Buttons & Figs Podcast

The WPZNS: DONUTS! from 2022-02-14T20:02:49

You are listening to the Wordplay Zone Nonsense Show (WZNS)! Do not try and make sense of any of what you are about to hear. It is all nonsense, well, except for the part about DONUTS! Cuz DONUTS ...

Listen

The WZNS: The Ballad of Q & U from 2022-02-06T00:00

You are listening to the Wordplay Zone Nonsense Show (WZNS)! Do not try and make sense of any of what you are about to hear. It is all nonsense, well, except for the true story about the letters Q...

Listen

Introducing: The Wordplay Zone Nonsense Show from 2022-01-30T00:00

You are about to enter the Wordplay Zone. Do not try and make sense of any of what you are about to hear. It is all nonsense. It is the middle ground between stupidity and wisdom, between make-b...

Listen

New Show! Introducing the Semi-adventures of Sheila from 2021-12-18T20:46:17

We have a brand new, semi-short, audio-fiction podcast show to share. It's called, The Semi-Adventures of Sheila! We’ve just released all five chapters and you can subscribe, for free, anywhere y...

Listen

EmOcean Play with Venus Underwater author Julia Hengst from 2021-11-18T15:42:43

On this episode we get to sail to the land of Mermaidia! Which means you'll get to hear our interview with author Julia Hengst where she tells us all about the wordplay filled mermaid world she cre...

Listen

Wordplay Zone: The First Annual Library Book Cart Race from 2021-11-12T18:39:06

You are about to enter....the Wordplay Zone! A place where kids get to share their story ideas for Sheila and her gang...and we get to bring them to life with our crazy voices, sounds fx, and nons...

Listen

Original Scary Stories - Ages 8+ from 2021-10-31T17:29:24

You are about to hear original scary stories by students from Independence High School in Glendale Arizona. These stories were written for you, the listeners of Buttons & Figs...but we must warn y...

Listen

Storytelling Contest in the Halloween Zone - Ages 7+ from 2021-10-29T15:30:09

You are about to hear Sheila host a spooky story telling contest with her friends. Which one will win? Will there be prizes? What is a bloody book anyway? Before we answer these questions, please ...

Listen

One Halloween Night in the Halloween Zone from 2021-10-27T19:40:51

Street scenes. Halloween. The past. You are about to listen to several groups of kids who all live near one another, who take to the streets on their own daring journeys this Halloween Night. Their...

Listen

Book Recommend & Dragon Play with kid super reader Debra from 2021-09-18T17:59:41

Join me and my kid co-host Debra as we sail in a sieve to the land of dragons! Debra is a super fan of Tui Sutherland's book series, "Wings of Fire" and she's here to tell you why she loves these ...

Listen

Outer Space Music and Noise with Mary Farfisa's Outer Space Radio Theater creator Jim Cheff from 2021-08-23T13:00:15

Briscoe, Mary Farfisa's space horse friend, has come to visit me because apparently I have some sounds from Mary's Outer Space Library that are overdue! In this episode you'll get to meet the creat...

Listen

Summertime Zone - Coming In Hot! from 2021-08-17T21:42:34

After meeting Spring-Heeled Jack this summer what if you were inspired to bounce...ok, leap great distances. Where will such leaping lead? You are about to find out….in the SummerTime Zone.
Listen

Summertime Zone - Bwahahaha from 2021-08-09T17:16:23

You’ve been playing outside with your friends all day, you’re about to be called in for the night, when out of the shadows a gentleman appears, one with bat wings, red eyes, and clawed hands, known...

Listen

Summertime Zone Encore - Frosty Pops from 2021-07-22T00:00

Summertime Zone Encore: Two kids, two ideas. One song contest. On the back of a cereal box. Should Sheila and her friend enter? Can they work together? Will they win? What is a lunar launcher?
...

Listen

Summertime Zone - Game Show from 2021-07-15T00:00

You are about to travel through to the kid dimension, to join the audience of your favorite game show, Guess That Noun. One kid contestant knows the answer to this game, regardless of the actual an...

Listen

Summertime Zone - Picture Day from 2021-07-09T16:31:43

Hey Buttons & Figs kids….I’m super excited to share this summertime zone journey with you because it was written by a Buttons & Figs kid! One of the kids from our fall semester of wordplay reached...

Listen

Summertime Zone Encore - Candy Eyes from 2021-07-01T17:00:50

You are about to journey into the past, when kids took turn telling stories after a long day of play...but sometimes it landed on that kid. The kid who likes candy and slurpees. Next stop, the Sum...

Listen

Summertime Zone - Let Wordplay Open the Door from 2021-06-24T21:30:18

Summer is officially here! You know what that means...summer sketch comedy fun at Buttons & Figs! We'll have some summer silliness from the past and present, along with some great summer reading ...

Listen

Animal Farm Fun with Kids Place Live Host Kenny Curtis from 2021-06-05T00:00

On this episode we get to wordplay with Dirk, a talking chipmunk! Which means we're sailing our sieve to talk with Kenny Curtis, host, DJ, and animal wrangler for his radio show, The Animal Farm, ...

