Overnight At The Waterpark 🐨🌊 Cozy Bedtime Stories For Kids

[00:00:11] Hello and welcome back to Koala Moon, a podcast of original children's bedtime stories and meditations designed to make bedtimes a dream. Hello, I hope you're all snuggled up and ready for another bedtime story. And if you're not, take a nice deep breath in and maybe just sigh it out as you stretch yourself out in bed. Imagine you're a starfish. Stretch your arms,

[00:00:41] your legs, point your toes, maybe wriggle your fingers and then just relax. I'm popping in to say hello before I hand things over to my lovely friend Lauren who's back to tell you tonight's story. I know so many of you have been enjoying hearing her voice and I'm so happy she's joining us again. I'll be back very soon but for now get nice and cozy, cuddle into your pillow and enjoy tonight's story.

[00:01:12] Sweet dreams. Good evening everyone. If you haven't heard my voice before, I'm Lauren. I'm one of Abbe Opher's friends and I'm so happy to be back here at Koala Moon sharing another cozy bedtime story with you. It really means so much to spend these calm, peaceful moments together at the end of the day.

[00:01:39] Tonight, we're joining Coco, Camo and Prickles as they receive a very special late night invitation from Uncle Keith. He's been working at Wonderflumes Lagoon Water Park and has a top secret surprise waiting just for them after the gates have closed.

[00:01:58] With the whole water park to themselves, a game of hide and seek and a mysterious brand new water slide yet to be opened, their evening is only just beginning. So get nice and comfortable and let your eyes grow heavy. This is Overnight at the water park by Lauren Sharples.

[00:02:28] Coco had been waiting for this night to arrive since last week when he received a very special VIP invitation from his Uncle Keith to visit Wonderflumes Lagoon Water Park. He had been working there as a security guard and a lifeguard. And he had some top secret information that a brand new water slide had been installed and was yet to be officially opened to the public.

[00:02:55] His invitation instructed Coco and a few friends of his choosing to be ready outside Coco's cabin once the sleepy moon was shining and the fireflies were dancing. He would arrive then to pick them up in his car and whisk them off to Wonder Jungle. Coco couldn't wait to be back in Wonder Jungle, the most magical place he had ever seen, full of mystery and exotic plants.

[00:03:22] All he needed to do was invite a few friends to go with him. And he knew exactly who he wanted to share this special trip with. His water-loving friend Camo the chameleon and, of course, Prickles the hedgehog, who was less keen on swimming, but certainly one of Coco's best friends to share memories with. Plus, Pickles had a special swimming costume that couldn't get caught on his spikes, so Coco knew he was well equipped.

[00:03:53] As the stars emerged in the sky and the fireflies hovered like golden glitter dancing beneath the moon, Coco, Camo and Prickles could hear the sound of Uncle Keith's car trundling through the forest towards Coco's cozy cabin. The three best friends smiled at each other as they waited, with a knowing look that they were going to have the most magical evening.

[00:04:16] Good evening, you three, Uncle Keith said as he opened each door of his car to let his VIP guests in. This made Coco and his friends giggle, and soon they were off, rolling through the forest towards Wonderflumes Lagoon Water Park. Coco, Camo and Prickles rested their chins against the windows of the car, watching the bats drift between the trees as they drove through the forest pines.

[00:04:44] As the clouds, Sleepy River gleamed in the distance, mirroring the moon's beam, and the air felt crisp at this time of night. After a little while of driving, they eventually arrived in a more tropical climate, where large waxy leaves breathed slowly, and flashes of silver leapt between the trees. Did you see that? Coco said, pressing his shiny nose to the window.

