"Grandma, do you think I'm brave?" Olivia asked, swinging her feet back and forth as she sat at the kitchen table.
Grandma, who was busy adding sprinkles to a plate of freshly baked cookies, paused and smiled. "Braver than a lion, my little sprinkle," she said, using her special nickname for Olivia. "Why do you ask?"
Olivia hopped off the chair. "Because there's this new playground, and I really want to go, but I'm a little bit scared."
Grandma’s eyebrows shot up. “A scared sprinkle? That’s silly! A new playground sounds like an adventure! Tell you what, we’ll pack a picnic basket with these cookies, and we’ll go together. How does that sound, my little explorer?”
Olivia’s smile was as bright as the sun. “That sounds amazing, Grandma!”
And that’s how Olivia and her grandma found themselves walking hand-in-hand towards the new playground. As they got closer, Olivia could hear the happy screams and giggles of children. The playground was like something out of a dream! There were twisty slides that looked like rainbows, a giant climbing frame that resembled a castle, and even a wobbly bridge guarded by friendly-looking dragons!
"Wow!" Olivia gasped, her eyes wide with wonder. But then her smile wavered a little. It *was* very big and new.
Grandma squeezed Olivia’s hand. “Remember what we talked about, my little sprinkle? Courage isn’t about not being scared; it’s about being scared but still taking that step anyway. And I’ll be right here with you every hop, skip, and jump of the way.”
Olivia took a deep breath and felt a warm feeling spread through her chest. It must be courage, she thought. Holding tight to Grandma’s hand, she took a step onto the playground.
First, they explored the castle climbing frame. Olivia, pretending to be a brave knight, climbed all the way to the top. Grandma waited at the bottom, cheering her on. From her high tower, Olivia spotted something incredible – a real-life dragon hiding behind the swings!
“Grandma, look!” Olivia whispered excitedly as she climbed down.
The dragon was indeed real! It had shimmering green scales, big, kind eyes, and smoke puffed out of its nostrils. But instead of being scary, it looked kind of sad. Olivia, remembering her superpower, decided to talk to it.
"Hello," Olivia said timidly. "Are you okay?"
The dragon looked at Olivia, surprised. “You can see me?” he whispered, his voice like distant thunder. “And you’re not scared?”
Olivia shook her head. “I’m Olivia. This is my Grandma.”
“It’s nice to meet you both,” the dragon said. “I’m Ferdinand. I’m just a little sad because I’m new here and haven’t made any friends yet.”
"Well, now you have!" Olivia declared. "We can be friends, right, Grandma?"
Grandma, who had been watching with a mixture of amusement and amazement, smiled. "Of course, Ferdinand. We’d love to be your friend."
And that’s how Olivia, with a little bit of courage and a whole lot of kindness, made a new friend at the playground that day. As Olivia and her Grandma walked home later, hand-in-hand, Olivia knew that she could face anything as long as she had her grandma and Ferdinand by her side. After all, what’s an adventure without a little bit of courage and a whole lot of friendship?
