← Koala Moon: Kids Bedtime Stories & Sleep Stories for Kids Podcast
Koala Moon: Kids Bedtime Stories & Sleep Stories for Kids Podcast
Koko & The Secret Cinema Snacks 🍿🎥 Calming Bedtime Story for Kids
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Foreign hello and welcome back to Koala Moon, a podcast of original bedtime stories and sleep meditations for kids designed to make bedtime a dream. Tonight we're welcoming a VIP into the Koko Clubhouse. Its birthday girl elle, who's turning 10 this month. Happy birthday, Elle, and welcome to the club. You can celebrate with Koko and Kira tonight as they're going out to the cinema. Their uncle Keith works as a security guard there, which is great, but also a little tricky because today they're planning something highly mysterious. They're planning to sneak in snacks to the cinema. Before we begin, a quick message for the grown ups. If you'd like to support our podcast, enjoy ad free listening, unlock four bonus stories per month and much, much more, you can join Koko Club. Subscribe in just two taps via the link in the show notes. But now here's a quick word from our sponsors grown ups. If you're looking for a fun new way to bring a little Bluey magic into your children's playtime, here's something I think you'll love. It's the Bluey Supermarket playset. Made for kids who love imagining and playing. Just like Bluey, just like in the show, this three level supermarket is full of imaginative fun with a real working escalator, rooftop cafe and shelves to explore. It includes exclusive figures, Supermarket Bluey and Bingo with her lollipop plus figure 15 plus play pieces and 24 sound effects, even including a working supermarket intercom. Little ones can decorate the store, ride the escalator and make their own Bluey inspired adventures. And the best part, it works with all their other Bluey figures too. Bluey Supermarket playset is available at all major retailers. Do you think they can get past Uncle Keith's eager eye? Let's find out. But first, get comfy in your bed and take some big deep breaths. Roll your ankles around in a circle. And now your wrists. Lovely. Get all loosey goosey and snuggle up in your blankets. It's time to begin. Coco's Uncle Keith and the Secret Cinema Snacks by Luke Prendergast. Deep in the heart of a faraway forest stood a cosy wooden cabin. Inside the cabin lived a family of koalas. Well, not the whole family actually. Koko lived there? Yes, he lived there with his parents and his grandparents and his little sister, Kira the Panda. But the family went much wider than that. There was their cousin, Kiki the Kangaroo, who lived in sleepy city with its scrabble of buildings and tower blocks. She lived there with her parents and there were the pookie pandas who lived on the other side of Sleepy Forest, where the bamboo trees grew torn. Koko and Kira and Patty Pooky had made a zipline that took them from the pookie home to the cosy cabin. The Pookies were their family too. There were even some distant relatives. Her great great great aunt or a 14th uncle three times removed. Koko could never remember exactly what it was who lived in far flung Fantasia. And then of course, there was Uncle Keith. Although not Coco's direct uncle, he called him that, as it was simpler than getting out the family trees to figure out how they were actually related. Keith was actually a distant, long lost cousin or something that Koko and his Aunt Shirley met in Australia. Keith said he was going to visit Sleepy Forest that day and when he eventually did, he decided to stay. Now he works in the Sleepy Forest Cinema. Koko's mum would often take Koko and Kira across Sleepy Forest to the Cineplex, a big shining metal clad building that reminded them of a spaceship. They would go in, up the escalators and into the plush red carpeted lobby where ticket sellers sat behind their desks and a big screen hung from the ceiling, telling you which films were playing and what time they'd be on. And there too would be Uncle Keith. Koko would give him a hug and Keith and Koko's mum would catch up and then Coco, Kira and his mum would go through to watch one of the films. What fun it was going round to Uncle Keith's. Keith was the security guard there. He wore a special uniform, a blue shirt tucked into blue trousers with a shining leather belt with a brass buckle, a smart blue cap on his head and a bright gold badge on his chest that said the word security. And he would stand by the red rope that was strung in front of the doors to the cinema screens and carry out his duties, like checking everyone's tickets, making sure they knew which auditorium they needed to be in and pointing out the way to the toilets. And of course, his other very important duty, which Koko's mum never tired of reminding him of. Remember, Coco, she would say, you're not allowed to take your own snacks into the film. They have to be snacks bought from the cinema itself. That's the cineplex's policy, so no sneaking anything in. It's your Uncle Keith's job to make sure no snacks get slipped inside. And if he