Looking for a monster story that brings more giggles than goosebumps this Halloween season?
Meet the googly, oogly Gaga Monster! This week’s episode of The Fairy Tale Art Cart is The Gaga Monster, a folktale that traveled from the Yoruba people of West Africa to the African American community of the Appalachian Mountains, and it was recorded LIVE at Buunni Coffee in Inwood, NYC, with West African drummer Lamin Thiam playing right alongside the story.
Ayo is SO excited about his brand-new drum. He plays slow, slow, slow and quick, quick, quick, loud, loud, loud and soft, soft, softly, every single day. But Auntie has a terrible toothache, and every beat rattles right through her tooth! So off Ayo goes with a big basket to pick strawberries in the deepest, darkest part of the forest, where his friend says the Gaga Monster jumps out of the bushes and gulps people up in one big gulp. What happens next is a wonderfully silly, kid-approved adventure about courage, quick thinking and the power of practicing something you love.
Bonus: kids get to shout along with the live audience, and they’ll be chanting “Googly, oogly, GAGA OOO!” for days.
And because this is a draw along podcast for kids, your little ones don’t just listen. They become the illustrators! Across three music-filled drawing breaks, kids draw Ayo in the dark, shaky forest with his strawberry basket and drum, the Gaga Monster spinning round and round, and one very surprising (and very funny) monster moment.
All you need is three pieces of paper and coloring materials, which makes it a perfect screen-free activity for quiet time, a rainy afternoon, or the stretch before dinner when you need a few minutes to get things done.
The Gaga Monster Live at Buunni Coffee, Inwood in NYC
Families enjoyed an afternoon of storytelling, art making, and live music while sipping on some delicious Buunni Coffee!
You can bring this magic to your event, venue, or school! Visit the Fairy Tale Art Cart live events page for more information and to book!
Keep the Story Going: Draw to the Beat!
After the episode, grab a “drum” from around the house: an upside-down pot, an oatmeal canister or a cardboard box. One person plays Ayo’s four rhythms (slow, quick, loud and soft) while everyone else draws to the beat. Slow beats = big, slow, swoopy lines. Quick beats = tiny, zippy zigzags. Loud beats = big, bold dots. Soft beats = light, feathery marks.
When the music stops, turn your rhythm-scribble into a brand-new monster! Add googly eyes, great big arms and a silly monster name. Then ask: What does YOUR monster say? It’s easy to set up, works beautifully as independent play (kids can take turns being the drummer), and keeps the story’s beat going. Googly, oogly, GAGA OOO!
🎧 Listen + Subscribe
The Gaga Monster is out now wherever you listen to podcasts! Hit play, grab three pieces of paper and let your kids draw along. Then subscribe to The Fairy Tale Art Cart so you never miss a new folktale from around the world, and if your family loves it, leave a review to help other creative families find us.
Want to read more tales like this one? Find Boo-Tickle Tales: Not-So-Scary Stories for Ages 4–9 by Lyn Ford and Sherry Norfolk. → https://www.parkhurstbrothers.com/boo-tickle-tales.html
Slow, slow, slow… quick, quick, quick… see you in the deepest, darkest part of the forest!
The Fairy Tale Art Cart thanks it’s live event sponsor for this event: Prelude Opera, whose mission is to introduce kids to opera!