Listen

Celebrating Poetry with Phoenix Youth Poet Laureate Annika Clark from 2021-04-24T00:00

In celebration of National Poetry Month we have a special guest - Phoenix's Youth Poet Laureate Annika Clark! In this episode we talk with Annika about how she came to be the youth poet laureate of...

Listen

Nonsense Poetry for National Poetry Month from 2021-04-22T19:54:09

Happy National Poetry Month! We love listening, reading and writing poetry during April and we hope you do too! Here's a poem I wrote, hope you'll say it along with me, it's called, Pails of Shoe...

Listen

Epic Encore: The War Of The Fools from 2021-03-31T00:00

Epic Encore: Once again...Nonsense appeared to be on a collision course with reason...presenting Buttons & Figs and the Oyster Actors on the Air in The War of the Fools. It was on this day, April ...

Listen

Activity Book Nonsense - New Album and Interview with comedy musician Mike Phirman from 2021-03-30T14:00:10

Do you like to say the words, Activity Books? Do you like all the puzzles and games found in Activity Books? Then you'll love comedy musician Mike Phirman's new album titled, "Activity Books". In ...

Listen

Miss Mary Mack Nonsense! from 2021-03-06T21:18:02

Do you know the rhyme Miss Mary Mack?! If so, then we have a silly, fun, joyful nonsense challenge! In this episode you'll learn a bit about the rhyme Miss Mary Mack, hear Buttons & Figs kid Chlo...

Listen

Silly Animal Verse inspired by Ogden Nash from 2021-02-18T20:23:02

Do you love animals at the zoo...us too! For this episode we were inspired by Ogden Nash's "Zoo", a collection of silly animal verse, illustrated by Etienne Delessert. We invited kids at the Velm...

Listen

Writing Nonsense - A Word Ghost in the Portal from 2021-02-04T19:38:22

Have you ever wondered what would happen if a Word Ghost were to capture me and a bunch of Buttons & Figs kids after we fell through a portal along with a bunch of other friends, like horses, chick...

Listen

WWW - Thanksgiving Thesaurus from 2020-11-25T00:00

Happy Thanksgiving from Buttons & Figs! On this WWW episode your challenge is to figure out which word doesn't belong. Play four rounds of Thanksgiving Thesaurus by listening to a list of words t...

Listen

WWW - Heards of Verbs from 2020-11-18T13:00:31

Have you Heards of Verbs?! On this Wacky Wordplay we share 4 limericks by Edward Lear and YOU are to listen for how many VERBS you HEARDS! You say that's nonsense? I say a verbs a verb, that's wha...

Listen

WWW Encore: As Playful as a Simile from 2020-11-04T00:00

Encore WWW: Are you As Playful As a Simile?! Each Wacky Wordplay Wednesday (WWW)episode will feature a wordplay game you can play - with your family, friends, classmates or on your own. Each Wed...

Listen

Halloween Spirit - a mini-musical treat from 2020-10-31T00:00

Halloween Spirit is a mini-musical treat with three songs that follow the story of a young boy whose favorite holiday is Halloween! Happy Halloween

"Halloween is Coming" is about the exci...

Listen

#52 - The Nonsense Show at Velma Teague Library from 2020-10-31T00:00

For this episode kids at the Velma Teague Library in Glendale, Arizona wrote and recorded nonsense poems inspired by Eric Carle's "The Nonsense Show". Be warned, this book of nonsense brings forth...

Listen

Original Ghostly Tales - ages 8+ from 2020-10-30T00:00

On this episode Buttons & Figs is proud to feature two original ghost stories, for brave kids, (recommend 8+)by Marisol, a student at Independence High School in Glendale, Arizona. In "The Curse" ...

Listen

WWW Encore: Spoooooky Halloween Vowels from 2020-10-26T00:00

Encore Wacky Wordplay: Spoooooooooky Halloween Vowel Sounds - Which vowels bring your favorite howls? Eeeeeeeeeeeek! I dare you to come up with Halloween sounds for each vowel!

Each Wac...

Listen

WWW - Fortunately - Unfortunately from 2020-10-20T00:00

We have 3 rounds of the game Fortunately, Unfortunately! Fortunately is an adverb that means to be fortunate...or lucky! Unfortunately...well, that means the opposite (wah-wah-wah-waaah) Each pl...

Listen

The Spirit of Halloween from 2020-10-15T00:00

I'm afraid our Halloween musical has been interrupted by an emergency holiday announcement....but wait, who's that at the door?!

The Spirit of Halloween
written by mark pena
lyr...

Listen

WWW - Oxymorons from 2020-10-14T00:00

Well, I received a letter from my Dear Aunt Agnes and it has so many oxymorons in it, so I can’t figure out WHAT she’s trying to tell me! Can you help identify all of the Oxymorons? What's an oxymo...

Listen

WWW - Add A Rhyme from 2020-10-07T13:00:27

On this episode of Wacky Wordplay Wednesday we're going to play with RHYMES! Who doesn't like to have a good time with a mighty good rhyme?!
In this game you'll be listening to our rhyming vers...