catches you trying, well, then you'll be in trouble. There was only one problem with this policy. The snacks sold at the cinema were. Well, to tell you the truth, they were awful. Everything else about the cinema was just brilliant. The seats were comfy and everyone was very friendly. They had great shows on and afterwards they you could even go and take your photo in the photo automat so that you could remember each and every special visit. But the snacks, they were just bad. There was barely any variety, just a couple of packets of fruit gummies and some popcorn that only came in salted. And who actually liked salted popcorn other than adults and was kind of dry? Anyway, it made no sense to Coco why a cinema that didn't let you bring your own snacks also happened to be the place that offered the worst snacks of anywhere he'd ever been in the world. Like, ever. But it just must be another one of those unanswerable mysteries of the universe, like why the sky is blue. Or why it was that his little sister only ever wanted to play with the exact toy that he had just decided to play with himself. Those mysteries would just have to stay mysteries, he guessed. But just because the mystery of the bad snacks remained a mystery, that didn't mean it had to remain a problem. And finding a solution to it was just what Koko and his little sister Kira were attempting to do one sunny afternoon when their mum took them to the cineplex. You see, today Koko had a bright blue backpack on his back and that bright blue backpack was full of the most delicious treats. Yup, that's right. This afternoon Co Coco and Kira were going to try to sneak them in. But how will we do it? Kira whispered out of the corner of her mouth as they followed their mum into the cineplex. We can't just walk them through in the backpack. Uncle Keith will check. I haven't worked that bit out yet. Koko whispered back, but he must have whispered it a little bit too loudly as his mum turned around and gave them both an eyebrows raised look as if to say, what's going on with you two? Koko had to whistle and look up at the clouds and Kira just twiddled the purple bow in her hair as innocently as she could until their mum turned around and carried on walking. We'll have to work that bit out. Koko continued even more quietly this time. Once we get inside. They rode the escalator up into the familiar red carpeted lobby when a voice called out, well looky who it is. Uncle Keith. They exclaimed and ran up and hugged him, each of them wrapping one of their arms around his legs. How are my favourite niece and nephew, Uncle Keith asked. We're very good, thank you, Uncle Keith, coco said, beaming up at him. Oh yes, Kira nodded. And we're ready to keep to cinema policy to the very letter. Which made Koko shoot her a warning look. Sometimes Kira could be so tactless. For a few minutes their mum caught up with Uncle Keith and then she led them over to the counter to buy tickets for the show. The film today was called Turtle Island. It was about two human sisters who go and help look after newborn baby turtles in Thailand, and Koko and Kira had been looking forward to seeing it for ages. Any snacks with those tickets, folks? The friendly badger behind the counter asked. Koko and Kira exchanged a secret sly look, then turned their shining smiles to the badger. No thank you, they told him. The badger passed over their tickets and they thanked him and then they moved away with their mother. All right, you two, their mum said. I'm going to go and run some errands while you two are in your film. Uncle Keith is going to keep an eye on you and I'll be here waiting with him the moment you step out, ok? Coco and Kira both nodded. And remember, the mum called over her shoulder as she went towards the escalator, behave yourselves. Yes, Mum, coco called back sweetly. We always do. And then they were alone with Uncle Keith. Hey, Uncle Keith, coco said. We're just going to sit over on that table there until the film starts. Alrighty, Said Uncle Keith, nodding. That's no problem. Just stay where I can see you and make sure you don't miss the show. It's terrific. Koko and Kira went over to the table and Kira hopped onto the bench. Koko swung the blue backpack off his back and joined her, placing the bag on the table and opening the zip just a little so that they could peer inside. It was filled with all of their most favourite snacks. Gummy bears and strawberry laces, flying saucers and candy cables, chocolate coins and even a bag of butterscotch toffee popcorn. Yum. Neither Coco nor Kira could think of anything they'd like more, then sitting in front of Turtle island and munching their way through all their snacks. But how were they supposed to sneak them in? They sat there scratching their heads, humming and haing and trading half baked ideas that would never work. Near them as they chatted were a circle of other young creatures, including an elephant and a chipmunk, a mole and a kangaroo and a small flock of fluffy sheep. But Koko and Kira barely noticed them, so immersed were they in