Alice and Sam build two small flat cork raft toy boats on low garden table beside Mum; Alice boat red with tall yellow sail, Sam blue with short white sail; shallow puddle on path.

The Puddle Boat Race

Shared Reading Books · Stories · Year 1
Narrative

Rain had left a wide puddle on the garden path. Alice and Sam made two little boats. Alice’s boat had a yellow sail. Sam’s had a white one. Mum came outside to watch.

Children crouch beside broad very shallow garden-path puddle gently blowing toward boats; red yellow-sail boat turns sideways, blue white-sail boat moves straight; Mum nearby.

They put the boats at one end of the shallow puddle. “The other side is the finish,” said Alice. They blew gently on the sails. Sam’s boat moved, but Alice’s turned in a circle.

Red cork raft with tall yellow sail tipped sideways in shallow puddle, blue raft upright; Alice worried, Mum lifts red boat carefully from edge, Sam watches.

Alice blew harder. Her boat tipped onto its side. “Oh no,” she said. “The sail is too tall.” Mum lifted the little boat out and gave it back to her.

Mum helps Alice fold tall yellow paper sail down on red cork raft at garden table; Sam holds blue raft with short white sail; both boats intact.

Alice looked at Sam’s boat. His sail was shorter. “Could I make mine smaller?” she asked. Mum helped fold the top of Alice’s sail down. Now it stood lower above the raft.

Two upright flat raft boats, red with now-short yellow sail and blue with short white sail, stopped by single large fallen leaf in shallow puddle; Sam points, Alice crouches; Mum nearby.

They tried again. Alice’s boat stayed upright, but both boats stopped at a leaf in the puddle. “The path is blocked,” said Sam. He pointed to the leaf between them and the finish.

Sam moves the leaf with a long spoon while Alice and Mum watch. Alice's red boat keeps its short folded yellow sail; Sam's blue boat has a taller white sail.

“We could make a new route,” said Alice. Sam moved the leaf aside with a long spoon. Mum watched while they left a clear gap for both boats. They put the boats back at the start.

Alice and Sam take turns blowing their boats through the clear gap. Alice's yellow sail remains short on the red boat beside Sam's taller white-sailed blue boat.

This time, they took turns blowing gently. Alice’s boat moved through the gap. Sam’s followed beside it. “Keep going, little boats!” called Alice. Mum smiled.

Both boats reach the far side together. Alice's yellow sail is still folded short, and Sam's white sail remains taller, as the children and Mum smile.

The boats reached the far side together. “Who won?” asked Sam. Alice looked at their boats. “We both did,” she said. “We helped them get there.”

Alice and Sam carrying respective small red and blue cork raft boats with low yellow and white sails toward open garden door to dry indoors; Mum follows.

They lifted the boats out and took them indoors to dry. Alice’s smaller sail was still standing. “Next time, we can make a longer route,” said Sam. “And try another race together,” said Alice.

The Puddle Boat Race

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