Listen

Halloween is Coming - What Can I Be? from 2020-10-06T17:36:20

What Can I Be? Now that Halloween is Coming it's time to figure it out! Here's a little treat, with a little beat, about a boy figuring out what he wants to be this Halloween. What Will You Be this...

Listen

WWW - Noun Town from 2020-09-29T00:00

What’s in Noun Town you ask?! Well, Noun Town has people and animals, places, and things! Noun Town always has ideas, but only on Tuesdays. You are about to hear actual headlines read from the N...

Listen

Halloween Is Coming! from 2020-09-27T00:00

Orange & black and black & orange,
You know what this all means!

It’s coming! it’s coming!
It’s coming! It’s coming!
It's coming! It's HALLOWEEN!

Buttons & Figs kids ...

Listen

extra! Super Hero Jokes for National Comic Book Day from 2020-09-24T00:00

extra! extra! It's National Comic Book Day and to celebrate we have SUPER HERO KIDS telling SUPER HERO JOKES! Kids selected a joke from the "DC Super Friends Joke Book" to share with you! We recor...

Listen

extra! - Woke - poems about justice with poet Mahogany Browne from 2020-09-21T13:00:18

Before Buttons & Figs heads back into the school year with more wacky wordplay...we have an extra! episode about social justice. On this episode you'll hear three amazing poems read by Mahogany Br...

Listen

Summertime Zone - Frosty Pops from 2020-09-04T00:00

Two kids, two ideas. One song contest. On the back of a cereal box. Should these kids enter? Can they work together? Will they win? What is a lunar launcher? This is the last stop...in the Summerti...

Listen

Summertime Zone - The Incident from 2020-08-31T22:24:18

School day. The past. The seasons were about to change, when a moment happened. An incident that caused time to stand still, a moment where you question reality. This incident could only happen......

Listen

Summertime Zone - Y.U.T. from 2020-08-24T00:00

You are traveling through to the kid dimension, a dimension not only of sight and sound but great indecision. A time when deciding on what game to play became a game in and of itself...get ready t...

Listen

Summertime Zone - Candy Eyes from 2020-08-17T12:00:15

You are about to journey into the past, when kids took turn telling stories after a long day of play...but sometimes it landed on that kid. The kid who likes candy and slurpees. Next stop, the Sum...

Listen

Summertime Zone - First Day of School from 2020-08-10T14:00:32

The time is Summer, yet it is time for school to begin. Meet Ms. Fredrickson, Occupation: 3rd grade teacher. It is her first day of school. It is 8:00 a.m….online. The journey you are about to he...

Listen

The Summertime Zone - The Shadow House from 2020-08-03T16:07:16

The Summertime Zone is a dimension of stories told by kids in Summertime. You are about to enter that dimension, a journey into the shadows of The Shadow House. We all know a house like The Shadow ...

Listen

The Summertime Zone - The Scariest Story from 2020-07-27T14:00:25

This is the dimension of stories, told in Summertime. Tune in as these adults reminisce about the stories they used to tell in the summer...were their stories as scary as they say they were? Join u...

Listen

Summertime Encore - Camp from 2020-07-23T23:10:22

Summertime Encore: Summertime is a time for summer. Listen in as the kids at Camp Summer Camp tell scary stories, including one about an abominable butternut squash...yes, you read that right, a sq...

Listen

Summertime Encore: Cryptozoology from 2020-07-15T00:44:18

Summertime Encore: Summertime is a time for summer. Bigfoot likes a bad joke, in the summertime. This episode is brought to you by - Cryptozoology, when regular zoology is just not crypto enough. ...

Listen

Summertime Encore: Thesaurus from 2020-07-06T00:00

Encore: Summertime is a time for summer. Here's some pastiche from the Thesaurus, because it's always good to have healthy options. Malapropisms are fun in the sun, capiche? Summer fun, summer pla...

Listen

Summertime Encore: Homonyms from 2020-06-29T21:02:27

Encore: Summertime is a time for summer. Here's a tasty treat of homonyms, delicious for the whole family whether in a hole during bad weather or at sea. See? You see, sea creatures love homonyms, ...

Listen

About to Begin - Summertime Wordplay from 2020-06-27T01:22:34

Buttons & Figs is about to begin our Summertime Series of wordplay fun! And, we have an announcement...Buttons & Figs has a new YouTube Channel that will be filling up with wordplay skits, songs, p...

Listen

#51 - Jabber-Walking with poet Juan Felipe Herrera from 2020-05-08T00:00

"And, as in uffish thought he stood,
The Jabberwock, with eyes of flame,
Came whiffling through the tulgey wood,
And burbled as it came."
Listen as poet laureate Juan Felipe Her...

Listen

#50 - Neologism Play from 2020-04-25T00:00

On this episode we sail our sieve to the land of Neologisms...in other words, we get to make up new nonsense words! Buttons & Figs kids lead the way to wordplay with neologisms, hoping you'll send ...