their conversation until the mole who sported a pair of green rimmed glasses over his blinking eyes. Sidled over to them. The mole whispered. Kira and Koko looked at her with their eyes raised. Not meaning to eavesdrop on the two of you, the mole went on, but I could help but hearing what you were talking about there, My eyesight might be less than perfect, but I've got ears like. Well, ears like a mole. So you two are trying to sneak snacks in? Coco and Kira exchanged a nervous glance. Oh dear, Coco thought. Had they been busted? No need to worry, guys, the mawler said with a twinkling smile. We're trying to sneak them in too. Lets be honest, the snacks here ain't all they could be. Want to come and trade ideas? Like they say, the more heads the merrier. A little flood of relief went through Coco. Thanks, he said. That will be great. And so he and Kira went over to meet their new friends, who were all avidly discussing just how to get their treats into the cinema screen. We have a plan already, bleated one of the sheep. We will simply hide our fruit pastels in our woolly coats. Look, now you can barely see them. And it was true. All of the many coloured Swedes were hidden deep inside their white woolly coats. That's all right for you, sheep, said the mole. But what are the rest of us meant to do? Yeah, piped up the kangaroo. I don't have any wool I can hide sweets in. Neither do I, said the chipmunk. Nor me, said the elephant. So, said the mole, what are we all meant to do? And the whole circle of them started scratching their heads. They couldn't think of anything. Above them, the slender hand swung around the great clock, slicing off seconds one by one. It wouldn't be long before they had to go into the cinema. Would they think up a plan in time? Then, like a light bulb coming on in her head, Kira had one. I know, she said. Even though we don't have woolly fleeces like the sheep, we can still take a leaf out of their book. Each of us is a different creature. We have to think about what unique qualities each of us has that will help us sneak the treats in. What a good idea, Kira, said the mole, before all the rest of the creatures started nodding as they contemplated her suggestion. And then, armed with the idea, they put their heads together and thought. Uncle Keith had been working at the cinema for years and years, more years than he could even remember. And though you might think a cinema is a pretty monotonous place to work, he'd beg to Differ. Uncle Keith had seen some things in his time. The art of cinema could do the strangest things to creatures. They could come out laughing or crying, shouting or dancing for joy. Birds flew to the ceiling and wouldn't come down. Wildebeests stampeded. And once a young otter had locked himself in the toilet and refused to come out until his favourite actor, who he had just seen in a film, personally travelled from Hollywood to meet him. But Uncle Keith had to admit he hadn't seen anything stranger than what occurred to him. That afternoon, Coco and Kira came to see Turtle Island. At first, everything seemed normal enough. His sister came with the kids, dropped them off. Then Coco and Kira went to sit at the table to wait until the film began. And that's when the strange things started to occur. It began with an elephant. The elephant walked towards Keith with a funny look on his face, a kind of embarrassment mixed with trying to look extremely breezy. It was a look Uncle Keith recognised, the look of someone about to misbehave. But much to his surprise, the elephant didn't do anything wrong at all. He just showed Keith his ticket. Ah, Turtle Island, Keith said. Enjoy the show. And the elephant walked on through. A little bemused, Keith turned to watch the elephant go in. And that's when he saw something truly peculiar. All over the elephant's back there were snacks taped down with Sellotape chocolate and candy, and even a box of popcorn. Uncle Keith frowned. Why ever would someone do that? It was almost as if the young elephant was trying to hide the snacks from him, but had totally forgotten that Keith was able to see the elephant's back just as well as he was able to see his front. Keith shook his head, but he didn't have long to think about it, because just a moment later, the next peculiar thing occurred. A little chipmunk with brown and white stripy hair approached him bearing a ticket. Howdy, Keith said as he checked it, looking forward to the show today. But the chipmunk didn't answer. Instead, she just gave him a big toothy smile. And when she did, lo and behold, a bright red sweet popped straight out of a gap between her teeth and went skittering across the floor. The chipmunk gave a surprised little squeak, clamped both of her paws against her mouth and hurried through into the cinema. Very strange, thought Uncle Keith, going to pick up the fallen sweet and put it in the bin. Very strange indeed. He turned around and came face to face with a kangaroo. Hello, said the kangaroo. Here's my ticket. Uncle Keith checked it, pointed the way and only Then noticed