Both toy sailboats glide freely across a clear section of the shallow garden pond towards a flat far stone. Yellow boat slightly ahead of blue boat. Jo and Owen watch happily with Dad from the dry level bank. Whole figures and pond visible.

The Slow Boat Race

Phase 7 · Book 3
Focus oa and ow for long o

Jo and Owen kneel with Dad on dry level ground beside a tiny shallow garden pond. Two toy sailboats, yellow hull red sail and blue hull cream sail, float freely. Reeds are in one corner. Complete people and pond within frame, no child in water.

Jo and Owen race toy boats. They set them afloat in a shallow pond. Dad watches from the bank. A breeze pushes the boats slowly.

The two small toy sailboats have drifted into a patch of reeds at the shallow garden pond. Jo and Owen stand on dry ground with Dad, looking at the stuck toys. Nobody reaches or leans into the pond.

Jo’s boat drifts into the reeds. Owen’s boat follows it. “Both boats have stopped!” says Jo. They stay on the bank with Dad.

Dad stands securely on dry ground lifting a yellow toy sailboat out of reeds using a long handled net. The blue toy sailboat already rests safely on the bank. Owen points at the narrow reed gap while Jo watches from beside Dad.

“I can reach them with this,” says Dad. He uses a long net to lift each boat. Owen points to the narrow gap in the reeds. “Our boats cannot go through there.”

Jo and Owen kneel beside Dad on dry level ground by a low flat stone at the clear side of the shallow garden pond. They place the yellow and blue toy sailboats in open water away from reeds, with Dad close beside them.

“Let’s start by this low stone,” says Jo. The water is clear of reeds here. They set the boats afloat beside Dad. “Ready, steady, go!” says Owen.

The boats float towards the far stone. Jo’s yellow boat glides ahead. Owen’s blue boat follows slowly. “Now they have room to go!” says Jo.

The Slow Boat Race

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