tom Lyon. Momammy is official chief of Fun. Hello, I'm so sorry. I'm just gonna get these sparkles off them everywhere in my socks. I don't think a tiny unicorn might have nestled in my pocket. Thank you, Kevin out you get Oh golly, look, I'm so excited for today's adventure because I'm taking you into an enchanted forest and there's a funny little possum called Nibbles waiting there to meet.

Jab I can't wait to meet Nibbles.

Jab I can't wait to meet Nibbles.

And you know what I love about magical forests, som as we adventure through the rivers and meet all the animals, it offers a beautiful opportunity for a deeper connection. We all want a good relationship with our kids, and we want our kids to know they are loved unconditionally. One of the best ways to have our kids feel loved is through nine to ten minutes of really focused playtime. The world our kids live in is part fantasy, and this podcast is intended to help you with that creative imagination. My challenge today as you enter the forest is to really become aware of what your child is noticing, join them without leading and see the world through their eyes, just to get a glimpse into their world.

And you know what I love about magical forests, som as we adventure through the rivers and meet all the animals, it offers a beautiful opportunity for a deeper connection. We all want a good relationship with our kids, and we want our kids to know they are loved unconditionally. One of the best ways to have our kids feel loved is through nine to ten minutes of really focused playtime. The world our kids live in is part fantasy, and this podcast is intended to help you with that creative imagination. My challenge today as you enter the forest is to really become aware of what your child is noticing, join them without leading and see the world through their eyes, just to get a glimpse into their world.

Okay, kid, it's our time. We're going into an enchanted forest called the Whispering Woods. That's right, the Whispering Woods. The animals in the forest need your help to find a magic sparkleberry tree. I'll see you after this quick break, and we're heading in. Welcome, little adventurers to the enchanted forest. Do you know what an enchanted forest is? Well, it's a bit irregular forest, but enchanted forests are magical. Are you ready for a magical journey? Great? Let's start by standing up and stretching our arms up high. Come on, if you're sitting down or listening in the car, you can reach up in your seat like we're reaching for the tallest trees. Can you do that with me? Stretching up and up up? That's it. Wiggle your fingers towards the treetops. Great, good stretching. Now, let's tiptoe into our story. Sh can you tiptoe to great? We are entering the enchanted forest, and this forest is called the Whispering Woods, the Whispering Woods. I want you to imagine big, towering gum trees and bright purple chacarandas. These trees have branches that are perfect for climbing, And there are all sorts of colorful wild flowers bursting up from the soil. The flowers are all shapes and sizes, and all the colors of the rainbow. What's your favorite color?

Okay, kid, it's our time. We're going into an enchanted forest called the Whispering Woods. That's right, the Whispering Woods. The animals in the forest need your help to find a magic sparkleberry tree. I'll see you after this quick break, and we're heading in. Welcome, little adventurers to the enchanted forest. Do you know what an enchanted forest is? Well, it's a bit irregular forest, but enchanted forests are magical. Are you ready for a magical journey? Great? Let's start by standing up and stretching our arms up high. Come on, if you're sitting down or listening in the car, you can reach up in your seat like we're reaching for the tallest trees. Can you do that with me? Stretching up and up up? That's it. Wiggle your fingers towards the treetops. Great, good stretching. Now, let's tiptoe into our story. Sh can you tiptoe to great? We are entering the enchanted forest, and this forest is called the Whispering Woods, the Whispering Woods. I want you to imagine big, towering gum trees and bright purple chacarandas. These trees have branches that are perfect for climbing, And there are all sorts of colorful wild flowers bursting up from the soil. The flowers are all shapes and sizes, and all the colors of the rainbow. What's your favorite color?

Hey?

Hey?

