Munchy & The Sun Puddles 🦝💤 Kids Sleep Stories for Better Sleep

[00:00:10] [SPEAKER_00] Hello and welcome back to Koala Moon, a podcast of original children's bedtime stories and meditations designed to make bedtime a dream. Wow, Coco and I have just had some fabulous news from Sleep HQ. We have just learnt that Elsbeth, who moved to Ontario, England, has been listening for three years.

[00:00:36] [SPEAKER_00] You've been with us from the start, Elsbeth. Thank you for being part of the Coco Club and making all this possible. It's made me wonder how many more people out there have been listening for three years. For three years it's gone past in an absolute blink of an eye for me, but that's quite a long time, isn't it? If you have been listening for a while, you'll know that we love getting ideas from you. We try to turn them into stories whenever we can.

[00:01:05] [SPEAKER_00] And this episode idea that we're about to hear came in from Julia, who's a nine-year-old listener and she loves Munchy the Raccoon. And she thought he'd have a wonderful time relaxing with her cats, Tuxedo and Heidi. Well, our talented writer Alicia has worked her magic and brought your idea to life, Julia, in this great story. We really hope you like it.

[00:01:33] [SPEAKER_00] Before we begin, a quick message for the grown-ups. If you'd like to support our podcast, enjoy ad-free listening, unlock four bonus stories per month and much, much more, you can join Coco Club. Subscribe in just two taps via the link in the show notes. But now, here's a quick word from our sponsors. Hey Koala Moon listeners!

[00:01:56] [SPEAKER_00] 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. Safe for all ages, and perfect for sparking little imaginations, Stories Podcast is a must-listen for kids and grown-ups alike.

[00:02:25] [SPEAKER_00] 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. Hello Koala Moon listeners! If you have babies and toddlers in your family, then this announcement is for you. I'd like to tell you about my other sleep show, Koala Tots.

[00:02:48] [SPEAKER_00] It's got all the magic of Koala Moon, but it's made especially for the littlest of listeners, babies and toddlers. Koala Tots is packed with soothing stories and calming rhymes, perfect for helping babies and toddlers sleep like a dream. Not only are the stories incredibly relaxing, but they have easy-to-understand language and gentle repetition, designed to help with babies' cognitive development as they drift off to sleep.

[00:03:15] [SPEAKER_00] There's even appearances from some of the Koala Moon star favourites, alongside the cutest episodes like How to Hug a Hedgehog and Nugget's Cozy Night. So search Koala Tots on your favourite podcast player and hit follow so you can find it easily night after night. If you recall, Munchie is a curious, mischievous and always hungry raccoon.

[00:03:43] [SPEAKER_00] He's quite a free spirit and likes to roam as he pleases. Tonight he's returning to his favourite street, Strawberry Avenue, and as he strolls around he bumps into some old pals, who help him find the light on an otherwise cloudy day. Sounds like some great advice might be coming our way, so let's get ready to listen by first relaxing our bodies and our busy brains.

[00:04:09] [SPEAKER_00] So lie back in bed now and take some nice, calming, deep breaths. Breathe in through your nose and out through your mouth. Slow it down a little and breathe in for three and then out for four. Now breathe in for four. Two, three, four and out for four. Two, three, four.

[00:04:39] [SPEAKER_00] Now in for four. Two, three, four and out for five. Two, three, four, five. Lovely. Let your breath return to normal and gently close your eyes and snuggle down as I begin Munchy and the Sun Puddles by Alicia Ainsley.

[00:05:09] [SPEAKER_00] It was a cloudy day and Munchy the raccoon had decided to leave Sleepy Forest and go for one of his regular neighbourhood strolls along his favourite street, Strawberry Avenue. The weather had been grey for days now and Munchy had remained cooped up in his home, avoiding the wind and potential rain clouds that insistently floated overhead.

