The Fairy Tale Art Cart

A little old man and a little old woman are stuck in the silliest standoff over who should walk down to the river to fetch the water...and the tomato, onion, and pepper sitting in a basket on the kitchen table are getting more frustrated with every grumpy “I don’t wanna!”
In today’s draw-along folktale from Mexico called "The Cherry Tree", one teeny squabble snowballs into a juicy, sky-tumbling, storm-tossed adventure that nobody saw coming. The lesson tucked between the giggles that this story brings? Sometimes our stubbornness about the small stuff makes us miss the whole reason we set out in the first place. So… is anybody going to remember to bring back the water?
Grab your three pieces of paper, your favorite crayons or markers, and let’s open our imaginations wide!
What’s Inside This Episode
A bubbly, silly folktale from Mexico full of veggie shenanigans, cherry tree snacking, and a very dramatic rainstorm
Three drawing breaks where your kid becomes the illustrator of the story
Cozy, whimsical music to draw along to (which means you get a few peaceful minutes too)
A gentle, kid-sized lesson about staying focused, working together, and not letting little arguments fully take over.

What You’ll Need
3 pieces of drawing paper
Your favorite drawing materials — crayons, markers, colored pencils, anything that helps you add a little pizzaz to what you're drawing!

Perfect For
Curious kids ages 4–9 who love stories, art, and a little bit of silly
Parents looking for screen-free activities for kids to put on while folding laundry, sipping coffee, or sneaking in five quiet minutes
Homeschool families, road trips, rainy afternoons, quiet time, and any moment that calls for independent creative play
Fans of folktales for kids, bedtime stories, draw-along podcasts, and multicultural stories for children

Listen, Subscribe & Keep the Magic Going
Loved this episode? Hit follow/subscribe in your favorite podcast app so you never miss a new draw along folktale. Then head to the show webpage for a FREE coloring page featuring The Cherry Tree, perfect for keeping the storytime magic going long after the episode ends.
Want even more Fairy Tale Art Cart fun?
Become a member of the show and join the brand-new Fairy Snail Art Cart Club for hand-illustrated story letters, color-your-own postcards & stickers, bonus episodes, and a do-it-at-home art project every month

If your kiddo loved this one, you’ll also love our episode The Argument Sticks, a folktale from the Iroquois people about the wise advice a mother gives to her two arguing sons.
Credit: I learned this story from the book 15 Minute Fingerplay Stories by Bill Gordh.
Stay playful, get creative, and keep imagining! ✏️🍒

What happens when 500 lost elephants stomp their way into what they think is a cave? The answer will simply bloooowwww you away! In today’s screen-free draw along folktale episode called Aran Aung and the Elephants, your young story artist will discover that even when you’re lost (and a little bit grouchy), help has a funny way of arriving in the most unexpected ways: sometimes from a kind stranger, and sometimes in the form of a world-shaking sneeze.
Grab 3 pieces of paper and your favorite coloring materials and get ready for a rumbling, tumbling adventure
What You'll Need
3 pieces of drawing paper
Your child's favorite coloring materials (markers, crayons, colored pencils — whatever brings the pizazz)
About 30–35 minutes of listening-and-drawing magic

Drawing Prompts In This Episode
Aran Aung the great big happy-go-lucky giant snoozing against the side of a Himalayan mountain. What does his giant nap look like in a warm, glowy sun spot?
500 grumpy, lost elephants venturing into a wind whooshing cave, set in a whole forest scene of trees, mountains, and rivers.
500 elephants zipping, zapping, cartwheeling, somersaulting, and bouncing off clouds as they fly through the air. Your kids get to imagine the wildest sky-tumbles!

What Your Story Artist Takes Away
Help has a funny way of arriving when you need it: sometimes from a kind stranger, sometimes from a giant sneeze
It's okay to be lost or have something not go according to plan. The trick is working productively towards a solution; arguing about it just keeps you stuck longer
Even the wildest detour can land you exactly where you wanted to go
Three finished drawings, big giggles, and a calm, screen-free kid at the end of the story!