that the kangaroo's pouch was absolutely filled with coins. Except the coins appeared to be melting. Yes, that's right, melting. They were chocolate coins and they were so close to the warmth of the kangaroo's belly that that they were all beginning to melt and ooze. Now why would a kangaroo choose to store his heat sensitive snacks like that? Uncle Keith sighed and shook his head, then looked up at the big clock. The show was just about to start, so everyone ought to be in the auditorium and waiting. But wait. He hadn't seen Coco and Kira go in. He didn't want them to miss the film. Uncle Keith looked over at the table where Coco and Kira had been, only to find that now they weren't there. In fact, they were nowhere to be seen. He had told them to stay in sight, so where on earth could they have gone? What Uncle Keith didn't know was that Coco and Kira were in fact already in the cinema. They were sitting on their soft, comfy seats, the blue backpack full of the most tasty snacks imaginable open in front of them and the film about to start. Next to them sat their new friend, Mindy the Mole. Coco looked at her and grinned. That was an epic sneak in, he said. Oh yeah, she replied. It certainly was. You see, once all the other animals had worked out their ways of sneaking snacks into the cinema, only Coco, Kira and Mindy had been left. Koko and Kira couldn't quite come up with any ideas of how to sneak the snacks in. What kinds of stealth and subterfuge were natural to a panda and a koala, after all. But that's when Mindy had told them that they'd already brought their special talents along. They, after all, had brought the big bag of sweets with them and had come up with the idea to follow the sheep's lead. So it was up to her Mindy to get them in. And so Koko and Kira had watched as Mindy burrowed a hole straight down through the ground. Then she poked her head with her little green spectacles out of the hole and told them to follow her. Well, Mindy had burrowed straight under Uncle Keith and into the cinema screen, and Coco and Kira had followed after her with the backpack full of sweets. And here they were. They'd made it. Except. Oh, Kira whispered. It's Uncle Keith. He was climbing up the auditorium stairs, his security guard's torch in his hand, and he was looking right at them and their lapful of sweets. It was too late to hide them. Here you two are, said Uncle Keith. How on earth did you manage to get in without me seeing? Coco felt a little bashful, but he had to own up. He told his uncle how they got in, but we only did it because we wanted to bring in our own snacks, Uncle Keith. The truth is the cinema snacks are no good and you got to have snacks with a film. You've just got to. And I know it's against the cinema's policy, but. What do you mean? Uncle Keith said, a little frown furrowing his furry forehead. What cinema policy? The policy against bringing your own snacks in. Of course, kira said. Uncle Keith looked from one to the other, then let out a mirthful little chuckle. Who told you that load of cods? Wallop, he said. There's no such policy at all. Koko and Kira stared at him wide eyed. But Mum told us there was, Coco said. Ever since I was tiny. Uncle Keith shook his head, his belly shaking with laughter. Sounds to me like your mum was just trying to stop you eating all those naughty snacks. And it worked. Now it was Koko and Kira shaking their heads, their sneaky, devious mum tricking them like that. They couldn't believe it. So we're allowed to eat these snacks? Kira asked. You certainly are, said Uncle Keith. And in fact, I'm gonna join you. Film's about to start. With these words, Uncle Keith lowered himself down into the chair next to them and stuck his paw into the blue backpack, pulling out a bag of sweets. Oh, he said. Lemon sherbet's my favourite. And with that, Coco and Kira and their Uncle Keith and their new friends Mindy the Mole and the kangaroo and the chipmunk and the elephant and the flock of bleating sheep too, all hushed up because the film was starting. The words Turtle island appeared in big green letters on the screen, and then there were images of a perfect tropical island, turquoise waves lapping against golden beaches and green back turtles drifting out across the sea. Koko sunk down further in his seat and beside him Kira did too. They had fistfuls of butterscotch popcorn, which they ferried back and forth from their mouths. The screen flickered. The two little sisters appeared in their high rise flat in Bangkok. That paradise island had just been a dream, all in their heads, but Koko had a feeling that they might end up there in real life eventually, and everyone in the cinema watched the screen. They laughed, they sighed, perhaps a tear even came to an eye. And if one or two of the audience members fell asleep and ended up snoring gently on their neighbour's shoulder, who could blame them. It was tiring work sneaking snacks into cinemas. And there are few better places for a nap than when you're watching a film surrounded all around by your friends and family. Sa.