Once Upon a Meadow

What makes someone do a bad thing? In this episode, Raccoon steals food. At first, the animals are eager to punish her. But when Raccoon has a chance to explain her misery, they realize the whole meadow community was at fault. Together, they make a plan to restore trust and ensure that nobody is driven to desperation by hunger. Sign up for our email newsletter. Take our listene

It’s important to fix (and learn from) our mistakes — even if we meant no harm. In Part 2 of “The Purple Plague,” Elder Oak helps Maurice and the animals devise a plan to subdue the invasive Purple Frogweed. By working together, with the help of Maurice’s moms, they restore the meadow. *** Take our listener survey for a chance to win finger puppets! Click here for story

If you love Once Upon a Meadow, then you'll probably also love another new podcast called Storypillar. Join Sneak, Bean, and Meg, as they tackle sticky situations, explore stories from all over the world, and pick up advice from listeners like you! Here's a little taste...

What happens when a newcomer isn’t a good neighbor? In this episode, a boy’s parents plant a new flower by their cabin. When the plant takes over the meadow, choking out the native vegetation, the boy and his animal friends look to Elder Oak for advice. The wise tree explains that new arrivals are often disruptive, but some eventually fit in. Which will it be for the meadow inv

Who is responsible for fixing communal problems? In this episode, the animals have been peeing in the stream, and the water tastes nasty. Mouse argues that the bigger animals should rectify the situation, because they pee the most. But the creatures learn that everyone — even the smallest among us — can make a difference. Click here for story transcript and activity pages. Fo

Humans like to be in charge. But oftentimes, humbleness works better. In Part 2 of “Nature’s Neighbors,” Elder Oak explains how indigenous people cared for the land — and suggests that newcomers can also learn to benefit the environment. And so, the meadow creatures teach park visitors how to be good neighbors so everyone can thrive. Click here for story transcript and a

When the meadow becomes part of a new state park, the animals find the change exciting — but also upsetting. They are happy that hunting and logging are prohibited. But a park also means lots of visitors, who bring litter, commotion and cars. And one of the cars drives faster than Brown Squirrel can dodge… Click here for story transcript and activity pages. Follow Once Upo

We all make mistakes. How do you fix them? In Part 2 of “Pond Palace,” Beaver plants new trees to help the wetland ecosystem recover from his excessive harvest. The other animals help, singing a song to build community and make the work fun. Beaver learns that respect comes not from what you own, but from how you treat others. Click here for story transcript and activity page

How do you gain the respect of others? In this episode, Beaver is feeling insecure, so he decides to imitate humans, building an enormous lodge to impress his friends. But chewing down so many trees causes problems for the wetland ecosystem. Grandmother Turtle teaches Beaver the importance of caring for the community as a whole and taking only what he needs. Click here for story tr

What is it like to be told that you — and your kind — don’t deserve fairness? How can a community ensure that everyone gets what they need? In this episode, Crow is excluded from a meal. Bear tries to defend injustice — or at least "good enough" progress. But Crow stands up for herself and helps her meadow friends understand why sharing is so important. Click here for stor