Listen

WWW - Nursery Rhyme Jeopardy from 2020-04-16T03:03:29

How well do you know your nursery rhymes?! Test your knowledge on Nursery Rhyme Jeopardy! We have 5 clues. See if you can guess the answers...in the form of a question, of course! Each Wacky Wordp...

Listen

#49 - Poem Explosion with author Kyle Lukoff from 2020-04-09T23:19:05

For National Poetry Month, we sail in a sieve to the land of poetry, with author Kyle Lukoff. Kyle just released a picture book titled, "Explosion at the Poem Factory." Kyle shares the story about...

Listen

Encore: #36 - War of the Fools from 2020-04-01T16:08:08

Encore: Once again...Nonsense appeared to be on a collision course with reason...presenting Buttons & Figs and the Oyster Actors on the Air in The War of the Fools. It was on this day, April 1st, ...

Listen

#48 - Gorey Nonsense! with author Lori Mortensen from 2020-03-24T00:00

On this episode we sail in a sieve to the land of Edward Gorey, with author Lori Mortensen to show us the way. Ms. Mortensen just released a biography of Gorey titled, "Nonsense! The Curious Story...

Listen

WWW - Mighty Great Adjectives from 2020-03-21T02:51:22

Time to play Mighty Great Adjectives! We'll read 4 wacky sentences and YOU have to see if you can count how many adjectives modify the noun in question. Are you ready to play Mighty Great Adjecti...

Listen

WWW - Spoonerism Play from 2020-03-09T00:00

Time to play - Get That Spoon Out of Your Mouth! - "But mom, you said you would give me $2 for CHEWING the DOORS!" Can you identify the Spoonerism?! If so, see if you can get all 5 spoonerisms to w...

Listen

#47 - Idiom Play from 2020-03-05T00:00

Hold your tongue, because we've got our ducks in a row to sail our sieve to the land of idioms with Ms. LaBrie's class of 3rd graders at Madison Simis Elementary School in Phoenix, Az. These kids w...

Listen

WWW - Onomatopoeia Play from 2020-02-27T03:13:58

What sound does an angry bird make?! Well, your answer is onomatopoeia! Onomatopoeia words are created when you imitate sounds. See if you can come up with onomatopoeia answers for this WWW chall...

Listen

extra! extra! - Poetry IS for the Birds from 2020-02-25T22:12:51

Buttons & Figs was invited to Changing Hands Bookstore in Tempe, Arizona for their Bring on the Birds event! It was organized by the Maricopa County Audubon Society. Kids attending the event were...

Listen

WWW - Chain Tale Play from 2020-02-20T04:30:26

Do you know the poem that inspired the podcast that Pam built? This chain tale will lead you to the answer! Each Wacky Wordplay Wednesday (WWW)episode will feature a wordplay game you can play - ...

Listen

#46 - Alphabet Nonsense from 2020-02-18T13:58:59

Sail in a sieve to the land of Alphabet Nonsense with Edward Lear's Nonsense Alphabet! On this episode you'll learn a bit about Edward Lear and you'll hear Buttons & Figs kids share nonsense letter...

Listen

WWW - Palindrome Play from 2020-02-13T04:20:52

Is it a PALINDROME or not?! Listen to 5 words or phrases and YOU decide - PALINDROME or not?! Read forward and backward each and every day. Each Wacky Wordplay Wednesday (WWW)episode will feature ...

Listen

WWW - Silly Syllogisms from 2020-02-05T14:00:10

WHAT is the Conclusion?! Play the OTHER game show everyone is talking about - ARE YOU SILLY?! Test your logic, tickle your brain, with 3 Silly Syllogisms! Each Wacky Wordplay Wednesday (WWW)episo...

Listen

More Wordplay Coming Your Way from 2020-01-27T00:00

Happy Sorta Not New Anymore Year from us to YOU! This is just a short episode to say, we have more wordplay heading your way! In the meantime, be sure to listen to past episodes, there are all so...

Listen

#45 - Holiday Poem Play at Velma Teague Library from 2019-12-19T00:00

Sail with us this holiday to the Velma Teague Library in Glendale Arizona where we share holiday play inspired by the classic Christmas poem, "The Night Before Christmas" by Clement Moore. But of ...

Listen

WWW - Synonym Spice from 2019-12-12T01:57:14

Play the game show everyone is talking about - Synonym Spice! Play 4 rounds of Synonym Spice and see if you can pick which word is NOT a synonym. Each Wacky Wordplay Wednesday (WWW)episode will f...

Listen

#44 - Alliteration Play with Brainstorming Bella and her Fabulous Friends from 2019-12-01T00:00

Sail with Brainstorming Bella and her Fabulous Friends as they steer our sieve to the land of alliteration. Bella, a Buttons & Figs fan, begged and beguiled her classmates at the West End Montesso...

Listen

#43 - Nonsense Play with Calef Brown from 2019-11-21T21:52:09

On this episode we're sailing our sieve to the land of Nonsense with Calef Brown's latest book, "Up Versus Down: Poems, Painting and Serious Nonsense." Calef's nonsense verse shook up our minds, in...