[00:05:33] [SPEAKER_00] But after days of hibernating from the weather, he decided that he couldn't sit around avoiding the elements any longer. There's only so long an inquisitive raccoon can stay sheltered inside before they start to get very, very bored.

[00:05:49] [SPEAKER_00] So the little raccoon set off for Strawberry Avenue, knowing that there were plenty of trees lining the street that he could take shelter under if the rain clouds decided to finally open up and sprinkle. Munchy toddled along the street, admiring the houses that belonged to the families he knew well. It looked like Mrs Hildy had planted some new ranunculus in her front garden.

[00:06:18] [SPEAKER_00] The pretty lilac flowers bloomed brightly despite the sunless weather, and Munchy could smell their delicate aroma on the breeze. A shiny new silver car sat on the Garcia family's driveway. Munchy could hear the musical notes of a violin being played inside the Johnson family's house.

[00:06:43] [SPEAKER_00] Munchy assumed it must be the young Johnson boy practising for his next recital. But most comforting of all, Munchy could see toasty tendrils of smoke rising up out of little Darcy Young's chimney, signalling that her family were in. Munchy instinctively grinned his notoriously cheeky grin and brushed down his furry arms to smarten himself up.

[00:07:13] [SPEAKER_00] Maybe he could go get a hearty snack from Darcy. She and her mother often baked together, and they usually gifted Munchy some warm freshly baked goods whenever he stopped by for a visit. Munchy walked towards Darcy Young's house, stopping in his tracks when he spotted two familiar figures lying in front of another nearby house.

[00:07:41] [SPEAKER_00] He would recognise those figures anywhere. It was his friends Heidi and Tuxedo. Heidi was a tortoiseshell cat with black and yellow fur. Half of her face was raven black, and the other side was radiantly golden. She was a very unique looking feline.

[00:08:05] [SPEAKER_00] On the other hand, Tuxedo was a more traditional kitty, with black fur, a white collar and chest, and a little white beard on his chin. Just like Munchy, the cats enjoyed eating and sleeping all day long. Munchy sometimes bumped into them around Strawberry Avenue. They knew as well as he did that the residents of this peaceful street were kind and welcoming to animals.

[00:08:33] [SPEAKER_00] He often bumped into the pair hanging out on a hammock or resting on a car bonnet. Today, Heidi and Tuxedo were lounging around on the veranda of old Mr. Pickles' house. Spotting Munchy across the road, Heidi lifted her paw and waved. With a sleepy yawn, she called over, Hello, Munchy.

[00:09:01] [SPEAKER_00] Isn't it a lovely day? Munchy glanced at the cloudy sky. The sun was hidden behind the fluffy, clustered clouds, and there was barely any sign of particular loveliness anywhere. The potential of rain was still very much hanging in the air, and the little raccoon wasn't too fond of unexpected downpours.

[00:09:28] [SPEAKER_00] Munchy struggled to see what was so lovely about this day. I suppose it's an okay day, Munchy replied with a wave of his little hand. At least it's not raining, yet. Tuxedo lifted his dozy, bearded head and smiled. Well, it's lovely over here, he said.

[00:09:56] [SPEAKER_00] We found a perfect sun puddle to lie in. Munchy's pointy ears twitched. A sun puddle? What was that? He decided to find out more. He walked to the edge of the pavement and checked both ways before crossing the street. Then, he scuttled his way up the steps of Mr. Pickle's veranda to where his kitty friends were reclining.

[00:10:26] [SPEAKER_00] Miraculously, exactly where Heidi and Tuxedo were lounging, a single ray of sunlight was beaming down onto the wooden veranda through a crack in the clouds. It appeared that Heidi and Tuxedo had successfully found maybe the only bit of sunlight of the day. Is this what you mean by a sun puddle?

[00:10:52] [SPEAKER_00] Munchy questioned, dazzled by the allure of the circle of sunlight. Tuxedo arched his back and stretched out his arms and legs lethargically. Yes, exactly, the black and white cat replied. There are always sun puddles to be found.

