Albert was a little alligator who loved his toys. He had a bright red ball, a squeaky yellow duck, and a shiny blue boat. Albert loved playing with them all by himself. He’d line them up, roll the ball, make the duck squeak, and sail the boat in his little paddling pool.
One sunny morning, Rosie the rabbit and Finley the frog hopped over to play. “Can we play with your toys, Albert?” asked Rosie politely. Albert hugged his red ball tightly. “No!” he said. “These are *my* toys!”
Rosie and Finley looked sad. They sat quietly under a big green leaf, watching Albert play alone. Albert tried to have fun, but it wasn’t as enjoyable anymore. He kept glancing at Rosie and Finley, and he noticed they weren’t smiling.
Suddenly, Albert felt a little pang in his heart. He remembered how much fun he had playing with his mama alligator, and how she always let him choose which game they would play. He thought about how sad Rosie and Finley looked.
Taking a deep breath, Albert rolled his red ball over to Rosie. “Here,” he said softly. “You can play with the ball.” Rosie’s face lit up! She bounced the ball to Finley, who giggled with delight.
Then, Albert gave the squeaky yellow duck to Finley, and he let Rosie sail the shiny blue boat. They all played together, laughing and splashing and having the best time ever! Albert discovered that playing *with* friends was much more fun than playing alone.
“Thank you for sharing, Albert!” said Rosie. “This is so much fun!” Finley added, “Yes! It’s the best playtime ever!” Albert smiled. He felt warm and happy inside. Sharing his toys hadn’t made him lose anything; it had given him something even better – friendship and joy.
As the sun began to set, Rosie and Finley hopped off to their homes, promising to play again tomorrow. Albert gathered his toys, feeling grateful for his friends. He knew that from now on, playtime would always be more fun when shared. And as he drifted off to sleep, Albert dreamed of all the adventures he and his friends would have together.