Listen

WWW - Mnemonic Tonic from 2019-11-21T06:33:38

How am I supposed to remember our wordplay this week?! Perhaps this Mnemonic Tonic will help....{gulp}! Listen and learn a mnemonic to help you remember the order of the planets...it's one I lear...

Listen

WWW - Cow and Crow from 2019-11-14T04:23:22

Cow and Crow think their names should rhyme, which gets them all confused about how to pronounce words ending in O.W.! Listen in on a phone conversation between Cow and Crow and see if you can fig...

Listen

WWW - Bombostic Acrostic Play from 2019-11-07T03:27:18

We're going to play with a Bombostic Acrostic Poem! - Listen for the first letter of each line of this acrostic poem and see if you can figure out what phase it spells! (Hint: It's a phrase you he...

Listen

#42 - Audubon Poetry Play with poet David Chorlton from 2019-11-06T06:05:19

Sail in a sieve to the land of Audubon Poetry Play with poet laureate David Chorlton and his bird Maxi. On this episode David shares his poetry and inspires kids to write poetry in order to better...

Listen

Spooky Halloween Play at Velma Teague Library from 2019-10-30T03:44:03

Buttons & Figs sailed in a sieve to the Velma Teague Library in Glendale, Arizona for some Spooky Halloween Play. We asked kids to write spooky stories, tell us about their costumes or favorite cha...

Listen

Ghosts of Podcasts Past: Spooky Skul-a-Mug Nonsense from 2019-10-29T00:41:50

Sail in our way-back sieve to visit the ghost of Halloween past with a listener favorite from 2017 - What is a Skul-a-Mug-Mug you ask? This episode is inspired by "Black is Bittern" by Robert Heid...

Listen

WWW - Halloween Vowel Play from 2019-10-24T01:37:14

Spoooooooooky Halloween Vowel Sounds - Which vowels bring your favorite howls? Eeeeeeeeeeeek! I dare you to come up with Halloween sounds for each vowel! Each Wacky Wordplay Wednesday (WWW)episod...

Listen

#41 - Idea Play from 2019-10-22T22:37:13

Sail in a sieve to the land of ideas with Ms. Harding's class of 2nd graders at Madison Simis Elementary School in Phoenix, Az. These kids were inspired by the book, "What Do You Do With An Idea?" ...

Listen

WWW - Dialogue Play from 2019-10-16T18:39:31

We're going to play with Dialogue! - Who's a hog? - No, Dialogue. - There's no smog! - No Dialogue! - What's that? - We have some questions to get you playing with dialogue! Each Wacky Wordplay Wed...

Listen

WWW - Limerick Tricks from 2019-10-09T12:00:14

Have you ever met that flighty Old Person of Phoenix? Our Limerick Tricks will show you the patterns of play for making limericks this way! Each Wacky Wordplay Wednesday (WWW)episode will feature ...

Listen

WWW - Hoarse Horse from 2019-10-02T18:29:25

Hoarse horse knows his nose needs blowing! How many homonyms do you hear here? Each Wacky Wordplay Wednesday (WWW)episode will feature a wordplay game you can play - with your family, friends, cla...

Listen

#40 - Simile Play with Neon Words from 2019-10-01T18:35:50

On this episode we're sailing our sieve to the land of Neon Words with some Simile Play! We were inspired by the new book, "Neon Words: 10 Brilliant Ways to Light Up Your Writing." Our writing pl...

Listen

WWW - As Playful As a Simile from 2019-09-25T19:59:10

Are you As Playful As a Simile?! Each Wacky Wordplay Wednesday (WWW)episode will feature a wordplay game you can play - with your family, friends, classmates or on your own. Each Wednesday this ...

Listen

WWW - Alphabet Circus from 2019-09-18T12:00:26

At the Alphabet Circus - A Hurt His Arm as he fell from a flying trapeze! What will happen next? Each Wacky Wordplay Wednesday (WWW)episode will feature a wordplay game you can play - with your fam...

Listen

More Wordplay Heading Your Way - Reprise with Story Pirates from 2019-09-17T20:27:20

Buttons & Figs has set sail for another season of wordplay! We have a fabulously full fall of wordplay fun for everyone! We'll be playing with similes, nonsense poems, nature, ideas and more. We...

Listen

Summertime - Creativity from 2019-08-12T20:02:50

Summertime is a time for summer, but summer has come to an end. Summer is at The Beach with an exclusive interview with Pamela Rogers and Mark Pena, the creative minds behind this Summertime series...

Listen

Summertime - Encounter from 2019-07-29T17:14:20

Summertime is a time for summer. We have an exclusive interview with a pilot of a spacecraft that has just landed on The Beach. Find out about what they do during the summer on their planet. Sum...

Listen

Summertime - Camp from 2019-07-22T15:18:38

Summertime is a time for summer. Listen in as the kids at Camp Summer Camp tell scary stories, including one about an abominable butternut squash...yes, you read that right, a squash, a butternut s...

