Koko & Kira's Rainy Camping Trip 🐨☔️ Kids Bedtime Story

[00:00:00] Hello and welcome back to Koala Moon, a podcast of original children's bedtime stories and meditations designed to make bedtime a dream. Now then, here's a big warm cocoa cuddle going out to you Victoria Kulig, to you Sophie Kira, fab name, to you Lucy, Isabel and Molly who are listening in Ireland, and to you Lucy and Michael from Geelong, Australia.

[00:00:27] Welcome to the club all of you. Remember to explore the back catalogue when you have a moment and enjoy listening to some of those older stories you may have missed. Oh, and don't forget to tell all of your friends about us please. You never know who maybe has a hard time dropping off to sleep at the end of a busy day. I don't know about you, but I'm thinking about sleeping now and sleeping under the stars, under canvas, in the great outdoors.

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[00:01:14] Hey Koala Moon listeners. If your family loves imaginative adventures like the ones we share here, you'll absolutely love our friends over at the Stories Podcast. Every week they bring a new story to life, from retellings of classics like Snow White and Peter Rabbit, to completely original tales you won't hear anywhere else.

[00:01:37] Safe for all ages and perfect for sparking little imaginations, Stories Podcast is a must-listen for kids and grown-ups alike. Whether you're looking for screen-free fun at the weekend or something to help you wind down after school, just search Stories wherever you get your podcasts and discover a new adventure together.

[00:02:00] Hey, sleepyheads. I'm Kelly, the host of Koala Shine, the perfect daytime adventure show for long car journeys, school runs, and lazy Sunday mornings. I'm popping up here on Koala Moon because I've heard you want more Koala Kids stories, and I'm here to deliver. Beep, beep, special delivery. Koala Shine is a tiny bit different from Koala Moon, as it's designed for daytime listening.

[00:02:21] So, after a great night's sleep with a story from Abby, you can have a big old stretch and tune in to Koala Shine, joining your favorite characters on crazy adventures around the world. With new episodes every Friday, we'll follow Hector and Sunny on a daytime safari, explore the big city with Munchie the raccoon, and visit the circus with Super Soul. You'll also hear cool facts, jokes, and learn about the world we live in. Plus, there's a chance for your voices to be featured on the podcast, too.

[00:02:48] Koala Shine offers mindful, fun entertainment on the move, designed to spark curiosity. Search Koala Shine now on your favorite podcast platform, and be sure to hit follow so that finding your next adventure is easy-peasy lemon squeezy. Hope to see you there! Koala Shine! Oh, I love a bit of camping. It's so fun. Although not so much if it's raining, I find.

[00:03:16] I know, I know, that makes me a bit boring. I'm very much of a fair weather camper, which in the UK means I don't go camping very often. But luckily, Coco and Kira are made of sterner stuff than me. We're soon going to join them and Miss Bushy Tail, their teacher, and their classmates on a camping trip. The only thing is, shock horror, it starts to rain. Do they dash home, drenched? Do they look for refuge in Fritz the Frog's Hotel?

[00:03:45] No, of course not. But instead, they have a great way of looking at the situation, and they decide it actually makes their tents feel even cozier. Now enjoy relaxing and breathing steadily as you keep your eyes closed, and I'll begin Coco and Kira's Rainy Camping Trip by Luke Prendergast.

[00:04:14] Deep in the heart of a faraway forest stood a cosy wooden cabin. Inside the cabin lived a family of kawanas, and a panda bear too, of course. Every weekday morning, lights would illuminate the windows of the cosy cabin, as Coco and his little sister Kira got up, ate their breakfast, and headed off to Sleepy Forest Elementary School, just like every other kid who lived in the forest.

[00:04:44] One afternoon in March, a notice went up on the cork board in the main entranceway of the school. Camping trip, the notice read in big capital letters, and beneath this were written the words, Sign Up Here. There was a big space underneath that, where students could write their names. Already there was a number of inky scribbles. And at the bottom of the page, the notice was signed off with the name Miss Bushytale.

