WQED has also teamed up with Pittsburgh Puppet Works to create character friendly tunes to go along with the educational theme of each story.
It doesn’t stop there! Following the song is an interactive MAD LIBS game. Now your child can be the author of their very own story! Themes featured in this podcast series include: Friendship, Bravery, Patience, Responsibility, and MORE! Come listen, sing, and learn along with WQED!
When you are small the only thing you can dream of us growing up to be as tall as the sky! Listen to our STEM winner Vihaan R tell us the story of Baby Sunflower, and how he has to learn patience before he can be as big as his family! AFter we wait for Baby Sunflower to grow stick around for a lovely song about the adventure sung by our friends from Pittsburgh Puppet Works! The fun doesn’t stop there! Grab a pencil or pen and come play a fun game of Mad Libs with us. Help fill in the blanks of our unfinished story! Come listen, sing, and learn with WQED!
Have you ever taken something that didn’t belong to you? Kindergartener, Jack F, tells us a hilarious tale of a squirrel family that did just that! Follow along as we laugh out loud to “The Accidental Car Thief!” Then, after the story Pittsburgh Puppet Works will sing a crazy tune! You can relive the funny story and sing along too. Be sure to grab something to write with after, because we need your help finishing a game of Mad Libs! This is your chance to be the author of your very own story! Come listen, sing, and learn with WQED!
First Grader, Elijah W, reads us his story “Blades the Skate”! Listen, as Blades learns how important it is to tell the truth to a friend! Sometimes it all works out in the end as long as you make sure you are being honest! Pittsburgh Puppet Works will help keep the fun going with a jazzy tune of Blades’s adventure! Dance and sing with us! Then, be sure to get your thinking cap on because we need your help to fill in the blanks of our very own Mad Libs game! Come listen, sing, and learn with WQED!
Do you believe in magic? Emmy now does! Listen to ,First Grader, Gianna N read “Knomey the Magical Gnome” about a girl named Emmy who needed some help from a friend. She is struggling to learn her spelling words, when all of a sudden a special friend comes to her rescue! Then, get ready to dance and sing with a song all about Emmy’s crazy adventure created and performed by Pittsburgh Puppet Works! It doesn’t stop there! Join us in a game of mad libs where you get to be the author of your very own story! Help us fill in the blanks! Come listen, sing, and learn with WQED!
There was no team like Sheriff Coleman and BunBun! Together they kept the town and everyone inside safe! One day, though, the dynamic duo needed some help, so the citizens joined their town heros and helped save the day! Follow along as Second Grader, Coleman Y, reads us “Sheriff Coleman and BunBun Out West”. Then be sure to stick around for a song of the tale by Pittsburgh Puppet Works! A Mad Libs game is short to follow and we need your help! Fill in the blanks to help finish the story about teamwork! Come listen, sing and learn with WQED!
You will not want to miss this very sweet tale by Third Grader, Alexis F. “The Calendar Kid” is about a a girl named May who was very excited to show her collection of calendars to her class! With a few bumps along the way May continued to love each day that she saw on her calendars! After the tale, Pittsburgh Puppet Works will sing a lovely song about May and her story! It doesn’t stop there! Continue to learn the importance of being yourself with our very own game of Mad Libs! Fill in the blanks and help complete the story! Come listen, sing, and learn with WQED!
Grab your favorite stuffed friend and get ready to hear the adventure of “The Attack of the Great Hairy Hoogliee”, by Sydney K! Listen along as one brave little girl faces a scary monster with the help of her friends! Then, dance and sing to a song about the scary monster by Pittsburgh Puppet Works! A fun Mad Libs game is to follow! Help fill in the blanks, and be the author of your very own story! Come listen, sing, and learn with WQED!
Pencil or Pen, which do you prefer? Fourth Grader, Annaleigh D, let the two writing utensils meet in her story, “Pencil vs. Pen”. If your a pencil then you dream of being a pen. If your a pen you dream of being a pen! Listen and follow along as the two find a perfect home to share each others differences! Then, sing along to a song written and performed by Pittsburgh Puppet Works! A fun Mad Libs game is to follow! Help us fill in the blanks and finish the story! Come listen, sing, and learn with WQED!
Fifth Grader, Felicity K, shares her story “The Rabbit Next Door” with us! Follow along to the story of a rabbit who misses his wonderful family! Continue to jam out to the family fun with a song brought to us by Pittsburgh Puppet Works! Clap along and sing the song of Rabbit and his family!THen be sure to finish out our podcast with a fun filled game of Mad Libs! Fill the blanks and help complete the story! Come listen, sing, and learn with WQED!
Third grader, Connor D, introduces us to his 2018 STEM award winning book “Stumped”! He tells us a tale about Tippy and Chip, two friendly squirrels, who run into some problems when trying to get ready for the quickly approaching winter. Follow their adventure as the two friends use problem solving skills to return home for the cold season. Following our story is catchy tune written by Pittsburgh Puppet Works that tells the story of Tippy and Chip through song! Then be sure to stick around to fill in the blanks of the Tippy and Chip Mad Libs game! Centered around problem solving, now you can have fun telling your own tale of the two fun-loving squirrels!