I know you want to go on? Pick a flower? Go on? What color did you pick? Good choice? I might pop one in my hair. Ooh, I look fancy. So many animals call this forest home. It's their happy place. Do you know the feeling of when you're happy, when your heart feels light and playful. For me, it's a nice feeling in my face. I can feel it when I smile. Okay, let's step further into the forest together. Are you ready? Can you take another three steps forward? Go on, let's count them? One, two, three? Fantastic. The forest floor is soft and green. Can you feel the fuzzy moss under your toes? Hm? Let's keep walking. I've fallender. Oh so oh, that moss can be very slippery. You gotta traade carefully in here. Look around. If you listen carefully, you can hear the leaves whispering and rustling in the breeze. Have a listen. It almost sounds like they're singing a song or a chant as the wind rustles in their branches. Go on, listen in Oh, what's that up there in the bra Do you see that cheeky possum with the very twitchy whiskers. His name is Nibbles. Oh, he looks a bit worrying. Let's listen carefully to what Nibbles is trying to tell us. M hm, oh, really, come on, are you sure? Oh? Good lord, Nibbles is squeaking quite a lot, he says the Yeah, the sparkleberry tree is losing it sparkle. Oh no, the sparkleberry tree is the queen tree, the mother of this whole enchanted forest. Now, if she loses her sparkle, the whole forest could lose its magic. We can't have that, can't we. Possum says. She wants us to help the sparkleberry tree get her glow back, and we'll need to search the forest for clues. What do you think, my mini explorers? Are you with me? But said, are you with me? Come on? Should we help out? Well, it's a silly question, of course we should put your hand in the air. If you think we can help, great, Let's put on our pretend explorer hats and follow that possum. Our first stop is the bubbling creek. Can you hear that water? Now? There's a frog guarding the crossing. Her name is Bella, and she's got our first clue. Uh huh, okay, yep, yep I Gella, come on, I get it, because she says to cross her creek, we'll need a bridge made of things that floats. Hmmm, can you tell me something that floats? What could we use? It could be anything in your house, leaves, your lunch box, Grandpa's undies, anything else. What can we use to float? Good? Those are splashtastic ideas. Now let's use our imaginary floating objects to cross the creek. Pick them up, put them on the water. That's it. Pop them down on the water and climb on. Wow, that water feels so relaxing on my legs. Oh whisp, smash, she float to floaty. I love the feeling. I love the feeling of floating on the creek. We made it, well done. What's that sound? Whoa? It sounds like someone snoring. It's coming from those giant rocks over there. Look to your right, can you hear it? Look ahead to see those giant rocks. There is big aus. Mom and dad. They're sleeping so dreamily, but we will need to wake them up to pass through. Do you know what we could do to wake them up? What sound do you make to wake up Mum or dad in the morning? Great, I'm sure they love that. I'm wondering how we could wake up these rocks.

I know you want to go on? Pick a flower? Go on? What color did you pick? Good choice? I might pop one in my hair. Ooh, I look fancy. So many animals call this forest home. It's their happy place. Do you know the feeling of when you're happy, when your heart feels light and playful. For me, it's a nice feeling in my face. I can feel it when I smile. Okay, let's step further into the forest together. Are you ready? Can you take another three steps forward? Go on, let's count them? One, two, three? Fantastic. The forest floor is soft and green. Can you feel the fuzzy moss under your toes? Hm? Let's keep walking. I've fallender. Oh so oh, that moss can be very slippery. You gotta traade carefully in here. Look around. If you listen carefully, you can hear the leaves whispering and rustling in the breeze. Have a listen. It almost sounds like they're singing a song or a chant as the wind rustles in their branches. Go on, listen in Oh, what's that up there in the bra Do you see that cheeky possum with the very twitchy whiskers. His name is Nibbles. Oh, he looks a bit worrying. Let's listen carefully to what Nibbles is trying to tell us. M hm, oh, really, come on, are you sure? Oh? Good lord, Nibbles is squeaking quite a lot, he says the Yeah, the sparkleberry tree is losing it sparkle. Oh no, the sparkleberry tree is the queen tree, the mother of this whole enchanted forest. Now, if she loses her sparkle, the whole forest could lose its magic. We can't have that, can't we. Possum says. She wants us to help the sparkleberry tree get her glow back, and we'll need to search the forest for clues. What do you think, my mini explorers? Are you with me? But said, are you with me? Come on? Should we help out? Well, it's a silly question, of course we should put your hand in the air. If you think we can help, great, Let's put on our pretend explorer hats and follow that possum. Our first stop is the bubbling creek. Can you hear that water? Now? There's a frog guarding the crossing. Her name is Bella, and she's got our first clue. Uh huh, okay, yep, yep I Gella, come on, I get it, because she says to cross her creek, we'll need a bridge made of things that floats. Hmmm, can you tell me something that floats? What could we use? It could be anything in your house, leaves, your lunch box, Grandpa's undies, anything else. What can we use to float? Good? Those are splashtastic ideas. Now let's use our imaginary floating objects to cross the creek. Pick them up, put them on the water. That's it. Pop them down on the water and climb on. Wow, that water feels so relaxing on my legs. Oh whisp, smash, she float to floaty. I love the feeling. I love the feeling of floating on the creek. We made it, well done. What's that sound? Whoa? It sounds like someone snoring. It's coming from those giant rocks over there. Look to your right, can you hear it? Look ahead to see those giant rocks. There is big aus. Mom and dad. They're sleeping so dreamily, but we will need to wake them up to pass through. Do you know what we could do to wake them up? What sound do you make to wake up Mum or dad in the morning? Great, I'm sure they love that. I'm wondering how we could wake up these rocks.

