The Garden of Growing Hearts - Chapter 2
How Milo Found His Voice
Hi Parents,
Welcome to Chapter 2 of The Garden of Growing Hearts!
This 5-minute story and activity set is perfect for children ages 3-5. Today's adventure helps children understand that everyone has their own special way of expressing themselves, and sometimes finding our voice takes courage. Whether your child is naturally outgoing or shy like Milo, they'll discover that their words have power and that friends can help us be brave.
As you read, encourage your child to make the sound effects and move along with Jamie's bouncing and Milo's drawing motions. Watch for those magical moments when your child connects with the characters' feelings!
If haven’t read Chapter 1, you can find it here.
Story
SWISH-SWISH went Milo's pencil across his sketchbook. Through the garden gate, the children discovered a new section filled with mysterious, shimmering flowers.
Milo sat cross-legged in the grass, his round glasses slipping down his nose as he sketched. His pencil moved quickly, capturing every shimmer and sparkle of the mysterious flowers. The garden's magic seemed to flow right through his fingertips and onto the page.
WHOOSH! Professor Pickle-Bottom zoomed in on his floating rulebook. "Well, well, what do we have here? Drawing my precious flowers, are we?"
Milo ducked his head shyly, clutching his sketchbook close.
"Not for long! Smelly socks and sticky faces, make these flowers lose their traces!" Professor Pickle-Bottom cackled. "You'll never figure out how to break this spell!" With a POOF of stinky smoke, he disappeared.
The flowers drooped sadly, their sparkly petals turning dull and gray.
"Oh no!" Milo frantically sketched new drawings, trying to capture the flowers' lost magic. His drawings were perfect as always, but the real flowers remained gray and lifeless.
Jamie bounced around the wilting flowers, waving his arms. "Maybe they need to dance!"
Rose sprinkled water on the droopy stems. "Maybe they're just thirsty?"
Nothing changed. Milo hunched over his sketchbook, adding more details to his drawings but staying silent.
"Milo," Rose said gently, "your drawings are amazing. Can you tell us about them?"
"I... um..." Milo stammered, his cheeks turning pink. Speaking always made him nervous - he'd much rather just draw. He shook his head and returned to his sketchbook, where he felt safe and confident.
"Please?" Jamie stopped bouncing. "Just tell us what you see."
"Well..." Milo's voice was barely a whisper. "In my drawing, the petals sort of... twist..."
TINKLE-TINKLE! One flower lifted its head slightly.
"Look!" Rose pointed. "Keep going, Milo!"
"The petals..." Milo's voice grew stronger, encouraged by his friends' excitement. "They twist like dancing ribbons in the wind..."
TWINKLE-TWINKLE! More flowers started to perk up.
"And what else?" Jamie urged. "What makes them special?"
Milo stood up straighter, his voice growing confident as he shared what his artist's eye could see. "The stems shine like streams of starlight, and in the center of each flower... there's this glow, like tiny suns waking up..."
SPARKLE-SPARKLE! With each description, more flowers came alive, glowing brighter than ever.
Magic Moment: What is the key to breaking Professor Pickle Bottom’s Spell? Speaking their beauty out loud!
"The Whispering Wildflowers!" Rose gasped as the flowers seemed to sing with color. "They need us to speak their beauty out loud!"
POOF! Professor Pickle-Bottom reappeared, tugging at his mustache in surprise. "Well, well! I never thought shy little Milo would find the courage to use his words instead of just drawing! You kids are turning out to be smarter than I thought!" He wagged his finger at them with a crooked smile. "But don't get too confident - I'll get you next time!" With that, he zoomed away on his rulebook.
Milo looked at his sketchbook, now full of drawings and careful notes about what he saw. The garden had never looked more magical.
"What other secrets do you think we'll find?" Jamie asked, bouncing excitedly.
Milo adjusted his glasses, looking at his friends with newfound confidence. "I don't know, but maybe... maybe if we work together, we can figure them out."
Let's Play!
1. Magic Garden Sketching (5 minutes)
Grab some paper and crayons! Just like Milo, draw your own magical flower. Then, try describing it out loud. What colors did you use? Does it sparkle? Twist? Dance? Remember: Your words can make magic too!
2. Friendship Circle Show-and-Tell (5 minutes)
Sit in a circle with family or friends. Take turns showing something special to you (a toy, drawing, or book) and describing it. Just like Milo, start with a whisper if you want – your friends will listen!
3. The Confidence Dance (5 minutes)
Stand up and pretend you're a flower growing from tiny to tall! Start curled up small, then slowly stretch up as you say something you're good at. Bounce like Jamie when you feel proud!
Remember: Everyone has their own special way of sharing – through art, words, or movement. The magic happens when we're brave enough to try!
Thanks for reading! We’ll see you next week for Chapter 3!