[00:11:16] [SPEAKER_00] Even on a cloudy day like today, you've just got to look for the light. Munchy reached out his little hand into the ray of sunlight and felt the warmth against his fur. He sighed. It felt absolutely delightful. Munchy instinctively felt a little envious of Heidi and Tuxedo's relaxing set up in the sun puddle.

[00:11:46] [SPEAKER_00] Noticing the look on Munchy's face, Heidi offered kindly, Would you like to share the sun puddle with me, Munchy? There's plenty of space for you to join us. Munchy's eyes lit up and he nodded his head eagerly. Ooh, yes please, he thanked her.

[00:12:10] [SPEAKER_00] Heidi and Tuxedo courteously moved over a little to make space for Munchy. Then, the grateful raccoon settled himself down in the sun puddle and flopped backwards lazily. The warm sun felt delightful on his body and he instantly relaxed. He hadn't expected to feel this cosy today.

[00:12:38] [SPEAKER_00] The weather had been cloudy and colourless for days, but here in the sun puddle it was bright and warm. The little raccoon stretched out and tucked his hands behind his head to prop himself up. He gazed up at the cloudy sky and smiled. Does Mr Pickles mind you lying on his veranda? Munchy asked Heidi in Tuxedo.

[00:13:08] [SPEAKER_00] Heidi licked her paw and replied, He never minds when we lie out here. He often leaves food out for us, so we come here quite often. Plus, he gives the best belly rubs, Tuxedo added with a purr.

[00:13:31] [SPEAKER_00] The trio of comfy creatures lay on Mr Pickles' porch for a while in silence, enjoying the quiet of the street. The temperamental weather had driven people mostly indoors over the past few days, and today was no different. There were barely any birds in the sky. They chose to stick to the shelter of their trees in case the rain eventually came.

[00:14:01] [SPEAKER_00] Other wild animals kept to their underground homes, waiting out the winds for calm and stillness once again. And the dogs in the gardens of Strawberry Avenue were mostly being kept inside to avoid muddy footprints and wet fur being traipsed inside the houses. It was only Munchy, Heidi and Tuxedo who were determined enough to remain outside.

[00:14:30] [SPEAKER_00] Mostly thanks to the sun puddle they had found keeping them pleasantly warm. The three friends bathed in the toasty puddle of light. They felt like the luckiest animals on the street. While the leaves of the trees rustled and the blades of grass swayed in the wind,

[00:14:52] [SPEAKER_00] Munchy, Heidi and Tuxedo relaxed within their own little microclimate in the sun puddle. Munchy couldn't believe he'd never heard of a sun puddle before. But now he came to think of it, he had seen them plenty of times. He just had never known how great they were.

[00:15:15] [SPEAKER_00] From now on, whenever it was a crisp or foggy day, Munchy would search for the light and enjoy the sun puddles. Munchy, Heidi and Tuxedo sunbathed and gazed at the sky, chatting about what they had been up to recently. Munchy told the kitties all about his job at Mia and Marcello's Pizzatopia.

[00:15:42] [SPEAKER_00] And the cats informed Munchy that they had recently been on holiday to Poland for the chess championships. Heidi and Tuxedo were renowned chess players in the kitty community. And they regularly jetted off around the world to competing contests. But when they weren't busy flexing their impressive chess skills, Heidi and Tuxedo loved nothing more than returning to Strawberry Avenue,

[00:16:10] [SPEAKER_00] the peaceful place that they called home. All of a sudden, Tuxedo loudly sighed and smiled. He cried, he cried. This is my favourite kind of weather, he declared, gesturing to the sky. It's only on days like this that you have the best chance of seeing a rainbow.

[00:16:38] [SPEAKER_00] Munchy asked why that was. And Tuxedo explained that rainbows can only be seen when the sun meets the rain. I'm hoping it will rain soon, Tuxedo confessed. Maybe then a rainbow will come. I haven't seen one in ages.