Listen

Summertime - Cryptozoology from 2019-07-15T18:00:04

Summertime is a time for summer. Bigfoot likes a bad joke, in the summertime. Cryptozoology jokes, when regular zoology is just not crypto enough. Summer fun, summer play, summer all day cuz we d...

Listen

Summertime - Thesaurus from 2019-07-08T00:00

Summertime is a time for summer. Here's some pastiche from the Thesaurus, because it's always good to have healthy options. Malapropisms are fun in the sun, capiche? Summer fun, summer play, summe...

Listen

Summertime - Homonyms from 2019-07-01T00:00

Summertime is a time for summer. Here's a tasty treat of homonyms, delicious for the whole family whether in a hole during bad weather or at sea. See? You see, sea creatures love homonyms, see? Se...

Listen

#39 - Wacky Song Lyric Play with Story Pirates from 2019-06-26T08:50:10

On this episode we're sailing our sieve to the land of wacky song lyrics with Story Pirates! Story Pirates just released a new wacky song album, "Backstroke Raptor." The album is filled with wacky ...

Listen

#38 - Poetry (part 2) - Noun Play from 2019-05-16T13:44:33

On this episode we sail our sieve back to the land of POETRY! Rosemarie Dombrowski, poet laureate for Phoenix, celebrated National Poetry Month by writing two special poems for Buttons & Figs! Ro...

Listen

#38 - Poetry (part 1) - Poetry Prompt Play from 2019-05-16T13:44:19

On this episode we sail our sieve to the land of POETRY! Rosemarie Dombrowski, poet laureate for Phoenix, celebrated National Poetry Month by writing two special poems for Buttons & Figs! Rosemar...

Listen

extra! extra! - Improv Play from 2019-05-07T00:00

extra! extra! we have a bit of improv play for you today! on this episode, these Buttons & Figs kids share and play two improv games. we hope you'll play along. be sure to share your way to play at...

Listen

#37 - Repetition Play Play Play from 2019-04-16T00:00

On this episode we set sail to the cave of repetition, repetition, repetition. You'll hear many, many, many ways to play with this literary device with original stories from our Buttons & Figs kid...

Listen

#36 - War of the Fools from 2019-04-01T00:00

Nonsense appeared to be on a collision course with reason...presenting Buttons & Figs and the Oyster Actors on the Air in The War of the Fools. It was on this day, April 1st, in which weird happen...

Listen

extra! extra! - Carnation Celebration! a one-sided phone conversation from 2019-03-20T14:48:12

extra! extra! They say we have an astronomical, astrological double header here, March 20th, to be clear - a Super Moon and Equinox! Only one thing is certain on this day, when the tilt is tilted ...

Listen

extra! - Librarian Library Lounge - Alliteration Play at the Library from 2019-03-16T14:54:50

extra! Welcome to the Librarian Library Lounge featuring the fabulous book recommends of Erin Meadows, librarian at the Desert Foothills Library in Cave Creek, Arizona, and the fabulous voices of k...

Listen

Nonsensilicious - Alliteration Play from 2019-03-01T00:00

Alliterate-ate-ate-ate-ate! On this Nonsensilicious episode we share a great way to remember how to play with alliteration...with our very own Buttons & Figs song! Hear the debut of "What a Word!"...

Listen

#35 - Palindrome Play with Jon Agee from 2019-02-27T05:27:23

Wow, wow, wow! On this episode we're sailing our sieve to the land of palindromes where we get to meet the master of wordplay himself -Jon Agee. Our Buttons & Figs kids, Elle, Sophie, Samuel, Ashe...

Listen

extra! - Happy Thesaurus Day! from 2019-02-05T00:00

extra! extra! We've got a little extra! nonsense to celebrate Thesaurus Day! On this extra! episode we celebrate words by sharing a Thesaurus Day game YOU can play here or there and you also get t...

Listen

#34 - Rhyming Rocks from 2019-01-29T00:00

On this episode we introduce new Buttons & Figs kids who set us sailing to the land of Rhymes...isn't it about time?! We'll be sharing three literary devices for creating rhymes, Consonance, Asson...

Listen

extra! Happy Peculiar People Day from 2019-01-11T00:00

a little extra nonsense to celebrate Peculiar People Day! What makes YOU peculiar?! So celebrate those who are different, unique! Even if sometimes they have smelly feet.
Thanks for listening...

Listen

#33 - Adaptation Play - Arizona National Parks from 2019-01-08T00:00

As we adapt to the new year, take a listen to this special episode of adaptation stories written by the 4th grade students in Ms. LaBrie's class at Simis Elementary School in Phoenix, Az. The stude...

Listen

Sing! Food Play with Gunnar Madsen from 2018-12-11T00:00

On this episode we sail our sieve to the land of food and song with award winning children's musician Gunnar Madsen. We share a track from Gunnar's latest album, "I Am Your Food," and Gunnar share...

