Esme’s Great Muddy Match
Rain pours on match day, but Esme has an idea that makes the game the muddiest, happiest ever.
On Saturday morning, the sky was grey, and the rain came down, down, DOWN. It was the day of the big match against the Teal Turtles. Esme pressed her nose against the window and sighed.
‘We can’t play in this!’ said Tomas the tiger at the pitch. The grass was one big puddle. The ball looked like a soggy, sleepy sponge. Even the goalposts looked cross.
Then Esme had an idea. ‘Why not play anyway? Rain is just wet sunshine!’ Stan the squirrel from the Teal Turtles grinned. ‘I’m in!’
The whistle blew, and off they went. SPLOSH! Esme slid across the grass on her tummy. SPLOSH! Tomas ran straight into a puddle. SPLOSH! The ball sprayed water like a fountain.
Nobody could run in a straight line. Everyone was slipping and sliding and laughing. Even the grumpy goalposts seemed to be smiling now.
When the final whistle went, no one cared who had won. Esme and Stan were covered in mud from nose to toes. ‘Best game ever!’ they shouted.
Afterwards, both teams squelched to the clubhouse for warm milk with honey. Esme wrapped her hands around the warm cup and smiled. The best days aren’t always sunny ones.
The little lesson
You can find fun in almost any weather if you play together.
Let’s talk about it
- What is your favourite thing to do on a rainy day?
- How did Esme turn a gloomy day into a happy one?
Finish stories to collect Esme as a sticker in your Sticker Book.
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