Hannah's Very Special Day

Hannah bounced on her toes, the warm Broadbeach sun tickling her nose. It was her very last day of prep experience, and the school playground buzzed like a happy bee. Hannah loved trying new things! She'd already climbed the twisty slide, painted a rainbow butterfly, and made the wobbly bridge wiggle like a giant jelly. She loved the *whoosh* of new adventures.

Then, Hannah spotted something she hadn't tried. Near the big fig tree, a group of kids were playing a game with a bouncy red ball. They were laughing and calling out, “Over here! Quick, quick!” Hannah had never seen this game before, and a little flutter of curiosity danced in her tummy. She wanted to play too.

But her feet felt a bit stuck to the ground. Hannah loved new things, but new people sometimes felt a bit tricky. Her tummy’s curious flutter turned into a nervous flip-flop. What if they didn't want her to play? She took a small step towards the bubblers, just watching the red ball bounce, bounce, bounce.

Suddenly, Hannah remembered her first time on the big, twisty slide. It had looked scary, but the feeling of sliding down was the best! She took a big, brave breath. 'Meeting new friends is just like a new adventure,' she thought. With her chin held high, she walked right over and said, “Hi! That game looks fun. Can I play too?” A girl with a big smile caught the ball and said, “Of course! I’m Chloe!”

The rest of the day was a wonderful blur of fun! Later, at the park, Hannah saw her new friends Chloe and Tom again! They were all going to be in the same prep class next year. To celebrate, their mums bought them all swirly ice creams that dripped down their fingers. Hannah licked her strawberry cone, feeling so happy. Trying new things, she decided, was the best way to have a very special day.