The sun was bright at the playground.
Little Hop, the blue bunny, went hop-hop-hop.
He saw his favorite place – the big sandbox!
The sand felt soft and warm on his paws.
Hop had his special red shovel.
“My red shovel!” said Hop with a big smile.
Scoop! The sand flew up high.
Pitter-patter! Down came the sand like rain.
Hop made tiny mountains in the sandbox.
He dug little holes with his red shovel.
“What fun!” said Hop with a giggle.
Pad, pad, pad came soft footsteps.
A small brown bear walked to the sandbox.
“Hello!” said the bear. “I am Paw.”
Hop held his red shovel close.
Paw looked at the fun sandbox.
“Can I play too?” asked Paw.
Hop saw that Paw had no toys.
Hop’s tummy felt funny.
He wanted to play alone with his special shovel.
But Paw looked so sad.
“My turn?” Paw asked very softly.
Hop looked at his shovel.
Then he looked at Paw’s friendly smile.
What should Hop do?
Hop took a big brave breath.
“We can share!” said Hop with a smile.
Paw’s eyes got bright and happy.
“Your turn first,” said Hop.
Paw used the shovel. Scoop, scoop!
He made a big pile of sand.
“Now your turn!” said Paw.
Hop took the shovel. Swoosh, swoosh!
He made the pile even bigger.
“Let’s build a sandcastle!” said Paw.
“Together!” said Hop.
Pat, pat, pat went their paws.
The sandcastle grew tall and strong.
“Sharing is fun!” they both giggled.
Look at their wonderful sandcastle!
“It’s better with friends,” said Hop.
“Much better!” smiled Paw.
Then Paw found a blue bucket.
Hop found a yellow spade.
“More toys to share!” they cheered.
Dig, dig, pat, pat!
Now they had two happy friends.
And one happy sandbox.
The End
Let’s talk about the story!
Fun Questions to Explore Together
1. Point and Share
- “Can you show me where Hop’s red shovel is, sweetie?”
- “Look at the pictures together! Can you find Paw’s blue overalls?”
- “Let’s count the happy smiles in each picture!”
2. Imagine and Wonder
- “What would you build in the sandbox, my little explorer?”
- “Let’s pretend we’re making a sandcastle together! What should we add to it?”
- “Which toy would you share with a new friend?”
3. Feelings and Friendship
- “How do you think Paw felt when he had no toys, little one?”
- “Can you show me your sharing smile, just like Hop’s?”
- “Let’s make happy sounds like Hop and Paw playing together!”
Let’s Play Together!
Try these fun activities with your little one:
- Sandbox Practice
“Let’s take turns with a toy, just like Hop and Paw!” - Happy Helpers
“Can you help mommy/daddy share the toys with your friends?” - Story Time Theater
“Shall we act out the story with your favorite toys?”
This story helps our little ones to:
- Learn the joy of sharing through gentle, positive examples
- Develop empathy by understanding others’ feelings
- Build confidence in making new friends
- Practice turn-taking in a fun, natural way
Note for Parents: Reinforce these lessons during everyday play. Celebrate your child’s sharing moments with warm praise and encouragement!