Koala Moon: "Back to School with Prickles the Hedgehog 🦔✏️"

Kids Bedtime Stories & Sleep Stories for Kids Podcast
Host: Abbe Opher
Date: August 17, 2025

Episode Overview

This episode of Koala Moon centers on helping children navigate the return to school by following Prickles the Hedgehog as he faces the end of summer holidays and prepares for a new school year at Sleepy Forest Elementary. Through Prickles’s adventure, the story gently addresses back-to-school nerves, the bittersweet end of summer, and finding comfort in new routines and small joys like shopping for supplies. As always, the aim is to deliver a soothing, empathetic, and relatable bedtime experience.

Key Discussion Points & Story Highlights

1. Introduction & Calm Down Routine (01:00–03:00)

• Abbe welcomes listeners, highlights familiar Koala Moon routines, and introduces the episode’s theme.
• Encourages kids to help with future relaxation techniques:

  "I need your help, guys... I'm running low on ideas for these relaxation thingy bobs that I do before the story..." (01:10)

• Guides listeners through gentle breathing to prepare for sleep and storytime.

2. Setting the Scene: Prickles the Hedgehog and Late Summer (03:40–06:15)

• Describes the dreamy, balmy evenings at Sleepy Forest, painting a sensory-rich atmosphere.
• Prickles enjoys adventurous, activity-filled summer holidays and loves his mother’s cozy library.
• Notable detail: Prickles is a passionate reader, having devoured “over a hundred books this summer alone.”

3. Prickles’ Anxiety About School (06:20–09:30)

• Despite all the summer fun, Prickles feels anxious about the new school term:

  “His tummy felt all twitchy, as if a kaleidoscope of butterflies were flitting furtively against the walls of his stomach, softly careering into one another.” (07:38)

• Prickles’s mom notices his unease and tries to engage him through conversation in the library.

4. Back-to-School Shopping at Evergreen Department Store (09:35–22:25)

• To lift Prickles’s spirits, his mom suggests a shopping trip to Evergreen, which Prickles usually loves, but this time he feels uneasy due to the looming school year.
• The sensory journey through Evergreen is vivid:
  "The air hung heavy with the delicious scent of peppermint candy and pistachio ice cream, and the floor tiles gleamed in a dizzying constellation of jade, emerald and teal." (12:45)
• In the shoe department, a friendly assistant helps Prickles measure his paws and try on new shoes.
• Prickles explores different options: glitter soles, light-up sneakers, and, finally, his favorite—caramel-colored cowboy boots with a silver badge and Cuban heel.

Notable Moment

• Prickles, feeling proud:

  "Could I please have the cowboy boots, Mum?" (21:00)

5. Easing Anxiety Through Experience (22:35–30:00)

• Prickles's mood lifts as he enjoys picking out school supplies, especially a red furry pencil case with an apple charm.
• Familiar routines and small pleasures help replace his anxiety with excitement.
• His mother celebrates his progress with an ice cream sundae at the department store café.

Memorable Quote

• While sharing a sundae:

  “Well, I guess I’ve been feeling a bit funny. You see, whenever I thought about going back to school, I got this strange feeling in my tummy.” (27:45)

6. Open Conversation About Emotions (28:00–30:50)

• Prickles opens up to his mum about his worries—his “butterflies”—and the sadness of summer ending.
• His mum reassures him:

  "Oh, honeypot, it's totally normal to feel anxious, especially with a new school term ahead." (29:05)

• She reminds him of all the exciting holidays and friends to look forward to.

7. Resolution and Emotional Comfort (30:55–33:30)

• Prickles recalls upcoming events and friends, replacing nerves with joy and anticipation.
• Mother and son finish their sundae and prepare to head home.

Closing Moments

• Prickles expresses gratitude:

  “Thanks for today, Mum. I love my new cowboy boots and my red furry pencil case with the little apple dangling from the zip, and I loved that ice cream, too.” (32:30)

• His mum praises his courage for sharing his feelings.

• The episode ends with Prickles dreaming peacefully about the school year ahead, his worries soothed.

Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

| Timestamp | Quote | Speaker | |---------------|-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------|------------------| | 01:10 | "I need your help, guys... I'm running low on ideas for these relaxation thingy bobs that I do before the story..." | Abbe (Host) | | 07:38 | “His tummy felt all twitchy, as if a kaleidoscope of butterflies were flitting against the walls of his stomach...” | Narration | | 21:00 | "Could I please have the cowboy boots, Mum?" | Prickles | | 27:45 | “Well, I guess I’ve been feeling a bit funny. You see, whenever I thought about going back to school, I got this strange feeling in my tummy.” | Prickles | | 29:05 | "Oh, honeypot, it's totally normal to feel anxious, especially with a new school term ahead." | Prickles's Mum | | 32:30 | “Thanks for today, Mum. I love my new cowboy boots and my red furry pencil case with the little apple dangling from the zip and I loved that ice cream, too.” | Prickles | | 33:15 | "And I'm glad you opened up about how you've been feeling, too. That's very brave. And I'm very proud of you." | Prickles's Mum |

Important Segment Timestamps

• 01:00 | Listener engagement & relaxation intro
• 03:40 | Summer in Sleepy Forest, Prickles’s favorite memories
• 06:20 | Emerging anxiety about school
• 09:35 | Back-to-school shopping at Evergreen
• 21:00 | Prickles chooses cowboy boots
• 22:35 | Joy in the stationery aisle, beginning to overcome nerves
• 27:45 | Heart-to-heart talk over ice cream sundae
• 30:55 | Looking forward, feeling reassured
• 32:30 | Prickles’s gratitude, emotional closure
• 33:30 | Prickles drifts to sleep, ending the story

Tone & Language

• Gentle, soothing, nurturing, and empathetic throughout.
• Language is rich in sensory details and reassurance, perfectly designed to calm and comfort young listeners.
• The episode encourages children to acknowledge, express, and find support for their feelings about transitions.

Summary Takeaways

• The story validates feelings of nervousness about new beginnings and frames them as a normal, shared experience.
• It promotes the value of open communication and seeking comfort in shared rituals with loved ones.
• Prickles’s journey reassures young listeners that while change can be daunting, it brings the opportunity for joy, connection, and growth.

Ideal for any child feeling anxious about returning to school, this episode provides both a calming bedtime experience and a gentle lesson in emotional resilience.