[00:05:14] Miss Bushytale had arrived at Sleepy Forest Elementary last year, and it hadn't taken very long at all for all the students to agree that she was by far one of the coolest teachers they'd ever had. She had a glossy red fur coat, a big bushy squirrel tail, and everywhere she went, she wore a dark green sports cap and a matching dark green tennis skirt.

[00:05:42] She'd come to Sleepy Forest to be the school's cheerleading coach, and truth be told, Coco and Kira had been tripping over themselves to join up for the Fierce Spirit Squad. Hadn't that been a magical experience, learning how to fly and sail through the air, as though they were a flock of birds who'd grown wings and taken flight?

[00:06:07] But, as it turned out, cheerleading wasn't Miss Bushytale's only area of interest. It seemed there was no end to the number of activities she liked to try her poor at. She organised a bake sale day, and brought in a breathtaking multi-tiered cake, decorated with dozens of icing trees, and a twisting blue river to make it look just like Sleepy Forest.

[00:06:35] She started up a canoeing club. And now, every Thursday morning, Miss Bushytale and a group of students zipped up in their life jackets could be seen paddling down the Sleepy River in their multicoloured canoes. And, rumour had it, she had even been spotted building her own small aircraft, with the intention to take it up a nearby mountain and glide clean over the tops of the forest trees.

[00:07:05] And now, said Kira, looking at the notice pinned up on the board, we should add camping to the list. I wonder if there's anything Miss Bushytale can't do. Probably nothing, Coco agreed, a little dreamily. I think she's the most accomplished person I've ever met.

[00:07:36] Oh, yes, said Kira. And we've got to sign up for the camping trip, don't we, Coco? Without a moment's hesitation, Coco nodded. Oh, yes, he said. We sure do. They both fished pens out of their bags and added their names to the list of participants. Kira's in curly purple letters.

[00:08:04] Coco's in a quick blue scrawl. All the way home, they chittered and chattered excitedly about the camping trip, what it might involve and what Miss Bushytale might teach them about the great outdoors. In fact, their chatting carried on all through dinner time and into the evening, so that at one point, their mum had to interrupt them. Okay, you two, she said,

[00:08:34] ushering them towards their desks. I promise I'll help you get all of your camping gear out and ready for your big trip. But right now, it's time to settle down and get your homework done because it's already almost bedtime. Still, for the next week, it was all Coco and Kira could talk about. As April arrived, blue skies unfolded above them

[00:09:03] and irises and crocuses and crisp white snowdrops budded up across the forest floor. And when they spoke about the camping trip, they pictured a warm night by the campfire and running with bare feet through the delicate dewdrops clinging to the morning grass. But as the Saturday of the camping trip approached, something rather unfortunate occurred. The blue skies dimmed.

[00:09:33] Grey clouds formed in the sky above them. And Maisie the Mole, who was a very clever scientist indeed and in charge of forecasting the weather in Sleepy Forest, predicted that the weekend would in fact be cool and rather rainy indeed. April showers, she said with a shrug. Isn't it always the way? At school, many students began dropping out

[00:10:02] of the camping trip altogether. Percy, a proud young peacock, said that unfortunately his feathers were not waterproof. And Prickles the Hedgehog said that even though camping did sound really fun, he rather disliked the idea of getting his feet stuck in the mud. Coco and Kira exchanged a nervous look. They hoped that the camping trip wouldn't be cancelled altogether.

[00:10:32] But then, to their great relief, Miss Bushytail made an announcement just as the school day was ending. The camping trip will go ahead as planned, she called out with a bright smile and a firm nod of her chin. A little bit of drizzle should never deter truly intrepid explorers. Make sure you wrap up warm and bring your welly boots.

[00:11:02] See you tomorrow, happy campers! A camping trip? In the rain? Their mum asked them when they got home that evening. Are you sure you two are going to enjoy that? Coco and Kira grinned. Yes, they told her. In fact, a rainy camping trip sounded like rather a lot of fun.

