Sparkle Stories Blog

This fun project for kids will teach you how to create your own sundial using simple materials. It's inspired by a story from our original audio collection, Martin and Sylvia's Nature School!

Onigiri are balls of rice with filling. Sometimes they're fried. Sometimes they're covered with seeds or nori on the outside. Sometimes they're fancy, sometimes they're humble. But if you can cook a pot of rice, you can make them. The recipe below includes a variation for two fillings — spicy tuna and pickled plums.

In the *At Home with Martin & Sylvia* story "Spring Sillies Day," Momma serves the children “Backyard Porridge” on their much loved Spring Sillies Day. You don’t have to wait until next April 1 to have some morning silliness. Create your own Spring Sillies Day and serve up a little of the “bugs & grubs” — Martin-and-Sylvia style. Here's how!

This week's craft project—a beaded light catcher—isn't a magic polish, but it will transform the light coming in your window into beautiful colors. What's more, it would be a great boredom buster for a kiddo who's feeling under the weather.

This week's craft project comes from the region of the “mountains that hold the sky” — it's a no-sew, backyard version of Tibetan prayer flags.

Did you know that if you freeze and blend bananas they turn into a substance with exactly the same creamy texture as soft-serve ice cream? It's a neat trick, particularly if you consistently end up with one leftover banana about to go bad. Follow the steps in this recipe to make your own!

Here are some stories that can help children put the screens away and do something else!

This week's recipe is far more lovely and appealing than grub-y grubs, although it's just as wild. This week we're making a gorgeous summer salad with edible flowers.