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Koala Moon: Kids Bedtime Stories & Sleep Stories for Kids Podcast
The Sleepy Forest Costume Contest 👻🪩 Calming Bedtime Stories for Kids
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Hello and welcome back to Koala Moon, a podcast of original bedtime stories and sleep meditations for kids designed to make bedtime a dream. We've got a birthday girl announcement. Coco's very excited and he's ready with a birthday high five for you. Aliyah. You're our newest Coco Clubber. Happy birthday for tomorrow. I hope this story sends you off to sleep super easily tonight so that soon you will wake up as a birthday girl with a whole wonderful day ahead of you. Thank you to all the other subscribers too. Without your annual subscriptions, we definitely wouldn't still be here able to do this. And we love what we do. So thanks from the entire Sleep HQ team. 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 50, 15 + 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. Now then, now then, for those of you who like a bit of dressing up, this story is for you. We're heading to Sleepy Forest as Camo launches a brand new Halloween tradition. He's full of creative ideas, this one. Remember his annual carnival of colour? Well, now we have the first ever Sleepy Forest Halloween Costume competition. Of course, Koko and Kira are amongst the first to sign up. Shall we see who else joins in? Okay, rest and relax back into your cosy bed. Perhaps have a little stretch and a wriggle. Take a few deep breaths. You know the drill. And I'll get started. This is the Sleepy Forest Halloween Costume Competition by Luke Prendergast. Deep in the heart of a faraway forest stood a cosy wooden cabin. Inside the cabin lived a family of koalas. Koko lived there with his parents and his grandparents and his little sister, Kira the panda. If you stepped out of the cozy cabin currently decked out for Halloween and walked down the path past the piles of pumpkins and under the decorations that had been strewn between the treetops, he'd find an old beech tree growing. And this wasn't just any old beech tree. It was, in fact, an extremely special beech tree because it functioned as the forest notice board. When there was something all of the citizens of Sleepy Forest needed to be made aware of. A note or a sign was stuck on the trunk of the old beech tree or hung off one of its branches so that people walking by through the middle of the forest could read about any news or events that had taken place. And one evening, a new sign appeared on the beech tree. This is what it said. Attention all spooky foresters and sleepy little ghosts. It's that special time of year again. Halloween. And this year, Halloween is going to be even more special. You are all invited to participate in the Sleepy Forest Halloween costume Competition. Open up your fancy dress boxes. Get out your sewing kits. Unleash your imaginations. Do you think you can be the coolest, sassiest, best dressed creature in all of the forest? Let's wait and see. Happy Halloween, your spooky Forest social secretary, Camo the Chameleon. As soon as Koko and Kira read the note, they headed straight for the grotto where their friend Camo lived with his family to ask him all about it. They found him sitting on the rock that stood outside the grotto, surrounded by jack o', lanterns, eyes closed, listening to the rustles of the dry leaves floating across the ground. Hi, Koko. Hi, Kira, camo said, opening one eye and spotting them. I suppose you've come here because you've just seen my sign. That's right, said Coco. It was quite a surprise. We had no idea you were planning on throwing a Halloween costume party. You never mentioned anything at school this week. Well, Coco, Camo said, that's because up until yesterday I didn't have any idea about it either. It just came to me last night. You see, I was busy thinking about Halloween, and it occurred to me, who always has the best costume at Halloween? Well, that was an easy answer. You do, Camo, Coco and Kira said simultaneously. Of all of the residents of Sleepy Forest, Camo was by far the greatest at anything theatrical. He had starred in plays, he organised the annual carnival of colour, and just a few months ago he had worked hard with the old butterfly Madame Flutterdust, to put on a big musical show. And then the pop star Swifty herself had turned up. And yes, every year he had the best Halloween costume, too. Well, guys, camo continued, between you and me, I was getting pretty bored of having the best costume year in, year out. I mean, where's the fun in that? For me, there's no challenge. There's no sense of competition. There's nothing to make me work extra hard to pull something extraordinary out of the bag. I needed some inspiration. I needed to add some fuel to the technicolour fire that is my dressing up box. And I thought to myself, I well, what could be better at stimulating some competition than, you guessed it, a competition. And so I thought I would set up the very first ever Sleepy Forest Halloween costume competition. Coco and Kira both looked at him, delighted. It was just classic