[00:11:30] The next morning, they awoke to find that Maisie the Mole's forecast had been spot on. The sky was grey. There was a thick mist hanging in the air between the pine trees and already a fine drizzle was falling from the sky. None of this, though, put a damper on Coco and Kira's mood. They were intrepid explorers after all, just like

[00:12:00] Miss Bushytail had said. And no bit of rain was going to put them off. They ate a hearty breakfast of porridge with eucalyptus and bamboo shoes, then packed their big camping bags. In went woolly socks and gloves and a spare set of clothes in case they got wet. They packed their tent, the poles and the waterproof canvas sheet, and they tucked in lots of

[00:12:30] snacks, nuts and energy bars that their mum had prepared for them. They added a couple of flashlights and a canteen water bottle each. Finally, their mum handed them a paper bag of marshmallows, just in case it's dry enough to toast them on the campfire, she said with a wink. Then they went upstairs to change. They each put on plenty of

[00:12:59] warm layers and thick socks with well-worn welly boots. Back downstairs they put on their anoraks and waterproof hats too. They hoisted their backpacks onto their shoulders and waved goodbye to their mum before setting off to the meeting place next to Sleepy Forest Elementary. The camping group was a fair bit smaller than they had anticipated. There were just three or four

[00:13:29] other students including their friend Camo who had turned his chameleon skin bright red to go with his anorak. And of course there was Miss Bushytail in a dark green raincoat and her trademark cap beaming at them and shaking her thick tail merrily. Miss Bushytail's smile shone so bright you didn't have any need for the sun to come out from behind the clouds.

[00:14:00] All of us Miss Bushytail announced right happy campers are we all set off we go and so they set off they marched in single file through the forest keeping to the boggy paths their backpacks bobbing on their backs their welly boots squelching in the mud. Most of the time they stepped around or hopped over the pools

[00:14:30] of water that had collected on the paths but one time Kira took a big jump and splish splashed right into the middle of a big puddle sending rainbows of water into the air and making everyone giggle. They were heading to Miss Bushytale's favourite camping spot in the forest a clearing by the edge of a small horseshoe shaped lake. The lake had once upon a time

[00:14:59] many thousands of years ago been part of the sleepy river Miss Bushytale told them but over time the flow of the river water had eroded the soil from one bank and deposited it on the other side until at last new banks had formed and the horseshoe lake was separated from the sleepy river. Miss Bushytale knew all kinds of amazing facts about

[00:15:29] sleepy forests like that and she entertained them with them as they walked. She pointed out rare breeds of forest tree with magical medical properties. She showed them where a unicorn had left a trail of sparkly silver hair on the ground so it could find its way back through the forest. And she showed them a secret spot where a fragment of meteor had fallen from space and landed in the forest

[00:15:59] where it lay half buried in the mud glinting black and red. Miss Bushytale's facts and stories were so fascinating that the walk which took over an hour appeared to pass by in the blink of an eye. Before they knew it they were there. Oh Coco sighed. The others blinked happily at the sight. Even in the

[00:16:29] rain with the grey sky above them it was a very beautiful spot indeed. The little lake curved in a perfect horseshoe the water sparkling and reflecting the clouds in dark splodges on its surface. Around its edges was a crunchy beach of pale pebbles flanked by the dense trees of the forest. Now folks Miss Bushytale said

[00:16:58] we have arrived at our camping destination. And does anyone know the first thing campers must do when they reach their resting site? Hands popped up into the air. Miss Bushytale pointed at Camo. Go swimming he said gleefully which made everyone laugh. Camo loved swimming. His family lived in a grotto

[00:17:28] down by the river and could often be seen slipping into the water and splashing about. No Camo Miss Bushytale said with a patient smile. Those fun activities we must save for second. Anyone else want to have a go? This time she picked Kira's whose hand was stretched up so high Coco thought it might come right off her body and float up into the sky.

