Tom’s Picnic Cups

Tom is having a picnic with Dad and Eva. There are three places on the mat. “I will bring the cups,” says Tom.

Tom puts one cup at his own place. “One cup for me.” Dad smiles. Tom looks at the other places on the mat.

He puts another cup at Dad’s place. Now there are two cups. Tom points to them slowly. “One, two.” Eva waits beside him.

“Have we got enough?” asks Dad. Tom looks at Eva’s place. It is empty. “Eva needs a cup too!” he says.

Tom looks in the basket. He finds one more cup. He carries it carefully, keeping it upright as he walks back to the picnic mat.

He puts the cup at Eva’s place. Now every place has one cup. Tom points and counts again. “One, two, three. Three cups!”

Dad asks Tom to check. Tom touches each cup once as he says a number. He does not count the same cup twice. “One each,” he says.

Now Dad, Tom and Eva can have their picnic. “We have enough,” says Eva. Tom grins. Three people, three cups, and a place for everyone.