This Week on Purple Day: Little Child Knight

Purple Day is a podcast from Storytime in the Schoolhouse. Our Purple Day podcasts are the audio from Storytime’s Monday episodes. Please note: Storytime is written and recorded for the screen. Some elements of Storytime will transfer better than others.

In this week's episode of Purple Day, we will learn autumn songs and poems and then hear a story about a brave child and a dragon. This Storytime episode will teach you and your child seasonal songs, poems, and fingerplays as well as a nature-based story. Enjoy Storytime with your child and deepen your connection to each other and the world around you.  

Click here to listen to Purple Day episode 4: Little Child Knight

Every Purple Day, or Monday, we are inside the schoolhouse for circle time and storytime. 

We enjoy singing and reciting nature-based, seasonal songs and poems during circle time. As the month progresses, we learn new song and poem verses. This week, we learn the final verses to our songs and poems for this month’s circle time. We also practice a deep breathing exercise on Mondays. 

After circle time, we hear a story together. We listen to nature stories and folk tales during the third and fourth weeks of the month. Today, we hear the story of Little Child Knight. Becca adapted this story from an original tale by Suzanne Down (called Little Boy Knight). Learn more about Suzanne, her programs, and resources at her website: www.junipertreepuppets.com

A young child loves to ride his pony and pretend to be a knight. One day, he is riding out farther than before and discovers a castle. A king comes out of the castle and asks the young child if he has come to rescue the missing villager from the dragon. The child agrees to rescue the villager. The king gives the child a cape of golden light that imparts courage and strength. “Here’s your cape of golden light; to give you courage, strength, and might.” 

The young child travels into the mountains and enters the dragon's cave. The dragon recognizes the young child’s courage and seeks the child’s understanding. The dragon is lonely and wants a friend to be with him through the long winter. He and the young child make a deal, and the dragon releases the villager and spends the winter living in the village, keeping the fire going at the center of the town.

Click here to listen to Purple Day episode 4: Little Child Knight

Lesson from the Schoolhouse: Mindful Breathing with Children

Faucet Breathing

During this exercise, we imagine we are a water faucet, letting the water and tension drain from us. This exercise has us start with our muscles squeezed and tense, and then we release the tension while breathing out. This tension-release action helps to remove stress from the body.

• Hold your arms out in front of you, parallel to the ground, making fists with both your hands.
• Squeeze your arms and fists tight while breathing in deep through your nose.
• Breathe out your mouth, making a “shhhhh” sound. While breathing out, unclench your fists and lower your arms like the water leaving the faucet. 
• Repeat 3-4 times. 

Click here to listen to Purple Day episode 4: Little Child Knight

Purple Day is a podcast from Storytime in the Schoolhouse. Our Purple Day podcast episodes are the audio from our Monday videos. Storytime in the Schoolhouse follows a weekly rhythm of songs, storytelling, and creative arts. To experience a full week of Storytime, sign up for our free Storytime Seasonal Sampler.