Included in the Melanie and Sparky Have a Play Date:
►Sister Laurel Mason
White Mouse, wearing pink dress with red and pink
flowers
►Baby girl Melanie Mason White Mouse, standing
up, wearing pink sleeper
►Baby boy Sparky Huckleberry Hound Dog,
standing up, wearing blue sleeper
►baby boy's green outfit
►baby girl's lavender outfit
►car, red
►hangers, pink with white bow (two)
►horse, pale yellow with blue mane and tail, on spring
with blue base
"Today is going to be such a
busy day!" Mother Mason exclaimed one morning. "I have
so many errands to run, I promised Mrs. Huckleberry I would
watch Sparky, and in the afternoon I need to take Melanie
and Sparky to their friend's birthday party. There is
simply not enough time for everything|!"
"Don't worry, Mom," Laurel said
cheerfully. "I can look after Melanie and Sparky while
you are running your errands. I don't have anything
planned for the day."
An hour later, Laurel was in the
playroom with her little sister Melanie and Sparky, their
very active next-door neighbour.
"Look, Sparky, I can drive!"
Melanie said as she climbed into the seat of the bright red
toy car her parents just gave her. "Vroom, vroom!"
She went all around the room, bumping into furniture and
knocking off toys on her way.
"Wait Melanie, you are going too
fast!" Laurel cried out. "You've just run over your
favourite teddy bear!"
"Let me try! Let me try!"
Sparky shouted with excitement. "I am a much better
driver than Melanie. I want the car! I want the
car!"
"It's my car, Sparky." Melanie
answered impatiently. "You can't drive my car."
With that, she clutched at the
wheel and started going around the room again. Sparky
looked like he was about to burst into tears, so Laurel knew
she had to step in. Watching two young children was a
lot harder than she thought. She quickly took hold of
her little sister and lifted her off the car.
"Come on, Melanie, be a good
friend. Don't you remember that friends share their
toys? Why don't you let Sparky drive your car while
you play with the horse rocker and then you can switch with
Sparky and drive the car again, but only if you're more
careful next time."
Melanie looked over at her horse
rocker. It is fun to ride the horse," she told
herself. So while Sparky rode the red care around the
playroom, Melanie bounced on the rocking horse. While
they rode, both sang their favourite song - "If you are
happy and you know it clap your hands" - and clapped their
hands loudly while singing. Soon Laurel joined in,
filling the playroom with cheerful song!
After ten minutes, Laurel
suggested, "Why don't you switch now? Sparky, want to
try out the horse rocker? Melanie, you can drive the
car again, but promise to go slower."
This time the children were
happy to trade toys. Laurel was proud of herself.
The children were getting along well and she had kept them
happily occupied all morning long. They had just begun
to sing their song again when she glanced at the big clock
on the wall and jumped.
"Melanie, Sparky, we have to get
you ready for the birthday party! Mother will be back
any minute and look at you both. Quick, let's go to
the bathroom, get your hands washed and you clothes
changed."
When Mother Mason returned home,
she was surprised and pleased to find Melanie and Sparky all
dressed up for the party and ready to go.
"Look at you, Melanie," she
said. "You look so sweet in your pretty lavender
dress! Sparky, you look handsome in your green
overalls."
She turned to Laurel and smiled.
"Thank you so much for helping me out. You've done a
great job and I am so proud of you!"
She gave her daughter a big hug.
Laurel hugger her mother and
told her, "I want to be a nursery school teacher. I
had so much fin today looking after my little sister and her
friend, and I feel all grown up now!"
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