I know.

I know.

We could sing a special song. A song would surely wake them up. Do you like singing? I love singing? La lah blah me. I'm sorry, I've gotta be carried away there. Do you know what kind of music rocks like? Have a think? Well, it's rock music, of course. WHOA. Let's walk on. We can do this one together. Let's sing an easy song to wake up those sleeping rocks. If you're standing up, you can dance along too. Let's get moving. I'm gonna sing it. It's easy. I'll let you know the bit to join in.

We could sing a special song. A song would surely wake them up. Do you like singing? I love singing? La lah blah me. I'm sorry, I've gotta be carried away there. Do you know what kind of music rocks like? Have a think? Well, it's rock music, of course. WHOA. Let's walk on. We can do this one together. Let's sing an easy song to wake up those sleeping rocks. If you're standing up, you can dance along too. Let's get moving. I'm gonna sing it. It's easy. I'll let you know the bit to join in.

All these rocks sleeping on the ground, still and quiet, not a single sounds. We'll tiptoes up take it. So it's time to let them know they're snoopsan oh no, they ain't moving. We're seeing our song to wake them up. We gotta save sparkle berry trees. So cock kids sing with me. Wake up brox that's rock and roll. Wake up Rocess rock and roll. Wake up Rosa's rock and roll. Wake up Rocks. That's rock and ro sing.

All these rocks sleeping on the ground, still and quiet, not a single sounds. We'll tiptoes up take it. So it's time to let them know they're snoopsan oh no, they ain't moving. We're seeing our song to wake them up. We gotta save sparkle berry trees. So cock kids sing with me. Wake up brox that's rock and roll. Wake up Rocess rock and roll. Wake up Rosa's rock and roll. Wake up Rocks. That's rock and ro sing.

Wake up Rocks. Let's rock and roll, Wake up rox Us, rock and roll.

Wake up Rocks. Let's rock and roll, Wake up rox Us, rock and roll.

The sunshines here, it's time's rise and this is not a lullaby.

The sunshines here, it's time's rise and this is not a lullaby.

Wake up. Great singing. That was awesome. Oh look, the stony faces are smiling. I think it worked. Okay, The giant rocks are pointing towards a glowing tree that must be the sparkleberry tree, and nibbles the possum is running towards it. But wait, oh no, we've got one more thing to do, because the sparkleberry is covered in tiny prickles. Yes, nibbles. Okay, so these prickles are called grumble thorns, and they must be why the tree is losing her sparkle. So what can we do to remove those pesky prickles from the poor sparkleberry tree. Have a think, what's gentle enough to remove the prickles without hurting the berries. Okay, Nibbles is up there. I can see her. She's trying to whack the prickles off with her tail. She's she's using a bit of a brushing motion. What could you use a feather a soft paintbrush. I know this will sound crazy, but what about some tickling. What if we tickle that tree? Maybe it with some tickle power we can shake and jiggle those pickles away. Are you ready, let's all tickle the tree tickling fingers go. I could hear the tree laughing. She's shaking those prickles everywhere. Yes, it's working. Great warrant, team tickle, we tickle those grumbles away. Oh yes, laughter is always the best medicine. I say, oh oh, look all the sparkleberries are glowing again, and all the animals in the chanted forest are whispering. Thank you. Hang out our possom. Nibbles look so happy. Now it's time for us to head home now, but the magic of the whispering woods will always be with us. Next time you were outside playing, what might you find in the garden that could be magical? Maybe that pebble over there is a sleeping rock well that flower is a tiny sparkleberry tree waiting to glow. You know. Exploring this forest today reminded me of something. It felt so good when we danced around and how to laugh when I'm feeling a bit glum. I like to move my body by running, dancing or even singing helps me feel happy and ready to rock my day. Did you like moving and dancing with us today?

