Bob loved soccer more than anything. At the playground, the sun felt warm on his face and the grass smelled like sweet lemonade. His best friend in the whole world was his soccer ball, Bouncy. Bob would tap-tap-tap Bouncy with his feet, imagining he was solving a tricky puzzle. How to get past the big oak tree? How to curve the ball around the slide? Each kick was part of the fun.

Soon, his friends Maya and Leo ran over, ready for a game. "Let's play!" they shouted. They set up one goal using a backpack and a big, grey rock. But when they looked for something to make the second goal, they found... nothing! Just empty grass. "Oh no," Maya said, her shoulders slumping. "How can we play with only one goal?"

Bob, the problem-solver, put his hands on his hips. "I have an idea!" he announced. He grabbed two bright red jackets and tried to stand them up on the grass. But the jackets were floppy. They just went *fwoomp* and fell flat. He tried again. *Fwoomp!* Leo sighed. "It's not working, Bob." A little cloud of frustration started to form in Bob's head.

Bob sat down and looked at the floppy jackets, then at his friends' feet. An idea popped into his brain like a bright lightbulb! "Shoes!" he yelled, jumping up. "We can use our shoes!" Everyone took off one shoe—a sparkly pink one, a blue one with race cars, and Bob's green one—and lined them up. They made two perfect little goalposts that stood up tall and strong.

The game was on! The ball zoomed across the grass. *Kick! Pass! Goal!* Everyone cheered, their laughter filling the sunny playground. Bob felt a happy warmth spread through his chest. He had solved the problem, and now everyone could have fun together. He learned that even when a plan goes *fwoomp*, there's always another, even better idea waiting to be discovered.