Explore every episode of the podcast Sparks Creative Stories Podcast - audio stories for kids

Zo's frustrated that she's too young to go with her big sister to the Oceanography Camp Especially For Girls. So she tries her own experiments at home, and uses library books, kitchen foil, a cardboard box, recycled plastic bottles, her sister's math skills, family teamwork - and she just keeps trying! Until Zo builds a boat she and her dog, Captain Pelican, can float in, and gets invited to test it out at the OCG camp with the big girls. Inspired by the amazing Oceanography Camp Especially For Girls at the University of South Florida St. Petersburg College of Marine Science - giving 8th grade girls free hands-on experience with marine science for 30+years. With years many thanks to the campers and instructors at OCG 2024! written and produced by Sheila Cowleyperformed by Eugenie Bondurant and Fanni Greendirected by James Rayfield
#girlpower

#marineeducation

#womeninscience

You can imagine anything, even what your socks are getting up to anytime that you can't find one. A fun bilingual adventure with a vivid soundscape that invites you to imagine your socks sailing with whales, flying with birds, throwing a wild sock party and singing silly sock songs. In English + Spanish together.

written by Sheila Cowley

performed by Dora Arreola and Fanni Green

translated by Dora Arreola

sock songs by Dave Waterman with Bass and Matt Cowley of Offramp Improv Absurdities

You can find illustrated audiobooks and many more stories in English, Spanish and ASL on our Sparks Creative Stories YouTube channel.

– Feature image by Nora Daughtry

When things get you down, sometimes it helps to imagine you can just take off and fly. The story of a law-abiding citizen – except when it's the law of gravity.

written by Sheila Cowley

performed by Lisa Tricomi

directed by Jim Rayfield

recorded by Chris Cathcart at Opera in the Ozarks

Feature image – "Seeing Is Believing" by Ivy J. at creativeclay.org

Ana hates to admit that she still doesn't know which way is Left and which is Right - but she finds a fun way to remember when she takes a boat ride to see dolphins.

https://www.tbwdiscoverycenter.org

You can find this story in Spanish on our Sparks En Español podcast – and a gorgeous illustrated version on our Sparks Creative Stories YouTube channel.

written and produced by Sheila Cowley performed by Beth Gelman and Jan Neuberger directed by Vickie Daignault

#sensoryfriendlychildren

#audiostoriesforkids

#bilingualstories

Not everybody can get to the beach, but there are so many whales in my imagination. . .

A bilingual bedtime story of imagining the ocean, in English and in Spanish.

written and produced by Sheila Cowley

performed by Dora Arreola and Eugenie Bondurant

translated by Dora Arreola

directed by Jim Rayfield

Inspired by the creative marine researchers at the University of South Florida College of Marine Science, with many thanks to Makenzie Kerr and Dr. Mya Breitbart. Part of a year-long Sparks collaboration with the amazing artists with disabilities at Creative Clay St Pete and amazing scientists at the USF College of Marine Science.

Feature image by Samuel S. from Art & Science Night 2024.

Produced with the support of the National Endowment for the Arts, Creative Pinellas, the Pinellas County Board of County Commissioners and the State of Florida.

Celebrating the beautiful diversity of families in our world, as a young girl tries to tell the story of her family in a class where creativity bursts beyond all Florida state-mandated lesson plans. A bilingual story of creativity, imagination and resilience – a joyous celebration that welcomes LGBTQIA+ families, blended families, step-families, single parent families, chosen families and friendship, and a child finding beautiful ways to remember when her mother dies. written by Sheila Cowley

performed by Eugenie Bondurant, John Huls, Fernando Chonqui, David Warner and Jay Hoff Recorded live at St Pete Pride and the LGBTQ Resource Center at the Gulfport Library, thanks to a grant from the St Pete Arts Alliance and the St Petersburg Office of Cultural Affairs.

Feature image – Origami Family in a Rocket by Jennifer Ring

Noodle doesn't want to rest like the vet told him to – but his hurt leg won't get better until he discovers that using his imagination can make getting well a little easier. A gentle, funny story about being patient while you're healing. 

Written by Sheila Cowley and performed by Vickie Daignault and Kate Young

A small dog barks at buses. . . until he gets to ride one! A story about being scared of new things until you try them – and finding out they're not so scary after all.

Written by Sheila Cowley and performed by David Warner and Kate Young

Feature image – Sunrunner Bus Stop public art installation by Catherine Woods

When you can't sleep, call the Bedtime Bears and a playful bunch will invite you to use your imagination – and use up up today's energy! – before everybody falls asleep.

Written by Sheila Cowley and performed by Dave Waterman

Feature image – Moon over Tampa Bay by David Waterman

A fun story for younger kids learning names of fruits and veg, and the many parts of you!

Written by Sheila Cowley and performed by Fanni Green

Feature image – head gardener Robin Clemmons at Daystar Life Center's Food Pantry Farm

Celebrating what a cool person you are on the other 364 days of the year!

Written by Sheila Cowley and performed by Jay Hoff, John Huls and Mary Rachel Quinn.

Feature image – Lego artist Jay Hoff in front of the St Pete SHINE Fest mural he designed, "Pride and Love"

A story about how your dog will enjoy any book you read to them, because your dog knows that your voice sounds like home. Written by Sheila Cowley and performed by Jim Sorenson Feature image – Lili, photo by Kim Dohrman

A celebration of love and wordplay – and of how much harder it is than you'd think, to hug somebody in a hammock.

Written by Sheila Cowley and performed by Ned Averill-Snell.

Feature image – Brick Walls by Kirk Ke Wang (detail), from his Human Skins series created from thrift store clothing.

When the paperclips show up, it's work. But when the Tuba shows up. . . it's a short play for parading!

Feature image – by Shasta G. and Lisa Glaser of creativeclay.org

Our most popular Sparks story, created by request! A Firetruck who gets in trouble for putting out birthday cakes and barbecues, and Eloise who's driving everybody crazy trying to save their neighborhood from interstellar danger, team up to stop a real fire – and all ends happily.

Feature image by Jenny D. of creativeclay.org

This 2023 live performance at The Studio@620 in St Pete FL made possible thanks to the St Pete Arts Alliance and the St Petersburg Office of Cultural Affairs. 

Captain Zumba and Bing set sail for the Isle of Zumba – following a map that Bing suspects the Captain drew in crayon.

Audio mixing by Matthew Cowley. Feature image by Suna M. of creativeclay.org