[00:05:11] Ah, yes, that'll be the Wonder Jungle monkeys, Uncle Keith said. Their tails glow like ribbons when they catch the light of the moon. They've come to welcome us to Wonder Jungle. Camo, Prickles and Coco watched as the Jungle monkeys swung elegantly between the exotic fruit trees, with glowing tails dancing behind them. Uncle Keith seemed to be driving towards some dense overgrowth up ahead,

[00:05:41] when slowly, the leaves opened up like a curtain to let him pass through. Wow! Camo gasped at the sight of the emerald jungle out the window. Coco rolled down his window to let the dense woody aromas join them in the car, which was accompanied by the chorus of cicadas chirping in the foliage. It was much more humid here than in the forest,

[00:06:06] and the trees offered an abundance of exotic fruits and flowers that thrived under the stars, as if they were somehow connected by magic. Look, Coco and Camo, I think this must be it, Prickles said, lifting himself gently off his seat to get a closer look. Above them, an ornate sign was lit up in white lights that read, Wonder Flumes Lagoon Water Park.

[00:06:33] That's right, we're here, Uncle Keith said with a smile. Now let me find my key. He grabbed his trusty torch and led Coco and his friends up the towering iron gates. He flicked through his collection hanging from his belt, the keys clinking and chiming together like tiny tambourines, until he pulled out a large turquoise key shaped like a dolphin.

[00:07:00] Coco had often wondered where all of Uncle Keith's keys could take him. He imagined magical places hidden from everyone else, and tonight, he was finally about to discover one for himself, with his best friends by his side. With a deep metallic creek, the towering turquoise gates swung open to reveal a magical midnight wonderland. The scent of chlorine drifted through the cool night air

[00:07:29] as starlight shimmered across the silent pools. Coco looked up at the sparkling sky and felt that warm, fuzzy, tingly feeling in his paws that always appeared when he was truly happy. This will be a magical evening. I can feel it in my fur, Coco giggled. Uncle Keith raised his torch and grinned.

[00:07:56] VIP guests this way, please, he chuckled. He flicked a switch and the water park lit up like an enchanting grotto of turquoise, purple and gold. Coco and his friends gasped at the tranquil oasis ahead of them. Sounds of running water from the flumes, the distant echoes of the slides ready to glide down, and the splashes of the lazy river

[00:08:23] meandering around the whole outer circle of the park. If they listened really carefully, they could even hear the donut ring squeaking together in the breeze, ready to bob down the lazy lagoon. The reflection of the lights danced in Coco's eyes as he gazed at the wonderland ahead of him. This is the best water park I have ever seen, Camo said, nudging Prickles' arms in disbelief

[00:08:51] that it was all real. Prickles nodded in agreement. And all for us, Coco beamed, looking at his Uncle wide-eyed. That's right, you three. It's all yours tonight, Uncle Keith said. Uncle Keith had a curious suggestion to play a special game of hide and seek so they could get to know the water park inside out as he did. Coco loved this idea,

[00:09:20] and so did his friends. I'll be the seeker, and you three hide in any place you can find, his uncle said. But first, he explained the very important rules of the Wonder Flumes Lagoon water park. No running, no diving, and no food or drink in the water. There are lifeguards stationed all over the park to keep you three safe, so if you need any help, just shout, Uncle Keith explained,

[00:09:50] as he turned his back on them and started counting slowly to 100. Coco, Camo, and Prickles whispered their plan to each other for a moment, then split off in different directions, taking in the scenery around them. One, two, three, four, five. Coco walked down one of the purple-lit paths

[00:10:18] lined with sparkly palm trees that towered high above him. On his left, he could see the vibrant blue, lazy river rippling downstream in the opposite direction, and a few runaway donut rings floating around in circles. To his right was a new, smaller path that looked rather curious to Coco. So, he wandered that way to investigate. Six,

[00:10:48] seven, eight, nine, ten. Meanwhile, Prickles was mesmerized by the water snake slide coiling around on itself dozens of times. He stared longingly up at the long, winding tunnel, so he followed his own purple-lit path all the way to the base of that ride. Eleven, twelve, thirteen, fourteen,