Wake up. Great singing. That was awesome. Oh look, the stony faces are smiling. I think it worked. Okay, The giant rocks are pointing towards a glowing tree that must be the sparkleberry tree, and nibbles the possum is running towards it. But wait, oh no, we've got one more thing to do, because the sparkleberry is covered in tiny prickles. Yes, nibbles. Okay, so these prickles are called grumble thorns, and they must be why the tree is losing her sparkle. So what can we do to remove those pesky prickles from the poor sparkleberry tree. Have a think, what's gentle enough to remove the prickles without hurting the berries. Okay, Nibbles is up there. I can see her. She's trying to whack the prickles off with her tail. She's she's using a bit of a brushing motion. What could you use a feather a soft paintbrush. I know this will sound crazy, but what about some tickling. What if we tickle that tree? Maybe it with some tickle power we can shake and jiggle those pickles away. Are you ready, let's all tickle the tree tickling fingers go. I could hear the tree laughing. She's shaking those prickles everywhere. Yes, it's working. Great warrant, team tickle, we tickle those grumbles away. Oh yes, laughter is always the best medicine. I say, oh oh, look all the sparkleberries are glowing again, and all the animals in the chanted forest are whispering. Thank you. Hang out our possom. Nibbles look so happy. Now it's time for us to head home now, but the magic of the whispering woods will always be with us. Next time you were outside playing, what might you find in the garden that could be magical? Maybe that pebble over there is a sleeping rock well that flower is a tiny sparkleberry tree waiting to glow. You know. Exploring this forest today reminded me of something. It felt so good when we danced around and how to laugh when I'm feeling a bit glum. I like to move my body by running, dancing or even singing helps me feel happy and ready to rock my day. Did you like moving and dancing with us today?

I loved moving and dancing. And what I loved most about the forest today was that in under ten minutes, we've completely joined our kids in their world. This fills their emotional cups to the brim while also supporting their creativity. I have a tip for parents. As you tuck your child into bed tonight, just let them know how much you enjoyed going into the enchanted forest with them. This makes kids feel amazing, and this connection often brings about a deeper cooperation, which is a lovely bonus and for some, a completely new phenomenon.

I loved moving and dancing. And what I loved most about the forest today was that in under ten minutes, we've completely joined our kids in their world. This fills their emotional cups to the brim while also supporting their creativity. I have a tip for parents. As you tuck your child into bed tonight, just let them know how much you enjoyed going into the enchanted forest with them. This makes kids feel amazing, and this connection often brings about a deeper cooperation, which is a lovely bonus and for some, a completely new phenomenon.

While speaking of something new, next week, we're going on a completely different adventure. I heard there might be some splashing involved and maybe even some mermaids. Are you ready to dive under the sea with me?

While speaking of something new, next week, we're going on a completely different adventure. I heard there might be some splashing involved and maybe even some mermaids. Are you ready to dive under the sea with me?

And until then, remember, stories build.

And until then, remember, stories build.

Universes and your imagination is always ready for an adventure. See you next time, builders.

Universes and your imagination is always ready for an adventure. See you next time, builders.

Bye.

Bye.

The executive producer of How to Build a Universe is Courtney Amenhauser, with story writing and sound designed by me Tom Lyon. Thanks for listening to today's episode of How to Build a Universe. We'd love to know what you thought of it. You can fill out our survey and go in the running to win one thousand dollars. There's a link in the show notes.

The executive producer of How to Build a Universe is Courtney Amenhauser, with story writing and sound designed by me Tom Lyon. Thanks for listening to today's episode of How to Build a Universe. We'd love to know what you thought of it. You can fill out our survey and go in the running to win one thousand dollars. There's a link in the show notes.