Listen

Full Interview with Gunnar Madsen from 2018-12-09T00:00

Enjoy the full, fun interview with musician Gunnar Madsen. Learn about his inspiration for some of the songs on his latest album, "I Am Your Food" and can you guess what band influenced him when h...

Listen

extra! - National Park Wordplay - 4th grade pass from 2018-11-04T00:00

On this wordplay extra! we have a real live National Park Ranger, a real live 4th grader, and a couple of funny Buttons & Figs fans who all LOVE U.S. National Parks! Sarah Stannard, Park Ranger at...

Listen

Ghost Stories - original spookiness from 2018-10-27T00:00

On this episode Buttons & Figs is proud to feature original ghost stories, for brave kids, by Nathaly and Zoe, students at Independence High School in Glendale, Arizona. Nathaly shares stories fro...

Listen

Ghost of podcasts past: Halloween Nonsense from 2018-10-23T00:00

Sail in our way-back sieve to visit the ghost of Halloween past with a listener favorite from 2016 - Halloween Nonsense with the Kit-Kats! This was a special Halloween episode hosted by the Kit-Kat...

Listen

#32 - An Odcast - Take Away Letter Play from 2018-10-15T00:00

On this Odcast episode we sail our sieve to the land of letter take aways...wait, did Alex just steal the letter P from Podcast?! Join Alex, Chloe, Olivia, Sophia and Ava as they play with letter ...

Listen

#31 - Ballyhoo! Hyperbole Play from 2018-10-01T00:00

Ballyhooooooo!!! You should listen to this episode because it's the most musical, entertaining, funny and colorful episode EVER! On this episode we sail our sieve to the land of Hyperbole. Join ...

Listen

Nonsensilicious - The Onomatopoeia Man from 2018-09-10T00:00

On this Nonsensilicious Buttons & Figs episode The Onomatopoeia Man has a challenge for you...to see if you can make some onomatopoeia sounds too. The Onomatopoeia Man is an interactive word play ...

Listen

#30 - Personification Play at the Library from 2018-08-14T00:00

Buttons & Figs is a podcast for kids about playing with words. On this episode, sail in a sieve to the land of personification at Phoenix Public Library's Burton Barr Central location! Phoenix Pu...

Listen

Nonsensilicious - More Collective Noun Play from 2018-08-07T00:00

Nonsensilicious episodes are bite-size Buttons & Figs episodes designed to give you a taste, a treat, a wordplay challenge for the classroom, library or wherever you eat. On this short, Kyle Lukof...

Listen

#29 - Punny Puns from 2018-07-11T00:00

Lettuce sieve we can sail in our sieve to the land of punny puns! Join us for this punny episode and hear opunions and advice from none other than the 2017 O'Henry Pun Champion - Southpaw Jones! ...

Listen

#28 - Summer at Imagination Inn from 2018-05-30T00:00

School's almost out, summer's almost here, let's sail away in our sieve to the land of....oh no, I think we're lost! Quick, IMAGINE a place - a castle, a cabin, a resort or an inn! Wait, no worri...

Listen

#27 - A Colony of Collective Nouns from 2018-04-29T00:00

Jump aboard our sieve with this army of ants, troop of baboons, bunch of bananas, swarm of bees and litter of kittens as they set sail to the land of collective nouns. On this episode we'll define...

Listen

#26 - Ricochet Word Play from 2018-04-08T00:00

Stop your dilly-dallying and jump aboard....we're sailing our sieve to the land of Ricochet Words! On this episode we'll explain how to play with ricochet words, we'll stop in to visit Shim-Sham t...

Listen

#25 - We're Going on an Onomatopoeia Hunt from 2018-03-12T00:00

We're going on an ONOMATOPOEIA hunt! We can't go over it, we can't go under it....I guess we'll have to go through it! On this episode Buttons & Figs is going to sail in our sieve to the land of...

Listen

#24 - I Love You Like a Simile from 2018-02-14T00:00

Are you silly like a Button and nonsensical like a Fig? On this episode Buttons & Figs is going to sail in a sieve to the land of love similes or would that be simile love?! On this special Vale...

Listen

#23 - Scat Singing with Annette Lowman from 2018-01-30T00:00

Buttons & Figs sails in a sieve to the land of scat singing. The great jazz singer Annette Lowman travels along sharing tips for how kids can start scat singing too. Visit buttonsandfigs.com for ...

Listen

#22 - Wacky Waffle Nonsense - Shel Silverstein Inspires from 2018-01-10T00:00

Buttons & Figs is a podcast for kids about nonsense. Are you a dreamer? then come on in and listen to this Wacky Waffle Nonsense episode. the nonsense on this episode was inspired by Shel Silver...

Listen

spooky episode - Halloween Nonsense II from 2017-10-28T00:00

Buttons & Figs is a podcast for kids about nonsense. this is a special Halloween episode inspired by the book "Black and Bittern Was Night" by Robert Heidbreder, illustrated by John Martz. severa...

Listen

extra - "facts" from 2017-10-10T00:00

Buttons & Figs is a podcast for kids about nonsense. this is a little extra with Oscar, who shared some "facts" with us at the Oak Park Public Library. Which ones are facts and which ones spark you...