[00:11:18] fifteen. Camo almost felt it was unfair for him to play this game, with him being a chameleon. But, to keep things fair, he decided to stay his neutral colour of green for the game. He made his way down the central path that had directions to the beaver raft ride, which made him think of the beavers at the dam in Sleepy Forest. On his way, he spotted all sorts of sights around the park,

[00:11:46] like bumpy rainbow slides curving up and down into the water, the wave pool, lashing back and forth, distorting the shape of the moon in its reflections. Eventually, Camo spotted a wooden cabin lined with rafts for the beaver raft ride. That is the perfect place to hide, he thought, as he curled up tight in the cocoon of the raft, peering out every so often to see if Coco's Uncle Keith had finished counting.

[00:12:16] Seventy-three, seventy-four, seventy-five, seventy-six, seventy-seven. Prickles, by now, had also found his perfect hiding spot. On the way to the water snake slide, he discovered a playful wooden sculpture of a coiled snake, hollowed out with little gaps for heads so that young animals and children could play whilst in long queues. In fact, there were all kinds of beautiful sculptures dotted around

[00:12:45] the water park. Volcano-shaped ones that spit out water out the top, dolphin fountains that sprayed water out of their heads, and turtles that you could climb into. Prickles clambered into one of the holes and stayed quiet, hiding soundly right in the centre of the coiled snake sculpture. Eighty-nine, ninety, ninety-one, ninety-two, ninety-three, ninety-four.

[00:13:15] Coco, you see, got a little distracted and forgot that he was playing a game of hide-and-seek because down that curious path, he spotted a cosy little cabin just like the one he lives in with his family. He knocked on the door, but there was no answer. So he pushed the door open to find a spiralling stairwell made of bamboo. Coco tiptoed up the stairs carefully,

[00:13:44] climbing higher and higher. On his way up, he discovered little circular windows with breathtaking views of the whole park. From here, he could see everything, from the entrance to each purple path leading to different slides. The Wonderflumes Lagoon wrapped itself around the outer circle of the park like a big, soothing hug. Then in the middle of the grounds, he could see

[00:14:13] the beaver raft ride with a big beaver dam sculpture and rafts bouncing through the rippling waters. To the left was a dancing waterfall with a big flashing sign that said Niagara Falls Flume. This one looked like a fast slide with a big splash at the bottom. He scanned around some more, spotting the water snake slide coiling around on itself over and over, and that made Coco feel dizzy just looking at it.

[00:14:43] He thought he spotted prickles climbing into a wooden snake sculpture there, but he couldn't be certain of it. There was a colourful racing slide featuring four separate, bumpy lanes positioned side by side for racing with friends, and Coco couldn't wait to race down there with camo and prickles. From up here, the water park looked like a mini glistening city below him. Moonlight shimmered onto every pool as if the water

[00:15:12] was having a conversation with the night sky. He took in the views for a moment longer, until Coco could just about hear his Uncle Keith calling, 99, 100, ready or not, here I come. His voice drifted softly through the twinkling water park and reminded Coco that he still needed to find a hiding place. He looked this way and that way until something in the bamboo structure

[00:15:42] caught his eye. A row of large, waxy banana leaves was stacked in the tower. Coco could not believe his eyes. Its shiny surface glowed gently beneath the twinkling lights of the trees. Dewdrops shimmered along its edges like tiny stars, and its curved shape looked just big enough for one little koala to tuck himself into. It was the perfect hiding spot, so he padded across

[00:16:11] the smooth platform and nestled himself against the great leaf, folding it over himself like a blanket. Then, almost too softly to notice, the leaf began to move. Not with the rustle of the wind, but with a slow, gentle glide. Coco felt the leaf lift beneath his paws, as smoothly as a cloud floating across the night sky. Without a single bump or splash, it slipped onto

[00:16:40] the ribbon of sparkling water that curved away from the tower. Uh-oh, Coco breathed. He soon realized that this wasn't a decoration at all, but instead, a beautifully crafted raft, shaped like a giant tropical banana leaf. The water carried him forward at the gentlest of paces, through a tunnel where hundreds of glowing leaves floated overhead,