Camo to dream up something as brilliant as a costume competition because he was bored of always being the best. But it's not just about that, camo told them. I also thought it would be a fun thing for all of Sleepy Forest to get involved in. Oh yes, Camo, Kira said. It's perfect. What a great way to bring everyone together on Halloween, koko agreed. Great, said Camo, beaming at them. So are you two going to take part? You bet, said Koko. Nothing could stop me. Me too. And what's more, Kira said, I'm not just going to take part. I'm going to win. And so it was that the spirit of competition spread itself around Sleepy Forest just as Halloween was approaching. Wild pumpkins were carved and put outside houses, and paper chains of ghosts appeared slung between the treetops. Everyone who'd signed up for the Halloween costume competition got down to the business of making their costumes. The forest took on a hushed, focused kind of feel. Koko and Kira were in their room, surrounded by cuts of fabric, safety scissors, pieces of black felt, sequins, and even long pieces of bright pink fluffy pipe cleaner. They each had an idea for what they were going to dress up as for the competition, but neither of them wanted to reveal it to the other. They wanted to keep it as a surprise. And so when they needed help from each other, like for holding a piece of fabric while the other one cut it into shape, or when Kira had to measure cocoa for what looked suspiciously like it was going to be a cape, they had to be very careful not to give away any crucial telltale information. When Koko saw Kira curling the pink pipe cleaner round and round into a spiral, he almost guessed what she was going as the thought popped into his head. But then, just as quickly as it had arrived, it disappeared again. Thoughts were tricksy like that. And all the while the folks of Sleepy Forest were busy making their costumes. Camo was equally busy preparing the stage for the competition. He'd envisaged the event as a fashion show, but spooky. But he too wanted to keep everything a secret. So around the forest clearing where the competition would take place, he'd hung long purple sheets off the trees, and only those handful of forest creatures who were helping him with preparations would were allowed to come through. This was set to be the greatest, most extravagant Halloween that Sleepy Forest had ever seen. And at last, 31st October arrived. The day went as every other day always did, the Sleepy Foresters heading out to work or to school, handing in their homework or serving customers or fixing a hole in the roof. But come the evening time, they all went home, donned their costumes and arrived at the forest clearing where the long purple drapes had finally been taken down. And what a sight they had to behold. Down the middle of the clearing, a long, rickety wooden catwalk had been set up with neon lights down the edges and many spotlights shining down from the trees. Glowing pumpkins with toothy grins lined the edge of the catwalk, and at the back a huge wooden scoreboard had been erected with the names of the contestants. It had been designed by Buck the Beaver, Sleepy Forest resident woodworking expert, and he was already waiting with wooden number cards ready to place them on the scoreboard for everyone to see. And by the side of the stage, a large pyramid of some unknown thing was hidden beneath a long black cloth. People took their seats, chattering in merry anticipation with each other until a drum roll sounded over the speakers. And onto the stage stepped Camo himself. His chameleon skin had turned its most flamboyant array of rainbow colours, yellow and pink and red and green. And in his hand he held a golden black, sparkly microphone covered in sticky spider's web decorations. Into the microphone he gave a little cough, and once silence had settled over the waiting crowd, he gave them a big grin and said, I'm most gruesomely glad to announce that Sleepy Forest's, or rather I should say Spooky Forest's first ever Halloween costume competition has officially begun. There were great cheers around the audience. This, camo went on, is going to be a fashion show like you've never seen before. I'm hoping tonight to see costumes so brilliant that you'd never have imagined them in your spookiest and most fantastical dreams, tonight I will be one of the fashion show judges. But I can't do that alone. So please put your hands together for two of my cousins, Mo and Leon, who were visiting Sleepy Forest just to lend a helping hand. Camo threw his arm open wide towards a judge's table that stood by the side, where two fresh faced and sharp eyed chameleons, one orange and one green, smiled and waved at the clapping crowd. But Camo continued, in order to judge this competition, we need even more help. That's right, tonight we need you. We won't only be judging the contestants through our own experience and knowledge of fashion, our own instinctive opinions. We will also be judging them and allocating scores based on audience reaction. And so, if you really love one of the competitors, make sure we can hear your love. And as though to show Camo just how