[00:17:04] [SPEAKER_00] Munchy had to admit he hadn't seen a rainbow in a long time either. He also adored them. If rainbows really did only appear when the sun met the rain, then it was no wonder they hadn't seen a beautiful multicoloured rainbow in a while. It had been so sunny and warm for a long time that it had barely rained in months.

[00:17:31] [SPEAKER_00] Perhaps that was why the last few days had been so cloudy. The rain had been building up for a while. Munchy had to agree with Tuxedo. If there was a silver lining to this cloudy weather, then it definitely was the possibility of seeing a rainbow. He cast his eyes across the sky and searched for signs of colourful beams.

[00:17:58] [SPEAKER_00] But aside from their solitary sun puddle, there was no other light to be seen. Do you think there's a pot of gold at the end of the rainbow? Munchy mused, recalling the legends of leprechauns and riches beyond compare. Of course there is, Tuxedo replied in a matter-of-fact manner.

[00:18:27] [SPEAKER_00] But you'll have a hard job finding the end of the rainbow. They go on and on, almost endlessly. Heidi chipped in with a giggle. And I doubt that the leprechauns would give you any gold, even if you found the end of it. Munchy pictured giant gold coins in his mind, and his eyes glittered.

[00:18:56] [SPEAKER_00] It would be pretty awesome to find the end of the rainbow, even if the leprechauns weren't very good at sharing. Munchy felt his tummy rumble, and then it gurgled loudly. He apologised. I'm sorry, that was my tummy. I haven't eaten in a few hours, so it's grumbling at me. Heidi rolled over and suggested,

[00:19:24] [SPEAKER_00] Why don't you have a snack then? We've got a few things you can have, if you like. Heidi and Tuxedo promptly revealed a stash of food they had tucked away underneath the porch swing on Mr. Pickles' veranda. They had cubes of watermelon and vegetable sticks, ginger biscuits and bottles of iced water.

[00:19:51] [SPEAKER_00] Munchy's eyes lit up when he saw the array of snacks. Heidi and Tuxedo shared out the food and water between the three of them, and they all happily munched away, having a little picnic in the sun puddle. Munchy scoffed down all his refreshing snacks and took a gulp of iced water. He sighed with satisfaction.

[00:20:19] [SPEAKER_00] Ah, thank you very much. This is just what I needed. As all the snacks settled in Munchy's belly, he started to grow drowsier and drowsier. He often felt sleepy after he had eaten a meal. The raccoon yawned and laid back down in the sun.

[00:20:45] [SPEAKER_00] When he closed his eyes, he could imagine he was sunbathing on a beach instead of on Mr. Pickles' veranda. The little raccoon felt serene and grateful and slowly slipped into a snooze. Munchy drifted off for a while, dreaming sweet dreams of stringy cheese pizza.

[00:21:12] [SPEAKER_00] He was back in the kitchen at Pizzatopia, where he worked with Mia the Greyhound and Marcello the Frog. It was a quiet shift so Munchy had all the time in the world to conjure up a fresh pizza of his choosing.

[00:21:28] [SPEAKER_00] He savoured the dreamy sensations of sprinkling flour between his fingertips, kneading dough, and smoothly slathering marinara sauce on the top of his rolled out pizza base. Then he got creative with the pizza toppings. But, as dreams often are, it didn't quite make sense.

[00:21:56] [SPEAKER_00] Instead of regular pizza toppings like pepperoni, pineapple, and mushrooms, Munchy's dream had cast a whole host of random foods as the toppings for him to choose from.

[00:22:10] [SPEAKER_00] He inspected the buckets of toppings and noticed that the ingredients included the likes of chocolate buttons, gummy worms, carrot sticks, raspberries, and mini bagels, as well as dressings like maple syrup, orange juice, and melted butter.