“A Bunny Playing With a Dog” is a story of two friends, Bun the bunny and Hot Dog the dog, written by Kindergartner David M! After Bun’s trip to space, he felt like he had to make up for lost time with his friend Hot Dog. He starts to take charge of picking all of their activities! Bun and Hot Dog learn that taking turns is the best way to make sure both friends are happy when choosing what to do on playdates. Following the story is a song written by Pittsburgh Puppet Works! Sing along to the song of Bun and Hot Dog as they learn about taking turns. Then be sure to stick around and fill in the blanks to the Mad Libs game about the beautiful princess Lelah! Now you get the chance to help write your own story!
Join the exploration of helping others with the story “The Secret Life of Greenwood Forest” written by First Grader, Aarav P! Jackson the bunny and Sammy the hedgehog run into trouble when the woodcutters of Greenwood forest threaten to cut down their special Oak Tree friend, Mr.Green. They rush to their teacher, Mr.Ginger the lion, for some help in order to save the dear friend and scare the woodcutters away. After the courageous story of Jackson and Sammy listen to a jazzy tune of the tale, written and performed by Pittsburgh Puppet Works! Then join in on a fun game of Mad libs! Following the theme of helping others, fill in the blanks as a young girl, Sammy, tries to help her new friend Josh with his soccer skills!
Second Grader, Brycen F, is the writer of “Maximus: The Zombie Kid”, a story about acceptance at a new school! Maximus is the only zombie boy at his new school are is struggling to fit in. When he decides to show his classmates some of the best things about being a zombie, Maximus finally feels accepted! Afterward, stay tuned for an upbeat techno cover of Maximus’s story written and performed by the Pittsburgh Puppet Works! Following the theme of acceptance, help finish the story of a shy fairytale creature named Sage with a fun game of Mad Libs. She is longing for some new friends and for you to fill in the blanks!
Come listen to a fun story about friendship written by Third Grader, Waverly C! “Samuel Squirrel Finds a New Home” is about a squirrel whose house gets destroyed. He is on the hunt for a new home with the help of all of his friends! Samuel Squirrel, although sad about losing his old home, is happy at his new home with his new and old friends! Following our story is a country tune by the Pittsburgh Puppet Works. Sing along to the story of Samuel Squirrel and his friends! A Game of Mad Libs is shortly after, and tells the unfinished tale of Kings Sam. It’s up to you to finish it! Fill in the blanks as the narrator tells the story of the young King.
Fourth Grader, Xerin Q, reads her thrilling story, “Kiera” which focuses on overcoming fears! Follow Kiera’s story as she tries to return to normal after surviving a terrifying flood. Kiera is now scared of the water and is trying to get her old life back. Just then, Kiera jumps to rescue a drowning bunny, overcoming her fear of water and making her a hero! After, is the story “kiera” told through song by Pittsburgh Puppet Works! Sing along as you jam out to this groovy tune. Then, help fill in the blanks to a game of Mad Libs about overcoming fears with Millie the baby bird!
“The Lonely Blob” by Fourth Grader Bayleigh L. is about Bartholomew, a blobfish who feels lonely because he wears glasses. Because Bartholomew looks different than his classmates he gets teased and left out. One day he runs into a beautiful blobfish and learns that the should not be ashamed of his appearance! She wants to be his friend even with the glasses. Keeping listening for a fun song about Bartholomews story written and performed by Pittsburgh Puppet Works. After the song, it’s your turn to be the author! Help fill in the blanks to a Mad Libs game about mermaids who live in the deep sea!
Come expercise the theme of teamwork and listen to “The Starless Night on Nomo” by Fifth Grader Elly S! It tells a tale of three wolf friends as they watch the stars on Planet Nomo. As the stars begin to fall the three friends have to put their brains together and come up with a plan to return the fallen stars to the darkening sky. After much defeat, they realized that wishing on a star may be the trick! Sign and dance to a song by Pittsburgh Puppet Works about the fallen stars in Nomo! Then, play a game of Mad Libs and help fill in the blanks to a story about working as a team at a science fair!
Fifth Grader, Kyra B. writes a timeless tale of comradarity called, “Fred the Friendly Dragon”. Fred was feared at this new school of mythical creatures because he was the only dragon. He thought he was all alone in the world until he came across a group of friends one day that accepted him for who he was. When Fred went back school his new friends stood up for him! Fred’s bullies then apologized to Fred and learned that you can’t judge someone by the way they look. After the dragon tale, sing along with Pittsburgh Puppet Works as they retell Fred’s story through song! Then, get ready to fill in the blanks to a fun game of Mad Libs! Billy, a young boy who loved chess, needs your help to finish his story!