enthusiastic they could be, the audience broke into a spontaneous round of cheers and. And applause. Yup, that's right. Camo said, nodding and twirling the microphone. That's just it. Now, before we get started, I'm sure there's one more thing you're all desperate to know. And that is if there's a competition and all the competitions have a winner. Then Camo stepped towards the pyramid structure with the black cloth draped over it. What's the prize? Well, let's see. And with one graceful swish of his wrist, Camo swept the black cloth away to reveal a tottering tower of golden, perfectly baked pumpkin pies. Here. Camo said. And with many thanks to our very own Betty the Badger, who spent the last few days baking all of these absolutely delicious looking pies. A year long supply of pumpkin pies. That's the prize that's up for grabs tonight, ladies and gentlemen. And if I may say so myself, those pies look so mouth watering that I'm beginning to regret not taking part myself. But now, without further ado, let the Halloween costume competition begin. Camo scurried across the stage and took his seat between his two cousins. All of the lights in the forest dimmed. Even the purple lights along the edge of the catwalk switched off so that the only illumination came from the quietly crackling pumpkins, who let out a golden glow and sent long shadows and of jagged tooth grins across the floor. The drum roll started. Music played. The contest had begun. From backstage, Kira watched as the first contestant stepped onto the stage. A giraffe who had dressed up as a ghost with a long white sheet over its head that fell in floating folds around his legs and two dark and spooky eye sockets. The giraffe, who seemed a little nervous, tottered up the first half of the catwalk, but then he got the hang of it and continued on his way in a mixture of a model's strut and a ghost's weightless drift. The audience clapped and cheered. Kira herself was feeling a little nervous. Truth be told, there was a large audience and Camo had really pulled together a professional looking catwalk. She'd said she really wanted to win the competition, and of course she still did. But looking around at all the other contestants, she didn't feel quite so confident, and she didn't mind so much if she lost out to one of them. There were so many brilliant costumes. A cow dressed up as a milkman. Hilarious. A swan who looked like she was erupting out of an open banana skin. A dog dressed up as Bluey. Wait. Kira reached out and grabbed Koko's arm. Hey, Koko, she said. Is that. But she didn't get a chance to finish her question because the blue dog in question had come bounding up to them and was now covering them in slobbery licks. Hector, Koko said. What are you doing here? Surprise. Said their old friend Hector, the golden retriever, who was now sitting back on his haunches and smiling at them. I travelled all the way just to be here for this. Camo invited me, but he promised to keep it a secret because I wanted to surprise you. And it really is a surprise, Kira said, throwing her arms around Hector. A wonderful surprise. Oops, Said Hector. Got a dash. It's my turn to strut my stuff. And off he padded to go on the catwalk, Coco and Kira watching him go with great big smiles on their faces. They were ever so happy to see their old friend again. Kira glanced up at the scoreboard where Buck was busy arranging the numbers. Lots of the scores were already up, and it seemed like at the moment, the swan in the banana skin was in the lead. But then it was Koko's go. He was dressed as a wizard with with a coat and round rimmed glasses and a scar on his forehead. In his hand he clutched a wand. He stepped out onto the stage and waved his wand in the air, and somehow Kira had no idea how he had done it. A fountain of brilliant golden sparks flowed out at the end of the wand. The crowd burst into whoops of delight, and when Koko made his way back down the catwalk, the scores that Camo and his cousins held up Put him off into the lead. All right, Kira, said Koko, grinning with the joy of going out onto the catwalk. You're up next. Kira took a deep breath and checked her costume. She was wearing a red dress with a pipe cleaner twirled into a spiral attached to the back. And when she lifted up the pink pig's head from the floor and placed it on her head, the complete image was revealed. You're Peppa Pig, said Koko, smiling. You look brilliant. One of my favourites. Now, off you go. And Kira stepped out onto the catwalk. The lights were flashing, the crowd were cheering. She took a few steps forward, and the excitement of the moment eclipsed any little nerves she was feeling. She took a few more steps, strutting her stuff, letting her little piggy pipe cleaner tail wiggle behind her. At the end of the catwalk. She did a twirl and walked back. And when she returned to backstage, Koko clapped her on the back. Look, Kira, he said, pointing at the scoreboard. Now you're winning. Oh. She said, rather surprised. Hooray. It seemed that against all odds, Kira might win after all. Ah, but there was still one contestant left. Now Snaffles stepped onto stage. Cute, fluffy Snaffles, whose