Mia is three. Mia has a red cup. Mia has big giggles today.
In the play room, Mia sees Ben the bunny and Lola the lamb. Ben holds a toy drum. Lola holds a blue spoon.
“Tea party!” says Mia. “Tap-tap!”
Ben taps the drum. “Boom-boom!” he says.
Lola stirs the air. “Swish-swish!” she says.
Mia puts her red cup on a small table. “My cup,” she says.
Ben puts his drum next to the cup. “My cup?” he asks, eyes wide.
Lola puts her spoon in the cup. “My cup!” she says, very sure.
Uh-oh. One cup. Three friends. Three smiles turn wiggly.
Mia looks at the cup. Ben looks at the cup. Lola looks at the cup.
Mia whispers, “Hmm.”
Ben says, “Boom?”
Lola says, “Swish?”
Mia gets an idea. “We make more cups!” she says. “Hop!”
They look around. Mia finds a big bowl. “Cup!” she says.
Ben finds a little hat. “Cup!” he says, and puts it on the table. “Tada!”
Lola finds a clean block with a hole. “Cup!” she says. “Plink!”
They try a pour. Mia pretends to pour from a tiny pot. “Glug-glug,” she says.
Ben holds the hat-cup. “Careful!” he says. The hat tips. “Oops!”
The tea goes nowhere, because it is pretend, but they all laugh anyway. “Ha-ha-ha!”
Lola stirs the bowl with the spoon. “Swish-swish, soup-tea!” she says.
Ben drums a slow beat. “Boom… boom…,” he says.
Mia gives the red cup to Lola. “Here,” she says.
Lola gives the spoon to Ben. “Here,” she says.
Ben gives the drum to Mia. “Here,” he says.
Now they sip. “Mmm!” says Mia. “Mmm!” says Ben. “Mmm!” says Lola.
The room feels soft. The giggles get small. Mia pats the table. “Good tea,” she says.
They sit close, calm and warm, with their funny cups all lined up, neat-neat-neat.
Moral: Sharing and helping make friends laugh, and laughing together feels safe and sweet.