[00:17:09] casting dancing patterns across the water below. Soft mist curled through the air, spraying onto Coco's fur, while tiny bubbles shimmered like moonlit pearls around the edges of the raft. As Coco drifted down the slide, it was like journeying via water through sleepy forest itself, a bumpy section up ahead with painted views of Sugar Lump Hill, then

[00:17:38] a long curving section from left to right and left again that felt like the twists and turns of sleepy river. He drifted past jellyfish lanterns freestyling in the gentle breeze, wrapped around branches of bamboo overhead. He reached an even slower section that allowed him to take in the smallest of details, like the sleepy tree frogs croaking in the branches and busy bats

[00:18:07] fluttering past the stars. He was so mesmerised by the experience that again, he completely forgot that he was meant to be hiding. The slide had curved and drifted its way down to something that looked like a portal. He could see the twinkling lights wrapped around palm trees moving closer and in the distance, Coco could hear the sound of his friend Camo's voice. Ah! You found me! He giggled.

[00:18:38] Now you'll have to help me find prickles and Coco. Uncle Keith's voice chuckled deeply. Coco smirked, feeling cheeky that his hiding place was now on the move. But he couldn't wait to be found so that he could show his friends this special slide. They were going to love it just as he did. In that moment, Coco's raft arse slipped into a gigantic bamboo bowl. Coco looked around to catch his bearings

[00:19:07] and realised that he was now much closer to the ground. The giant bowl swirled his raft round and round round and round once more in large circles. Above him, fireflies gathered as if they were circling with him in a relaxing pattern. We found you, prickles! Coco heard Camo and Uncle Keith call out. The three of them laughed together. Now, where could Coco

[00:19:36] be hiding? Uncle Keith said, shining his torch in all directions. Oh, Coco is the best at hide-and-seek. We might never find him, Camo said, giggling. The three of them walked round the water park together, led by Uncle Keith and his beaming torch. He shone it up to the swaying trees, revealing all colours of twisting slides that wrapped around the branches and spiralled through the leaves. Up there!

[00:20:06] Look! Prickles pointed up to the bamboo bowl shape, spotting Coco's furry grey ears peeping over the top, moving slowly round the edges of the bowl in circular motion. There he is, that cheeky koala, Uncle Keith said, and he couldn't help but laugh because he now understood exactly what had happened. Uncle Keith guided Camo and Prickles to the end of the bamboo slide, where they waited

[00:20:34] for Coco's arrival. Meanwhile, happily drifting in his soothing circles on his banana raft, the large circles turned to smaller ones as he approached another tunnel at the centre of the bamboo bowl. The slide weaved him lower and lower through the moonlit park and the sound of the cicadas drew closer, echoing through the tunnel as Coco came splashing into the landing pool, sending ripples of water

[00:21:04] ahead of him. Was that a firefly? he saw buzzing ahead of him. He rubbed the water away from his eyes and squinted to see three familiar figures waiting for him at the bottom of the slide, Camo, Prickles and Uncle Keith with his torch shining as spotlight on the funny little koala. We found you, Coco, they all said together. Their smiling faces grew clearer as the leafy raft

[00:21:33] drifted closer and on it, floating peacefully, was a slightly wet little koala. Coco stepped off and picked up the leaf. I see you've already discovered our brand new water slide, Uncle Keith smiled, resting one paw against a sign hidden beneath a deep red velvet curtain trimmed with golden tassels. Coco blinked in surprise. He hadn't realised he'd been gliding down the park's

[00:22:03] newest attraction at all. He had simply followed his curiosity, as he so often did, and somehow it had led him to another wonderful adventure. Seeing as you were its very first rider, Uncle Keith said, I think it's only fair that you reveal its name. Coco felt honoured and walked over to the curtain as his friends and Uncle Keith slowly counted down. Three,

[00:22:33] two, one. Coco gently pulled open the curtain, revealing a sign that read, the Cozy Cruiser. Do you like it? Uncle Keith asked. I absolutely love it, Uncle Keith. He beamed. Now reunited with his best friends, Coco wanted to ride on the Cozy Cruiser again, but this time with camo and prickles by his side.