Keep The Screen Free Magic Going
Loved this episode? Keep the creativity flowing between new Fairy Tale Art Cart episodes by becoming a member of the show.
Members at $2/month unlock a bonus audio episode straight to your inbox. Members at $12/month also join the Snail Mail Club: a real envelope of story letters, art-making activities, and stickers delivered to your old-school mailbox. Tap this Buy Me A Coffee Membership link to join.
Catch Us Live (Sidebar)
🎤 The Fairy Tale Art Cart performs live at Buunni Coffee, Inwood on Saturday, May 17, 2026 with hip-hop artist and cajón player Randy Mason.
🎵 This episode's live music: Andy Seagrave of Seagrave Sounds (catch him every Monday night at Phil Young's House of Blues in Harlem, NYC)
🎉 New: The Fairy Tale Art Cart launches on Yoto Player on June 2, 2026 — screen-free podcast bliss right inside your kid's Yoto Player!

Once upon a time in Ireland, there lived a king with a secret so enormous, so embarrassing, so downright ridiculous that he had not told a single soul — not the queen, not his children, not even his dog (and dogs, as you know, are excellent listeners).
In today's draw along episode, The King's Secret, your story artist meets a young barber named Liam who is about to learn two things the hard way: secrets are very heavy to carry, and the truth has a funny way of finding its voice anyway.
Grab 3 pieces of paper and your favorite coloring materials — you are about to illustrate a royal hairstyle studio, a whispering willow tree, and a flute that refuses to keep its mouth shut. What on earth is this king hiding under that ceiling-tall crown?
What You'll Need
3 pieces of drawing paper
Your child's favorite coloring materials (markers, crayons, colored pencils — whatever adds a little pizazz)
About 30–35 minutes of listening-and-drawing magic

Drawing Prompts In This Episode
Five (or more!) wildly different royal hairstyles — your kid is the barber in charge of making everyone in the castle look fabulous
A beautiful willow tree with draping, rustling branches — set into a whole meadow scene of sky, grass, and quiet countryside
The magical singing flute — notes, words, musician, listeners… whatever your little story artist's imagination dreams up

What Your Story Artist Takes Away
Secrets are heavy — and letting the truth out can feel like putting down a giant backpack
The "embarrassing" thing we try to hide often becomes the thing people love most
Courage looks a lot like a mother marching up to a palace to save her son
Three finished drawings, some good giggles, and a calm, screen-free kid at the end of it

Keep The Screen-Free Magic Going
Loved this episode? Keep the creativity flowing between new Fairy Tale Art Cart episodes by becoming a member of the show.
Members unlock bonus draw-along episodes made just for them: more folktales, more drawing breaks, more quiet-time wins for you. Tap the membership link in the episode description to join.

Story artists, grab your crayons and your drawing paper because the story in today's episode is about to get fuuuun! In this magical Tanzanian folktale called The Calabash Children, a lonely woman makes a wish so impossible it could never, ever come true… except it totally does, in the most way imaginable. And just when you think you've figured out where this story is going, buckle up, because the calabash children have a surprise so delightfully unexpected that your kids will be scribbling furiously and begging you to hit replay!
The Fairy Tale Art Cart is an interactive draw along podcast where your kids become the illustrators of the stories they hear! It's the perfect screen-free creative activity for busy families. Grab your crayons and settle in for a story, art, and music filled activity time that keeps little hands busy, sparks big imagination, and brings fairy tales to life!
Get even more Fairy Tale Art Cart! --> Become a member for bonus episodes or to join the all new Snail Mail Club!
Stay in the loop --> Sign up for the newsletter to get first news about the show and learn about live performances of the show!

What if the stories you never told came alive? Once upon a mischievous midnight, a young boy's unspoken tales burst free from the bag he's kept them in and create quite a flurry! What happens next will have your little ones smiling wide and begging for one more story. This is the Korean folktale called The Story Bag.
The Fairy Tale Art Cart is an interactive draw along podcast where your kids get to become the illustrators of the stories they hear! It's the perfect screen-free creative activity for busy families! Grab your crayons and settle in for a story, art, and music filled activity time that keeps little hands busy, sparks big imagination, and brings fairy tales to life!
Get even more Fairy Tale Art Cart! --> Become a member for bonus episodes or to join the all new Snail Mail Art Club!
Stay in the loop --> Sign up for the newsletter to get first news about the show and learn about live performances of the show!