[00:22:35] [SPEAKER_00] Munchy got creative and picked the ingredients for his pizza, placing them all over the marinara-covered base. He chose broccoli florets, buttery popcorn, blueberries, and, of course, a dashing of gummy worms. Then, to finish it off, he drizzled caramel sauce on the top.

[00:23:00] [SPEAKER_00] In real life, he would never think of putting together such a bizarre pizza creation, but in his dreams, he could do anything he wanted. He slid the finished pizza into the wood-fired oven and waited for it to bake. After a few seconds, it was ready with a bing, and Munchy pulled out the pizza, sliced it up, and prepared to take a bite.

[00:23:31] [SPEAKER_00] Just as he was about to munch down on the crazily concocted pizza, he felt a tickle run all over his body. When he opened his eyes, he noticed that the sun puddle they had been lying in had disappeared. Munchy sat upright and looked around. Had the sun puddle gone for good?

[00:23:54] [SPEAKER_00] He stared at the sky overhead and saw that the clouds had thickened, closing up the gap that had allowed the singular beam of sunlight to filter through. There was no sight of another sun puddle on the decking of Mr. Pickles' house. That's a shame, Munchy whispered to himself.

[00:24:20] [SPEAKER_00] Heidi and Tuxedo noticed the change in the light too and curled up into little fuzzy balls as they lifted their heads to scan the scene. There must be another sun puddle somewhere, Heidi muttered determinedly. Munchy joined their search and crawled to the end of the veranda, gazing down the street.

[00:24:48] [SPEAKER_00] The smoke from Darcy Young's house was now blending with the pearly pale sky And the Garcia family's car looked significantly less shiny It seemed like the sky was getting a little darker Miraculously, Munchy spotted another small array of light ahead

[00:25:12] [SPEAKER_00] Shining down like a spotlight on a stage onto the green grass of Mrs Hildy's front lawn There's a sun puddle over there, Munchy informed Heidi and Tuxedo The sun-seeking trio eagerly made their way over to Mrs Hildy's lawn And set up camp in the new sunspot

[00:25:40] [SPEAKER_00] Much better, Tuxedo sighed Heidi added, I thought we'd lost the sun puddles for good then Munchy reminded them positively that there was always light to be found He just had to go looking for it Heidi and Tuxedo chuckled and lay back down

[00:26:07] [SPEAKER_00] The grass was even more comfortable than Mr Pickles' solid veranda had been Even though the sun puddle was a little bit smaller than the one they had lain before There was still enough room for Munchy, Heidi and Tuxedo To all snuggle up close and nap together on the lawn

[00:26:31] [SPEAKER_00] As the trio lazed away the rest of the afternoon on Mrs Hildy's lawn Munchy noticed that the fluffy clouds in the sky were gradually growing greyer and greyer Bigger and bigger While the sun puddle still shone down on them The wind was noticeably gustier

[00:27:00] [SPEAKER_00] Munchy noticed a fresh break in the clouds overhead And he gasped with hope Perhaps the clouds were finally passing And the sun would soon emerge in its full glory But as the break in the clouds grew Munchy felt a drop of something wet land on the end of his nose He wiped his face instinctively

[00:27:28] [SPEAKER_00] Then he felt another drop land on his shoulder Then another on his toe And another on his head He stared at the sky And saw that the break in the clouds Wasn't the sun pushing through It was the cloud breaking with pressure It was water It was finally starting to rain

[00:27:58] [SPEAKER_01] Heidi, Tuxedo

[00:28:01] [SPEAKER_00] He whispered Capturing their attention We need to take cover It's about to rain The trio dashed under the canopy of Mrs Hildy's house Taking refuge from the rain that promptly began to pour Their sun puddle quickly disappeared And Strawberry Avenue became engulfed with rain Heidi giggled

