By Bill Conley
America’s Favorite Children’s Storyteller
Moral of the Story:
Sometimes life gives us unexpected gifts disguised as changes in plans. A snow
day reminds us that joy can be found in the simplest moments if we choose to
see it. When we let go of disappointment, we open the door to laughter,
imagination, and friendship. The best days often come when we least expect
them, especially when we share them with those we love. Memories are not made
from perfect schedules but from perfect moments of togetherness. When the world
slows down and we take time to play, our hearts grow warmer even on the coldest
days. Happiness is not found in what we do but in how we see the beauty all around
us. A snow day can become a treasure when it melts into laughter, love, and
gratitude.
The forest woke up wrapped in a
blanket of white. Snowflakes drifted from the treetops like feathers floating
from the sky. The world was quiet except for the sound of tiny paws crunching
through the snow as Sunny the Squirrel peeked out of his tree hollow.
“Oh my acorns,” Sunny gasped, his
eyes sparkling. “There’s so much snow, I can hardly see the ground!” He reached
for his backpack and scarf, ready to hurry off to school, but when he stepped
outside, he saw a wooden sign posted by the big oak. It read, School Closed
– Snow Day!
Sunny’s tail twitched with surprise.
“No school? What am I going to do all day?”
Just then, he heard a cheerful voice
calling from across the meadow. It was Milo the Mouse, bundled in a tiny red
cap. “Sunny! Can you believe it? The whole forest is covered in snow! Let’s
play!”
Sunny smiled. “Play? Hmm… that
sounds better than math!”
Before long, their friends arrived
too: Penny the Penguin, who had waddled from the nearby pond, Ralph the Rabbit,
and Cleo the Chipmunk. They gathered in a big circle, their breath puffing
clouds into the frosty air.
“What should we do first?” asked
Ralph, bouncing up and down.
“Let’s build the biggest snow fort ever!” shouted Milo.
“No,” said Penny, flapping her wings, “let’s build a snow penguin family!”
“Or both!” Sunny laughed.
So they began to work. Sunny and
Milo rolled giant snowballs that grew bigger with every turn. Penny used her
flippers to smooth the walls of the fort while Ralph tunneled through the
middle, giggling the whole time. Cleo climbed to the top and planted a twig
flag that read Fort Friendship.
When they were done, they all stood
back to admire their creation. “It’s perfect,” said Sunny, brushing snow off
his whiskers. “Now who wants to have a snowball fight?”
The air filled with laughter and
snowflakes as they ran, ducked, and tossed soft snowballs at one another.
Sunny’s tail wiggled as he dodged Milo’s throw, but one snowball landed right
on his head. Everyone burst out laughing.
After a while, Penny said, “Let’s
make snow angels!” They all lay down side by side, waving their arms and legs,
leaving angel shapes in the snow. From above, it looked like a field of tiny
wings.
Then came the best idea of all.
Ralph rolled a snowball down a hill so fast that it became huge. “Let’s make a snow
bear!” he shouted. Together they shaped it into a smiling snow animal, using
acorns for eyes, a carrot for a nose, and pine needles for whiskers. Cleo
climbed up and added a hat she found stuck in a branch.
When they finished, their snow bear
looked so friendly that every animal in the forest stopped to admire it. Even
the birds perched on its hat and chirped happily.
As the sun began to set, painting
the snow in shades of pink and gold, the friends gathered by the frozen pond.
“I wish every day could be like this,” Sunny said, sighing with joy.
Penny smiled. “Maybe it can be, if we carry the happiness of today in our
hearts every day.”
Sunny thought for a moment and
nodded. “You’re right. It’s not just about the snow. It’s about being together
and having fun, no matter what happens.”
They all linked paws, wings, and
tails, promising to make every day feel like a snow day by finding joy in
little things.
When Sunny finally returned home,
his mom had warm soup waiting. “Did you enjoy your snow day, sweetheart?” she
asked with a smile.
Sunny grinned, his cheeks rosy from
the cold. “It was the best day ever, Mom. We played, we built, we laughed, and
I learned something too.”
“Oh?” said his mom, pouring him a
bowl. “And what’s that?”
Sunny leaned against her and whispered, “That sometimes the best lessons don’t
come from school; they come from life.”
That night, as snowflakes danced
outside the window, Sunny curled up in his nest, smiling. The snow would melt
soon, but the memory of this day would stay forever in his heart.
Poem:
Snowflakes falling soft and bright,
Turn the world to pure delight.
Laughter fills the frosty air,
With friends and fun beyond compare.
When school is closed, our hearts can play,
And turn the cold to warm and gay.
For love and joy are winter’s art,
That paints a smile on every heart.
Discussion Questions:
1.
How did
Sunny feel when he first learned school was closed, and how did his feelings
change throughout the day?
2.
What made
the snow day so special for Sunny and his friends?
3.
How can
you find joy and gratitude when your plans change unexpectedly?
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