A ‘Waldorfy’ Playlist: Ashley Renwick’s Favorite Stories
Have you ever wondered about other Sparkle parents’s go-to stories? Ashley Renwick, creator and host of the Waldorfy Podcast and a long-time Sparkle Subscriber herself, walks us through some of her own favorite stories and how they fit into her families rhythms and routines! Read all about it below.
Some of you may have already heard me say this on the Waldorfy podcast — the transition from one to two children wasn’t the easiest adjustment. (I’m sure lots of you can relate!) As a parent, I felt so torn between trying to meet the needs of my newborn while still trying to provide my three-year-old with the connection and magic that had filled our days prior to the arrival of his new sibling. It was hard.
At first, we started listening to Sparkle Stories as part of our rest time. We would read a book or two and then I’d play a Sparkle Story and we would just sit and listen together. At the time, my older one had just turned three and he certainly was not picking up every detail within each story. We would just listen together and be quiet, just one story at a time. I loved that I didn’t have to listen to the content ahead of time to filter; I could just be confident that each story was developmentally appropriate based on my search criteria (which I just set to his age). Over the following months, I started to pick something up while the story would play. Knitting, or a bit of tidying up, folding laundry. I believe these little activities allowed us more space so that he could just rest and listen and slowly he started to absorb more and more of what he was hearing.
Sparkle Stories to Engage and Reset
Now at three-and-a-half, my older one sits and listens to a Sparkle Story usually once a day, sometimes twice. Especially when my husband travels for work, that second story fits really nicely into our rhythm (in part because my younger one is still taking two naps) and gives me a little bit of breathing room in our day that I so often desperately need. Interestingly, my favorite part of what that small, peaceful window in our day provides is not the break I get while he listens — it’s actually what I observe happens afterwards. Instead of begging me for one more story, or one more snack, or something else, he most often just wanders off to play on his own. It’s as if listening to an engaging story is a fresh reset for him that just sets him back off into his little three-year-old world again, ready and set to explore, create, and play.
Our Absolute Favorites
Here I’ve compiled some of our favorite stories to listen to, plus one collection. For a while, we were living for the Willowbee Tree stories. I think it may have been a bit lost on my three-year-old just where the children in the stories were traveling off to, but he loved the different animals each story features. Now we’ve been much more into the Martin & Sylvia stories. There are SO many good ones, and you’ll see some of those on our list as well. The collection we love most is Martin and Sylvia: Travel! We’ll listen to all of those as we gear up for a big trip.
I hope you enjoy each story as much as we do. I’m already wondering what Sparkle Story favorites you’ll gather in your Storybox!
Enjoy!
Ashley (and Jasper’s) favorite Sparkle Stories:
Stories:
Wood Elves
When Martin decides he’d like to be a wood elf, Momma suggests that he just try – and he is surprised that he…
Story Details »
Seeing the Magic
Piper is worried she won’t get along with a new acquaintance until a magical llama shows her how to find things in unexpected…
Story Details »
Taking Your Time
Piper sometimes rushes her work just to be finished before others, but a sloth in Ecuador helps her see the value and power…
Story Details »
The Blunt Gnome and Shiny Gnome
Blunt gnomes and Shiny gnomes strongly disagree about how to work with gems. But one day, when they have to work together, they…
Story Details »
Too Much
Momma helps Martin & Sylvia be honest about their feelings…
Story Details »
Grandma’s Brownies
When Martin and Sylvia’s family travels south to Grandma’s House, Sylvia has one question – how many brownies can she have?
Story Details »
Three Little Fairy Houses
Inspired by the “Three Little Pigs” story, Martin and Sylvia try to make different kinds of fairy houses to weather a storm.
Story Details »
The Resilient Little Bluebird
In the story, the Willowbee Children learn the meaning of resilience when they meet a determined group of bluejays that are small in…
Story Details »
Taking Your Time
Piper sometimes rushes her work just to be finished before others, but a sloth in Ecuador helps her see the value and power…
Story Details »
The Race
Piper is worried about competing with her friend Elise in a race, but meets a roadrunner and jackrabbit who tech her that friends…
Story Details »
Listen to the Lights
The Willowbee children learn how to be excited but still be quiet from a Moose who shows them to enjoy the northern lights.
Story Details »
Through the Hedgerow
Piper learns to appreciate simple adventures from a herd of cows who are never bored, even though they don’t have much excitement in…
Story Details »
The Angry Elephant
A willow tree adventure to India helps Piper understand her own temper by meeting an elephant with a similar personality.
Story Details »
Give and Take
Clancy takes more than his share of a yummy treat hoping his mother won’t notice. After a willow tree trip to Borneo he…
Story Details »
Collection:
Martin & Sylvia: Travel We love the parts 1-5 in this series for ages 3+
About Waldorfy:
The Waldorfy podcast serves to explore and explain Waldorf education and anthroposophy. In most episodes, Ashley discusses topics with a Waldorf teacher, or someone with knowledge about anthroposophy, to deliver accurate, simple, interesting, information and explanations. When possible we’ll bring to attention any research or study surrounding the topics we are exploring. Ashley’s main aim is to reach parents, prospective parents, and alumni to engage them with the meaning and purpose of Waldorf Education and its connection with anthroposophy.
You can learn more about Waldorfy here!
About the authors
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Ashley Renwick
Creator and Host of the Waldorfy PodcastAshley Renwick, creator and host of the Waldorfy podcast, is a Waldorf alumna and mom to three-and-a-half-year-old Jasper and nine-month-old Bodhi. Ashley is passionate about sharing information on Waldorf education and Waldorf parenting. When her son Jasper was born, Ashley felt called to reconnect with the magical Waldorf experience she had as a child. She wanted to go deeper, learning more about the pedagogy and even discover where research has been done to substantiate this philosophy. She started Waldorfy as a way to inspire parents to find joy in raising their WHOLE child.