[00:17:58] We've got to set up camp she said. Miss Bushytale nodded. That's right Kira. we've got to set up camp. So let's divide into two groups. The first group can stay here and put up the tents. The other can go off and forage for dry wood that we can use for a small campfire. And remember only collect wood that the

[00:18:28] trees have already dropped to the forest floor. Coco was in the first group along with Miss Bushytale and a couple of the other students, a little sparrow called Sid and a young elephant called Stompy. They unpacked the tents from their backpacks and laid out the poles and the guide ropes in the shapes on the ground like templates. Then they all began to put the tents up. But

[00:18:58] Coco soon found that it was a very difficult thing to do by himself. For each time he had one pole upright it would tip over when he tried to lift another one. Wouldn't it be best he called out to the others who were struggling just as much as he was to put up their own tents if we all helped each other out and put the tents up one by one his

[00:19:28] suggestion was met with hearty agreement and soon enough they were all working Miss Bushytale oversaw the whole enterprise pointing this way and that while Stompy used her elephant strength to hold the tent up Sid flew the guide ropes over the top of the tent and Coco used a little wooden mallet to drive them into the ground in no time

[00:19:58] at all all the tents were up fantastic teamwork campers Miss Bushytale said meanwhile Kira and Camo had slipped through the tree line and into the forest to search for bits of dry wood this was a rather tricky affair since there had been so much rain that most of the twigs and wood lying on the forest floor

[00:20:27] was soaked through and unusable so they had to play to their strengths with camo slithering with his chameleon body through slender gaps in out jutting rocks to gather dry bits of wood that had been shaded beneath them while Kira dug down into piles of fallen leaves to retrieve the fallen branches from under them when they both staggered back

[00:20:57] to the campsite with arms full of dry wood everyone gave a little cheer now they had tents and firewood see kids miss bushytail said a bit of bad weather never stopped anyone miss bushytail took charge of setting up the campfire which required a safe pair of adult hands

[00:21:26] while she was at it the rest of them went down to the water's edge and paddled in their welly boots Kira loved to look down and see how the water loosened the mud that had caked the bottom of her leaves leaving trails of brown dust spiralling through the water it looked just like the starry milky way shimmering high up in the sky and camo

[00:21:56] finally got to have his swim gliding through the water as gracefully as a fish he came up and squirted water out of his mouth so high that it landed right on co's rain hat making everyone dissolve into giggles soon miss bushytail called over to them come and check this out folks over

[00:22:26] they went to discover that in the middle of the tents was a small round space with a small campfire crackling merrily in the middle coco held out his paws in front of him and felt the warmth of the flames light them up everyone

[00:22:49] let out a pleasant sigh. The light was fading quickly from the sky, replacing the grey of the day with the inky black blanket of night. What's more, tummies had started to rumble, especially stompies. Each time her stomach let out a great big gurgle, she'd touch it

[00:23:17] curiously with the tip of her trunk. Sometimes I wonder, she'd say, if there's some other creature living in there who lets out that growling sound whenever she's hungry. Sounds like it's dinner time, Miss Bushytale said, and so she got out some long skewers of vegetables, peppers and aubergines,

[00:23:47] and other forest goodies, and roasted them over the campfire. They ate them carefully, tucking their teeth into the hot vegetables and telling each other jokes. Thank you, Miss Bushytale, Coco said when they were finished. That was absolutely delicious. And then he remembered something

[00:24:14] he'd almost forgotten. He reached his paw deep into his rucksack and drew out the paper bag his mum had given him. Marshmallows, he said gleefully in response to everyone's questioning looks, for toasting on the fire.

[00:24:36] What a good idea, Coco, Miss Bushytale said. And that made Coco's heart glow. Coco and Kira went to wash the skewers with a little lake water, and then they slid the marshmallows onto them. Just before they could begin to toast them, however, something fell out of the sky and straight onto the fire.

[00:25:06] The fire gave a little hiss and let out a puff of smoke. Then, after a moment, something else fell out of the sky and onto the fire, and the same thing happened. Hiss, smoke. Hiss, smoke.