[00:23:03] Uncle Keith was right about playing a game of hide and seek, because now, between the three of them, they knew the park like the backs of their paws. Uncle Keith got on with the few jobs he needed to do, but stayed close by in case they needed him. Padding their way across the tiled floor, Coco led his friends along the curious path to the cozy cabin entrance of the slide. As they climbed the bamboo staircase together,

[00:23:33] they paused now and then to admire the water park below, from above. Eventually, they reached the platform at the very top, which felt so high that they could almost touch the moon. They each grabbed a large banana leaf and got into position, then clipped themselves together with little acorn clasps, until their three giant leaves became one floating train. As they drifted

[00:24:03] into the tunnel, Camo spotted glowing dragonflies hovering above the water, while Prickles stretched one paw out to trail his claws through the cool ripples. Every gentle bend revealed another surprise that Coco hadn't noticed before. A family of sleepy platypuses painted along the inside of the tunnel, tiny bubbles floating beside them as if joining them on the ride too,

[00:24:32] and soft chiming music that whistled through the palm trees. This time, Coco spotted even more fireflies, just like the ones at home, floating drowsily above them, basking in the moonlight. He pointed them out to his friends, and one even landed on the very tip of Prickles' nose. They swooshed through the glowing leaves,

[00:25:00] tracing the dancing patterns with their paws, swaying from side to side in gentle motions. The soft, misty air brushed past their heads as they leant back and took deep breaths of the jungle scents. Up and down, they bobbed, feeling the gentle pulls beneath them as they floated over the sugar lump hill bumps and pushed along the sleepy river curves. The motion was so fun

[00:25:30] and relaxing all at once, and the tingly magic feeling of contentment returned to his paws as he looked across at his two friends enjoying the ride with him. Coco tried to collect the little pearlescent bubbles in his paws, while Camo had fun popping them as they drifted down towards the giant bamboo bowl part of the ride. Round and round and round again they drifted in circles,

[00:25:59] slowly swishing through the water on their banana leaf train. Gentle sprays of water leapt up onto the banana leaves as they spiraled together towards the last tunnel. Soft ribbits and gentle swoops of bat wings filled the air as they entered the landing pool in a splash, covered in water. They giggled, shaking themselves dry and smiled at each other,

[00:26:30] agreeing that that was one of the most magical experiences they had ever shared together as friends. Time for more slides? Coco asked Uncle Keith, to which he nodded and the three friends spent the rest of their evening making their way round the magical slides of the water park. They ended, of course, on the Wonderflumes Lagoon, each sitting in their own inflatable

[00:27:00] donut ring, chattering away about their special VIP visit and what their next adventure might be. Then, one by one, little yawns escaped their mouths and they decided they had made the very most of their trip. But, it was time to head home. Uncle Keith had put some soft blankets in the back of his car so that Coco,

[00:27:29] Camo and Brickles could get cosy for their journey home. As the car started trundling through the jungle, past the glowing tales of the Wonder Jungle Monkeys and out through the curtain of leaves where it had entered before, the sound of cicadas and rustling leaves soon sent Camo and Brickles into a deep, cosy sleep.

[00:28:01] Coco stared out the window of Uncle Keith's car a little longer feeling the night breeze on his nose. He looked up at the sleepy moon and wondered how much magic it could hold that meant evenings like this could be so special. He moved his attention to the stars in the sky and started to count them.

[00:28:31] One, two, three, four, five, and that was all Coco could manage before he too felt his eyelids grow heavy and his dreams take over as he imagined gliding down the cosy cruiser once more.

[00:29:01] Noo. So far,