Listen

#21 - Funny Girls - Interview with Betsy Bird from 2017-09-30T00:00

Buttons & Figs is a podcast for kids about nonsense. On this episode, sail in a sieve to the land of Funny Girls! Our funny girls interview the funny librarian, author, and fellow podcaster, Bets...

Listen

#20 - Tongue Twisters at the Library from 2017-08-30T00:00

Buttons & Figs is a podcast for kids about nonsense. On this episode, sail in a sieve BACK to the library for tons of tongue twisters! The Oak Park Public Library welcomed back Buttons & Figs for...

Listen

#19 - Math Nonsense from 2017-08-15T00:00

Buttons & Figs is a podcast for kids about nonsense. On this episode, sail #backtoschool in a sieve with some Math Nonsense! Special co-hosts, twins Luke and Oliver, or is it Oliver and Luke?!, h...

Listen

#18 - Jokes at the Library from 2017-07-24T00:00

Buttons & Figs is a podcast for kids about nonsense. On this episode, sail in a sieve to the library to hear some great jokes! Oak Park Public Library hosted Buttons & Figs for an evening of podc...

Listen

#17 - Crazy Cars from 2017-07-11T00:00

Buttons & Figs is a podcast for kids about nonsense. Rev up your sieve and #hittheroad! with nonsense inspired by "Poem-Mobiles: Crazy Car Poems" by J. Patrick Lewis and Douglas Florian. Discover...

Listen

#16 - Gertrude is Gertrude from 2017-06-26T00:00

Buttons & Figs is a podcast for kids about nonsense. Sail in a sieve to the land of Gertrude Stein! Listen in to hear the newly discovered audio of Gertrude Stein meeting with some of the greates...

Listen

#15 - Seven Wonder Flags from 2017-06-12T00:00

Buttons & Figs is a podcast for kids about nonsense. this is a special episode about design thinking and the creative process. listen in as The Kit-Kats design an amusement park. this episode wa...

Listen

#14 - Blackhawk Nonsense from 2017-05-23T00:00

Buttons & Figs is a podcast for kids about nonsense. this is a special Blackhawk Nonsense episode about their school year. this episode is hosted by Ms. Beljung's 2nd grade class in oak park, il....

Listen

extra - happy valentine's day from 2017-04-25T00:00

Buttons & Figs is a podcast for kids about nonsense. this is a little extra, extra nonsense written, recorded and produced by Charlie and Matias. Patrick the squink shares his love of capers inste...

Listen

#13 - Rube Goldberg Machines from 2017-04-11T00:00

Buttons & Figs is a podcast for kids about nonsense. Sail in a sieve to the land of Rube Goldberg Machines! Inspired by Rube Goldberg's cartoons, some Buttons & Figs kids design a couple of their...

Listen

#12 - BFG from 2017-03-19T00:00

Buttons & Figs is a podcast for kids about nonsense. Sail in a sieve to the land of giants to hear a great recommendation for Roald Dahl's book, "The BFG". Recommended by kids in the Horace Mann ...

Listen

#11 - Sandburg - Part 2 from 2017-03-14T00:00

Buttons & Figs is a podcast for kids about nonsense. On part 2 of our Sandburg episode the kids, inspired by Rootabaga Stories, create some wacky characters of their own. be sure to check out R...

Listen

extra - fog from 2017-03-07T00:00

Buttons & Figs is a podcast for kids about nonsense. this is a little extra, extra nonsense to go along with our exploration of Carl Sandburg's works. here is a little extra poem by Sandburg, read...

Listen

#11 - Sandburg - Part I from 2017-03-03T20:33:01

Buttons & Figs is a podcast for kids about nonsense. On this episode the kids, inspired by Carl Sandburg's Rootabaga Stories, create some wacky characters of their own. be sure to listen in for ...

Listen

extra - something from 2017-02-12T00:00

Buttons & Figs is a podcast for kids about nonsense. this is a little extra, extra nonsense. this piece was created by makai, recorded by makai, joaquin, & hannah. we hope you'll share a little e...

Listen

#10 - Limericks from 2017-01-30T00:00

Buttons & Figs is a podcast for kids about nonsense. On this episode the kids share Edward Lear limericks and have some fun by becoming the characters in the limericks! be sure to download this ...

Listen

#9 - Over the Button and Through the Fig from 2017-01-17T00:00

Buttons & Figs is a podcast for kids about nonsense. this first episode of the new year features kids making a little nonsense out of the song "Over the River and Through the Woods." be sure to d...

Listen

#8 - Alliteration from 2016-12-11T00:00

Buttons & Figs is a podcast for kids about nonsense. this episode features kids playing with alliteration and different voice styles...and a special interview with Mike from Ecuador! who shares hi...

Listen

Sing! About Boredom with Justin Roberts from 2016-11-29T18:18:15

Buttons & Figs is a podcast for kids about nonsense. this episode features the music of Justin Roberts and a kid-conducted interview with the musician about his new video for the song "Me and My K...

Listen