[00:25:29] Then one plonked onto the tip of Coco's nose, and he realised what it was. Uh-oh, he said. It's raining again. Before he'd even finished speaking, the rain was coming down faster,

[00:25:50] big globes of wetness falling down and plopping on their heads, on the fire, on the ground. Never fear, happy campers, Miss Bushytale said, jumping up and giving her luscious tail a shake. Her bit of rain never stopped a truly intrepid explorer. From out of her tent, she pulled a long sheet of waterproof canvas,

[00:26:21] which they secured to the tops of the tents so it formed a canopy over their heads and over the fire. And soon, the rain was no longer landing on them or sizzling on the fire, but instead was making its rat-a-tat-tat patter on the canopy, like the footsteps of a dozen little rain spirits dancing above their heads.

[00:26:47] The marshmallows now were toasting nicely, their pink and white exteriors bubbling and turning a perfect golden brown. Miss Bushytale took them out of the flames and passed them round. Kira blew on hers until it had cooled down sufficiently, then popped it in her mouth. How wonderfully delicious it was,

[00:27:16] crisp and bitter on the outside and gooey and sweet on the inside. Please, Miss Bushytale, she said. Please, can we have another? Miss Bushytale let out a gentle, tinkling laugh, her mouth full of toasted marshmallow too, and set a new batch on the flames.

[00:27:43] Night had settled fully over the forest now. All that could be heard was the crackling embers of the fire, the musical plink-plonk of the raindrops on the roof and, further off, on the surface of the lake. Far off in the trees, a gentle owl gave a low hoot. Now, Miss Bushytale said,

[00:28:11] it's time to begin the most important camping tradition of all, telling stories around the campfire. Smiles lit up around the campfire at this suggestion. Miss Bushytale asked who would like to go first. Stompy raised her trunk and told a story about a time she and her family

[00:28:38] had enjoyed the most relaxing mud bath after a night of heavy rain. Then, Sid the sparrow told a story about how they had found some twigs that had been transformed by a magic forest fairy into rubies and sapphires, and how they kept them in their nests all winter, until, when spring came again, the jewels turned back into twigs.

[00:29:08] Camo told a story about how he'd been taught to swim by a dolphin who had come to visit the sleepy river one year when he was young and made friends with his family by their grotto. But when it came time for Coco and Kira to tell a story, all they could do was yawn. It had grown so late, and they were so tired,

[00:29:35] the sleep creeping through their limbs and settling heavily on their eyelids. You two can tell a story in the morning, Miss Bushytale told them softly, and they smiled and said, yes, that sounded much better. They curled up even cozier around the fire, pulling blankets over their bodies

[00:30:04] and using soft mounds of grassy earth to rest their heads upon. Miss Bushytale cleared her throat. She began to tell a story, but the happy campers were so sleepy and so cosy and so warm by the flickering flames and the warm touch of the embers in the air

[00:30:30] that they could never entirely remember what Miss Bushytale's story had been about. It had involved an aeroplane, that's for sure, and dreams of soft clouds and blue skies, and there was a tall hill with a gentle slope and green grass with butterflies and bumblebees

[00:30:59] drifting lazily from flower to flower. But other details the happy campers could not remember. Still, as they drifted off to sleep one by one, Miss Bushytale kept up her story, the soft lilt of her voice merging with their dreams like a lullaby.

[00:31:31] Then, when her story was finished and the embers were almost out on the fire, she lifted the happy campers one by one and put them in their tents and wished them goodnight and zipped them up safe. Then Miss Bushytale tucked herself into her sleeping bag and fell asleep.

[00:32:01] And all the happy campers, all those intrepid explorers, for whom a little bit of rain was no problem, dropped into a deep and peaceful slumber, with the rain pattering on the tent roofs and the horseshoe lake beside them,

[00:32:28] glittering darkly in the night. And the rain pattering on the night where they were the baby with the sukkedied on the night. Thank you.