Sparkle Stories Blog

The Junkyard Tales Audio Advent Calendar Day 10. Late at night by the Beaver Pond, Fredland the Moose wakes from a powerful dream — a dream that shows him his Junkyard friends need his help! So off he goes, through the snow and wind, until he hears two familiar voices in the distance. The trip from the Beaver Pond to the Junkyard is long and windy.

The *Junkyard Tales Audio Advent Calendar* Day 16. When Sally announces that the children would like a full train set as well as a game table called “Foolsball,” the little mouse Newberry steps forward with a plan for how to build them both.

For this year's calendar, our lovely Sparkle Stories artists have made a beautiful set of printable ornaments.

This week's craft comes from the Philippines and will leave plenty of room for individual interpretation — it's a homemade Sungka game.

Not only is this castle fit for gallant deeds and brave adventures, it is also mostly made out of things you would otherwise throw away. Beginning with a box and a few empty cardboard tubes — and adding in some adult help with a box cutting knife — this is a castle King Arthur would be proud of.

Below, you'll find directions for three paper airplanes. None of them are terrifically complicated—each take only a few minutes to make—but they're guaranteed to get your little ones excited about flying.

The holidays are a great time for crafting, with so many gifts to give and decorations to be put up. It's also a great time for making yummy homemade treats. We've picked nine of our favorite holiday recipes and crafts to inspire you.

We've created a fun tutorial for these very easy-to-make pocket hand warmers. Just pop them in the microwave or in a low oven for a few moments to warm up the rice or beans inside. They will stay warm for quite awhile and that will help keep little fingers nice and toasty — and hopefully help your family enjoy the outside longer.

There is no cozier craft than working with wool. Knitting is the quintessential cozy craft — no only do you get to sit in a comfy spot, but the yarn is soft and it warms you as you knit. I've rounded up several projects to keep you warm and cozy this winter.

We've gathered some of our best crafts and recipes to support families during back to school transitions!