Poppy the Penguin Keeps Trying
Moral
of the Story:
When something feels difficult or
does not go your way, continuing to try with patience and determination helps
you grow stronger, learn new skills, and eventually succeed, because every
effort you make brings you closer to achieving something wonderful.
Far away in a land of sparkling snow
and icy blue waters, where the wind whispered across the frozen ground, lived a
cheerful little penguin named Poppy.
Poppy had soft black and white
feathers, bright, curious eyes, and a heart full of excitement.
She loved to watch the other
penguins slide across the ice, dive into the water, and swim with speed and
grace.
But there was one thing Poppy could
not do.
She could not slide.
Every day, Poppy would stand at the
top of a gentle snowy hill and watch the other penguins glide down smoothly,
laughing and having fun.
“Look at them,” Poppy said softly.
“They make it look so easy.”
One morning, Poppy decided she
wanted to try.
“I can do this,” she whispered to
herself.
She waddled to the top of the hill,
took a deep breath, and leaned forward.
But instead of sliding…
Plop.
She fell right onto her belly.
The other penguins slid past her
with ease.
Poppy stood up slowly and brushed
off the snow.
“I guess I’m not very good at this,”
she said quietly.
Just then, Leo the Lion, who was
visiting from a warmer land and watching nearby, walked over.
“Are you done already?” Leo asked.
Poppy looked at him.
“I tried,” she said. “But I fell.”
Leo smiled kindly.
“Falling is part of learning,” he
said. “Try again.”
Poppy looked back at the hill.
It didn’t seem quite as friendly as
it had before.
“I don’t know,” she said.
But something inside her told her to
try again.
So Poppy climbed back up.
This time, she leaned forward more
carefully.
She pushed gently.
She focused.
And then…
Plop.
She fell again.
Poppy sighed.
“This is too hard,” she said.
Leo sat beside her.
“Do you think the other penguins got
it right the first time?” he asked.
Poppy thought for a moment.
“Probably not,” she said.
“Exactly,” Leo replied. “They kept
trying.”
Poppy looked at the hill again.
She took a deep breath.
“I’ll try one more time,” she said.
Up the hill she went.
This time, Poppy adjusted her feet.
She leaned forward just a little
more.
She kept her balance as best she
could.
And then…
She moved.
Just a tiny bit.
But she moved.
Poppy’s eyes grew wide.
“I did it!” she said.
She hadn’t made it all the way down.
But she had slid a little.
And that felt amazing.
The next day, Poppy came back.
And the next day.
And the next.
Each time, she tried again.
Sometimes she slid a little farther.
Sometimes she fell right away.
But she didn’t stop.
One afternoon, as the sun reflected
beautifully off the icy ground, Poppy stood at the top of the hill once more.
She felt stronger.
She felt more confident.
“I can do this,” she said.
She leaned forward.
She pushed.
And this time…
She slid.
All the way down.
Fast. Smooth. Balanced.
Poppy laughed with joy as she
reached the bottom.
“I did it!” she shouted.
The other penguins cheered.
Leo smiled proudly.
“You kept trying,” he said.
Poppy nodded.
“I wanted to give up,” she admitted.
“But I’m glad I didn’t.”
Leo looked at her and said,
“That is how you grow.”
Poppy looked back up at the hill.
It no longer looked difficult.
It looked exciting.
From that day on, Poppy became one
of the best sliders in the land.
But more importantly…
She became someone who never gave
up.
And whenever she saw another penguin
struggling, she would smile and say:
“Keep trying. You can do it.”
When you keep trying, even when
something feels hard or frustrating, you give yourself the opportunity to
improve, to grow, and to succeed, because every attempt teaches you something
new and brings you closer to reaching your goal.
💬 Thoughtful Questions for Kids and Parents
- What is something that feels hard for you right now
that you can keep practicing?
- How do you feel when you try something again after not
getting it right the first time?
- Why is it important to keep trying instead of giving
up?