[00:28:29] [SPEAKER_00] That was a close one I wondered when the rain was finally going to appear Munchy smiled Watching the droplets fall from the sky Safe beneath the canopy of Mrs Hildy's house The three of them patiently waited beneath the shelter And watched the rain fall

[00:28:56] [SPEAKER_00] The soothing sound of pattering droplets serenaded their ears They watched the rain bounce off the ground And form puddles of water Not too dissimilar in shape to the sun puddle They had been lying in before The rain continued on and on for a while The clouds that had been building up for the past few days

[00:29:24] [SPEAKER_00] Were finally relieved of their tension They relaxed and sighed As did Munchy, Heidi and Tuxedo It felt like the air had completely lost all of its built-up energy And exhaled at last Heidi and Tuxedo were glad that Munchy had noticed the rain Before their fur coats got an impromptu wash

[00:29:54] [SPEAKER_00] I wonder how long the rain will last for Heidi mused, licking her paw I hope it's not too long Munchy added I don't particularly appreciate the rain I much prefer the sun Don't we all? Tuxedo lamented dreamily

[00:30:20] [SPEAKER_00] But you have to wait for the rain to finish falling To see the sun again And who knows We might get to see a rainbow As if by magic The rain suddenly stopped The overhanging clouds dispersed And the sun crept out from hiding

[00:30:46] [SPEAKER_00] Casting puddles of sunlight all along the street The wet ground sparkled And the leaves on the trees and bushes Twinkled with the reflection of the sun The rooftops glistened and shone And the Garcia family's silver car Radiated its shiny newness once more

[00:31:13] [SPEAKER_00] The entire street looked enchanted All of a sudden The door to Mrs. Hildy's house opened And the sweet old lady giggled with surprise What are you three doing here? She gurgled Reaching down to affectionately scratch Munchy Heidi and Tuxedo's heads She looked out at the street

[00:31:43] [SPEAKER_00] And noticed the shiny wet pavements And the residual rain droplets Dripping from the tree branches and roofs See, you've been hiding from the rain Mrs. Hildy realised Well, why don't you all come inside for a while Until it dries out here

[00:32:10] [SPEAKER_00] I have some tins of mackerel in the cupboard And I can get you a bowl of milk The heating has been on for a while too So it's much nicer inside than it is out here Let's warm you all up Mrs. Hildy stepped aside And gestured for the three small animals To step through her front door Into her home

[00:32:41] [SPEAKER_00] Heidi and Tuxedo Wulsed indoors confidently As though they did this very often And Munchy followed behind gratefully He didn't get invited indoors very much This was a nice treat As promised Mrs. Hildy rustled up each of them A can of mackerel And a bowl of milk To slurp from Then

[00:33:10] [SPEAKER_00] Whilst they ate And drank She set up a cosy bed In the living room Made out of rolled up blankets Munchy Heidi And Tuxedo Curled themselves up together In the little bed And felt as warm And cosy As they did Lying out In the sun puddles Sunlight From outside Flowed in Through the window Lighting up the living room

[00:33:39] [SPEAKER_00] With a late afternoon glow Munchy Heidi And Tuxedo Contentedly Closed their eyes And sighed As they settled themselves Into the blankets As the sunlight Fell across their warm Fluffy bodies Munchy smiled to himself It would seem They had still managed To find a sun puddle

[00:34:07] [SPEAKER_00] Even after the rain As they drifted off to sleep With full bellies And warm dry fur Munchy Heidi And Tuxedo Listened As Drizzle Gently Started Back up again Outside And softly Tapped Against Mrs. Hildy's Living room window

[00:34:37] [SPEAKER_00] Unbeknownst to them Outside A colourful rainbow Was forming In the sky Breaking through The dispersed clouds And the sun puddles To remind everyone That both the sun And the rain Are equally As beautiful And important As each other And when they come together They create

[00:35:07] [SPEAKER_00] Something Pretty Remarkable To be continued To be continued

[00:35:11] To be continued