Toby’s Muddy Boots

Toby, Anna and Felix were ready to look for puddles after the rain. Their boots were waiting by the garden door. Dad had put them in a heap on the mat. “Can you sort these before we go?” he asked.

Toby found two blue boots. One was for his left foot and one was for his right. He put them side by side. “One pair for me,” he said. Anna began looking for her yellow boots.

Anna found both yellow boots and placed them beside Toby’s pair. Felix found one red boot. He looked under the mat. He looked behind the watering can. “My other boot has gone on an adventure without me!” he said.

Toby spotted something red behind the bench. Felix pulled out the missing boot. A dry leaf was tucked inside it. He shook the leaf out and put his red boots together. Now everyone had a matching pair.

“How many boots have we found?” asked Dad. Toby began counting them one by one. Anna had another idea. “Each pair has two. We can count in twos.” She touched the pairs in order. “Two, four, six.”

Felix checked by counting each boot once. There were six. “Three pairs,” he said, “and two boots in each pair.” Toby grinned. “Three people need six boots. That is a lot of room for muddy toes.”

They pulled on their boots and walked into the garden. The biggest puddle lay beside the gate. Toby stepped in carefully. Anna made a small splash. Felix made a bigger splash, and Dad stepped back just in time.

When they returned, six muddy boots stood on the mat in three pairs. Dad brought a cloth for the floor. “The boots are all here,” said Toby. Felix looked behind the bench. “No more adventures without us!”