costume was. Well, it was just brilliant. He had dressed up as a minion, with a blue boiler suit and a hat and big googly goggles. He looked just like a minion. It was uncanny. And the crowd loved him. There were claps and hoots of appreciation as Snaffles waddled down the catwalk doing his very best minion dance. If it were me, Kira whispered to Coco, I'd vote for Snaffles. He's amazing. I don't mind losing out on first place to him. See? Coco said, I think it's going to be close. And as it turned out, it was close. Very close indeed. Camo and his cousins raised their scores. Buck counted them up and climbed a ladder to place the final score on the board. And Snaffles had won. He had pipped Keira to the post by just one point. And though Kira felt one small twinge of regret, which was only natural, more than anything, she felt happy for Snaffles. His Halloween costume was so brilliant that he deserved his winnings. She was just so happy that she had even taken part in the competition, that Camo had organised such a fun night for them all to celebrate Halloween together. Now Camo was on the stage, showing Snaffles the towering pile of pumpkin pies he had just won. But then Camo looked down for Snaffles was tapping him on the leg and lifting a hand as though asking for Camo's microphone. Frowning slightly, Camo handed it down and Snaffles raised the microphone to his mouth. I am very proud to have won the Halloween costume competition, he said. But the truth is, I think everyone here is a winner tonight. There couldn't be a more astounding array of creepy costumes and frightening fits. So I can't just accept this pumpkin prize all to myself. This is for everyone. Lets all tuck in and have a Halloween feast together. With these words, Snaffles took a couple of pies from the pile and started handing them out to the audience members. He caught Kira's eye and beckoned her up. Yours was my favourite costume, snaffles said, handing her a piece. And yours was mine, kira told him. Well, snaffles said, that makes us both winners. He handed Kira a pie, which she ate a mouthful of gratefully. And so it was that all of the residents of Sleepy Forest celebrated Halloween together. Plate after plate of pumpkin pie got passed around until everyone's bellies were full and quite miraculously, there was still plenty left over, so it seemed like the Foresters would be enjoying pumpkin pie for many days to come. They danced on the stage, they boogied down the catwalk, they dazzled each other with all their costumes, and by the time people started getting sleepy, the full moon was already high and shining in the sky, turning the leaves of the forest trees into thousands of gleaming silver coins. One by one the Sleepy Foresters yawned, hugged each other goodbye, and drifted home until at last the only folks left were Koko, Kira and Camo. Koko and Kira had decided to help their friend clear everything up, and once it was done, they themselves turned all together to make their way back through the winding forest paths. But back to their homes they were tired and content. Camo's skin had turned its sleepiest colour dark green to match the moss and the lichen, and Kira had taken off her Peppa pig head and was carrying it along beside her. Koko rubbed his eyes sleepily with the back of his paw. So, Camo, kira said, are you happy with how your first ever Halloween costume competition went? You know what? Camo replied. I am. I'm very happy indeed. Didn't you think it was a fun night? Oh yes, Kira said. I thought it was one of the most fun nights ever. Me too, koko agreed after he'd just recovered from stifling a yawn. I think you should throw a Halloween costume competition every year. Camo smiled at him. I was just thinking the same myself, actually, he said. Hey, Camo, kira asked, for when you throw it next year, would you do anything differently? Just one thing, camo told her. And what's that? Kira asked. For next year's competition, camo said. I'm going to be taking part. The three friends laughed at that. Of course Camo would be taking part, and he'd probably win it too. And they linked arms and continued to walk through the kind and familiar forest. They passed Camo's Grotto first, and Koko and Kira gave him a big hug and watched as he slipped into the grotto cave. Then just the two of them walked arm in arm through the whispering trees until they reached the cosy cabin in the woods. Their mum was waiting for them at the table and gave them each a kiss on the top of the head before sleepily indeed, they climbed up to bed. And you know what? That night, Koko and Kira were so tired from all the fun of the competition that they didn't have the energy to take off their costumes. They just climbed into bed exactly how they were and fell asleep so swiftly that when their mum came upstairs just a few minutes later to wish them good night, what did she find in the beds but a sleeping wizard and an adorable little gently snoring pig? She shook her head and smiled and switched off the light. Good night, Coco. Good night, Kira, she whispered into the dark before shutting their door as quietly as possible and taking herself to bed too. Sam.